The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 79

Lyra

I woke up with a start, pins and needles in my feet and fingers. I had fallen asleep at my desk again, a puddle of drool pooling on the surface of my papers.

Scrubbing at my eyes with the heels of my hands I blinked away the sleep that clung to my lashes. A quick glance at the clock told me it was well past midnight. My daily grind of classes, endless schoolwork, and those grueling training sessions with Killian had left me bone-tired. I could hardly keep my eyes propped open any longer. My body ached for the sweet relief of sleep, but my mind was still whirring, refusing to shut down for the night.

I let out a low groan, pushing myself up from the chair with a grunt. My muscles protested, sore and aching from the long hours spent hunched over my desk. I stretched, feeling the satisfying pop of my joints as I reached for the sky. I needed to get some sleep, I thought, glancing at the clock. The next trial was fast approaching, and I had to be ready.

The thought of it sent a shiver of unease down my spine. I could feel the knot of anxiety tightening in my gut, a heavy weight that threatened to drag me down. The next round was a physical one, they had told us. And without a wolf, I was at a serious disadvantage. It wasn't just dread that coursed through my veins at the thought of it. No, it was pure, unadulterated terror.

Everyone knew I was wolfless, and I could see it in their eyes whenever they looked at me. The pity, the doubt, the whispered words of doubt. But I couldn't let that stop me. I had come too far to give up-not that I'd even consider it. As I prepared for bed, my thoughts swirled with anxieties. Despite acing the test and no longer being accused of cheating, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was going to fail this round, that I wasn't cut out to be a Luna... I needed someone to confide in, someone who would get it.

Sally, my Second, had said she was too swamped with schoolwork to train with me. That was okay, but she could at least offer me some encouragement. Instead, she spent every free moment she had with her other friends. And as I listened to her soft snores, I tossed and turned, feeling bitter and resentful. No one was there for me when I truly needed them.

Just like always.

***

Early the next day, I knocked on Whitney's door, hoping she was up and ready for a heart-to-heart. She wasn't the ideal choice. Whitney tended to talk more about herself than listen to anyone else's problems. But hey, I was desperate.

"Lyra, what's wrong?" she asked, concern etched on her face.

"I'm sorry to wake you," I said, my voice trembling. "But I really need to talk to someone."

Whitney nodded and ushered me inside. I sat down on her bed, my hands fidgeting in my lap. "It's the next trial," I confessed. "I'm so scared, Whitney. I don't have a wolf, and I don't know how I'm going to compete against the others." Whitney listened sympathetically, her eyes never leaving mine. "I know it's hard, Lyra," she said softly. "But you can't let fear hold you back. You have to dig deep and replace the strength within yourself to keep going."

I was surprised by her words. Whitney had always been self-centered and focused on her own problems. But now, she was putting me first and offering me support. It was a side of her I had never seen before. "Thank you, Whitney," I said, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. "I really needed to hear that."

She smiled at me. "I'm here for you, Lyra and I believe in you... even though others might not."

My stomach knotted, knowing who she meant, but the sting of How wrong I'd been about her didn't hurt any less.

"Are you talking about..." I couldn't let her name pass my lips, hoping it wasn't true.

Whitney did the heavy lifting for me. "Yes, I mean, Sally. I overheard her talking to one of Brittany's friends the other day, and... well, she was saying some things... Well, they weren't exactly nice."

My heart sank, a knot forming in my stomach. "What kind of things?"

Whitney looked at me, her eyes filled with sympathy. "I don't want to cause any trouble, but I think you should know. She was talking about how she thinks you're not ready for the next trial, and that you're going to fail." Ouch. Double ouch. "Did she say anything else?"

Whitney nodded, her expression grave. "She also mentioned that she's been watching Brittany train and that she has a better chance of becoming Luna than you do."

Anger surged within me, my hands clenched into fists. "Why would she do that? I thought she was my friend."

Whitney reached out, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "I don't know, Lyra. But I thought you should know. Be careful who you trust."

I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. "Thanks for telling me, Whitney. I appreciate it."

My mind was swirling as I made my way back to the room I shared with Sally. As much as I wanted to dismiss Whitney's warning, I couldn't shake the feeling that her words were true considering: Only my belongings had been vandalized in our room.

When I had been blamed for academic dishonesty, Sally never appeared to support me as she had vowed, even though she supposedly went to get Ryan.

Right after that incident, Sally had vanished for the rest of the weekend, leaving me only a quickly dashed off message claiming she was visiting her dad. Was she deliberately steering clear of me?

I had trusted Sally, confided in her, and now I was left wondering if she had been betraying me all along. The thought made me feel more guarded, more withdrawn, as if a wall had been built around me.