Chapter 4 Fire and silver
Lyra jolted awake, her lungs gasping for air as flames danced before her eyes. The same nightmare again….a burning forest, wolves screaming, and her hands covered in silver fire. Her heart pounded as she looked around, realizing she was back in the Moretti mansion. The silk sheets and marble walls mocked her fear. She could still feel the phantom heat licking her skin.
She pressed her palms against her temples, trying to breathe through the terror. Why do I keep seeing that fire? Why can’t I remember anything before I was fifteen?
The door burst open. Dante stood there, sharp in a black tailored suit, his dark hair slicked back, the aura of command wrapped around him like a shadow. His gaze dropped to her trembling hands. “Get dressed. We’re going out.”
“Out?” Lyra frowned. “I thought I was your prisoner.”
“Tonight, you’re my guest,” he said dryly, tossing a sleek black dress on the bed. “Wear this. And Lyra…don’t try to run. My men will scent you before you make it past the gate.”
He turned and left before she could argue, leaving her pulse thrumming with a mixture of fear and something she didn’t want to name.
The mansion’s ballroom glowed under chandeliers when they arrived. The gathering was lavish, men in suits, women dripping with diamonds, and the air thick with money, blood, and power. But beneath the human façade, Lyra sensed something else. The faint thrum of energy. Wolves, vampires, hybrids… this wasn’t a normal mafia gathering.
Dante walked beside her, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back. Every time his fingers brushed her skin, sparks darted through her veins. The crowd parted as he approached, their murmurs dipping into respectful silence.
“She’s the girl,” one of them whispered. “The one he brought from the human district.”
Lyra stiffened. They know about me.
A tall woman with crimson lips sauntered forward, clinging to Dante’s arm with fake sweetness. “So this is the stray you picked up, Alpha,” she purred, eyes raking over Lyra with disdain. “Didn’t know you liked your toys so fragile.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed. “Watch your mouth, Valentina.”
Lyra swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet the woman’s gaze. “Don’t worry,” she said quietly. “I won’t break easily.”
Valentina’s smirk faltered for a second, and Dante’s lips twitched with amusement.
As the night deepened, Lyra’s unease grew. Every glance felt heavy, every smile laced with venom. When the host announced a toast to “old alliances and new beginnings,” Dante leaned in and whispered, “Stay close. Someone here wants you dead.”
Her pulse spiked. “Then why bring me?”
“Bait,” he said simply, his mouth ghosting over her ear. “To draw them out.”
Before she could protest, the lights dimmed and a man with slick gray hair approached the stage. He raised his glass, his eyes glinting. “To the end of false legends,” he said, then his gaze landed on Lyra sending a mind link to her “To the end of the Omega of Destruction.”
The room went silent. Lyra froze, confusion flooding her. “What did he just say?”
Whispers erupted around her.
“She survived?”
“She’s supposed to be dead.”
“That’s her…the cursed one.”
Dante stepped forward, his expression deadly calm. “Watch your accusations, Don Russo.”
But the man sneered. “Don’t play dumb, Moretti. You think you can hide her? That girl’s power destroyed an entire pack in the North. She’s a walking curse!”
Lyra’s vision blurred. Destroyed a pack? Me?
Russo’s men drew their guns. The sound of safeties clicking filled the air.
Dante shoved Lyra behind him just as the first shot rang out. Glass shattered. Screams erupted. His wolf growled deep in his chest as he pulled her close. “Stay down!”
The world exploded into chaos. Dante moved like a shadow, dodging bullets, disarming men with lethal precision. Lyra crouched behind a pillar, trembling. The gunfire triggered something deep within her, the same heat from her nightmares. Her chest burned, her eyes glowing faintly gold.
“No… not again…” she whispered, clutching her head.
Another bullet whizzed past, grazing her arm. The pain tore through her like lightning and then the fire came.
Her body erupted in energy. Silver flames burst from her skin, sweeping across the room. Everyone froze, wolves howled in agony as the light seared through the air. Her screams mixed with theirs as tables melted and chandeliers crashed.
“Lyra!” Dante shouted, shielding his eyes. His wolf’s instincts roared to the surface. He lunged toward her, grabbing her wrists, forcing her to look at him. “Control it! You’ll kill everyone!”
“I…I can’t!” she gasped. “It’s burning!”
“Look at me.” His voice dropped into a growl that resonated in her bones. “Breathe with me, Omega.”
His command sliced through the chaos. Slowly, the fire dimmed, flickering out like dying embers. Lyra collapsed against him, trembling, tears streaking down her face. The room was a wreck…bodies groaning, smoke curling upward, glass everywhere.
Dante pulled her up, his eyes glowing brighter than ever. For a moment, she thought she saw something more than rage there was fear. Not of her, but for her.
“Are you hurt?” he asked roughly.
“I… don’t know what that was.”
“You don’t remember?”
She shook her head, confused and terrified. “I swear, I didn’t mean to—”
“Enough.” His jaw clenched. “We’re leaving.”
He dragged her through the wreckage, ignoring the stares. Outside, the night air hit her like a slap. She shivered as he pushed her into the car. Neither of them spoke during the drive back. Her mind raced with fragments of memory with flames, a voice calling her name, a pack torn apart by silver light.
When they reached the mansion, Dante didn’t speak until they were in his office. He turned to face her, his eyes burning with restrained fury.
“Do you realize what you just did?” he demanded. “Half the syndicate saw that. You exposed us both.”
“I didn’t mean to! I didn’t even know…”
He slammed his fist on the desk. “You’re lying. No omega holds that kind of power unless it’s ancient. Unless it’s forbidden.”
Her lower lip trembled. “I’m telling the truth. I don’t remember my past!”
For a long moment, he said nothing. The tension between them was suffocating. Finally, he stepped closer, his breath hot against her skin. “Whatever you are, Lyra, you’re mine now. And until I figure out why my enemies want you dead…”
His hand lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You’ll stay exactly where I can see you.”
The air between them crackled dangerous, magnetic. She could feel his heartbeat, wild and uneven. Something deep inside her wolf stirred in response.
She swallowed hard. “You’re not protecting me, are you?”
He smiled faintly, but his eyes stayed cold. “No, little wolf. I’m protecting everyone else from you.”
H
e turned to leave, but before he reached the door, she whispered, “You’re wrong about one thing.”
He paused.
