LYRA

They discharged me the next morning.

Not because I was fine or because I was ready. But because they said I was stable enough to leave. That phrase followed me everywhere now.

'Stable enough.'

I didn't have to be healed or safe. Just strong enough to be moved out of sight.

A nurse helped me into a wheelchair. I did not argue anymore. Arguing required strength, and I had very little of that left. My body felt unfamiliar and fragile, as if one careless move could split me open again.

"Your husband will be waiting outside," she said.

I did not respond. Husband huh. The same one who was with his sister the entire time his wife was in admission.

The hallway smelled the same as before.

Clean. Cold. Empty.

I kept my eyes forward because I did not want to see that glass wall again. I did not want to remember how small I felt lying there while the truth stood on two healthy legs beside my husband.

Darius stood near the exit when we reached the front. He looked rested and much better than the crying man earlier.

He had changed his clothes, and his hair was neat again. When he saw me, his facial expression quickly changed into concern. How much of a pretender can he be?

"Lyra," he said, stepping closer. "How are you feeling?"

I stared at him. "You tell me."

His brows drew together. "What does that mean?"

"It means you were not there when I woke up."

"I had to step out."

"You stepped out for hours. 24 hours to be precise."

"My sister needed me."

I laughed quietly. It hurt my side, but I did not stop myself this time. "She always does, doesn't she?"

His mouth opened, then closed. "Let us go home."

Home.

The word felt empty now, but what choice did I have?

He did not take me to our penthouse.

The car drove past familiar streets, then unfamiliar ones. The buildings changed. The noise faded. When the car finally stopped, I saw a white house standing alone behind tall gates.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"A temporary place," Darius replied. "Until things settle."

I looked at him. "Things have already settled. Just not for me."

He ignored me and drove in.

Inside, the house smelled unused. Everything was neat and somewhat robotic. It had no personal touch. No photos. No signs of life. It felt staged, as if someone expected us but never planned to stay.

A woman was already inside.

She stood near the kitchen counter, holding a glass of water. She turned when we entered and smiled.

Selene.

No hospital gown. No weakness. She wore a red dress that fit her body perfectly. Her hair fell neatly over her shoulders. She looked calm.

Alive.

"Oh," she said gently. "You are home."

I gripped the armrest of the wheelchair. "So this is where you were."

Darius moved forward. "Lyra, this is not the time."

"When would be the time?" I asked. "After I sign whatever papers your mother keeps bringing."

Selene stepped closer. "You should rest, you know."

I laughed again. "Do not speak to me as if you care."

She flinched, then recovered quickly. "I am grateful."

"For what?"

"For what you did," she said. "For me."

"For you," I repeated. "Or for him."

Darius sighed. "Enough."

"No," I said. "Enough was when I gave up my body without knowing the truth."

Lucinda walked in then, her heels clicking against the floor. She looked around approvingly. "You are awake. That's good."

I looked at her. "You all planned this."

She raised a brow. "Planned what my dear?"

"Everything," I said. "The marriage. The surgery. The lies."

And she did not deny it.

"You should be proud," she said with clear disdain. "You served a purpose."

"A purpose," I repeated.

Darius looked away.

"So tell me," I said with a steady voice despite the pain. "Was any of it real?"

He inhaled slowly. "Our marriage was necessary."

Necessary.

"That is the answer to the question I asked."

"It was strategic," he said. "You were compatible, and you fit all the requirements."

"And Selene," I asked. "What does she fit?"

He looked at her then. His face softened. "She is my partner."

The room felt smaller.

"What?" My head began to spin in circles.

"She always has been," Selene added quietly.

I nodded, trying to steady my head. "So I was what. A solution."

Lucinda smiled. "You were convenient, darling."

I closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened them, I looked at Darius. "Did you ever feel anything for me?"

He hesitated, and that pause told me everything.

Lucinda placed a folder on the table. "Okay, enough of the emotional chit chat. This should be resolved quickly."

"Resolved," I said. "Or erased."

"You're quite smart for an omega," she replied calmly. "This arrangement benefited you more than you realize."

I stared at her. "I lost a kidney."

"And you gained status," she said. "A name. Protection."

"I gained scars," I replied.

Darius stepped forward. "Lyra, let us not make this harder."

"Harder for who?" I asked. "Myself or you."

Selene moved closer again. "I never wanted to hurt you, sweetheart." She made a pouting face.

"But you did," I said. "And you knew you would."

She reached for my hand. I pulled back. "Do not touch me, you fucking bitch."

"Me? A bitch." She said calmly. "The only bitch I see here is the one in a wheelchair."

"Anyways, that's not what I wanted to say." She turned around and began pacing. "I wanted to thank you for saving his legacy."

"No," I said painfully. "I saved your life."

She paused and turned again to face me. "You saved our baby."

I froze.

"What did you say?"

She took my hand again before I could stop her, placing it gently against her stomach.

"I am pregnant," she said softly. "You saved my child."

The room went silent.

I looked down at where my hand rested. And I felt nothing but the numbness spreading through me.

Lucinda nodded. "You did well."

Darius did not speak.

I pulled my hand back slowly.

"So that is it," I said. "I gave up my body so you could have a future."

Selene squatted in front of me. "Thank you."

LYRA

They did not let me rest.

I had barely finished processing Selene's words when Lucinda straightened her sleeves and clapped her hands once, as if we were done with a meeting.

"Well," she said, "That concludes this."

I looked at her. "Concludes what?"

"This situation." She replied calmly. "You have fulfilled your role."

Darius finally spoke. "Lyra, you should calm down."

I laughed like a maniac, because at this point I was a manic.

"Calm down," I repeated.

"You took a part of my body. You lied to me. You stood beside another woman while I was cut open. And now you want me to calm down."

Selene stood up. "You are being dramatic."

"Dramatic," I said. "Is that what you call surgery without consent?"

Darius rubbed his temple. "You consented to it."

"To save your sister," I snapped. "Not your lover."

"She is both. It depends on how you want to see it," he replied.

"No," I said. "She is your mistress."

Silence stretched across the room. Selene tilted her head. "Mistress sounds cheap."

Lucinda smiled faintly. "Words do not change facts."

I turned to Darius again. "Did you know about the pregnancy?"

He did not answer immediately.

"That pause-" I said. "Is louder than any confession."

"Yes," he said. "I knew."

My hands shook against my lap. "And you still let me go under that knife."

"You were useful," he replied. "Do not act as if you did not gain anything."

"What did I gain, huh-tell me what did I gain?!" I asked.

He looked around the room. "This life."

"This house?" I scoffed. "It's not mine. This man is not mine. This marriage was never mine."

Lucinda slid the folder closer to me. "Sign the papers, darling."

I stared at it in annoyance and disgust. "No."

Darius frowned. "Do not start this."

"I will not sign," I repeated. "Not after everything."

Lucinda's smile vanished. "You do not get to negotiate."

"I gave you my kidney," I said. "So give it back."

Selene laughed. She actually laughed. The audacity of that bitch.

"Give it back," she repeated mockingly. "Can you hear yourself?"

"Yes," I said, meeting her gaze. "I want it back."

Darius stepped closer. "You cannot be serious."

"I am very serious."

He chuckled, slow and amused. "You think bodies work that way."

"You think people do," I shot back.

"You want me to tear open Selene's body," he replied, still amused. "Because you changed your mind."

"I want what is mine."

He leaned down, his face close to mine. "You were an omega with nothing. I gave you a name. I gave you a ring. I gave you relevance."

"You gave me scars," I said.

"And now I am taking everything else back," he replied.

Lucinda scoffed. "You should be grateful you survived."

"That was never part of the plan, was it?" I asked.

They went silent.

The front door opened then.

A girl in heels walked in, with her phone pressed to her ear. "Mother, you will not believe what happened at the-"

She stopped when she saw me.

Maris.

Darius's younger sister.

She looked me over slowly, from the wheelchair to my pale skin, then smiled. "Oh. You are still here."

Lucinda sighed. "She is refusing to cooperate."

Maris crossed her arms. "I told you marrying an omega was embarrassing."

I tilted my head. "Are you his sister as well?" I asked softly. "Or are you another secret?"

Her mouth dropped open. "What did you say?"

"I am trying to understand the family structure," I replied. "It's quite confusing."

Maris burst out laughing. "She is funny."

Lucinda frowned. "Watch your mouth."

I laughed weakly. "It is a fair question. You all lie so easily."

Maris walked closer. "You look awful."

"So do you," I replied. "For someone who got everything handed to her."

She gasped in fake shock. "She is bold."

Darius sighed. "Maris, ignore her."

"I cannot," she said. "She is entertaining."

I looked at her. "Tell me. Were you in on it?"

She shrugged. "Everyone was."

Selene smiled. "We tried to keep it gentle."

"Gentle," I said. "You took parts of my body."

Lucinda placed another folder on the table.

"Enough talk. Sign this."

I glanced at it. "The divorce papers."

"Yes," she replied. "We want this resolved today."

"I will not sign," I said.

Darius frowned. "Do not be dramatic."

"I am not," I replied. "I want my kidney back first."

Maris laughed. "She is insane."

Selene shook her head. "You are embarrassing yourself."

Lucinda's tone hardened. "You are an omega. You do not negotiate."

I looked at each of them. "You took my blood, my body, my name. What more do you want?"

Lucinda nodded toward the folder again. "Sign it."

"No."

Maris walked to the corner and picked up a black trash bag. Then another. Then another.

She tossed them at my feet.

"What is this?" I asked.

"Your things," she replied. "We packed them."

I stared at the bags. "You went through my belongings."

"There really wasn't anything much," she said. "Very forgettable."

My chest felt heavy. "I am still your wife."

Darius laughed. "In name only."

I turned to him. "Did any of it matter?"

"You mattered until you served your purpose."

Lucinda stepped forward. "Enough. This ends now."

She nodded at Maris, and she moved quickly. She grabbed the handles of my wheelchair and pushed it toward the door.

"Stop," I cried. "I can barely walk."

"That is not our problem," Maris replied.

Selene waved. "Take care of yourself."

The front door opened, and they pushed me outside.

The chair tipped forward, and I hit the ground. As I feel pain move through every part of my body.

And the door slammed shut.

I lay there for a moment, gasping in shock. Then I heard the lock.

Click.

I dragged myself upright and looked at the house. The lights were on, and I was outside.

I gathered the trash bags and stumbled down the driveway.

My legs shook badly with every step. And my sight began to fade. Blood soaked through the fabric beneath my clothes.

I pressed my hand against my side and kept walking.

Cars passed. No one stopped.

I wasn't even with my phone. Where do I go? What do I do?

By the time night fell, my body was failing miserably. I leaned against a wall, breathing heavily.

"Just keep moving," I whispered, trying to pull myself together. But I couldn't. I burst into tears. Why was this happening to me? Why me?

Still in the middle of my breakdown, I heard footsteps echoing behind me. Pausing to wipe my tears and turn around.

But there was no one there.

I walked, stood properly, and walked faster, and the further I walked, the more the footsteps increased. I eventually stopped and turned, yet no one was there.

"Hello," I called weakly.

Silence.

"That's the target." The voice came out really low.

My heart raced as the steps drew closer.

I broke into a run, but my legs gave out, and I fell.

A shadow loomed over me and the attacker drew a blade.

"No. No. Please no."

LYRA

My knees scraped against the concrete, and pain kept moving through my side. I tried to crawl, but my arms shook badly, and my body refused to obey me.

The shadow moved closer.

“Please,” I whispered. “I will sign it. I will sign anything.”

The figure did not respond, instead he raised his blade higher, and I screamed.

But the sound barely came out. Before the knife could reach me, a loud crack came from behind him. The man holding the blade flew backward and hit the wall with a heavy thud.

I stared in shock.

Another figure stepped out of the darkness.

Tall. Broad. Calm.

The second attacker rushed forward. He did not even finish raising his weapon. The stranger grabbed his wrist and twisted it until the bone snapped. The scream that followed was short.

The man dropped to the ground, shaking.

“Leave,” the stranger said quietly.

The third attacker hesitated.

“Now,” he repeated, and they ran.

I sat frozen on the ground, my chest heaving.

The stranger turned to me.

I could not see his face clearly, but I felt him. The aura around him felt dominant. He must be an Alpha.

“You are bleeding,” he said.

“I know,” I replied weakly.

“Can you stand?”

“No.”

He crouched in front of me. His eyes were silver under the light.

“They sent people after you,” he said. “You understand that, yes.”

“Darius,” I whispered.

“Yes.”

My vision began to blur again. “I did not sign the papers.”

“I know.”

“How?” I asked.

“You are not invisible,” he replied.

My head spun. “Are you here to finish it?”

“No.”

“Then why,” I asked.

He studied me for a moment. “Because I was curious.”

“Curious about what?” I whispered.

“How an omega survived what should have killed her.”

I tried to laugh. “Congratulations. I am still dying.”

He stood and lifted me easily into his arms.

I protested weakly. “Put me down.”

“You will pass out soon,” he said. “Arguing wastes time.”

“I do not know you.”

“You will.”

The world tilted, and the last thing I heard was the sound of footsteps and my own breathing fading.

---

When I woke up, I expected pain.

Instead, I felt warmth.

I opened my eyes slowly.

The room was dark but clean, and the smell around me was unfamiliar. It certainly wasn't a hospital.

I tried to move and hissed.

“You are awake,” a voice said.

I turned my head.

He sat in a chair near the wall, with his arms crossed.

“You should not move yet,” he added.

“Where am I?” I asked.

“Safe.”

“That is vague.”

“It is intentional.”

I swallowed. “Did you bring me here?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He stood and walked closer. “You were going to die.”

“I am still dying.”

“No,” he replied. “You are stabilizing.”

“Who are you?” I asked.

“My name is Kael.”

“Kael,” I repeated. “That means nothing to me.”

“It will.”

I tried to sit up. He placed a hand on my shoulder and pushed me back gently.

“Don’t do that,” he said. “Your stitches are still fragile.”

“You know about the surgery,” I said.

“I know everything,” he replied.

“That is not comforting.”

“It wasn't supposed to be.”

I stared at him. “Are you an Alpha?”

“Yes.”

“Which pack?”

“Shadowfang.”

My breath almost left my lungs. Everyone knew that name.

“You are lying,” I said.

“No.”

“You would have killed me already.”

“If I wanted you dead, you would not be awake.”

That shut me up.

“Why save me then?” I asked.

He looked at me closely. “Because Darius doesn't get to erase anyone he wants. He's not that powerful.”

“You hate him,” I said.

“Yes.”

“For personal reasons.”

“Yes.”

I nodded slowly. “So this is revenge.”

“Partly.”

“And the rest,” I asked.

“You interest me.”

I frowned. “I am an omega with one kidney and no pack.”

“You are an omega who survived betrayal, surgery, and an assassination attempt,” he replied.

“That is nothing.”

Silence stretched between us.

“Did you kill them?” I asked quietly.

“No.”

“You let them go.”

“I wanted Darius to know.”

“Know what?”

“That he failed.”

My fingers curled into the sheets. “He will try again.”

“Yes.”

Fear settled in my chest. “I cannot fight him.”

“You do not have to,” Kael replied. “Not alone.”

I looked at him. “What do you want from me?”

He did not hesitate. “Loyalty.”

“I have nothing left.”

“You have rage,” he said. “That is enough.”

“I do not want to belong to anyone again.”

He leaned closer. “You already do.”

I stiffened. “Excuse me.”

“You are in my territory,” he said calmly. “Under my protection. Nothing touches you unless I allow it.”

“That sounds like another cage.”

“Every safe place has walls.”

“I want my freedom.”

“You want to live,” he replied. “Freedom comes later.”

I stared at the ceiling. “Darius wants me dead.”

“Yes.”

“And you want him destroyed.”

“Yes.”

I turned back to him. “So I am useful.”

His eyes darkened slightly. “You are not disposable.”

“That is new.”

“You will work with me,” he continued. “You will listen. You will learn.”

“And if I refuse.”

“You leave,” he said. “And you die.”

I closed my eyes.

My life for his war.

Again.

“Do I have a choice?” I asked.

“You always have a choice,” he replied. “Some choices just end badly.”

I opened my eyes. “If I agree.”

“You live,” he said. “You get stronger. And when the time comes, you will watch Darius fall.”

My chest tightened.

I thought of the knife.

The trash bags.

The door is closing.

“I will not be weak again,” I said.

“Good,” Kael replied. “Weakness irritates me.”

I met his gaze. “I am not your property.”

“No,” he said. “But you are my responsibility now.”

“That sounds worse.”

A corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “You will get used to it.”

I exhaled slowly. “Then tell me the truth.”

“What truth.”

“Why me?”

He stared at me for a long moment. Then he said quietly, “Because whatever blood runs through you refused to let you die.”

A chill moved through me.

“You feel it too, do you not?” he added. “That pull. That pressure.”

I swallowed. “I thought it was fear.”

“No,” he said. “That is power waking up.”

My heart raced.

“You belong in my world now, Lyra,” Kael said. “And if you want revenge, you will cooperate.”

I nodded once.

“I will,” I said. “But I am not doing this for you.”

“I know,” he replied. “You are doing it for yourself.”

And for the first time since the surgery, I felt something else beneath the pain.

Not hope.

Hunger.