Chapter 107: A Wolf
Emira stared at the large lake and sighed peacefully. Stormhold Pack really was a beautiful place, and it felt as if it truly did hold many storms away.
Though she had not met many of the pack members, she had noticed that most were not openly antagonistic toward her. They kept their distance, yes, but they were not disrespectful to her. Which made her feel relieved.
It was a world of difference compared to the Moonville Pack, where every moment had felt like walking on eggshells-not just for her, but for the other wolves as well, who were always at the whims and fancies of Alpha Soier and his family.
As she thought of those people, it seemed she had brought bad luck upon herself, because the next moment, Lyra Soier’s voice appeared out of nowhere.
"Feeling quite pleased, are you?" Emira stiffened at the words. She had forgotten that Lyra had also come to the Stormhold Pack as a guest. She turned to face the woman and quietly sighed," What do you want, Lyra?"
Of course she wanted something. That was always the reason Lyra Soier would seek her out. Either she had some task she wished to shove onto Emira, or she simply wanted to use her as a target for her own temper, venting sharp words and cruelty until she felt satisfied. That was her usual choice.
Though she did not always target her, making it a point to ’play’ with different omegas.
But, since there was probably no one here she could bully, she must have come specifically looking for her.
Lyra’s lips curved as she closed the distance between them and walked closer to her, "I was only wondering if you are quite pleased with yourself," she said smoothly. "I never imagined you to be so sly, so ungrateful, and yet here you are. Instead of remaining where you belonged, within your pack, fulfilling the role of an Omega as you should have, you chose to run away like a coward. You staged your little escape and now stand here as if you have won something."
Her voice hardened, every word dipped in scorn. "Thankless little brat. This is the gratitude you show? After all the kindness shown to your mother, after she was taken in when she had nothing, after he raised you following her death? And this-this betrayal-is how you repay my father? With defiance, disobedience and disgrace? That you would willingly become a slave instead of serving your pack?"
Emira smiled at the words, not letting Lyra ruffle her," Are you jealous?"
Lyra scoffed at the words," Jealous? Of you? What for? I just came here to gloat. At least in the Moonville Pack, you would have been able to move around freely and been respected as an Omega."
Emira scoffed," Respected? In the Moonville Pack, an Omega is nothing but a wh*re. A warm body to fulfill men’s desires. An omega receiving respect in the Moonville Pack would be the day when pigs sprout wings and start to fly!"
"And your meaning of respect is to enslave yourself to three alphas and come between their mate? You are reprehensible. Even if you were the wh*re of the Moonville Pack, at least you would not be breaking any mate bonds! As for being a wh*re... isn’t that just the nature of you Omegas. As long as a compatible partner is near you, you get aroused, don’t you?"
Before Lyra could continue her tirade further, a loud sound resonated in the open area. "SMACK!"
Lyra’s head almost snapped back at Emira’s slap and even though her own hand stung, Emira was glad for the power in her wrists as she looked at the red imprint blooming on the woman’s face.
For a moment, the woman stood still but then, she glared at Emira, her eyes burning with fury.
"You dare," Lyra hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "You dare put your hands on me? Do you think that just because you are here, under Stormhold’s roof, you are safe?" She took a step forward, her nails curling into fists at her sides. "Do you think anyone can protect you from me?"
Lyra’s lips twisted into a cruel snarl. "I’ll teach you what happens to disrespectful little Omegas."
Even before Emira could answer, Lyra’s body shuddered, her bones shifting and reshaping. Fur rippled across her skin, her hands stretching into claws, her face lengthening into the sharp muzzle of a wolf. The transformation was quick, violent, and filled with the sound of cracking bones. Where the woman had stood, a large wolf now growled, lips pulled back to reveal sharp teeth gleaming in the light.
Emira instinctively had the urge to step back, and had to clench her fists to stop herself. Her anger had not faded, but a prickling awareness spread through her and the one fact she hated came back to taunt her. She could not shift. Still, she stood her ground, refusing to let any fear show on her face. She would fight Lyra to death if she had to.
The wolf crouched low, muscles coiled like a spring. Then she leapt.
Emira moved as fast as she could, jerking to the side. Lyra’s claws sliced across her arm as she passed, ripping through her sleeve and skin alike. Pain flared hot and sudden, and Emira gasped, clutching her arm as blood welled up in thin lines. The sting was sharp, but she forced herself to stay on her feet.
Lyra whirled around and lunged again. Emira dodged a second time, her feet scraping against the grass and soil. The wolf’s paws slammed into the ground where she had been a heartbeat before, the impact shaking the earth.
"Too slow," Emira muttered under her breath. She needed to increase her speed if she wanted to evade the wolf.
As she twisted to avoid the next strike, her foot caught against a patch of uneven ground. Her body pitched backward, and she stumbled, falling onto her knees. The shock of the impact ran up her legs, leaving her momentarily off-guard.
Lyra wasted no time. She turned sharply, eyes gleaming with satisfaction, and padded closer, her paws silent against the earth.
She circled Emira like a predator savoring its kill, and then lowered her head, teeth bared, ready to sink them into Emira’s unprotected neck. Emira clenched her hands. She still had a chance.
She clenched her hands, gathering as much rocks in her hand as she could, as she waited for the wolf to approach.
The wolf lunged, jaws wide, and Emira raised her hand to throw the rocks at her, but the attack never happened. Before the wolf could come close, a strong hand caught Lyra by the scruff of her neck mid-leap.
The movement was so sudden and absolute, that the wolf was yanked back and held suspended in the air, her claws scrambling against the ground. Lyra let out a furious snarl, but the grip only tightened, while Emira stared in wonder. She had never seen anyone hold a wolf like that.. As if they were nothing but a dog.
Emira breathed a sigh of relief, and the hand holding the rocks, fell back to her side as the man said," Never have I seen someone try to fight a wolf with rubble."