I stood in the bustling hall of our pack’s gathering house, surrounded by members preparing for the evening feast. My mind wandered back to Lyra, imagining her joy at the sacred spring. The celebration was supposed to be a day of happiness and unity, but a strange unease tugged at my thoughts.

Suddenly, my phone rang, jolting me from my reverie. I glanced at the screen and saw it was from Tobias, Aiden's Beta and one of Lyra's companion. My heart skipped a beat as I answered the call, hoping it was just a routine check-in.

“Mira here. What’s going on, Tobias?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

[Luna, it’s urgent!] Tobias's voice was frantic, crackling through the static. [Lyra and the guards have been ambushed by rogue wolves near the old logging road. We’re pinned down!]

A wave of panic surged through me, and I felt my knees go weak. I forced myself to focus, clutching the phone tighter as though it could somehow bring me closer to my daughter.

“What do you mean, ambushed?” I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. “Is Lyra okay?”

There was a pause, filled only by the distant sounds of chaos on the other end of the line. I could hear snarls, shouts, and the unmistakable clashing of wolves in combat.

[She’s hurt, Luna. Really bad.] Tobias finally replied, his tone grave. [We’re trying to hold them off, but she’s not responding. We need backup, and fast!]

I felt the blood drain from my face. My worst fears were realized. “Stay with her, Tobias. Protect her at all costs. I’m on my way!”

Without wasting another moment, I slammed the phone back into my pocket and turned to the nearest warrior. “Sound the alarm! We have rogues attacking near the old logging road. We need reinforcements now!”

As I raced toward the pack’s armory, grabbing whatever I could find to arm myself, a terrifying thought crossed my mind—why would rogue wolves target Lyra and our men so brazenly? And was Aiden critically injured, too?

Minutes felt like hours as I tore through the forest on all fours, my wolf form pushing to its limits. My heart pounded with every stride, each beat echoing Lyra’s name in my head. I prayed silently, hoping against hope that she was holding on.

When I finally reached the scene, the sight before me was more horrifying than I had imagined. The guards were engaged in a fierce battle with a group of rogues, blood and fur flying in every direction. And there, lying amidst the chaos, was my daughter.

Oh...goddess.

I shifted back to human form and rushed to her side, my breath catching in my throat as I took in her condition. Her small body lay crumpled on the ground, bruised and battered, blood trickling from a gash on her forehead. She was unconscious, her skin pallid and her breathing shallow.

“Lyra, my baby,” I whispered, cradling her head in my lap. My vision blurred with tears, the reality of the situation hitting me like a physical blow. “Please, stay with me. I’m here.”

Tobias staggered over, his face etched with worry.

“Luna, she needs medical attention now. The rogues scattered as soon as they realized reinforcements were coming. They knew exactly what they were doing.”

I nodded, brushing the tears from my eyes.

“Get her to the pack’s infirmary immediately. I’ll handle things here.”

As Tobias carefully lifted Lyra, I turned my attention to the fallen rogues. Something about them seemed... off. Their eyes held an unnatural glint, and a strange scent lingered around them—a scent that was disturbingly familiar.

My gut churned with suspicion. This was no ordinary rogue attack. Someone had orchestrated this, and before I could even ponder on that thought, my gaze zeroed at one of the guards.

"Where on earth is Aiden? Was he injured, too?"

It was Tobias who answered. "I will explain later, Luna. For now, we need to get the princess to safety."

I nodded, despite the heavy shaking that I was feeling.

Back at the pack’s infirmary, the air was thick with tension and the sharp scent of antiseptic. Healers bustled around, tending to the wounded, but my focus was solely on Lyra. She lay on a cot, her face pale and motionless, surrounded by concerned pack members.

Jacobs, our senior healer, approached with a grave expression. “Luna Mira, her injuries are severe. The head trauma... it’s critical. We’ll do everything we can, but we need to stabilize her quickly.”

“Do whatever it takes. Please, save her,” I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. Desperation clawed at my insides, a mother’s helplessness crashing over me in waves.

Jacobs nodded, moving swiftly to organize his team. As I watched him work, Tobias silently sidled beside me and lowered his head as if in apology.

“Forgive me, Luna. I failed to protect the princess.”

“What happened, Tobias? Why are you gravely injured? Where is Aiden?” I demanded, my voice trembling with both fear and anger.

There was a long stretch of silence before the Beta answered, as if he was weighing his words.

“I'm sorry, Luna, but I'm not sure myself. Alpha Aiden received an urgent call, and judging from his expression, it seemed important. So he ordered us to lead your daughter to the spring. We tried to protect her, but the rogues—”

“Aiden left Lyra!?" I interrupted in utter disbelief. “He abandoned his own daughter in the woods?”**

"It wasn't supposed to be like this,"Tobias said softly, guilt etched across his face. "We were supposed to protect her, Luna, but the rogues—"

"The rogues wouldn't have even dared attack if Aiden had been there!" I snapped, my voice rising with anger. “How could he just leave her like that? Our daughter needed him, and he walked away!”

Tobias flinched at my words, but I couldn’t stop. The betrayal burned in my chest, searing and unrelenting.

“He was supposed to be with her, to guide her to the spring! This was meant to be a sacred moment for her, not a nightmare! I trusted him, Tobias! I trusted him to keep her safe, and he failed us both!”

Tobias nodded, his eyes cast downward. “I know, Luna. I know. I wish I could have done more. I tried to fight them off, but there were too many. They were relentless. It was as if they knew exactly when to strike.”

My heart clenched at the thought of Lyra in danger, the image of her alone in the woods making my blood run cold. My disappointment in Aiden was like a weight pressing down on me, heavy and suffocating.

“Aiden will have to answer for this. He abandoned his own child, Tobias. He left her vulnerable and unprotected. I can’t forgive that.”

*

The dimly lit corridors of the pack's infirmary buzzed with a sense of urgency. Healers moved with purpose, gathering herbs and remedies, their faces etched with determination and concern.

Hours seemed to stretch into eternity as I paced the infirmary’s corridors, the sound of my footsteps echoing like a relentless clock ticking down my sanity. Every passing minute felt like a lifetime as I waited for news on Lyra’s condition.

The rest of the pack had gathered outside, yet there was one face noticeably absent—Aiden’s. I had been told he had an urgent errand in a nearby pack and wasn’t returning anytime soon. Perhaps it was for the best. If he were here, I feared my anger might drive me to do something irreparable.

Lyra lay unconscious on a hospital bed, surrounded by the hum of medical machines and the steady beep of monitors. Her face, normally so full of life, was pale and still, a heartbreaking reminder of the attack's brutality. I clenched my fists, steeling myself against the tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

Finally, Jacobs emerged, his face drawn and weary. He approached me with the kind of solemnity that made my heart sink.

"Luna Mira, I have some news about Lyra's condition," he said, glancing at the clipboard in his hands. "It's not good. The venom coursing through her veins is rare and potent. We've identified it as Shadowbane, a toxin that targets the nervous system."

My stomach twisted at his words.

"Shadowbane?" I repeated, the name sounding ominous and foreign on my tongue. "Can you do something?

"Our resources are limited. This is beyond our current capabilities."

"But there is a cure, right?"

As long as there's a cure.

Jacobs hesitated, then nodded slowly. "There is an antidote, but it's incredibly rare. Only the Healers of the Blood Coven know how to make it. The medicine is stored in a secure vault, and it requires someone with significant experience in handling ancient poisons. We need someone with more experience in rare toxins... like Maria.”

The name dropped like a stone into the still waters of my mind.

Maria. As in Maria Raven, Aiden's ex-lover and Head of Blood Coven?

The very thought of asking Maria for help felt like a betrayal of everything I stood for. She was the reason for the growing distance between Aiden and me—the invisible wedge that had driven us apart. How could I possibly warm to her, knowing there was still a place in Aiden's heart that would always remain hers? Yet, what choice did I have?

I knew what had to be done.

Despite the bitterness that twisted inside me like a thorn and the anger simmering just beneath the surface, I needed Maria's expertise. For Lyra, I had to put aside my pride and confront the woman who had become the unwelcome shadow in my life. The stakes were too high, and I had to do whatever it took to save my daughter, even if it meant seeking the help of my enemy.

I turned to Jacobs, my resolve hardening.

“Then I’ll speak to her."

As I prepared to face Maria, a storm of emotions brewed within me—anger, fear, determination. With a deep breath, I headed toward their Coven's quarters.

As I knocked on the door, I steeled myself for the confrontation that was sure to follow. And then, I found Maria in her private quarters, a lavish room filled with the rich scents of herbs and incense. She looked up from a table covered in vials and scrolls, her eyes narrowing as she took in my presence.

"Ah, the Luna herself," Maria said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Her casual tone grated on me, but I forced myself to remain calm.

“My daughter... Lyra has been poisoned,” I said, my voice steady but urgent. “The Healers identified it as Shadowbane. We need the antidote, and you’re the only one who can help.”

Maria leaned back in her chair, a calculated smile playing on her lips as if she relished my desperation.

“Shadowbane? That’s a rare poison,” she said thoughtfully. “Are you sure it was Shadowbane?”

“That was what Jacobs found out,” I replied, trying to keep my frustration at bay. “I have no knowledge of poisons.”

Maria tilted her head slightly, as if weighing her words. “And I do. That’s why I’m asking if you are certain because that kind of poisoning is quite difficult to counter.”

I felt my lips tremble with anxiety, but I held her gaze. “That’s why I’m here, Maria. Toxicology is your area of expertise. Please help my daughter.”

“And why should I help you, Luna?” she asked, her tone dripping with faux innocence. “What’s in it for me?”

Her question, though expected, sent a chill down my spine. Her question hung in the air like a sharp blade, and I realized just how steep the price of my request might be. I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but there was no other choice.

"I'll give you whatever you want," I replied, the words tasting bitter as they left my mouth. "Just save my daughter."

Maria arched an eyebrow, clearly pleased with the power she wielded over me.

“Anything?” Maria mused, tapping her fingers against the table with a deliberate slowness. Her eyes never left mine, studying me like a predator contemplating its prey.

“Anything,” I replied, my voice resolute, even as a shiver ran down my spine. The word hung in the air like a promise I wasn't sure I could keep.

A heavy silence settled between us, thick with anticipation. Finally, Maria leaned forward, a glint of triumph in her eyes.

“I will visit the young princess at the infirmary before quarter midnight,” she said, her voice as smooth as silk yet carrying an edge of malice. “I’ll administer the antidote for the poisoning. Wait for me until then.”

I exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, relief washing over me. For a moment, I almost felt a surge of joy, but I quickly tempered it, knowing that nothing came without a cost.

“And what would be the price?”

"The price? It's simple. Nothing much."

"What is it?"

Maria’s expression turned hauntingly vacant..Her eyes seemed to bore into my very soul.

“Your position as Luna,” she said, her voice a chilling whisper that sent a chill down my spine. "Say you’ll relinquish your title and your daughter might live."

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a momentary stab of panic. The title of Luna wasn’t just a position; it was my duty, my identity, the heart of my connection to the pack.

But this was for Lyra. Her life was more important than any title or honor.

"What do you say?"

"Yes. I will," I whispered, barely recognizing my own voice. "If you save Lyra, I will step down as Luna."

Maria's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"Very well," she said, rising gracefully from her chair. "We have a deal."

*

The air was thick with tension and the scent of antiseptic as I sat beside Lyra's bed in the infirmary. My heart ached at the sight of her tiny form lying motionless beneath the stark white sheets.

I held her hand gently, tracing the delicate lines of her fingers, silently willing her to wake up and return to me.

"You’ll pull through this, my darling," I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. "Momma’s here. I won’t let anything happen to you."

Hours passed, and finally, Maria emerged, a small vial clutched in her hand. She approached with the practiced grace of someone who knew the weight of her own importance.

"The antidote is ready," Maria announced, holding out the vial. "I’ll administer it myself, ensure it’s done correctly."

I nodded, watching as she carefully injected the serum into Lyra's IV. I could hardly breathe, my heart in my throat as I clung to the hope that this would work. Lyra's life depended on it.

Maria stepped back, her gaze lingering on Lyra with a mix of satisfaction and curiosity. As she packed away her tools, she glanced at me with a mixture of satisfaction and something else I couldn't quite place. It was as if she enjoyed seeing me in this vulnerable state, stripped of power and authority.

"The antidote has been administered, Luna," Maria said, her voice smooth and confident. "Lyra's condition should stabilize, but I cannot guarantee she will wake. It's a waiting game now."

"Thank you, Maria."

Maria inclined her head, the slightest hint of a smile playing at her lips.

"Remember our agreement, Luna. I expect you to honor it."