Lyra’s POV
The air felt stiff and stale from the agitation that hung over our heads since the night before.
Word had spread like wildfire through the pack about a neighboring clan challenging Blackwood’s borders. Everyone has been on their toes ever since, most of us began to train with ammunition. Even the birds seemed quieter, the usual forest melodies hushed, as if they, too, sensed what was coming.
I found Rhyker standing in the clearing, his eyes were locked on the horizon, his posture tense, yet calm—a quiet, unyielding strength that made my heart tighten.
He obviously had so much weight on his shoulders protecting his people. A lot was at stake and he carried it alone.
“Rhyker,” I called out softly as I went close enough to search his face. “Is it true? Are they… challenging o
