The morning sun surfaced with full force , casting golden streaks across the stone walls of Zyra's quarters. She lay on the large bed, her breathing deep and steady, tiredness weighing on her muscles.
She suddenly stirred, her body aching from the restless sleep she had barely managed. The bond had settled in her bones like a curse, its invisible chains pulling at her even in dreams. Yesterday replayed in her head, the Moon.
Liora.
The name alone was enough to send a fresh wave of irritation through her. She groaned , dragging a hand over her face, trying to shove the thought away. The bond is nother her concern and will never be her concern. Her eyes were shut and she he was a little bit still lost in thoughts—
A sudden force crashed onto her, jotting her out of the thoughts and her slumber. She gasped , instincts Flaring, her body tense and ready to fight . Before she could fully register what was happening , a familiar scent hit her.
Omega.
Anger surged through her before she could even open her eye.
"What the fuck"
Her vision cleared and there she was ‐ Serena
Serena sat on top of her with a smug grin on her face .Her hands were lightly pressed against Zyra's waist as if she had every right to touch her. Her eyes held a dangerous glint , one that reeked of misplaced confidence.
"Morning Alpha", Serena purred , completely ignoring the dangerous growl rumbling in Zyra's throat.
Kael was in the room in an instant. "Serena!"
His voice was sharp, but wasn't nearly As sharp as the look zyra was giving her.
Serena ignored him and put her ocua on Zyra. " I thought you'd need someone to warm you bed , to clear your…."
She didn't get to finish.
Zyra moved faster than she could react , gripping serena's wrist in a harsh and bruising hold before shoving her off. The omega landed harshly on the floor , gasping as she looked up in shock.
Kael looking at the scene, exhaled sharply and stepped closer, but Zyra raised her hand , stopping him. Her silver eyes locked onto Serena with a cold piercing glare.
"What the fuck is wrong with you , Serena?
"I came to wake you. The sun is already high."
Serena blinked innocently. "You always ignore my presence, Alpha. I thought if I woke you up myself, you'd finally notice me."
"You jumped on me!" zyra snarled in rage
Serena flinched but recovered quickly. "I—"
"Shut up!" Zyra didnt let her finish.
"You barged into my room, How dare you barge into my room uninvited? And touch me?!" she paused breathing heavily , zyra's anger from yesterday fueled.
"Do I look like I need your service's? , I don't want nor do I need your fucking service"
Serena swallowed hard, her confidence melting away "I just… I thought you'd want—"
"Want what?" Zyra's voice was sharp, laced with something cold and lethal. "As you can clearly see, I'm not in rut. So get your silly self out of my sight before I make you regret ever stepping foot in here."
The silence which followed was so suffocating.
Serena's face glistering with embarrassment and humiliation, but the longing and want I'm her eyes were evident.
Kael crossed his arms "You heard her. Get out"
Serena hesitated, but one final glare from Zyra sent her scrambling toward the door.
As soon as she was left, Kael let out a low whistle. "That girl really wants to die. You need to set her straight before she does something even more stupid than this"
Zyra rolled her shoulders, still annoyed. "I did set her straight. Just now kael. But if she pulls this bullshit again…" Her fingers flexed, itching for a fight. "She'll regret it."
Kael smirked, amused but wary. "You really should stop attracting the crazy ones , She won't stop, you know. She wants you too badly."
Zyra shot him a glare, and he wisely took a step back, raising his hands in surrender.
"Just saying," he muttered
Zyra sat back on the edge of her bed, rubbing her temples. She had no patience for this. Not today.
And definitely not for Serena.
"You could have been gentler tho, I can't believe you would treat your fellow woman that way , I mean there was a night all you did was chant her name as she got down on you eating you up"
"Shut up kael, she had no business being in my room and in my defence ,it was my rut and Just now her touch was irritating"
"Hmm interesting, but she has been in love with you for years now Zyra, I even thought Moon Goddess will make her your mate and not that piece of joke in moonveil". He said gritting his teeth
"excuse me first she is just stupid , that is not love, she is pathetic" zyra blurted out and sighed , rolling her eyes.
"You didn't sleep well" ,he observed
She exhaled, "you know why"
Kael nodded. "The bond"
Zyra sighed and leaned back on her bed , she muttered "Tonight, let's go drink"
Kael raised a questioning eyebrow "You want to drink the bond away?"
"I want to forget" she said flatly
Kael studied her for a while before nodding. "Alright. Troll's Tavern?"
Zyra smirked. "Where else?"
Kael sighed, "Fine. But if you start a fight, I'm not the one dealing with it."
"Now that, i cant promise " Zyra muttered as she got up.
‐‐‐
It is night time , but sleep was the last thing on Liora's mind.
She had spent the entire day losing her shit.
No matter how much she had tried to distract herself, the bond ,She could feel Zyra—distant but there, a presence in her ,in her breath, in every damn heartbeat. Wtf Is all these , its like she is living in my soul.
It was suffocating.
"Fuck this," Liora muttered, pacing babk and forth furiously. "Fuck her. Fuck the bond."
Sera sat by the desk, "Throwing a tantrum and screaming won't break it."
Liora turned sharply "Then tell me how I am supposed to deal with this!"
Sera sighed. "You're not dealing with it. You're just mumbling"
Liora raked a hand through her long white hair. The pressure, the heat, the pull—it was too much. She needed to get out. To breathe. To live.
"I need a drink," she muttered. "I need to drown all these for a while "
Sera raised a brow. "You want to go drinking? you hate alcohol"
"I hate zyra but here i am bonded to her so ,yes, I want to drink"
A voice chimed in from across the room. "Can I join?"
Liora stiffened. She turned to find Ciara, she stood in the doorway, arms crossed, watching her with that same unreadable gaze.
Ciara was an Alpha—powerful, composed, and very interested in her, she sees her body language.
Liora's jaw tightened. She didn't have the energy to deal with that tonight.
"Sure," Sera answered before Liora could speak.
Liora shot her a glare, but Sera only smirked. "What? She's fun. You could use fun right now."
Ciara stepped inside, her presence as commanding as always. "I'll keep you safe baby girl," she said smoothly. "Not that you need it, though"
Liora exhaled sharply, torn between irritation and something else she didn't want to name.
"Fine," she muttered. "We're leaving. Now."
Sera and Ciara exchanged a glance before following their Omega out into the night.
‐‐‐
The Troll's Tavern was crowded but it was big enough to see the faces. The tavern accepted both packs but they are not allowed to argue or fight inside the tavern.
The tavern was noisy, mugs were being slammed on the table and some wolves were making out.
Zyra gulped down another drink, the burn barely scratching the surface of her frustration, she was still annoyed and pissed off.
Tonight is about drowning out the bond with Alcohol. It was about ignoring the pull that had been clawing at her all day.
But the second she felt it—felt her— everything else faded.
She turned her head, the air in her lungs disappeared as her gaze locked onto the sight across the tavern, which has never happened, she does not come here, what is the meaning of this?
Liora.
Sitting in the corner that was barely bright enough, a smirk was playing on her lips, her fingers tracing lazily on the rim of her mug.
But that wasn't what made Zyra's blood boil.
Her wolf was raging at the sight of an Alpha so close to their mate.
It was Ciara.
The Alpha leaned in too close, whispering something into Liora's ear. And Liora—damn her—was letting her. No, more than that. She was entertaining her, she even laughed.
Zyra's grip on her mug tightened, a crack forming along the handle.
Then it happened.
Liora turned to Ciara, mischief flooded her drunken blue eyes. And without hesitation—she leaned in and brushed her lips against Ciara's cheeks.
A deep snarl echoed through the tavern.
The sound was raw, deep, animalistic, and filled with so much possessiveness Zyra's wolf unleashed
The room fell silent. Every wolf in the Tarvan stiffened as Zyra's aggressive growl surged forward, her eyes darkening, claws threatening to break free.
Liora slowly pulled back, her smirk faltering as she finally met Zyra's gaze.
"what is she doing her, liora thought"
The air filled up with something dangerous in an instant
Zyra took a step forward, her voice low and laced with warning, her wolf threatening to take full form, her eerie silver eyes blazed.
"Do that again, and see what happens."