The Alpha’s Eternal Mate

Lyra's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the man before her, the familiar curve of his smirk stirring something long buried deep inside her. Memories, fragmented and sharp, rushed to the surface—memories she had convinced herself were nothing more than echoes of a past life.

She whispered his name, barely able to believe it. "Damien…"

Damien, the wolf who had once stood beside her in battle, the warrior who had sworn loyalty to their pack—and to her. His presence was like a cruel joke from the universe, a reminder of the life she had lost a thousand years ago.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," he said smoothly, his dark eyes glinting with amusement.

Lyra swallowed hard, trying to steady her racing heart. "You… you died."

Damien's smirk widened, and he took a step closer, his voice low and dangerous. "I did. And yet, here I am."

Lyra instinctively reached for her dagger, but his eyes flickered with a silent warning. "Careful, Luna. I wouldn't want to hurt you."

Ethan's voice crackled through her earpiece, snapping her out of the daze. "Lyra, report. Where are you?"

She pressed a hand to her earpiece, her voice tight. "I found someone. It's… complicated."

"Get out of there. Now." Ethan's tone was edged with worry.

Damien chuckled, clearly hearing Ethan's words through the comms. "Still keeping watch over you, I see. Some things never change."

Lyra squared her shoulders, forcing herself to focus. "Why are you with the Blood Pact?"

Damien tilted his head, as if considering the question. "Because they offered me something better. Something more than the pathetic ideals we once held."

Lyra's stomach twisted. "You betrayed us."

He shrugged. "I evolved."

Ethan's voice came again, sharper this time. "Lyra, I'm coming to you."

"No," she said quickly, eyes never leaving Damien's. "I've got this."

Damien's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Do you?"

Before she could respond, he lunged.

Lyra barely had time to dodge as he struck with blinding speed, his movements a blur. She countered, striking out with her dagger, but he was faster—too fast. He grabbed her wrist, twisting it painfully, forcing the blade from her grip.

"You've gotten rusty," he taunted, his breath warm against her ear.

Lyra snarled, wrenching free and landing a sharp kick to his ribs, sending him stumbling back. "I'm not the same girl you remember."

Damien's laughter echoed in the empty hall. "No, you're weaker."

Rage flared inside her, but she didn't let it cloud her judgment. She needed to get out of here, regroup with Ethan, and figure out why the Blood Pact had resurrected a ghost from her past.

She spun, racing down the corridor, but Damien's voice followed her like a shadow. "Run, little Luna. I'll find you again."

Lyra didn't stop.

Midnight Crest Tower – Safe Room

The moment Lyra stepped inside, Ethan was there, grabbing her by the shoulders, his eyes blazing with concern. "What the hell happened?"

Lyra yanked off the earpiece, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. "Damien."

Ethan froze. "Who?"

She met his gaze, her voice thick with disbelief. "Damien. He's alive."

Logan swore under his breath from across the room. "Damien? As in your Damien?"

Ethan's grip tightened. "He's dead, Lyra."

She shook her head. "I saw him, Ethan. He's with the Blood Pact."

Ethan's expression darkened, and his jaw clenched tightly. "Then he dies. Again."

Lyra exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "We need to understand why they brought him back. This isn't just about me anymore. It's about my past."

Ethan stepped closer, his voice softer now. "Lyra, are you okay?"

She looked up at him, and for a brief moment, the weight of everything pressed down on her. The memories, the emotions, the fear—it was all too much.

"I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

Ethan's eyes softened, and without hesitation, he pulled her into his arms. Lyra stiffened at first, but the warmth of his embrace slowly melted her defenses.

"You're not alone," he murmured.

Lyra closed her eyes, allowing herself to believe him for just a moment.

The Next Morning – War Council

The war room was packed with tension as Ethan, Logan, and Amelia reviewed the intelligence gathered from the failed ambush. Lyra sat silently at the table, her fingers tapping restlessly against the wood.

Amelia pulled up Damien's image on the screen, and Lyra's stomach twisted at the sight of his familiar face.

"He was supposed to have died in the same battle you did," Logan said, his brow furrowed. "How the hell is he alive?"

Ethan's jaw clenched. "The Blood Pact has resources we don't understand. We've underestimated them."

Lyra frowned. "This isn't just about me anymore. They're sending a message. They're playing with us."

Ethan met her gaze. "Then we stop playing."

She swallowed hard. "We need to draw him out."

Logan raised an eyebrow. "You wanna bait an undead werewolf? Sounds fun."

Lyra ignored him. "Damien won't come for the pack. He'll come for me. Alone."

Ethan's expression darkened. "Absolutely not."

Lyra met his gaze, her resolve hardening. "Ethan, this is personal. I have to face him."

Ethan exhaled, his fingers raking through his hair. "If we do this, we do it my way."

Lyra nodded. "Your way."

Ethan leaned forward, his voice a low growl. "Then let's end this."

Later That Night – The Rooftop Showdown

The cool night breeze whispered against Lyra's skin as she stood on the rooftop of Midnight Crest Tower, waiting. The city lights stretched far below, but her attention was locked on the shadows beyond.

And then he appeared.

Damien stepped into the moonlight, his eyes gleaming with something far too knowing.

Lyra took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Why are you here, Damien?"

He smiled. "To bring you home."

Lyra's heart pounded. "I am home."

Damien's smile faded. "Not for long."

In an instant, he lunged, and Lyra met him head-on, their past colliding with their present in a violent, inevitable dance.

Ethan watched from the shadows, ready to strike—but Lyra knew one thing for certain.

This fight was hers to finish.