Lyra's POV
The path home was quiet. Too quiet.
The forest still bore the scars of battle splintered trees, scorched patches of earth, the faint metallic scent of blood carried on the wind. Every step we took away from that cursed clearing felt like stepping out of a nightmare, but the silence that followed was heavier than the storm had been.
Kaelan walked beside me, his presence steady but distant. The wolves had shifted back into human form once we reached the mountain pass; even they looked uneasy, like shadows haunted by ghosts. Darian moved at the front of the group, silent as ever, the dark edge of his cloak dragging across the wet ground.
No one spoke for hours.
It wasn't until the scent of pine and the familiar sound of Riverbend's river reached us that something inside me eased just a little. Home. The word carried a strange weight now.
Riverbend had been my refuge, my disguise, my second life. It was where I learned to fight, to hide, to survive as Lila Vance—the nameless omega with no past. And yet, as the trees parted and the first glimpses of the pack's border shimmered through the mist, I felt… unmoored.
Because the girl who'd left wasn't the one coming back.
Kaelan stopped beside me at the ridge overlooking the valley. His hand brushed minebbrief, unintentional, but it was enough to send a sharp pulse through the bond. The hum in my chest deepened, steady and demanding.
"You don't have to go back," he said softly. His voice was rough, like gravel dragged over silk. "You could come with me to Ironclaw. At least unti"
"Until what?" I turned to him, forcing a wry smile. "Until I forget who I am? Or until your pack starts asking why their Alpha is keeping a marked omega in his house?"
His jaw tightened, eyes flashing with something dangerously close to frustration. "Don't twist my words, Lyra."
"I'm not," I said quietly. "I just… need to breathe again. To think. Riverbend is the only place I still can."
He studied me for a long moment. I could feel the war inside him the instinct to protect clashing with the duty to lead. Finally, he exhaled slowly. "Then I'll see you home."
We crossed into Riverbend territory as the evening light faded into amber and shadow. The guards at the gate froze when they saw us bloodied, drenched, carrying the scent of storm and war.
"Alpha Draven," one of them stammered. "We weren't expecting"
Kaelan nodded curtly. "We need a message sent to Luna. Tell her Lyra's safe."
The guard blinked, surprise flickering across his face, but he bowed and sprinted toward the main house.
As we entered the familiar dirt path winding through the pack's heart, I saw faces I hadn't seen in weeks hunters returning from patrol, omegas hauling baskets, children chasing each other near the stream. The sight should have been comforting. It wasn't.
Because for the first time, I didn't feel like I belonged here.
"Lila?"
The voice hit me like sunlight breaking through clouds. I turned just in time to see Ellie hair braided tight, bow slung across her back, eyes sharp as ever hurrying toward me. She froze halfway, eyes widening as she took in my torn clothes and the bruises still faintly marking my neck.
"Moon above, what happened to you?" she gasped, pulling me into a fierce hug. "We thought Luna thought oh, you're really here."
I hugged her back, the familiar warmth grounding me in ways I hadn't realized I needed. "I'm fine," I lied softly. "Just… a rough mission."
Ellie pulled back, eyes flicking between me and Kaelan. Her brow arched, knowing too much without saying a word. "A rough mission, huh? Looks like it was more than that."
Kaelan's lips twitched, almost a smile. "She's stronger than she looks."
Ellie smirked at him, then turned back to me, her teasing fading into concern. "Luna will want to see you right away. She's been restless since you left."
The words made my chest tighten. Luna gentle, perceptive, mother to everyone in Riverbendbhad always seen through my walls, even when I didn't want her to.
Kaelan stepped closer, lowering his voice. "I'll speak with her too. Then I'll head back to Ironclaw."
My heart dropped at the quiet finality in his tone. "So soon?"
He hesitated, eyes lingering on mine. "If I stay, I'll make it harder for both of us."
The bond pulsed again warm, aching, defiant. For a moment, neither of us moved. Then Ellie cleared her throat pointedly. "Right. I'll, uh, give you two a moment before Luna starts wondering why her courtyard smells like tension and lightning."
Kaelan chuckled lowly. "You have sharp instincts."
"I'm a warrior," Ellie said with a grin. "I can smell trouble before it knocks."
When she walked off, I turned back to him. The sun had dipped below the horizon now, the world cloaked in silver twilight. "You'll return?" I asked, hating how small the question sounded.
His gaze softened. "You'll feel me through the bond," he murmured. "Even across borders."
Before I could reply, he reached out and brushed his thumb against my cheek, wiping away a streak of dried ash. "Rest, Lyra. You've done enough fighting for one lifetime."
And just like that, he turned toward the darkening path that led north toward Ironclaw.
I watched him go until the night swallowed his silhouette.
Only then did I let myself exhale.
By the time I reached the main house, night had settled fully over Riverbend. The courtyard glowed with torchlight, the faint hum of the pack's evening chatter wrapping the air like a heartbeat I'd missed.
I paused at the steps, soaking it in. The scent of familiar herbs drifted from the kitchen. The soft laughter of pups echoed near the training grounds. For the first time in weeks, the air didn't taste like smoke or blood.
Still, my chest felt heavy. Because part of me something deep and stubborn kept stretching toward the north, where Kaelan's presence lingered faintly through the bond.
"Lila?"
The voice was soft but steady, one I'd know anywhere. Luna.
She stood at the doorway, the flickering light painting her silver hair in shades of gold. Her eyes, sharp yet kind, studied me for a long moment before she stepped forward and pulled me into her arms.
"You're home," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "We were worried."
I closed my eyes, leaning into her warmth. "I didn't mean to disappear."
"You never do," she said gently, pulling back to study my face. "But you come back changed every time."
Her gaze swept over me the bruises, the faint mark at my neck that no amount of concealing could hide. Her eyes softened, but she didn't question it. "Come inside, child. You're freezing."
The main hall smelled like cedar and warmth. Mara was there petite, bright-eyed, her curls pulled into a messy braid. She looked up from a basket of folded linens, gasping when she saw me.
"Lila!" she cried, rushing over. "Goddess, we thought you were gone for good!"
I smiled faintly as she enveloped me in a crushing hug. "It'll take more than a storm to get rid of me."
She pulled back, eyes brimming. "You should've seen Luna pacing! And Ellie nearly bit off the head of every scout who came back without you."
"Ellie hasn't changed," I said, chuckling softly.
Mara's gaze darted toward the door, where Kaelan had stood earlier. "That was him, wasn't it? The Alpha from Ironclaw?"
I froze. "How do you"
"His scent," she said quietly. "It's… strong. Power like that doesn't just fade. You brought it back with you."
Luna's voice interrupted before I could answer. "Mara, dear, would you fetch something warm for Lyra?"
Mara blinked. "Lyra?"
I stilled. Luna's eyes held mine, calm and knowing.
"I think," she said softly, "we've played the part long enough, haven't we?"
My heart lurched. "You knew."
Her smile was small, sad, and impossibly gentle. "Not everything, child. But enough. The way you carried yourself. The strength that never belonged to an omega. I didn't press because I knew one day, you'd tell me yourself."
I sank onto the bench beside the hearth, the truth sitting heavy on my tongue. "I wanted to protect this place. I didn't want my past to bring danger here."
Luna reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "We all have pasts that haunt us. But running from them doesn't keep us safe it only makes us smaller."
The words struck deep. I nodded slowly, swallowing the lump in my throat. "There's so much you don't know. Things are changing out there, Luna. Shadows are moving again. Kaelan and I" I stopped myself. Saying his name out loud felt too raw, too intimate.
Luna's gaze softened. "You can tell me when you're ready. For now, rest. The pack is your home, Lyra whatever name you choose to wear."
Mara returned then with a steaming mug of herbal tea, her expression caught between awe and confusion. "Lyra Hale," she whispered, testing the name. "The lost heir of Silverfang."