Chapter 7 I'M TRAINING

I didn’t sleep at all that night. Every time I closed my eyes I saw them again the clearing the way she touched his face the way he didn’t stop her the way he actually leaned into it like it was the most natural thing in the world. It replayed on a loop over and over not louder or worse just clearer every single time like my brain wanted me to memorize every damn detail.

By morning I stopped trying to push it away. If my brain wanted to shove the truth in my face I’d let it. I wasn’t fighting it anymore.

The kitchen smelled like bacon and coffee everything too normal like the packhouse was pretending nothing was wrong. Vera didn’t say shit when I walked in she just slid a plate across the counter toward me.

“Eat.”

I sat down picked up the fork and stared at the food without moving.

“Lyra.”

I looked up. She was watching me really watching me with those sharp eyes that saw way too much.

“I’m fine,” I said.

She didn’t argue didn’t push and somehow that felt worse than if she’d called me out on it. I forced a bite down but I didn’t taste a thing.

The front door opened and Serena walked in bright and smiling and full of life like she hadn’t been out in the woods last night like she hadn’t had her hands all over him.

“Morning!” she said her eyes finding me instantly too fast. “Lyra,” she added softer now walking straight over. “You okay? You look tired.”

Of course I did. “I didn’t sleep well.”

“Mm,” she hummed stepping closer way too close. Her scent wrapped around me and there it was again him not faint this time not almost gone but right there strong and fresh. I went completely still.

“Rough night?” she asked her voice all gentle and concerned and perfect like she actually gave a shit.

I looked at her really looked. Same face same eyes same girl I used to trust with everything. Nothing had changed on the outside except everything had.

“Yeah,” I said.

She smiled soft and easy. “You should come to the pack run this weekend. Clear your head. You’ve been off lately.”

Off. I nodded slow. “Maybe.”

Her fingers brushed my arm light and casual like it was nothing. I didn’t move didn’t react but something inside me sharpened hard.

“You always disappear when things get heavy,” she added lightly. “Don’t do that this time.”

My stomach twisted. Disappear. Interesting fucking word choice.

“I won’t,” I said. Lie.

She studied me for a second longer than necessary then smiled again like nothing was wrong at all. “Good.”

She walked away and I watched every step every movement not like a friend anymore but like a problem I needed to figure out.

Lucifer came in a few minutes later fresh and calm and untouched like last night had never happened.

“Morning,” he said.

I looked at him and for the first time I didn’t feel a damn thing. No warmth no comfort no pull. Nothing.

“Morning,” I said.

He grabbed coffee sat with the warriors and started talking about patrols like the whole world wasn’t built on lies.

I watched him from the corner of my eye the way his fingers tapped the mug the way he leaned back when he was thinking the way his voice dropped when he gave orders. I used to love those little things. Now I just memorized them like evidence.

Training was worse. I hit harder moved faster didn’t hold back at all. By the second match people stopped joking around. By the third they stopped volunteering to spar with me.

“Lyra.” Marcus again.

I ignored him.

“Lyra.” Stronger this time.

I stopped mid-strike chest heaving. “What?” I snapped.

“You’re going to hurt someone.”

“I’m training.”

“No,” he said. “You’re not.”

Silence. We stared at each other. He stepped closer lowered his voice.

“What’s going on with you?”

There it was. The question. The moment. I could tell him everything the clearing the kiss the plan. I could end this right here.

I didn’t.

“I’m fine.”

He didn’t believe me I could see it in his eyes.

“Lyra...”

“I said I’m fine.” Sharp. Final.

He held my gaze a second longer then stepped back. “Then fix it,” he said. “Before it gets worse.”

Too late. It already had.

That afternoon I went back to the forest the same path the same clearing. I didn’t rush this time I walked slow and careful looking for anything that would tell me the truth.

The ground gave it away two sets of footprints overlapping close familiar. I crouched down ran my fingers over the dirt. Fresh. Not just from last night. More than once. Of course it wasn’t just once.

I stood up slow looked around. Branches broken grass pressed down patterns everywhere. This wasn’t some random meeting spot. This was routine. Something cold settled deep in my chest.

I turned to leave then stopped because I heard voices. Close. Too close. I moved without thinking stepped back pressed against a tree silent and still. And waited. Because this time I wasn’t leaving.