Midnight Howling Book 1

Chapter: 14 Lyra

Every sound seemed to throb in Lyra's head, amplifying the headache pounding behind her eyes. Liam sat across from her, grinning like it was the funniest thing in the world. She stared down at her plate, pushing her eggs around, unable to look at him without wanting to throw something.

"You're going to need to eat something if you plan on making it through this morning's training," Liam said, amusement lacing his words.

Lyra groaned, reluctantly picking up a piece of toast and taking a small bite. "Happy now?" she grumbled, which only made Liam snicker.

"You really can't hold your liquor," he teased, shoveling food into his mouth like it was his last meal. Lyra's stomach churned at the sight, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Liam noticed and swallowed his mouthful. "Seriously, eat some bacon. The grease helps with hangovers." He offered her a piece of bacon from his plate.

Lyra took it, eyeing it cautiously before nibbling at it. To her surprise, it did help, so she quickly grabbed more from his plate.

"Hey!" Liam protested with a mock pout. "I was only offering one piece!" He snatched back a strip of bacon, though he left the rest for her. Lyra smiled, feeling a small victory in the gesture.

After a few more bites, Liam stood up with his plate and grabbed hers too. "We should get to the training fields. You don't want to be late on your first day."

Lyra looked up at him, a strange sensation filling her chest—gratitude, maybe? It was odd to have someone take care of her like this. Different from what she'd experienced back home. Was this what family was supposed to feel like? She wasn't sure, but the thought made her chest tighten, emotions threatening to spill over. Not wanting anyone to see her tear up, she stood quickly, catching Liam's attention.

"I'll meet you outside," she mumbled, heading for the door and wiping her eyes before anyone could notice.

As she reached the doorway, she suddenly collided with something solid, sending her flat on her back. Dazed, Lyra looked up to see Jessica, the same blonde she-wolf from the other day, glaring down at her.

"Watch where you're going, human," Jessica sneered, her voice dripping with disdain as she leaned down close to Lyra's face. "You're all the same—clumsy, pathetic."

Before Lyra could respond, Liam appeared, his concerned voice cutting through the tension. "Hey, you alright?" He offered his hand to help her up.

Jessica quickly straightened, her demeanor flipping to fake innocence. "Oh, we just bumped into each other," she said, giggling. "I was just telling her how clumsy I am."

She flashed a too-sweet smile before bouncing off toward the kitchen, leaving behind a faint scent of timber and sage. The sudden wave of anger that surged inside Lyra took her by surprise. Her blood felt like it was boiling, rage unlike anything she had ever felt before coursing through her veins.

Liam eyed Jessica for a moment, then turned back to Lyra with a raised eyebrow as if to ask if what she said was true. Lyra nodded, though her jaw clenched as she looked away.

"Alright... Talk to you later, Jessica," Liam called after her in a casual tone, waving as he led Lyra outside. As soon as the door shut behind them, he turned his full attention to her.

"You sure you're okay?" Liam asked, his eyes scanning her for any sign of injury.

"I'm fine!" Lyra snapped, though the anger in her voice betrayed her. She took a few deep breaths, but it didn't ease the frustration burning in her chest. She looked up at Liam, panic flickering in her eyes. "I don't know why I'm so angry. I've never felt like this before."

Liam placed his hands on her shoulders, grounding her. "It's okay. Breathe with me," he said calmly, guiding her through deep breaths. "In... and out..."

Lyra mirrored his breathing, and slowly the fury began to ebb away.

"Better?" he asked, still watching her closely. She nodded, continuing to take a few more breaths just to be sure.

"Your wolf must be getting closer," Liam said thoughtfully. "She's reacting to the presence of another female as a potential threat."

Lyra blinked, confused. "A threat? Why would Jessica be a threat to me?"

Liam's expression darkened, his eyes flicking toward the door Jessica had disappeared through. "If your wolf sees her as a threat, there's a reason. Jessica's no saint—she recently lost her tracker training for hurting another pack member."

Lyra's heart skipped a beat. "So she's dangerous?"

Liam nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just be careful around her, especially until you've shifted and can defend yourself. Right now, you're more vulnerable than you realize."

Lyra let his words sink in. Her wolf was getting closer, and Jessica... was dangerous. Great. Just what she needed. She gave Liam a small nod. "Okay. I'll be careful."

Liam grinned, patting her on the back. "Good. Now let's get to the training fields before Alex makes us both do extra laps."

As they approached the field, Lyra's nerves returned, her stomach flipping uneasily. Obstacles were scattered across the field, with men and women sparring near the tree line. Flashes of movement in the woods caught her eye—dark shadows weaving through the trees.

Liam noticed her staring and chuckled. "They're training in wolf form. Rogues and hunters use the woods to ambush us, so we train for it."

Lyra nodded, still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she would soon be one of those wolves. She followed Liam down to a large oak tree where the rest of the pack was gathered. Her eyes were drawn to a flash of black fur and bright blue eyes in the woods—a massive black wolf watching her. Her heart skipped as it stared at her, an almost magnetic pull drawing her toward it. But before she could make sense of the feeling, the wolf disappeared into the trees.

"Lyra!" Liam called, snapping her out of her thoughts. She hurried to catch up with him, trying to shake the unsettling feeling.

When she reached him, she muttered, "Sorry..."

Liam just smiled reassuringly. "It's all new, don't worry." He motioned toward the front of the group where Alex stood, clipboard in hand.

As Alex's gaze swept over the crowd, it paused briefly on her, making her cheeks flush with heat. She quickly looked away, staring at her feet until she dared glance back up. Alex had already moved on, giving instructions about the day's training.

"We'll be splitting into two teams—blue and green," Alex announced, pulling out colored smartwatches from two boxes. "These watches will track your heart rate, body temperature, and distance. Alpha wants to monitor your progress. They'll adjust to fit your wolf when you shift."

He called out names for the blue team, assigning Liam as their leader. Lyra could feel the tension between Liam and Alex, but she tried to focus as Alex called out the green team's names.

"Lyra... What's your last name?" Alex asked, looking directly at her.

"G-Gilbert," she stammered, her cheeks flushing again.

"Lyra Gilbert, green team," Alex finished, handing out the rest of the watches. He then stood before the group, arms crossed, his commanding presence impossible to ignore.

"No one will stop until Lyra finishes the entire course," Alex declared, his gaze locking on hers.

Lyra's heart sank. He's trying to kill me.