Chapter 3 Whispers in the dark

The cabin was silent, save for the sound of Lyra's uneven breathing. The weight of Kaidën's words pressed against her chest like an iron cage. "You're not fully human." It was ridiculous. Insane. And yet... The things she had felt-the unnatural awareness, the sudden energy thrumming beneath her skin, the way her senses had sharpened in the past weeks-none of it could be ignored anymore. She shook her head, stepping away from Kaidën. "I don't believe you." Kaidën leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her with that piercing, golden gaze.

"You want to believe I'm lying," he said, his voice low, controlled. "But tell me, Lyra, how do you explain the things happening to you?" "I-" She faltered. "Stress, okay? Maybe I'm just-maybe I've been working too hard, or-" "Or maybe," he interrupted, "you're waking up to the truth." She let out a shaky breath, wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't even know what that means." Kaidën exhaled slowly, as if he had been expecting this reaction. "It means that the life you've known isn't real. You were never meant to be normal, Lyra. You were born with a legacy inside you, buried deep, waiting for the right moment to surface. And tonight-" his voice darkened, "-it has surfaced." Lyra's hands clenched into fists. "Stop talking like I'm some kind of chosen one in a prophecy." "Who said anything about being chosen?" Kaidën's expression was unreadable. "This isn't a gift, Lyra. It's a curse." A chill ran down her spine. A distant howl rose in the night, closer this time. The sound wasn't human, yet something about it sent a shudder of familiarity through her. Her heart clenched. "What's out there?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Kaidën's gaze didn't waver. "Hunters." Lyra frowned. "Hunters? Like... people hunting wolves?" He let out a humorless chuckle. "Not wolves, Lyra. Us." The world tilted. "That doesn't make sense," she muttered. "I'm not-I mean, I can't be-" "You're changing," Kaidën said again, pushing away from the wall. He stepped toward her, slow and deliberate. "Your body knows it, even if your mind refuses to accept it. Tell me the truth-when you woke up in the forest tonight, did it feel wrong? Or did it feel... natural?" Lyra opened her mouth to argue-of course, it had felt wrong, she had woken up alone in the middle of the woods-but then she hesitated. Because for a fleeting moment, before the fear had fully set in... The moon had seemed brighter. The air had tasted different. And her body had felt- "No." She shook her head, stepping back. "No, I'm not-this isn't real." Kaidën sighed. "Denial won't change what's happening." Something inside her snapped. "You don't get to tell me what's happening to me!" she shouted, her voice shaking. "You show up out of nowhere, drag me into the woods, and start throwing riddles at me like I'm supposed to just accept all this! I don't even know who you are!" Silence hung between them. Then, finally, Kaidën spoke. "My name is Kaidën Darkhaven. I was born into the Bloodmoon Pack, and for the past three years, I've been searching for you." Lyra's pulse stuttered. "Me?" Kaidën nodded. "You." She let out a weak, breathless laugh. "That makes no sense." "You're not just any shifter, Lyra," he continued. "You're tied to something ancient. Something dangerous." She stared at him, her skin prickling. "How do you know that?" Kaidën hesitated. Then, finally- "Because I saw you in a vision." A shiver ran down her spine. "You expect me to believe that?" "You don't have to," Kaidën said. "But it doesn't change the truth." Lyra was still struggling to process when a deep, inhuman growl rumbled outside the cabin. Her breath caught. That wasn't a normal animal. Kaidën's body tensed. "They're here," he murmured. Something slammed against the cabin door. Lyra flinched. A second hit, harder this time. Wood cracked. Kaidën grabbed her wrist. "Run." He yanked open the back door, pulling her into the night. The moment she stepped outside, cold air slapped her skin, but that wasn't the worst of it- The forest wasn't empty. Figures moved in the shadows-tall, lean, their eyes glowing. Not human. Not fully, at least. A snarl broke through the air as one of the figures lunged. Kaidën shoved Lyra behind him. In a blur of motion, he moved-faster than should have been possible. His form twisted, dark energy rippling through the air- And then he was gone. No. Not gone. Where Kaidën had stood moments ago, a massive wolf now crouched, its fur black as night, golden eyes burning like fire. Lyra's heart stopped. She barely had time to react before another creature leaped toward her. Her instincts kicked in. She ducked. The attacker sailed over her head, landing in a crouch. Another set of glowing eyes locked onto her. Adrenaline roared through Lyra's veins. She needed to run. But something inside her-something deep-refused. Her breath came in sharp bursts. Her pulse pounded. And then- Pain. A sharp, burning sensation tore through her chest, her arms, her legs. It wasn't from the attackers. It was coming from inside her. Her vision blurred, her muscles tightening, her skin stretching- Her body was changing. A scream built in her throat, but it never escaped. Because in the next heartbeat- Lyra Flynn was no longer human.