Chapter 9 Interrogation

~Lyra’s POV~

My lips stretched wide as I found myself standing in the middle of a vast field blanketed with flowers so vibrant they looked almost unreal. The tall grasses swayed gently, whispering secrets to the wind. The air was crisp and pure, carrying the scent of wild blooms and earth after rain.

I took a deep breath, drawing in as much of it as I could. It was the kind of freshness that made your lungs feel reborn. For a moment, I just stood there, breathing, savoring the serenity that wrapped around me like a gentle cloak.

But confusion quickly crept in. How did I get here? The last thing I remembered was being in a cold cell at Ironfang. Was I released? Had someone come to save me? Or was this… something else entirely?

“Lyra,” a voice called out softly. It was delicate, almost tender, threading through the still air and wrapping around my name with familiarity that made my heart tighten. I turned my head, trying to place it, but it sounded distant, like it was calling from beyond the field.

“Over here, Lyra.” The voice came again, clearer this time, and I followed it instinctively, my bare feet brushing against the dewy grass.

The path led me to a part of the field where a stone wall stretched endlessly, ancient and moss-covered. I couldn’t see what lay beyond it.

“Hello?” I called, my voice echoing faintly. “Is anyone there?”

The reply came not from beyond the wall but from behind me.

“Turn around.”

I did, and my breath caught.

“Aunt Mia!” I cried, my heart swelling with disbelief and joy. I ran to her, tears spilling freely as I threw myself into her arms. “I thought you left me,” I sobbed against her shoulder, clutching her as if letting go would make her vanish again.

“I will never leave you, Lyra,” she said softly.

“But you did,” I cried harder, the grief of her loss crashing over me all over again. “You died and left me all alone.”

She cupped my face gently, her eyes glowing with that same warmth I had missed so much. “Only my body left, child. My spirit never did. I am still with you, and I always will be. You must be strong, Lyra. This is not the time to break. It is the time to rise and discover who you truly are. Never bow before those who persecute you. Stand tall. Remember everything I taught you.”

Her voice carried power, and as she spoke, I felt something inside me realign, like a broken piece finding its place again. For the first time in a long while, I felt whole.

But that peace didn’t last. Her body began to shimmer and fade, turning to dust that floated away in the wind. I tried to hold on, but my arms met only air.

“Auntie Mia! Auntie Mia!” I screamed, but she was gone.

My eyes flew open. The world of flowers was gone. Cold stone walls surrounded me again. I was back in the cell at Ironfang. A guard stood at the door, unlocking it. Beside him was Taren, his face calm and unreadable. From the light filtering through the tiny window, I could tell it was morning.

“Good morning, ma’am,” Taren said with a small bow. “Please come with me. The Alpha requests your presence.”

My heart stuttered. Alpha Kael. What did he want with me now?

I said nothing, only followed him. But instead of leading me to Kael, Taren brought me to a bathing chamber. I frowned, shooting him a questioning look.

“You’ll be having breakfast with the Alpha,” he explained evenly. “You can’t appear before him in your current state. You need to freshen up.” He handed me a folded set of clean clothes. “Everything you need is inside. I’ll be waiting when you’re done.”

He turned and left, closing the door behind him.

For a moment, I just stood there, bewildered. Breakfast with the Alpha? Why? Nothing about this made sense. But then Auntie Mia’s words echoed in my mind, and I drew a steadying breath.

The water was surprisingly warm, cascading over my skin and washing away the grime and heaviness of the dungeon. It was the first real comfort I had felt in days. I tied my hair up in a messy bun and slipped into the fresh shirt and pants. When I looked into the mirror, I barely recognized myself. I looked human again, not the broken creature they had thrown into a cell.

When I stepped out, Taren was waiting, his sharp eyes studying me for a moment before he turned and started walking. I followed him silently through the corridors until we reached the Alpha’s dining room.

Kael was already there, seated at the long table, eating with the quiet confidence of a man used to power. His gaze lifted when I entered. It swept over me slowly, as though assessing every inch of my being before locking onto my face. My heart gave a quick, unsteady flutter, the same reaction I’d had the first time he touched me, even though this time he didn't touch me.

Taren guided me to a seat, then took his leave, joining the guards by the door.

“Sit,” Kael said, his voice low but carrying enough command to leave no room for hesitation.

I sat.

“Eat,” he said again, this time with a casual flick of his hand, as if he were doing me a favor.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, meeting his gaze. “But I find it difficult to develop an appetite while seated at my enemy’s table.”

He chuckled, the sound deep and smooth.

“You consider me your enemy, yet you ate my food last night,” he pointed out, those honey eyes gleaming with amusement.

“I did,” I replied evenly, “because it was not offered or presented by you, Alpha Kael Thorne.”

His lips curved faintly. “You know who I am. Good. That will save us some time, and save you from incurring my wrath, if you have some wisdom.” He returned his focus to his meal, cutting into his meat with deliberate calm before asking, “What is your name?”

“Lyra.”

“Full name.”

“Lyra Vale.”

He repeated it slowly, almost tasting it. “Lyra.” The way he said it sent a strange warmth through me, and I silently cursed myself for reacting. He was not a friend. He was not anything to me. He was my captor.

“This is an interrogation,” he said finally, his tone turning cold. “I expect complete honesty, because your answers will determine our next course of action. Understood?”

I straightened in my seat, keeping my face blank even though my pulse quickened. Yeah. He should always sound like this so that I don't get carried away.

“I understand.”

My stomach betrayed me by growling softly at the scent of roasted meat. He noticed, of course, his lips twitching in faint amusement.

“Good. Tell me,” he began. “What is your relationship with the Shadow Pack?”

I frowned. “I don’t know who that is.”

“Have you heard of the Void Wolf?”

“Yes.”

“What do you know about it?”

“Nothing,” I said honestly. “I only heard about it yesterday. The other prisoners were thanking it for helping them find someone they called the Moon Girl.”

He leaned back slightly, studying me. “You speak as if you don’t know who the Moon Girl is.”

“I don’t,” I said truthfully. “But it’s strange. Yesterday, when they mentioned her, they were all looking at me. My name is Lyra. I’ve never been called the Moon Girl.”

The words had barely left my mouth when the door to the dining room opened. My heart sank instantly. The last person I wanted to see walked in, accompanied by another man whose presence neither comforted nor frightened me.