C4 Hunted
The rogue reached her before she could react.
Lyra barely managed to throw herself sideways.
His claws sliced through empty air where her throat had been a second earlier.
She hit the ground hard.
Pain shot through her shoulder.
Leaves and dirt flew everywhere.
"Get up!"
Nyx's voice exploded inside her head.
Lyra scrambled backward.
The rogue laughed.
"So slow."
The other rogues spread out around them.
Eight wolves.
Eight.
Her stomach dropped.
She had never even won a real fight before.
Now she was surrounded.
The scarred rogue cracked his neck.
"You don't look very dangerous."
Several of the others laughed.
"Maybe the bounty was a mistake."
"Maybe."
The leader's eyes narrowed.
"But we're getting paid either way."
Lyra's pulse thundered.
"What bounty?"
The rogue tilted his head.
"You don't know?"
"No."
The smile disappeared from his face.
"Doesn't matter."
He lunged again.
This time she wasn't fast enough.
His shoulder slammed into her chest.
The impact knocked the air from her lungs.
Lyra crashed into a tree trunk.
Pain exploded through her ribs.
The forest spun.
For a moment, everything blurred.
The rogues advanced slowly.
Like predators playing with wounded prey.
Fear wrapped around her throat.
Real fear.
Not humiliation.
Not heartbreak.
Death.
She was staring directly at it.
"Fight."
Nyx sounded angry.
"I don't know how."
"Then learn quickly."
Helpful.
Very helpful.
The rogues continued circling.
The leader pointed at her.
"Hold her down."
Two wolves moved immediately.
Lyra turned and ran.
Branches whipped across her face.
Roots snagged her boots.
She pushed harder.
Faster.
The forest became a blur.
Behind her came laughter.
They weren't worried.
Because they knew she couldn't escape.
A howl erupted somewhere behind her.
Then another.
Then another.
They were herding her.
The realization made her blood run cold.
Her breathing became ragged.
Her legs burned.
Still she ran.
Then her foot caught a root.
Lyra crashed to the ground.
Hard.
Pain exploded through her knee.
She rolled onto her back just as the rogues emerged from the darkness.
They surrounded her again.
Smiling.
Patient.
Certain.
The scarred leader sighed dramatically.
"That was disappointing."
Lyra's heart hammered.
She looked around desperately.
No escape.
No help.
Nothing.
The rogue crouched in front of her.
"You know what's funny?"
She said nothing.
His smile widened.
"Whoever hired us specifically said not to torture you."
A chill shot through her.
Not torture?
That implied something worse.
The rogue leaned closer.
"They wanted it quick."
Fear became ice.
Someone truly wanted her dead.
Not captured.
Not questioned.
Dead.
The realization terrified her.
Why?
Who would care enough to hire killers?
She was nobody.
The scarred rogue rose to his feet.
"Enough talking."
He extended his claws.
Moonlight gleamed off the sharp edges.
The surrounding wolves grew quiet.
Waiting.
Watching.
The forest itself seemed to hold its breath.
The rogue raised his hand.
Lyra closed her eyes.
Not because she accepted death.
Because she couldn't bear watching it happen.
I'm sorry, Mom.
I'm sorry, Dad.
A strange calm settled over her.
The kind people found when there were no choices left.
The rogue moved.
Nyx roared.
"NO!"
Something exploded inside Lyra.
Not physically.
Internally.
Like a chain snapping.
A lock breaking.
A door being kicked open.
The world went white.
The rogue screamed.
Lyra's eyes flew open.
Silver light erupted from her body.
The force blasted outward in every direction.
Trees bent violently.
Leaves exploded into the air.
The rogues were thrown backward like rag dolls.
Several slammed into tree trunks.
One crashed through a bush.
Another hit the ground so hard he stopped moving.
Silence followed.
Absolute silence.
Lyra stared at her hands.
Silver energy crackled across her skin.
"What..."
The words died in her throat.
The rogues looked terrified.
Not surprised.
Terrified.
The scarred leader slowly climbed to his feet.
Blood ran from his mouth.
His eyes were wide.
"No."
Nobody moved.
The silver light continued glowing.
The forest suddenly felt different.
Alive.
Watching.
The rogue stumbled backward.
"It can't be."
"What can't be?"
He ignored her.
The other rogues were already retreating.
One crossed himself.
Another looked ready to faint.
The scarred leader pointed at her with a shaking hand.
"The markings."
Lyra looked down.
Her breath caught.
Ancient symbols covered her arms.
Silver.
Glowing.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
The same symbols that had appeared during the Moon Ceremony.
The same symbols that had caused elders to panic.
Fear crawled through her stomach.
"What are these?"
No one answered.
The rogues were too busy backing away.
The scarred leader's face had turned pale.
"We need to leave."
One of the others nodded frantically.
"Now."
Lyra blinked.
"What?"
The rogue looked at her as though she were a monster.
"A bounty isn't worth this."
The words made no sense.
"What are you talking about?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he took another step backward.
Then another.
Then another.
The entire group followed.
Retreating.
Afraid.
The same men who had been seconds away from killing her now looked desperate to escape.
The scarred rogue pointed one final time.
"If they find out you're alive..."
His voice cracked.
The fear in his eyes intensified.
"We're all dead."
Then he turned and ran.
The others followed immediately.
Within seconds they vanished into the darkness.
Gone.
Just like that.
Lyra remained frozen.
The silver energy slowly faded.
The symbols disappeared.
The forest returned to normal.
Except nothing felt normal anymore.
Her legs finally gave out.
She collapsed onto the ground.
Breathing hard.
"What just happened?"
Nyx sounded unusually quiet.
"I was hoping we'd have more time."
Lyra laughed bitterly.
"More time for what?"
The wolf didn't answer immediately.
"To prepare you."
Prepare her?
For what?
Questions raced through her mind.
The symbols.
The power.
The bounty.
The rogues' reaction.
Nothing made sense.
She pushed herself upright.
Pain still lingered throughout her body.
But she was alive.
Somehow.
The forest remained silent.
Then Nyx suddenly growled.
A low dangerous sound.
Lyra stiffened.
"What now?"
"We're not alone."
Her pulse jumped.
Immediately she rose to her feet.
The darkness between the trees felt heavier.
Watching.
Waiting.
A twig snapped.
Then another.
Movement appeared among the shadows.
Lyra's body tensed.
Please not more rogues.
Not now.
Figures emerged from the darkness.
One.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Far more than before.
But these weren't rogues.
Their movements were disciplined.
Organized.
Professional.
Each wore black armor marked with a silver crescent moon.
Warriors.
Elite warriors.
Dangerous warriors.
Lyra instinctively backed away.
The group stopped several feet from her.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
The tension became suffocating.
Then the tallest warrior stepped forward.
His face remained hidden beneath a dark hood.
For one terrifying second, Lyra thought they had come to finish what the rogues started.
Instead, something completely unexpected happened.
The warrior dropped to one knee.
The others followed instantly.
Ten armed warriors.
Kneeling.
To her.
Lyra stared.
Certain she was hallucinating.
The hooded warrior lowered his head.
When he finally spoke, his voice carried unmistakable respect.
"We've been searching for you."
Fear mixed with confusion.
"What?"
The warrior slowly looked up.
Moonlight revealed a faint scar across his jaw.
His expression remained serious.
"Our Alpha requests your presence."
Lyra's stomach tightened.
Another Alpha?
Who?
Why?
The warrior held her gaze.
Then he spoke the words that sent another chill through her body.
"The Eclipse Pack has been waiting for your return."
A hidden pack.
Because apparently normal people weren’t allowed in her life anymore.
And for the second time in two days, Lyra realized her life was changing in ways she couldn't begin to understand.
