BONDS TESTED AND LESSONS LEARNED

I could feel the surge of determination coursing through my veins as Luca's retreating figure vanished into the distance. Every fibre of my being urged me to chase after him, to confront the simmering tension head-on. I clenched my fists ready to go after him, but before I could even take a step, a firm grip wrapped around my arm, halting me in my tracks.

It was Lucian, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and caution. "Lyra," he said, his voice steady yet laced with urgency. "Let him go. The more we force him to participate, the more he will resist."

Confusion and frustration intertwined within me as I struggled to process Lucian's words. Luca's animosity towards Lucian and the Lycans was no secret, but my eagerness to bridge the divide had clouded my judgment.

"But we can't just let him walk away," I protested, my voice filled with determination. "We are a pack; we need to do this together."

Lucian's grip tightened slightly, his unwavering eyes piercing into my soul. "I understand”