The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 69

Lyra

Whitney broke the silence with a change of subject. "Are you going to compete in the Trials Lyra?" Whitney asked, her eyes searching mine.

I felt my stomach twist with nerves at the question. The truth was, I still hadn't made up my mind about the Luna Trials. Part of me wanted to prove to everyone, including myself, that I was worthy of being Luna, even without a wolf. But another part of me was terrified of failing, of being rejected and humiliated in front of the entire pack. Then there was my dream... vision... whatever. I had stood so tall, so strong. Convinced it was my destiny...

"I'm not sure," I admitted, my voice small and weak as I confessed all my misgivings. "I want to, but... I'm scared."

Whitney nodded, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. "I get it, Lyra. It's a big decision. But for what it's worth, I think you'd make an amazing Luna."

I felt a lump form in my throat at her words, touched by her kindness despite her own pain. "Thanks, Whitney. That means a lot."

I watched as the two council members, a stern-looking man with salt-and-pepper hair and an elegant woman in a flowing dress, set up a table beneath a large banner that read "Luna Trials" in bold, shimmering letters. The man methodically arranged stacks of papers while the woman placed a delicate quill and inkwell on the table with practiced precision.

As they worked, a line of eager she-wolves began to form, their eyes bright with anticipation and their voices buzzing with excited chatter. I felt my stomach twist into knots as I watched them, each one confident and sure of herself in a way that I could only dream of being.

"Are you going to sign up?" Sally asked, nudging me with her elbow.

I hesitated, biting my lip. "I don't know, Sal. I mean, look at them. They all have wolves. They've been training for this their whole lives. What chance do I have?"

Sally fixed me with a stern look. "Lyra, we've been over this. You have to believe in yourself."

I sighed, knowing she was right but still feeling the weight of my doubts pressing down on me. "I know, I know. It's just... hard, you know?"

Sally softened, putting an arm around my shoulders. "I get it, Lyra. But you can't let fear hold you back. You have to at least try."

I nodded, taking a deep breath to steady myself. "You're right. I have to do this. For myself, if nothing else."

I glanced back at the line of she-wolves, which had grown even longer in the few minutes we'd been talking. I took another deep breath, squaring my shoulders.

"Alright," I said, my voice trembling only slightly. "I'm going to do it. I'm going to sign up for the Luna Trials."

Sally let out a whoop of joy, throwing her arms around me in a fierce hug. "Yes! I'm so proud of you, Lyra. You're going to crush it. I just know it."

I took a deep breath and walked towards the Luna Trials signup table, my gut twisting. The line of she-wolves seemed to stretch on forever. I felt like an imposter, a fraud in a sea of true shifters. I came out of my pity-party when I heard one she-wolf say, "Did you hear about Ryan and Brittany?" one of them said, her voice filled with excitement.

"She said that he's an amazing lover," another girl chimed in, giggling. "She claims every time they had sex, they were at it for hours. She claimed he was insatiable... told me when he finally let her out of bed, she couldn't sing that night." The she-wolf laughs, slapping her thigh in mirth. "Said her mouth wouldn't work properly." With an obscene gesture using her fist, she clued in those around her just why Brittany was unable to talk.

My heart sank at their words even as Jealously clouded my vision. I knew Ryan and I had a connection, but hearing other girls talk about him like that made me want to rip out the throats of every she-wolf he ever took to bed.

All too soon, it was my turn. And yes, I still was afraid to put pen to paper.

"Next!" the stern-looking council member called out, his voice cutting through the excited chatter.

I stepped forward, my hands shaking as I reached for the quill. The elegant woman smiled at me, her eyes kind. "Name?"

"Lyra Evergreen," I managed to squeak out on a whisper.

The man raised an eyebrow, his gaze skeptical. "Evergreen? As in the one who nearly killed our Alpha?"

I nodded, feeling the weight of his judgment bearing down on me. "Um, that was an accident."

He exchanged a look with the woman. "I don't know if we should sign-"

The woman interjected, a sweet sugary smile on her highly glossed lips. "Let her, Garreth." She pointed to a blank line. "Sign here."

I took the quill, my hand trembling as I scrawled my name on the parchment. It felt like signing my own death warrant, a final nail in the coffin.

As I stepped away from the table, I heard the whispers start up again, the other she-wolves eyeing me with a mix of curiosity and disdain. I tried to hold my head high, to project an air of confidence I didn't feel.

"Lyra!" Sally called out, waving me over to where she and Whitney stood. "How did it go?"

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "Fine, I guess. I signed up, at least."

Whitney gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm sure you'll do great, Lyra."

Sally nudged me, a mischievous glint in her eye. "So, now that you're officially in the running, we need to talk strategy. Do you have a second yet?"

I smiled at her. "Actually, I was thinking of asking y-"

Whitney shoved herself between us, her eyes no longer sad, filled with excitement. "Oh! I want to be your second, Lyra. We would make such a great team!"