Chapter 5 FIVE

LYRA

My knees scraped against the concrete, and pain kept moving through my side. I tried to crawl, but my arms shook badly, and my body refused to obey me.

The shadow moved closer.

"Please," I whispered. "I will sign it. I will sign anything."

The figure did not respond, instead he raised his blade higher, and I screamed.

But the sound barely came out. Before the knife could reach me, a loud crack came from behind him. The man holding the blade flew backward and hit the wall with a heavy thud.

I stared in shock.

Another figure stepped out of the darkness.

Tall. Broad. Calm.

The second attacker rushed forward. He did not even finish raising his weapon. The stranger grabbed his wrist and twisted it until the bone snapped. The scream that followed was short.

The man dropped to the ground, shaking.

"Leave," the stranger said quietly.

The third attacker hesitated.

"Now," he repeated, and they ran.

I sat frozen on the ground, my chest heaving.

The stranger turned to me.

I could not see his face clearly, but I felt him. The aura around him felt dominant. He must be an Alpha.

"You are bleeding," he said.

"I know," I replied weakly.

"Can you stand?"

"No."

He crouched in front of me. His eyes were silver under the light.

"They sent people after you," he said. "You understand that, yes."

"Darius," I whispered.

"Yes."

My vision began to blur again. "I did not sign the papers."

"I know."

"How?" I asked.

"You are not invisible," he replied.

My head spun. "Are you here to finish it?"

"No."

"Then why," I asked.

He studied me for a moment. "Because I was curious."

"Curious about what?" I whispered.

"How an omega survived what should have killed her."

I tried to laugh. "Congratulations. I am still dying."

He stood and lifted me easily into his arms.

I protested weakly. "Put me down."

"You will pass out soon," he said. "Arguing wastes time."

"I do not know you."

"You will."

The world tilted, and the last thing I heard was the sound of footsteps and my own breathing fading.

---

When I woke up, I expected pain.

Instead, I felt warmth.

I opened my eyes slowly.

The room was dark but clean, and the smell around me was unfamiliar. It certainly wasn't a hospital.

I tried to move and hissed.

"You are awake," a voice said.

I turned my head.

He sat in a chair near the wall, with his arms crossed.

"You should not move yet," he added.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Safe."

"That is vague."

"It is intentional."

I swallowed. "Did you bring me here?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He stood and walked closer. "You were going to die."

"I am still dying."

"No," he replied. "You are stabilizing."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Kael."

"Kael," I repeated. "That means nothing to me."

"It will."

I tried to sit up. He placed a hand on my shoulder and pushed me back gently.

"Don't do that," he said. "Your stitches are still fragile."

"You know about the surgery," I said.

"I know everything," he replied.

"That is not comforting."

"It wasn't supposed to be."

I stared at him. "Are you an Alpha?"

"Yes."

"Which pack?"

"Shadowfang."

My breath almost left my lungs. Everyone knew that name.

"You are lying," I said.

"No."

"You would have killed me already."

"If I wanted you dead, you would not be awake."

That shut me up.

"Why save me then?" I asked.

He looked at me closely. "Because Darius doesn't get to erase anyone he wants. He's not that powerful."

"You hate him," I said.

"Yes."

"For personal reasons."

"Yes."

I nodded slowly. "So this is revenge."

"Partly."

"And the rest," I asked.

"You interest me."

I frowned. "I am an omega with one kidney and no pack."

"You are an omega who survived betrayal, surgery, and an assassination attempt," he replied.

"That is nothing."

Silence stretched between us.

"Did you kill them?" I asked quietly.

"No."

"You let them go."

"I wanted Darius to know."

"Know what?"

"That he failed."

My fingers curled into the sheets. "He will try again."

"Yes."

Fear settled in my chest. "I cannot fight him."

"You do not have to," Kael replied. "Not alone."

I looked at him. "What do you want from me?"

He did not hesitate. "Loyalty."

"I have nothing left."

"You have rage," he said. "That is enough."

"I do not want to belong to anyone again."

He leaned closer. "You already do."

I stiffened. "Excuse me."

"You are in my territory," he said calmly. "Under my protection. Nothing touches you unless I allow it."

"That sounds like another cage."

"Every safe place has walls."

"I want my freedom."

"You want to live," he replied. "Freedom comes later."

I stared at the ceiling. "Darius wants me dead."

"Yes."

"And you want him destroyed."

"Yes."

I turned back to him. "So I am useful."

His eyes darkened slightly. "You are not disposable."

"That is new."

"You will work with me," he continued. "You will listen. You will learn."

"And if I refuse."

"You leave," he said. "And you die."

I closed my eyes.

My life for his war.

Again.

"Do I have a choice?" I asked.

"You always have a choice," he replied. "Some choices just end badly."

I opened my eyes. "If I agree."

"You live," he said. "You get stronger. And when the time comes, you will watch Darius fall."

My chest tightened.

I thought of the knife.

The trash bags.

The door is closing.

"I will not be weak again," I said.

"Good," Kael replied. "Weakness irritates me."

I met his gaze. "I am not your property."

"No," he said. "But you are my responsibility now."

"That sounds worse."

A corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "You will get used to it."

I exhaled slowly. "Then tell me the truth."

"What truth."

"Why me?"

He stared at me for a long moment. Then he said quietly, "Because whatever blood runs through you refused to let you die."

A chill moved through me.

"You feel it too, do you not?" he added. "That pull. That pressure."

I swallowed. "I thought it was fear."

"No," he said. "That is power waking up."

My heart raced.

"You belong in my world now, Lyra," Kael said. "And if you want revenge, you will cooperate."

I nodded once.

"I will," I said. "But I am not doing this for you."

"I know," he replied. "You are doing it for yourself."

And for the first time since the surgery, I felt something else beneath the pain.

Not hope.

Hunger.