A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM
1119 Words
"Kael!" Lyra's voice shook as she knelt next to him. He breathed, and blood dripped from his mouth's corner.
Kael tried to sit up, pain making him groan, but Lyra pushed him back. "Stay still," she said. "You're injured."
Damon loomed over them, his eyes icy. "This happens when you try to steal what belongs to me, Lyra."
Lyra glared up, rage burning inside her. "I don't belong to you Damon."
"Oh, but you are." He smiled, his voice quiet and menacing. "You're my wife. That's how this works. You belong to me, and he..." Damon pointed at Kael, "is just a fool who thinks he can take you away."
"I'm not an object," Lyra snapped. "I'm a human being. And I won't let you treat me this way anymore."
Damon's smile vanished, and his face grew dark. "Mind your words Lyra. You don't want to make me mad."
"I don't care," she said, her voice trembling but firm. "I'm finished being scared of you."
Kael let out another groan as he tried to stand up. "Lyra... move away from him..."
Damon's foot struck Kael's side knocking him to the ground. "Stay put, dog."
Lyra inhaled, but Damon grabbed her arm before she could speak. He pulled her to her feet. "Let's go, Lyra. We're heading back."
"No!" Lyra fought against his hold, her heart pounded. "I won't go with you."
Damon's fingers dug into her arm. "You have no say in this."
"I do!" She struggled more, but he overpowered her. Fear gripped her as she panicked. Then she heard Kael speak, his voice weak yet resolute.
"Let her go."
Damon stopped turning to face Kael, who stood despite his pain. His eyes flashed with anger. "What did you say?"
"I said... let her go." Kael spoke, but his words carried a clear warning.
Damon squinted, and for a second, it seemed he might strike again. But then he chuckled letting go of Lyra and moving toward Kael. "You just can't stop, can you?"
Kael cleaned the blood off his mouth, his eyes fixed on Damon's. "I won't stop. Not now."
Lyra stood still, her heart raced. She wanted to yell, to end this, but she couldn't speak.
Damon grinned scanning Kael from head to toe. "You're feeble. You can't shield her. You couldn't even shield her back then."
Kael winced, but he stood firm. "I screwed up before. But it won't happen again."
Damon's grin vanished. "You messed up by coming back."
Kael moved closer, his voice unwavering. "No, I messed up when I left her with you. And I'm here to make it right."
Lyra caught her breath. She sensed the growing friction between them, but this time something had changed. Kael wasn't giving in. His eyes showed a resolve she hadn't noticed before.
Damon scoffed. "You plan to fix it? How? You believe you can just take her from me?"
"Yes," Kael replied with certainty. "I do."
Damon's jaw tensed, and he charged at Kael again throwing punches. This time, Kael stood prepared. He evaded Damon's attack landing a hard hit to his side.
Lyra watched, stunned, as the two men clashed once more, their fight resounding through the woods. But something changed this time. Kael fought not just for himself. He fought for her.
"Kael!" Lyra yelled, her voice trembling. "Stop! I beg you!"
Kael continued. He had no choice. Anger surged through his veins, and each hit he struck on Damon felt like a stride towards vindication.
But Damon refused to fall. He growled launching a reckless fist that struck Kael's jaw, causing him to stagger backward.
"That's it!" Damon bellowed wiping blood off his lip. He stared at Kael, his eyes blazing with anger. "You'll pay for this."
Before Kael could answer, Damon spun around and marched toward Lyra. "Let's go, Lyra. We're leaving. Now."
Lyra stepped back, her heart racing. "I won't go with you."
Damon's eyes grew dark. "Yes, you will."
"No," she replied, her voice shaky but bold. "I won't be scared of you anymore. I won't let you boss me around."
Damon stared at her for a moment, his face blank. Then, out of nowhere, he jumped at her.
But Kael moved quicker. He seized Damon's arm pulling him back with such strength that Damon fell to the ground. "I warned you," Kael snarled, his eyes flashing. "Release her."
Damon got up, his face contorted with rage. "This isn't finished."
"No," Kael replied, his voice icy. "It's not."
With a final glare, Damon turned and vanished into the darkness leaving Lyra and Kael by themselves in the quiet night.
Lyra's knees gave way, and she fell to the ground. Her heart pounded. Kael rushed to her side and put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
She nodded, but her body shook. "I'm okay. I just... I'm not sure what will happen next."
Kael squeezed her shoulder. "We'll work it out. As a team."
Lyra gazed at him, her heart conflicted. She wished she could trust him. She hoped they could mend this. But memories of past hurt still haunted her, and worry about Damon's next move ate away at her.
"I can't be sure if you're trustworthy," she said in a low voice.
Kael's face turned gentle. "I get it. But I'll show you. I'll demonstrate that I'm here for you Lyra. I won't abandon you again."
She looked deep into his eyes trying to find sincerity in what he said. And for the first time in ages, she noticed it. He had changed. He wasn't the same person who had walked out on her years before.
But just as she was about to talk, a howl cut through the air making her shiver.
Kael tensed up next to her squinting as he looked into the dark. "We should leave. Right away."
Lyra felt her heart jump. "What happened?"
Kael got to his feet, his body rigid. "Damon won't give up. He'll return. And he'll bring others."
Lyra froze in fear. "What should we do?"
Kael reached out. "Join me. I'll protect you."
Lyra paused. Her thoughts raced. She couldn't decide if Kael was trustworthy. But she knew staying put wasn't an option. Damon was out there plotting his next move.
She took a deep breath and grabbed Kael's hand. She got up, her heart racing.
"We can't waste time," Kael whispered. "He'll send his pack to hunt us down."
Lyra's eyes grew big. "His pack?"
Kael's jaw clenched as he nodded. "They follow Damon's orders without question. We don't have long."
Before Lyra had a chance to ask anything else multiple howls rang out in the woods. The sounds got louder as they came closer.
- Writer
