He dropped in for a kiss before leaving. “I’ll see you soon. Don’t miss me too much.”
“I’ll do you one better—I won’t think of you at all.”
“If wishes were horses, darling.” And he was gone.
Lyra lay on the bed for seconds that turned into minutes with the same goofy smile on her face as she thought about what had just happened. Who would have thought? She tried to convince herself that she still hated him, but she knew deep down that something had changed. He’d struck a nerve, just as easily as he had the first time she saw him. One thing about Levi, there was no denying his charm.
She only hoped she wasn’t making the same mistake again. It would shatter what was left of her fragile heart.
* * *
Levi made his way home, thinking of the day he had just spent with Lyra. In all the years since he left her, not one day could compare to the bliss he had just experienced today.
He walked the lonely, dark alleys without a single worry on his mind. Not that he could be attacked by demons or werewolves or even stupid humans, hoping to scare him with their silly weapons. He felt on top of the world—invincible. And perhaps a part of him should have been worrying about the demons or the war, but there was no space for worry with the euphoria that flooded him. Spending the day with Adam, his son, and ending it with Lyra was a dream come true. A dream he hadn’t known he needed. Now, he was walking on clouds, already thinking about the next time.
Now more than ever, he knew he needed to keep them safe. And he would not waste a second to destroy whoever was a threat to that safety—in this case, the demons. He was going to get the support of the dragons too. Because whether they liked it or not, they were also prey. If there was ever a time they needed to unite for a greater cause, it was now.
* * *
Meanwhile, Orson was seething. It wasn’t just the fact that they had attacked him, it was that they had also come close to Adam. The audacity of those creatures. This time, he was going to be sure that he ended them for real.
“I’m going to kill every single one of them,” he said.
“Whenever you say the word,” the rest of the pack agreed.
The war had begun.
Chapter 9 - Lyra
Lyra and the rest of the pack listened as Orson stood at the edge of a cliff, looking across the large forest. The woods that surrounded Ridgeshire stretched off into the distance, while a single road that cut through the town headed off to the city. Orson was certain that the demons were hidden somewhere in the woods on both sides,.
“How do we draw them out?” Aaron asked, scratching his head.
Lyra smiled. “I know it sounds crazy, but we split up and let them get one of us. Then we call to the others.”
They had gathered in the middle of the woods, ready to take the fight to the demons, and Lyra could feel Orson’s rage. The entire pack could feel it, and they were ready. Isaac had stayed behind with Adam, both of them locked securely in the house.
“You saw what they did to me. Once you spot them, let out a call. Stay close to each other and don’t wander off,” Orson gave the order.
Lyra nodded and began to shift. Her limbs began to change shape and her bones morphed, allowing her to turn into her wolf form. Her golden fur stood out in the nighttime forest, but in this form, she would be able to find and get away from them faster. Orson nodded and the pack scattered, quickly heading into the woods.
As Lyra ran through the woods, she tried to stay focused, but her mind kept drifting back to sex with Levi. He was just as vigorous as he had been all those years ago. She had sensed the lust and desire he felt for her. Levi had wanted her just as badly, and he made sure she could feel it.
Lyra felt his hands on her body as she jumped through the trees, her eyes trying to scan the forest as she recalled her own moans and waves of pleasure as Levi made love to her. It was the first time she had been with a man in so long, and it felt perfect. He was rough yet gentle, almost familiar with her body. He still knew what worked for her, and Levi made sure she could tell. It was just how Lyra loved it, and she wasn’t going to deny it.
Something slammed into her from the side, and Lyra reacted instantly, swiping at it. Her long claws sliced through the face of the creature, and Lyra instantly recognized it as a demon. Its face was a blurry mess of blood and serrated teeth that seemed to be constantly moving. Lyra jumped backward and realized there was more than one of them around her. She instantly let out the loudest howl she could muster, signaling the others.
But before she could finish, two of the demons rushed at her, their claws extended in her direction, going for her throat. Lyra quickly threw herself backward, falling down the side of a hill, causing the demons to fly over her head, missing their target.
She took off running, jumping up to a tree and looking back at her pursuant to see that there were six of them. One of the demons reached up and caught her by her leg with its teeth. With her other leg, she landed a powerful blow to the side of the creature’s face, sending it hurtling off the tree. Another one rushed at her, and Lyra shifted back into her human form as she jumped off the tree, retaining some of her shifter features, including her claws and teeth.
She slammed her fist into the side of the demon’s jaw, forcing it in the opposite direction. It slammed into the floor a few seconds before she landed. Before Lyra could move, the others rushed at her, tackling her to the ground. She quickly brought up her hands, knowing that now that they had pinned her, they would begin to ravage her, eating her, ripping at her.
Before Lyra could feel their teeth, she suddenly felt the weight of the demons leave her. She looked up just in time to see Emma drive both her fists into the head of the one left on her, sending it off into a corner. Emma handed Lyra a long zipper jacket, and Lyra quickly put it on, nodding at her.
The pack had arrived—just in time. Orson growled as they stared at the demons, the demons waiting to strike, unsure of who to go at first. Orson let out a howl and rushed at the closest one, with Jackson and Aaron right behind him, picking off their own targets. Lyra spotted the one which Emma had hit, and she dove at it, slashing at its limbs. The creature blocked the attack with its forearm, but Lyra landed a headbutt, sending it backward.
Lyra grabbed its neck and drove her claws into the throat of the creature, ripping out skin and blood, causing it to let out a high-pitched squeal. It tried to turn and run, but Lyra quickly went on the chase, shoving the creature into a tree and swiping at it.