The woman's screams were dissolved. Lyra found herself in a desert.
The heat felt real. Sweat trickled down her skin under the scorching sun as she turned in circles, scanning the endless dunes.
Lyra raised her hand, palm above her eyes, to shield them from the sun as she looked ahead, looking around her. 'What just happened?' She remembered seeing the woman being stabbed and now she was in a desert.
Not a single soul was there.
There was something wrong with her dreams. They felt too realistic and unbelievable.
There was a green light gleaming from a distance, it looked like a jade hanging on air. It was no more than a speck on the horizon, yet the way it shimmered made it feel alive, like a tiny shard of green fire against the endless gold
***
Kross found Barrett, the old magic user who had long served as one of the pack's elders. Of all the council, Barrett was the only one Kross could truly tolerate, an old friend of his father, the previous Alpha. Or more like he was the only elder remaining after Kross butchered, no, executed the eleven elders.
When Kross stepped into the dimly lit room, the air carried the scent of herbs and worn parchment. He wasted no time, his voice low, firm and husky, asking Barrett what was happening to him.
The elder blinked in confusion, uncertain of what Kross meant. Kross pressed, his frustration spilling into his words; Why had he marked that girl? Why did her scent cling to him so strongly, potent and disturbing, unlike anything he'd ever known?
Barrett's brows shot up, genuine shock flickering across his weathered face. The revelation was new to him, and troubling. What unsettled him even more was the fact that Kross had marked someone at all. After a tense pause, Barrett asked carefully if the girl was his mate.
Kross' answer was immediate, sharp. "No."
The elder drew in a slow breath before explaining, his voice raspy but edged with concern. "If you've marked her, her scent would naturally call to you. That pull, it is normal."
But Kross' reply came again, harder this time, almost final. "She's not my mate."
Barrett swallowed, the weight of the Alpha's authority pressing down on him. Still, despite his unease, he dared to ask, "Then how do you know?"
Kross' eyes darkened, a secret he would not share, that his was cursed let alone the cursed beast was the one who marked her. Either way it was still him. The secret should burn behind them. He did not answer. Instead, he turned and left the room in silence, leaving Barrett with his unspoken insinuations.
Kross returned to the room, his mind heavy with the weight of what he had just uncovered. He knew he couldn't brush it aside or leave things on the surface anymore, he had to dig deeper into the truth of the situation. A mate bond was not something that could be undone easily. Once marked, it was meant to last forever.
The only way to break it was through dark magic and that path was forbidden across the kingdom. Even if it were possible, the consequences would be dire, dark, irreversible side effects that could destroy both lives bound by the mark.
Kross stepped into the room, his sharp eyes immediately catching the state of the girl. She was drenched in sweat, her clothes damp, clinging to her as though she had just stepped out of a storm. His jaw tightened, that sight was too disturbing. He could see how uncomfortable it looked like.
Without a word, his expression remained unreadable, cold as ever. He reached through the mindlink, commanding Zane, who stood guard at his door, to send a maid. The girl needed her clothes.
Kross stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. The sound of moving water filled the silence as he bathed. When he emerged, dressed in fresh attire, the room had already been tended to. A maid had slipped inside quietly, carefully wiping the sweat from the girl's skin and changing her into something lighter, softer, and clean.
Kross paid little mind to the process. He didn't spare the girl a glance. His body felt heavy, his mind restless, and all he wanted was silence. Crossing to his study table, he lowered himself into the chair, leaning back until his head rested against the leather. For a moment, the Alpha closed his eyes. His sharp features falling into a rare stillness.
Five hours later, Lyra's sleep grew restless. Her dream darkened, the air turned black, and from the darkness bats erupted, wings slicing through the sky, black wings cutting through the air as they swarmed toward her.
They came fast, shrieking, swarming, closing in on her from every side. Panic rose in her chest, her breaths coming short and fast as she stumbled back. Her legs moved but felt heavy, as though the sand beneath her was dragging her down. She tried to run, but the swarm gained on her, the rush of wings pressing closer and closer until she could almost feel them against her skin.
Her scream caught in her throat as the bats reached for her
Just as the bats were about to engulf her, Lyra jolted awake. Her body shot bolt upright, a heavy gasp tearing from her lips as she clutched the sheets trembling, her chest heaving as though she had run miles. Sweat dampened her skin, her heart hammering so wildly it hurt.
She panted hard, her breaths uneven, wide eyes darting around the unfamiliar room. The dream had broken, yet the panic still clawed at her chest. Fear still clung to her.
"W-Where am I?"