The Alpha's Hidden Heir

orizon where the last slivers of moonlight met the shadow of the mountains beyond. The wind whispered through the trees, its mournful song carrying with it the scent of distant wolves-rogues, no dou

yr

leadership was starting to show. His once-immaculate dark hair was tousled, and the usual fire in his eyes had dulled

nd?" he asked soft

The bond between them-once fiery and filled with promises-was now strained. It wasn't just the rogue threat or the pack politics that made her uneasy;

ied," she admitte

gently brushing against her shoulder. "We're all worried

e forces growing stronger by the day and the fracture lines within the pack widening. The loyalty that Zander demanded

mes after this?" Lyra asked, he

do you

o his. "Once we get rid of the rogues. Once everyt

r of confusion in his gaze. "What do you mean, Lyra?

w things were before everything changed. But the truth was, too much had happen

ore," she admitted, her heart ac

e he masked it. "You think we can just walk away from this?

m doing anymore, Zander. I thought I could be the warrior, the loyal fighter you needed

night, low and chilling. The sound sent a shiver down her spine, and

tinctively going to the hilt of his

she hated it, she knew he couldn't lead without showing strength. But even as he turned to leave, her heart cle

of her thoughts. She had always been loyal to the Darkwood Pack, but loyalty was complicated. There were too many forces at pl

nxiety and determination pushing her forward. She had to be there. She had to ensure that Z

combat with a rogue wolf, his movements fluid but furious. The rogue was massive, his eyes glowing red with malice

ntion shifted, but she was too fast, her blade finding its mark in the rogue's side. The

o the ground, dead b

illed with both gratitude and something else-something harder to read. His gaze lingered on her fo

voice low and clipped. He was trying to ma

t you do this alone,

ander's gaze softened, and for a brief, fleeting moment, Lyra saw the man she once loved-the man she had trusted

er said, his voice bare

, the walls that had grown taller with each passing day. There was so much left u

ed to secure the perimeter. There's more of th

e stepped closer instead,

ow," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "I'm

was, that their bond wasn't broken, that they could fight side by side and emerge victorious. But deep down,

died in her throat. She couldn't gi

at followed, Lyra knew that nothing would ever be the same. The

the ground. Lyra stood in the midst of it all, her hands stained with blood and her heart heavy with the weight of the choices ahead. The fight had been brutal, but it wasn't th

en to her much since the battle ended, and the silence between them hung like a thick fog, clouding everything. The distance betwe

alled softly, a

lothes were torn, his hair matted with sweat, but his e

she asked, her voic

ht, the weight of his own thoughts pressing down o

of so many challenges. Some were questioning his leadership, and others were beginning to wonder if the old ways-before Zander's reign-w

r voice quiet. "But we'll

touched her arm, his hand warm against her skin. His touch was

oice soft with uncertainty. "Y

uture that she had lost sight of what she wanted, what she needed. And now, with the secret of her unborn child weighing on her, she wasn't sure she

oice cracking with the emotion she had been holding in.

with a mixture of concern and frustration.

uldn't lie to him, not after everything they had been through. But she also couldn't tell him about the child-couldn't re

said, her voice ba

ace for answers, his brow furrowing as though trying to read the unspoken words

voice low and firm. "Trust that I can prote

g of fear. She wanted to believe in him, wanted to trust him with everything she had.

he whole truth. There were things she couldn't say, things she couldn't do-

tepped back, turning his gaze back to the pack. The rising sun painted the sky

some of its usual strength. "We need to re

ouldn't keep this up forever. She couldn't keep hiding the truth from Zander, from the pa

Zander stepped to the front, his presence commanding attention, and Lyra followed quietly behind him, her mind still reeling from the conve

trong and clear. "But this isn't over. There are more out

andled the attack. Some said he wasn't strong enough, that he didn't have what it took to lead. And in the back of her mind, Lyra couldn't shak

es scanning the crowd. "Tomorrow, we begin prepa

that they were just words. There was no guarantee they would win,

pack leaders, leaving Lyra standing on the outskirts. She had never felt so disco

her mother. The only thing that had been with her through every trial, eve

wn, Lyra kn

't protect

fore