Lyra had grown to be scared of her own thoughts. Every day, the link pulled her deeper into Zack's world, not just with pictures she could handle, but with sudden feelings that appeared out of nowhere. One moment she was washing dishes, and the next she felt Zack's tiredness as he practiced alone as the sun set. She would look away and then feel his happiness laughing with his friends, even though he didn't laugh much at all. She would sense the anger he kept hidden, the frustration he held back, the sadness he hid under his responsibilities.
At first, she fought it, angry, stressed, wanting to shut him out. But the more she fought, the stronger the feelings got. Then she started to feel awful, like a slow sickness. It wasn't right at all. She had spent weeks hating a man she didn't even know, a man whose life was full of trouble and pain… a pain she felt like it was her own.
And still… he never tried to push her away.
One afternoon, after a really strong wave of feeling that left her shaking against her bedroom wall, Lyra knew she needed to understand. Answers. Something more than just fear and confusion. So she left the pack house before the sun rose, wearing a hooded cloak, and walked toward the sacred Wolf Springs, a place old wolves said the Moon Goddess used to visit long ago.
The springs were hidden far away between tall rock walls, watched over by old evergreen trees. Fog floated over the water, glowing gently in the fading moonlight. As soon as Lyra stepped into the open space, something inside her shook, like she recognized the place well.
She went to the water's edge and knelt down. "I need to know the truth," she whispered softly. "Why me? Why him?"
The water's surface moved, even though there was no wind. Lyra looked into the moving water until she couldn't see her own face anymore… then it disappeared completely from view.
A shadow came out of the deep water, unclear, moving around, shaped like a wolf but made of smoke and moonlight. Its eyes were empty and ancient. Lyra gasped and grabbed the ground for support.
A voice echoed in her mind.
"Child of the moon, your bond was not a mistake at all."
Lyra shook her head, whispering, "It was a curse, actually."
"No, it wasn't."
The shadow moved closer to the water's edge.
"It was a fix. A divine change. Fate had taken a wrong turn."
She gasped for air loudly. "But Sebastian, really?"
"Was not meant for you at all."
The truth hit her harder than the attack that had changed everything completely. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Then why Zack?" she whispered quietly. "Why someone I don't even know at all?"
The shadow tilted its head to the side slightly.
"Because destiny is older than choice or decisions. You and the rogue Alpha share something very old, hidden deep, and forgotten long ago. The bond is not a punishment at all… it is a new beginning."
Lyra's heart beat very fast. "Awakening what exactly?"
"In time, you will come to fully understand it all."
The ghost began to fade away, and its voice became quieter.
"But remember this: fear cannot stop what has already started."
The water's surface stopped its movement. The dream was over. Lyra stayed still, her heart beating fast, not understanding the meaning of the message. A godly interruption. A fixing of something. What could that possibly mean?
Before she could keep thinking, she heard footsteps coming up behind her.
Lyra quickly turned around.
Her younger sister, Anny, stood at the edge of the open area, her arms crossed, her eyebrows raised, and her lips formed the well-known "Do you think I'm dumb?" look.
"What are you doing out here?" Lyra asked quietly, still catching her breath.
Anny walked over to her. "The real question is: Why are you sneaking out early in the morning yet again? And don't try saying it's for some fresh air."
Lyra slightly winced. "Anny, please don't, "
"No." Her sister took hold of her arm. "Tell me what is happening. Right now."
Lyra had not planned on telling anyone anything. Not about the dreams she was having. Not about the feelings she was feeling. Not about the warnings from ancient ghosts or how her heart was pulled to the connection when she didn't expect it. But Anny's expression was steady, strong, and true. Just the kind of help Lyra needed.
So, she told her everything.
"Lyra," she said softly, "why didn't you tell me any of this sooner?"
"I didn't want you to be involved."
Anny made a sound of disbelief. "I'm already involved in this. I'm your sister, not just someone on the sidelines." She squeezed Lyra's hands. "And you don't have to deal with this all by yourself."
Lyra felt her throat tighten up. "I don't know what to do, Anny. It's all getting worse. And the more I feel him… the less I hate him. I don't want to feel that way."
"Maybe you should try to know him better," Anny said gently. "Not as a criminal. Not as the person we are fighting. But as Zack."
Lyra took a breath. "How can I even do that?"
Anny stood up straight, looking like she had made up her mind. "We need to find out about him. His group. His family's story. His land. If the connection was a 'godly interruption,' then something about his past must be important."
Lyra blinked. "You want to learn about a dangerous Alpha?"
"Why not? Knowing things makes you strong." Anny smiled, looking more sure than Lyra felt. "And anyway, no one else in this group seems to want to fix what's really wrong. They just want you fixed so things seem normal again."
Lyra let out a shaky breath. "Thank you."
"Come on." Anny rolled her eyes. "Sisters always help each other, even when one is magically connected to a gloomy outlaw."
Lyra made a sound that was like a laugh mixed with a snort, and she felt more relaxed than she had in days. "He isn't sad."
"Yes, he is sad," Anny replied, sounding like she knew what she was talking about. "I can sense it."
Lyra chuckled, quickly and without pretending.
Ancient tales. Lawbreaker files. Group customs. Messages written by fighters who had passed away many years ago.
Lyra sat beside her, still anxious about what the spirit had said, but feeling braver because Anny was there.
"Okay," Anny said, as she opened a used book, "we are going to discover who Zack truly is."
Lyra felt that tug in her heart once more, a little, stable, and energetic feeling.
She had a feeling that what they found out would change everything.
But she didn't feel afraid anymore.
Not with her sister right there beside her.
Not when they were so close to figuring out the real story.