Chapter Eleven — Lyra’s POV

My heart swelled, threatening to explode from my chest in a rush of warmth. The mix of Kaine’s deep rumble and Leo’s light, carefree laugh was the most comforting sound I’d heard in a long time. I slipped off the dish gloves, hung them to dry, and made my way toward the living room. Stopping at the kitchen doorway, I leaned against the door frame to watch the scene in front of me. It was better than any play I’d ever seen. There, on the floor by the coffee table, Kaine and Leo were engrossed in an old puzzle game I used to play with my father all the time.

I couldn’t help but laugh quietly when Leo eagerly said, “I’m going to beat you this time, Dad!” Hearing him call Kaine “Dad” felt like the most natural thing in the world, like everything had finally fallen into place. For so long, I’d carried the guilt of keeping Leo from his father, thinking it was the right choice given the circumstances. But now, watching them bond easily after I’d told Leo the truth this morning, made me feel relief, like a weight I didn’t know I was holding had finally been lifted. Leo had been surprised at the revelation of Kaine being his father at first, the shock quickly melted into a wide grin, and he’d thrown his arms around Kaine with pure, unfiltered joy.

They had connected instantly when he found us in the forest, and now, knowing that the man who saved us was indeed his father made Leo happier than ever. I was worried that he might be upset with me for keeping the truth hidden from him, but there was no trace of resentment. Still, I made a mental note to have a personal conversation about this with him when he got back from school today.

Kaine’s deep chuckle filled the room, his eyes warm as he leaned closer to Leo. “We’re on the same team, remember? We have to build this puzzle together.”

Leo paused, as if considering the idea of teamwork, before nodding eagerly. “Okay, let’s do it! What are we building?”

Kaine showed him the picture in the puzzle box. “This is one of our pack’s ancestors. His name is Fenris—the first Alpha of Ironclaw pack.”

Leo’s small hand grabbed the pieces, his concentration intense. “Fenris? Was he a big wolf?”

“One of the biggest,” Kaine replied with a small laugh. “And he was strong. They say his howl could be heard for miles and he could see in the dark better than anyone.”

“Do you think I could be like him?” Leo beamed, his eyes gleaming with that unspoken hope of being like his father—like every great Alpha before him.

Kaine smiled softly. “Even better.”

I could stand here all day watching them and not get tired. But reality called. We had other things to do. Leo had to get to school, and I had a long day ahead with my retribution task looming.

Clearing my throat, I pushed away from the doorframe, drawing their attention to me. “I hate to cut the fun short, but it’s time for you to get ready for school, buddy.”

Leo’s mouth twisted in a pout, then he turned to Kaine and asked, “Are we going to continue building Alpha Fenris when I get back from school?”

“Of course. But you better hurry now, or you’ll be late for school.”

Leo nodded, jumping to his feet and racing off to get ready, leaving Kaine, me, and the unspoken deed of last night.

When I woke up this morning, I’d wanted to reprimand myself for allowing my emotions to take over last night. But when I turned and saw Kaine in my bed, bathed in the soft glow of the sunlight streaming through the window, with a peaceful smile on his face, I remembered how right it had always felt to wake up beside him—like it was where we were meant to be. I had quietly slipped out of bed to check on Leo, and not long after Kaine joined me. Together, we told Leo the truth.

But now, with just the two of us in the room, and memories of last night flooding my senses, I felt a sudden shyness creep in.

Kaine approached me with a smile on his face, and the shyness doubled. “I never got the chance to kiss you good morning,” he murmured, sliding his hands around my waist and pulling me close till our bodies were pressed together. His finger gently lifted my chin, and then he kissed me—slow and sweet, the kind of kiss that had my thoughts spinning for a moment.

When he pulled away, he tucked strands of my hair behind my ears with a grin. “So, are you ready for today?”

“I guess,” I mumbled, the uncertainty clear in my voice.

“Don’t you worry, I’ll be right there with you.”

After dropping Leo off at school, Kaine and I headed to the pack headquarters, where several of the pack had already gathered, waiting for me to begin my retribution. I spotted some familiar faces—Mr. Mason, Mrs. Carter, and some other customers I’d occasionally served in the diner.

Apprehension twisted in my gut at the thought of standing in front of everyone and apologizing. But laws were laws, and I had no choice but to follow them if I wanted to avoid putting those who supported me, like Mr. Randolf, in difficult positions. Kaine, sensing my apprehension, clasped my hand, tracing soothing circles over my skin. He gave me a reassuring smile, and I returned it, though I felt anything but calm.

He guided me to the center of the gathering, where all eyes were locked on me. I sucked in a deep breath, the words I’d practiced on the way here swirling in my head. Then, avoiding their stares, I began.

“Six years ago, I abandoned you all—my pack. A wolf never abandons his pack, his family. But I did. I ran away not because I wanted to betray you, but because I was scared. Scared of what would happen to me, to my child, if I stayed.”

I glanced up briefly, meeting the disapproving stares of the crowd, but I forced myself to press on. “There are no excuses for what I did. I broke the bond that ties us as a pack, and for that, I am truly sorry. I know trust isn’t something that can be repaired overnight, but I am here to earn it back. To make things right.”

Another deep breath. “I am willing to face the consequences of my actions, because this pack is my home. You’re my family and I want to fight for that again.”

There was a heavy silence that followed when I finished, and I wanted to shrink under their scrutiny. Eyes bored into me with expressions I could not read. The quiet dragged on and doubt crept in. Had I said the wrong thing?

Kaine stepped forward, cutting through the tension, “You’ve heard her. Lyra is here, seeking retribution for her past mistakes. She wants to be part of this pack again. Together with my son, whom she returned with.”

A ripple of shock spread through the crowd, followed by murmurs of disapproval.

“That cannot be right! She’s not your mate anymore!” someone shouted in the crowd.

“How can you trust her so easily? She abandoned us!” another voice echoed.

Kaine raised his hand to silence them, but their anger was palpable. The glares, the whispers—it felt like the whole pack was rejecting me. I glanced at the elder’s table. Their expressions were a mixture of shock and disappointment. I could feel the hatred in their gazes, the disgust as they looked over at me. It became painfully clear that Kaine standing up for Leo and I would be difficult. Yes, the final judgment of my retribution was up to him, and I knew that he wouldn’t be harsh on me. But there were others—elders, members of the pack—who would differ. They would push for me to suffer more than Kaine would ever allow.

The elders, in particular, always had a vested interest in upholding the law, and despite Kaine’s authority, he was not a dictator. He wanted to rule by the book, to do right by the pack. But right now, the challenge of protecting Leo and me from the wrath of the tradition seemed like an insurmountable task. My son was already born, they couldn’t ask me to undo that. But what they could do, what they might do, was cast us both out. That was where the real danger lay, and the thought of it twisted deep inside of me.

The meeting finally ended, the tension still clinging to the air like a storm waiting to break. Kaine remained behind to meet with the elders, leaving me alone to wrestle with my thoughts. I walked aimlessly through the empty halls, the weight of the glares and whispers pressing down on me.

Outside, the cool breeze swept against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the turmoil inside me. I leaned against a tree at the edge of the clearing as my mind raced, replaying every hateful look, every murmured word of disapproval.

I wrapped my arms around myself, the fear of what might come gnawing at my insides. They couldn’t take Leo from me. They wouldn’t. But the thought of being cast out, it left a hollow ache in my chest.

“Rough day, huh?”

The voice startled me, and I spun around to see Dominic on his motorcycle.

“Wh–what are you doing here?” I asked, wiping my hand against my brow.

“I heard there was going to be a retribution today, so I came to see for myself,” he replied casually. “And I figured you could use a friend after what happened out there.”

I sighed, leaning back against the tree. “I don’t know why they hate me so much.”

“It’s really not about you, Lyra,” he said, softly, pausing for a moment, as if deliberating whether to continue. Then he did. “You see, a couple of years ago, there was this guy, Jared. He was a member of the pack but he was exiled.”

“Kaine exiled someone?” I asked, surprised.

Dominic nodded in affirmation. “There was a lot of controversy surrounding his exile. Many of the pack members were against it, but I get why he did it. Jared was a threat to the pack’s security.”

That’s exactly what I am.

“Jared wasn’t just a loose cannon; he was reckless. He began making decisions without consulting the Alpha, putting the pack at risk. He started taking unnecessary risks—provoking rival packs, hunting in dangerous territories, and even secretly meeting with rogues. His actions put everyone in jeopardy, and the Alpha had no choice but to exile him after his actions led to the death of two pack members.”

“He didn’t want to, but he had no choice. The elders pressured him to make the decision,” Dominic continued. “That’s the thing with Kaine. He is bound by his duty. His loyalty comes first to the pack, before any other thing, even his own heart.”

My heart sank. Was this what was going to happen again? Was Kaine going to cast Leo and I out?

Although I was lost in my thoughts, when Dominic tossed me a helmet, I caught it instinctively.

“Wanna go for a ride? You loved it the last time,” he said with a grin.

I hesitated for a moment, but the idea of escaping, even for a little while, was tempting. I did need to clear my head, so I managed a small smile, put on the helmet, and climbed onto the back of his motorcycle.

The wind whipped past me as we rode, and just like the first time, it felt exhilarating. When Dominic pulled over in the open area, packed with the familiar green grass now worn out from frequent use, I recognized that we were at the sparring ground. I used to come here at least thrice a week, together with Kaine and Isolde.

“I was going to come here anyway, but my sparring partner ditched me. Wanna take me on?” Dominic asked with a playful glint in his eyes.

I grinned. “Are you sure you can handle me?”

He laughed. “That sounds like a challenge.”

He proceeded to take off his shirt, revealing his tanned, toned chest that left me in a daze for a second. Maybe I hadn’t really noticed how attractive he was before, but standing here right now, I could see it, and I remembered what Kaine told me the other day—how he was popular with the girls in town.

“You plan on sparring with your shirt on?” His voice knocked me back to the present, and I turned around to take my shirt off. Luckily for me, I was wearing a tank top underneath.

“What’s that mark?” Dominic asked, his gaze locked on my side. I followed his eyes to the scar that never quite faded, remembering how I had gotten it—a burning dagger pressed to my abdomen.

Shaking off the traumatic thoughts, I turned back to Dominic, averting the conversation. “Are we doing this or not?”

He caught the hint, and thankfully, didn’t probe any further. “Prepare to have your ass handed to you.”

With every punch Dominic swung my way, I sidestepped, weaving my body in and out of his reach. He was slow, too slow, and I realized he was holding back. I caught his next strike mid-air and followed through with a high kick that grazed his cheek.

“Ouch,” he grunted, more in surprise than pain, touching his cheek to see if there was blood. “Well, that hurts.”

“I warned you,” I said with a small laugh.

He shook his shoulders and took his stance again, bouncing lightly on his feet as he urged me to come at him again.

“So…” he continued conversationally. “Kaine didn’t come home last night.”

“And how do you know that?” I threw a quick punch at him, but he ducked to avoid it effortlessly.

“I live in the packhouse with him.”

Right.

“I’m guessing that had something to do with you?” Dominic pressed on.

“Yeah, he, um, he came around last night,” I answered, keeping it as vague as possible.

Dominic’s smirk widened, clearly understanding what I was implying. “Well, just be careful, Lyra. You know the saying, ‘fool me twice’.”

I lowered my eyes on him. “What does that mean?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m just saying—Kaine rejected you. Who’s to say he won’t do it again? And he was going to get married to Juniper Greymont before you showed up. He’d moved on. That doesn’t just change overnight.”

I hesitated for a moment, distracted by his words, but that split second was all Dominic needed. His punch landed squarely on my jaw, knocking me to the ground. But it wasn’t the impact of the blow that hurt—it was the truth behind what he’d said.

God, I was such a fool for sleeping with him.