The morning sun filtered through the dense canopy of the Moonshadow forest, casting dappled light across the training fields. Lyra stood at the edge, the wind teasing strands of silver hair from her braid. Her eyes, once soft and trusting, were now glacial steel—watching, calculating.
This was the day the pack would test their warriors. In her past life, she'd stood on the sidelines, too meek, too overlooked. Selene had made sure of that.
But not this time.
Lyra stepped forward. Her bare feet sank into the soft earth, grounding her in this second life. Every step was a reclaiming.
Heads turned as she walked onto the field, not with defiance, but with absolute, measured confidence. She could feel them—pack members, future rivals, and most importantly… them.
Two presences. Electric. Wild.
The Alpha twins.
Kael stood to the left, dark hair tousled, arms crossed over his broad chest. His icy blue eyes tracked her like a predator. Unmoving. Cold. But something flickered there—a faint sense of recognition. A wrinkle in the smooth line of fate.
Darius was the opposite. Golden-brown skin kissed by sunlight, a cocky grin curving his lips. His hair was longer now, tied back at the nape of his neck. But his eyes... they lingered. Curious. Intrigued. Like he smelled something he couldn't place—and wanted more.
Lyra didn't look at them directly. She didn't need to. Their attention was a weight on her skin. It fed her.
Selene was already on the field, laughing too loudly, hair styled to perfection, her top a touch too tight, designed to make the twins notice. She turned, freezing the moment she saw Lyra step into the ring.
"What are you doing here?" Selene's smile twitched. "This field's for warriors."
Lyra cocked her head slightly. "Funny. I could've sworn the field was for anyone brave enough to step in."
Selene's smile didn't reach her eyes. "You've never fought before."
"I died before," Lyra said softly, too low for others to hear. "But you'll find I'm full of surprises this time."
Selene paled.
The sparring matches began. Lyra didn't wait to be called—she volunteered first.
Her opponent was Cassian, a strong young beta known for being aggressive. He grinned as he stepped forward, clearly expecting an easy win.
Lyra closed her eyes for just a second.
Let him underestimate you.
Cassian lunged.
Lyra dropped low, twisted her body, and drove her elbow into his ribs with precision. He stumbled. She didn't stop—slid behind him, swept his legs, and pressed her foot to his throat before he could rise.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Cassian blinked up at her, stunned.
Lyra smiled coldly. "Are we done?"
The field went silent. Then—
Kael's voice rang out. "Again. With me."
The crowd buzzed. No one sparred with the Alphas unless challenged. Lyra turned slowly. Met his icy gaze with cool defiance.
"As you wish," she said, voice velvet and steel.
Selene stepped forward quickly. "Alpha, that's not necessary—"
Kael didn't even glance at her. "Back down."
Selene's nostrils flared, but she obeyed.
Lyra stepped into the ring again. Her heart pounded—not with fear, but thrill. Kael's presence was overwhelming. His shirt clung to his sweat-dampened chest, and his scent—dark pine and musk—wrapped around her like memory.
He moved like a storm—swift, calculating.
So did she.
For minutes, they danced. He pushed; she gave way. She struck; he blocked. The air crackled with energy. With each movement, Kael's strikes grew slower, less precise. His pupils dilated. His breathing deepened.
He was feeling it.
The bond.
Even if he didn't remember.
Finally, he caught her wrist, twisting her toward him. Her back hit his chest, his arm a steel bar across her collarbone. His breath grazed her neck.
"You fight like someone who knows me," he murmured, voice low.
Lyra tilted her head back just enough for her lips to brush his jawline. "Maybe I do."
His grip loosened.
She slipped free. Turned. Met his stunned gaze with a ghost of a smile.
Then walked off the field.
Darius caught her halfway, falling into step beside her, eyes sparkling.
"Well," he said, voice like a purr, "that was either the most reckless thing I've ever seen… or the hottest."
Lyra didn't reply.
But she didn't have to.
Because they were already falling—and she hadn't even begun the game yet.