The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 90

Lyra

I walked into the library; my backpack lighter than the weight of my troubles. As I made my way through the stacks, I caught the glances of other students. Some offered sympathetic smiles, while others sneered or turned away. "Hey, Lyra," a friendly voice called out. It was Janet with a group of friends. She looked none the worse for wear after getting disqualified from the Luna Trials. She came over to me wearing a large smile. "How's it going?"

I shrugged, trying to not give in to the negativity that surrounded me like fog. "Oh, you know, just trying to stay afloat."

"I hear you, girl. Hey, congratulations on getting a team captain spot, you deserved to win."

"Thanks, Janet. I appreciate it." Her words offered a glimmer of warmth in the sea of cold faces.

We talked for a few seconds more, then I continued my search for a quiet spot. Making my way to a quiet corner, I overheard whispers from a group of girls.

"I can't believe she's still in the running," one of them hissed.

"I know, right? Even if she somehow becomes our Luna, I would seriously think about joining another pack," another replied, her voice dripping with disdain.

I quickened my pace, my cheeks burning with shame and anger. Finally, I reached my favorite secluded corner, hidden behind a row of dusty encyclopedias. I settled into a chair and pulled out my books, determined to lose myself in the pages. The words blurred before my eyes as I tried to focus. My mind kept drifting back to the events of the past few weeks. Sally, Brittany, Whitney- it sounds like the title of a sad, sad song. Then there was Ryan, I had heard that he was away on pack business. Did he even know I had made it to the next round?

Taking a moment to clear my mind, I dove into my studies, the world around me fading away. The only sounds were the rustling of pages and the scratching of my pencil as I took notes.

I blinked hard, trying to focus on the words in front of me, but they kept blurring together. My eyelids felt heavy, like they were made of lead. I shook my head, trying to stay awake, but it was no use. Exhaustion wrapped around me like a thick blanket, and before I knew it, I was drifting off into a deep sleep.

Suddenly, I found myself in a dark, eerie place. The air was thick with a sense of dread. I looked around, my heart pounding in my chest, and that's when I saw them.

Whitney was there, laughing and pointing at something. The shadowy figure of a man stood behind her, his hands on his shoulders. I followed their gaze and gasped. Ryan was chained to a wall, his face contorted in pain as a figure in a red cloak tortured him. I tried to scream, to run to him, but my feet were rooted to the ground.

Then I saw Sally and Killian, also chained to the wall, their faces pale with fear. They looked at me helplessly, their eyes pleading for me to do something.

I struggled against the invisible force holding me back, tears streaming down my face. "Stop it!" I cried out. "Leave them alone!"

But the figure in the red cloak only laughed, a cold, cruel sound that sent shivers down my spine. It turned to me, its face hidden beneath the hood, and spoke in a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "This is the fate that awaits those who stand in my way," it said. "And you, Lyra Evergreen, will be the one to decide their fate."

I shook my head, my voice trembling. "No, I won't let you hurt them. I'll do whatever it takes to stop you."

The figure laughed again. "We shall see, little wolf. We shall see."

I woke up with a snap, my heart in my throat.

I scrubbed a hand down my face, trying to process the White Wolf's cryptic warning before the nightmare completely faded. What sacrifice would I need to make? And how could I possibly prepare for something when I didn't even know what it was?

The next day after classes, I made my way to the training field where Killian was waiting. He stood tall and imposing, his silver eyes assessing me as I approached.

"You look troubled, Lyra," he said, his deep voice tinged with concern. "What's on your mind?"

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "I had a dream last night," I began, my voice trembling slightly. "The White Wolf appeared to me, and it said... it said that the time for sacrifice is coming, and I need to be prepared to do what is necessary."

Killian's brow furrowed, and he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The White Wolf's visions are powerful, but they are not set in stone," he explained, his tone reassuring yet firm. "They often show us glimpses of what may come to pass, but the future is not fixed. The choices we make can alter the course of destiny."

He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, his gaze intense and sincere. "Lyra, your focus now should be on the final two trials ahead of you. Trust in your instincts, your training, and the strength within you. Whatever challenges may come, you have the power to face them head-on."

I nodded, feeling a whole lot better. Killian was right. I couldn't let myself be consumed by worry over a future that hadn't yet unfolded. I needed to stay focused on the present, on honing my skills and winning the Luna Trials so that Ryan and I could be together.

We trained for over an hour. My muscles no longer sore as they had been at the beginning. Killen smiled at me. "You have greatly improved, Lyra, keep up the good work."

He left and I laid in the grass for a bit, looking up at the colors in the sky change from sky blue to a darker shade. Mainly I thought of Ryan, a bit about Sally and Whitney and yeas, even about myself, wondering if the coming trials would be as hard as they were the other day.

When the sky turned completely dark, I got up and dusted myself off. As I turned to leave, a flicker of movement caught my eye. There, lurking in the shadows of the trees, was a familiar figure. My heart leapt with joy as I recognized Ryan, but the feeling was short-lived. His expression was grave, his eyes haunted with a weight I couldn't quite understand.

"Lyra," he said, those deep blue eyes caressing me... making me burn. "We need to talk."