Chapter 2

That moonstone charm was the last piece of my mother I had.

It was the only thing that could keep the silver poison from taking over.

I remember a blood moon night, three years ago.

I dropped the charm into a frozen lake.

Kain dove into the piercing water without a second thought.

He searched for three hours, his lips turning purple from the cold.

When he finally climbed out, he pressed the charm back into my hand.

"What's yours, Lyra, I would die to protect."

Back then, he only loved me.

But now, with a single, casual sentence, he gave it all away.

The one thing I cherished was gone.

The metallic taste of blood rose in my throat again.

I pulled a handkerchief from my sleeve, covering my mouth to stifle a cough.

Blood blossomed across the silk.

It looked just like the blood I'd shed for him.

The day I took a silver-poisoned bolt meant for his heart.

"Are you coughing?"

Kain asked from outside.

"Is it too drafty inside? You were always one of our strongest fighters, Lyra. Don't start acting fragile just because you're sick. The Shadow Mountains are a different world. You'll need to curb that temper of yours. Don't provoke Draven."

He still mistook my quiet pain for defiance.

I folded the blood-stained fabric and hid it away.

"Alpha Kain," my voice was perfectly calm.

"It's getting late. You shouldn't miss the ceremony."

A sigh of relief escaped him, loud enough for me to hear.

"I knew you'd do the sensible thing. Wait for me, Lyra."

The scrape of wolf claws on stone faded into the distance.

He went to meet his precious new bride.

And I was on my way to the Shadow Mountains.