CHAPTER 9 - The Scent of a She-Wolf

Ryan I headed straight for my office, my thoughts scattered like the four winds. What was I going to do with that infuriating, fascinating female? Lyra Evergreen had turned my world upside down from the moment her scent lured me into Wolfsong territory all those years ago. As a pup, berry picking held a special magic. Not for the plump, juicy rewards, though those were sweet. No, it was the thrill of the hunt - the chase through sun-dappled trees, the anticipation of finding the biggest, reddest berry patch. Mom always teased me, saying I gobbled them up faster than I picked them. Then, a new scent caught my nose - wildflowers, yes, but intertwined with something sweeter, richer. Honey. It was like nothing I'd ever smelled before, more tempting than any berry pie. I had to find it, had to taste this magical nectar. Deeper and deeper I wandered, the forest floor turning soft with moss, sunlight filtering through leaves in an emerald dream. The scent grew stronger, a siren call pulling me onward. Exhaustion finally claimed me, and I drifted off beneath a canopy of leaves. When I woke, a she-wolf's voice filled the air, sharp with relief. "Richard, I found a lost pup!" They asked me my name. I mumbled 'Juan', but kept my last name and pack a secret. I had wondered into the hands of the Wolfsong pack, hated enemies of ours. Later that day when she walked into the room, I found the owner of the scent. Lyra. It still clung to her, drawing me in like a beacon. My boots echoed against the marble floor as I paced my office, unable to settle. Memories of her wouldn't leave me - the defiant tilt of her chin, those emerald eyes filled with a fire that mirrored my own. Damn it all, even her unkempt hair, a wild golden mane, held a strange allure. There was a raw, untamed beauty to her that pricked at something within me. Control, that's what I prided myself on, what set me apart from the others. Yet, with Lyra, it had flown out the window. I'd never been so utterly captivated, so consumed by desire for another. It infuriated me. Women... countless women had passed through my life, warming my bed, but none had left a mark like her. I stopped my relentless pacing, a startled laugh escaping my lips. Was I seriously admitting this? This slip of a girl, this traitorous outsider, had managed to ensnare me when legions of others had failed. The mere thought of her sent waves of heat and frustration crashing through me. I sank into the leather chair behind my desk, rubbing my temples. The low lighting did little to soothe my jumbled nerves. She would be here soon, and I had no idea what to say to her. I only knew I didn't want to keep her chained up like an animal. She deserved better than that. But she'd also attacked one of my men, I reminded myself. I couldn't just let that go. Could I? Sighing, I pictured the beaten guard, willing the hatred to come forth and protect me against her charms. Try as I might, my hate was fading faster than the sun under the horizon. I thought back to our encounter in the cells. The way her laughter had softened me, easing the anger knotting my gut. When was the last time someone had affected me so deeply? I realized with a pang that I'd been lonely for a long time. Craving a connection I'd never found. Until now. Until Lyra. I shook my head, growling in frustration. I barely knew this female… And yet...my wolf trusted her, needed her on some fundamental level I didn't understand. Just thinking about her made my heart race, my blood run hot. What power did she have over me? Voices sounded in the hall. Lyra was coming. I took a deep breath, bracing myself. I nodded to the guards as they escorted Lyra into my office, then dismissed them with a wave of my hand. She stood before me, damp hair curling around her face, dressed in a simple tunic and leggings. Even in such plain clothes, she took my breath away. "Have a seat," I said, gesturing to the chair across from my desk. She eyed me warily as she sat. "Am I still your prisoner then?" I raised a brow. "I didn't lock you up. My men did. I was unconscious until right before I came to your cell." I gave her a stern look. "My Beta told me I had lost so much blood, it was a miracle I pulled through." "Must've been down to your hard head and arrogance." Lyra clapped a hand over her mouth, looking appalled. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I'm happy that you're okay." "No worries," I said on a laugh. "You are probably right." After a beat of awkward silence, I cleared my throat. "Lyra, we need to talk." I clasped my hands on the desk, holding her gaze. "What happened today...it was a misunderstanding." Liam had informed me that the guard shouldn't have been down there. Lyra had food and water and I had seen for myself the overturned plate, smashed potatoes and ground up meat. "One of my men overstepped. You were right to defend yourself." Surprise flickered in her eyes. She hadn't expected an apology. "However," I continued. "This doesn't change the fact that you attacked him. There must be consequences. Pack law demands it." She bristled. "I was—" "Please." I raised a hand. "Let us not argue. I wish to...make amends between us." The words felt foreign on my tongue. When had I ever sought peace with an outsider? But Lyra was different. She studied me, curiosity replacing her anger. "Why?" "I don't know," I admitted. "All I know is there is something between us. Something I don't fully understand. Something I cannot let go unexplored." Lyra caught her breath. In her eyes, I saw my own longing reflected. This connection, it went both ways. "Tell me I'm not imagining this," I said hoarsely. Slowly, she reached across the desk and twined her fingers through mine. "You're not." Lyra's touch sent a jolt through me, awakening feelings I'd long denied. I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms and lose myself in her embrace, for real. All thoughts of ruining her slowly faded under her soft gaze. I gently withdrew my hand from hers, telling my wolf to stop dancing in my head and settle down. Trust had to be established between us before anything else. "Now, getting back to the guard. There is still your punishment to consider. I think—" Lyra's eyes flashed as she sputtered. "As I said, he came at me!” I crossed my arms over my chest. "What do you mean, ‘came at you?’" I stared at Lyra, trying to read the emotions behind her dimmed emerald eyes. She clearly did not want to relive what had happened, but as the Alpha it was my duty to dispense justice, regardless of my feelings. "Lyra," I said gently. When she didn't respond, I hardened my voice and commanded, "Tell me what happened." She flinched at my Alpha tone but kept her eyes downcast. "The guard who carried me downstairs to the cell...he… uh, his hands, uh, wandered as he held me." She met eyes defiantly. "I couldn't do anything, bound as I was." A growl rose in my throat but I tamped it down, letting her continue. "After he and his buddies dumped me in the cell, he lingered, eyes roaming over me as two other guards chained me up." She shivered in revulsion and my fists clenched under my arms. "He came back the next day. I could smell the liquor and lust rolling off him in waves." She gave me a rueful smile. "When he made his move, I did my best to beat his ass.” I stared at her, pride and anger warring within me. She was a survivor, but no one should have to endure such treatment. Especially someone who I claimed as mine. "How many times did he hit you?” I planned to give him twice as many… hell, three times the number he gave to her. She grinned. “I didn’t give him the chance.” As cocky as she was, I could see a bruise forming under her eye, a scratch on her cheek. Only the Goddess knew what damage she hid under her clothes… I stood and faced the window, cords standing out in my neck and arms, blood-lust in my eyes. I wanted to rage. To pick up my desk and throw it across the room, stomping on the splinters as my wolf and I let out howls of rage. The guard would get a visit…soon. I planned to make an example out of him before banishing him from pack lands. No one touched what was mine. Instead, I schooled my features into an expressionless mask. There would be time enough for retribution after Lyra was settled. I turned and faced her. "Lyra, as I said before. You are under my protection, and any battles you have, I will fight them."