“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice as cold as the look I shot him. Once upon a time, this man had almost stolen my heart, back when we formed Team Amethyst. He was the final member of the team, as famous—if not more—than Star and Cayro when it came to skyboarding.
“Damn, Lyra, what’s with the cold shoulder?” he shot back, though his bravado faltered under my glare.
“You know damn well why I’m pissed off seeing you here,” I spat, each word laced with venom.
“Lyra…” he began, but I cut him off.
“No… don’t you ‘Lyra’ me. You left, Cameron. You left to chase revenge for your fallen teammates after the attack on SkyTeam HQ, even after I begged you not to. You were important to me, and you still walked away,” I growled, letting the pain bleed into my words.
“They were my pack! My best friends! They deserved to be avenged!” he yelled, his frustration mirroring my own.
“They were avenged! Director Staroko made damn sure of that. But you? You were too stubborn, too blind, to see what you had right in front of you!” I shouted back, baring my fangs.
“Oh yeah? And what exactly did I have in front of me?” he demanded, his voice laced with challenge.
“Me!” I roared, grabbing his shirt and pulling him close, our faces mere inches apart. “You had me, Cameron. I offered you my heart! I was ready to be yours!” I pushed him back, the pain in my chest flaring as the memory of that night flooded back.
His face fell, shock and confusion etched across his features. It was like he had never even considered the possibility. Of course, he hadn’t. He always said he wanted an alpha female for a mate. At first, he’d set his sights on Star, but after she handed him his ass, he started looking elsewhere. When we grew closer, we spent intimate moments together—nothing sexual, but close. We held each other, ate as a couple. The night before he left, we shared our first real kiss. I was finally letting go of the horrors my father had put me through, and I thought Cameron could help me heal. I thought he’d be there.
But then I woke up the next morning, and he was gone. No call, no text. Just gone. It wasn’t long after that Star and Cayro pushed me to go out on my own.
“You wanted to be with me?” he asked, his voice almost stupidly soft.
“No, I wanted to be with you. You broke my heart, Cameron. You left me, didn’t even bother to call. I was nothing but a plaything to you—just like every other woman you’ve ever been with. The only difference is I didn’t spread my legs for you like a good little bitch,” I sneered, crossing my arms over my mud-soaked chest.
“That’s not true!” he growled, taking a step forward.
“Oh yeah? Then what was it? Was I too stubborn? Too difficult to win over and seduce? Come on, Cameron, we all know how you are with women. You see them as conquests. I didn’t submit, so you got bored,” I jabbed, stepping back.
“Lyra… that’s not it. You were so… so hesitant about getting into a relationship. You told me about your father, about what you went through. I didn’t think you wanted that kind of connection,” he said, his voice tinged with confusion as if he genuinely didn’t understand.
“Cameron, I kissed you! We slept together that night! I woke up, and you were gone! With everything I showed you, with all the time we spent together, did you really not see the signs?” I demanded, my voice cracking.
He rubbed the back of his head, his gaze dropping to the mud-soaked ground. He looked… remorseful? This was new. In all the time I’d known him, I’d never seen him look sorry for anything. I narrowed my eyes, unsure of what to make of this.
Before I could decide, I turned and nearly collided with Mac, who was standing wide-eyed, having witnessed the entire argument. I moved past her, ready to leave this mess behind, but Cameron’s voice stopped me.
“Lyra…” Cameron called out softly.
I spun around, my patience thin and my glare sharp. “What?” I snapped.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I blinked, caught off guard. Cameron never apologized—not for anything. I bit the inside of my cheek, debating how to respond. Part of me wanted to keep fighting, to tear into him for the pain he caused. But another part of me—one that had seen too much battle tonight—recognized something different in his eyes. He looked older, wiser, maybe even regretful.
Taking a deep breath, I released a long sigh. “Cameron, we need to shelve this for now. I have a pack to check on, and dragons to debrief,” I said, my tone softening despite myself.
He nodded, understanding in his eyes. “I get it. I just wanted to let you know that General Zaraki wants to see you as soon as possible.”
I returned the nod and gestured for Mac to follow me as we stepped into the field kitchen. Inside, I found the majority of my pack and the dragons, all of them looking at me with raised eyebrows. Great. They’d heard everything. Well, this should be fun.
Straightening my spine, I addressed them, taking in their mud-caked, rain-soaked appearances. “Are you guys okay?” I asked loudly, my voice carrying over the sound of the rain.
Most of them nodded, but I noticed Seth and Charlotte staring blankly at the ground. That wasn’t good. The shock of combat was still fresh in their minds, and I recognized the early signs of moral fracturing. I’d seen it before in Cayro, and I wasn’t about to let them fall into that same darkness.
“Where are Kira and Jake?” I asked, looking around.
“They’re in the medical tent, getting patched up,” Icetail answered.
“Good. Go get cleaned up,” I ordered. “I’m going to check on them.”
A few of the pack members shuffled uncomfortably, but no one moved. Even the dragons remained still, their eyes on me as if waiting for something more. I gave them a puzzled look, trying to figure out what was wrong.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, sensing an underlying tension.
“We’re waiting for your reprimand for failing,” Raptor said, his voice low and full of self-reproach.
I did a double take, staring at him in confusion. “Reprimand? For what?”
“For failing to protect the humans,” Icetail added. “And if reinforcements hadn’t shown up, we would have failed the mission entirely.”
I rolled my eyes, frustration bubbling up. “That’s absolute wolf shit. First off, we were outnumbered three to one with the first convoy. Then when the second wave hit, we were even more outnumbered. For a ragtag team of wolves, dragons, a phoenix, and a pixie, we kicked some serious ass tonight. Especially when half of us are seriously under-trained for combat,” I declared, making sure each one of them understood how serious I was.
They began to lift their heads, realization dawning in their eyes. I pushed out a wave of pride through the bond I shared with my pack, letting them feel just how much I appreciated their efforts. The dragons couldn’t feel it, but my words seemed to reach them nonetheless.
Stepping into the group, I hugged each one of them, even the dragons, letting them know how much they meant to me.
“Thank you,” Icetail said quietly when I reached him.
“For what?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“For showing us mercy,” he replied.
I rolled my eyes again, this time with a smile. “Go get cleaned up,” I repeated, patting him on the shoulder.
He nodded, finally directing everyone to follow my orders. As they began to disperse, I made a hasty exit, heading for the medical tent to check on Kira and Jake. When I stepped inside, I found them huddled together on a cot, both wrapped in a military wool blanket. Jake had a patch on his shoulder, while Kira sported a black eye and a bruised cheek, with more bruises hidden beneath the blanket.
I scanned the medical tent, noticing that some of the soldiers who had been here earlier were gone. Captain Bresden was nowhere in sight. My eyes shifted back to Jake and Kira, who looked worn but defiant. The medic noticed me and turned around, his expression a mix of irritation and exhaustion.
“Can I help you, Alpha Acosta?” he asked, his tone sharper than before.
“I came to check on everyone,” I replied, keeping my voice steady despite the underlying tension.
“We’re fine, thanks to one of your dragons,” he said, his tone softening slightly.
“What do you mean?” I asked, concern creeping into my voice.
“One of the dragons took an RPG to protect us. The explosion hit him and Captain Bresden,” he explained.
The news hit me like a punch to the gut. I hadn’t known that Ironfist had deliberately intercepted the RPG. The weight of that sacrifice settled heavily on my shoulders.
“Where are they now? And the others who were here?” I asked, trying to keep the urgency out of my voice.
“They were evacuated to the FSAS Star Lancer shortly after the ships arrived. The others here are low priority for evacuation. They’ll be transported within the next hour or so,” he said, his exhaustion evident.
I walked over to Jake and Kira, my eyes meeting Kira’s fierce gaze as she clung protectively to Jake. Despite the exhaustion in her posture, the fire in her eyes hadn’t dimmed.
“How are my wolves doing?” I asked the medic, my tone softer now that I was speaking to him directly.
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“The gunshot wound was a clean pass-through. He won’t let me stitch it up, and honestly, since I don’t have experience with werewolf physiology, I’m not about to argue. Kira’s bruised up, but nothing too serious. I’ve patched them up and given them some pain meds. Beyond that, it’s up to you what to do with them,” he said, a note of resignation in his voice.
“Thank you,” I replied, then turned my attention fully to Jake and Kira. “How are you two holding up?”
“Ready for round two!” Jake quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
Kira rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I could use a nap. The fight and shifting wore me out.”
“Think you can make it back to your trucks?” I asked, concern etched in my voice.
They both nodded, though I caught them glancing at the medic, who was still scowling at me.
“Yes?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at the medic.
“Are you sure they should be leaving the medical tent?” he grumbled, his frustration bubbling to the surface.
“Well, you did say you don’t have medical training with werewolves,” I pointed out gently. “It’s probably better for them to be in their own space where they can rest and heal while you focus on getting your unit evacuated. Kira will be nearly healed by morning, and Jake should be back to normal in a couple of days with a few more shifts.”
The medic sighed, clearly too tired to argue. “Fair point, Alpha Acosta. I’ll send them off with a few more painkillers and check on them once I’m done here.”
“Sounds good. Let me know if you need any help,” I said, giving my wolves a nod before heading out of the tent.
I made my way to my truck to grab my go bag, a fresh pair of clothes, and my old military Gore-Tex raincoat. After stuffing everything into my bag along with my tablet, I climbed out of the truck and headed to the MCV. Inside, several of my wolves were waiting their turn for a shower. Before I could find a spot to sit, Seth emerged from the bathroom, and everyone—including Steve—pointed at me to go next.
I couldn’t help but huff at their insistence, but I knew they were right. I didn’t have time to argue, not with Cayro waiting. Grateful for once to be pushed to the front of the line, I stepped into the bathroom, shifted back into human form, and stripped off my ruined sweats. Tossing them in a trash bag that was already filled with other discarded clothes, I climbed into the shower and began scrubbing away the mud, blood, and grime.
It took three washes to get the grit out of my hair, and by the time I was done, the weariness had settled into my bones. The adrenaline that had been keeping me going all night was fading fast, leaving me feeling drained. I dressed quickly, threw on my coat, and stepped out of the MCV.
The sight of the three airships hovering above us caught my eye, and I couldn’t help but send a silent prayer of thanks to the Great Luna. If they hadn’t shown up when they did, we’d be in a much worse situation. The camp was alive with activity, airmen and soldiers working together to manage the aftermath of the battle.
I made my way to my truck, deliberately avoiding the organized chaos as airmen and soldiers secured prisoners and managed the aftermath. Once inside, I carefully unlatched my skyboard, feeling the familiar hum of its activation as I stepped onto it. The cool night air rushed past me as I ascended toward the FSAS Crescent Moon, the flagship of the fleet.
The flight deck was a beacon of light in the dark sky, and I landed smoothly, dismounting with practiced ease. An airman moved to intercept me, clearly not recognizing who I was. I simply flipped my board up onto its tail, displaying the Team Amethyst logo prominently. His face drained of color, and he stepped back as the door slid open for me, no scanner required. The perks of having been part of this ship’s family, even if only for a while, still held weight.
As I walked through the corridors, my feet carried me on autopilot toward the bridge. The Crescent Moon was familiar, its layout etched into my memory from my time aboard. Stepping onto the bridge, I saw only a skeleton crew, each member focused on their duties, maintaining the ship’s position. The atmosphere was tense, but quiet—each person understanding the gravity of the situation.
I descended the steps leading to the lower bridge, heading for the office tucked beneath the captain’s console. My skyboard clunked softly as I leaned it against the bulkhead beside the door. I knocked three times, the sound absorbed by the thick metal door.
“Enter,” came the deep, raspy voice of my alpha.
The door slid open, revealing Cayro standing with his back to me, his large, draconian form practically vibrating with restrained anger. His silver scales gleamed in the dim light, and the long, swept-back horns added to the imposing figure he cut against the backdrop of monitors displaying various tactical readouts. He took a sip from a mug, the gesture almost too calm for the tension radiating from him. When he finally turned, his blazing emerald eyes locked onto mine, and I couldn’t help but feel a cold sweat break out along my spine.
“Please, sit,” he said, his voice unnervingly calm as he gestured to the chairs before his desk.
It was a request, but it carried the weight of an order, and I sat immediately, my mind racing. Was his anger directed at me? Had I made a misstep that I wasn’t aware of? The unknown was gnawing at me, but I held my tongue, waiting for him to continue.
“This turned into a royal shit show,” he stated, his voice cutting through the silence as he turned back to the monitors.
I hesitated, unsure if he wanted a response. His silence weighed heavily in the room, and the tension was nearly suffocating. Did he want my input, or was he merely venting? I bit the inside of my cheek, keeping my thoughts to myself.
“Lyra, you know you can speak, right?” His voice softened, almost as if he were reminding me rather than rebuking me.
“I wasn’t sure if you wanted my opinion or not, Alpha,” I replied quietly, trying to gauge his mood.
He sighed, turning to face me fully. “You are my friend, my colleague, and a member of my family. I value your opinion, especially when it directly affects you. So please, Lyra, share your opinion with me.”
His words, though gentle, struck a chord. The knot in my chest loosened slightly. “If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I don’t think we would have made it through the night,” I admitted, my voice low but steady.
“That was my exact thought as well,” he said, his tone confirming that we were on the same page.
“Honestly, I’m surprised that you and Star came. I figured you would have sent a different unit,” I remarked, trying to keep the conversation moving away from my own failings.
“That was the original plan. Needless to say, though, President Clark and I had a very heated discussion about what he did. Even Zak was rather upset with him,” he explained, his tone taking on a cooler edge.
I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. “So, you aren’t mad at me, then?” I asked, hoping to the Great Luna that my assumptions were correct.
“Stars no, Lyra. I’m not mad at you. I’m angry at how ill-prepared this mission was. Star and I knew this needed to be done, but we weren’t involved in the planning or preparations. That fell to another general who failed to do proper scouting and surveillance. That cost us a unit,” he explained, finally taking a seat himself.
“How important is this mission?” The question escaped me before I could think twice.
“It’s crucial,” Cayro replied, his voice low and measured. “Important enough that I’ve been reassigned to oversee its success personally. We need to re-establish this route at all costs. The Chinese are mobilizing towards Nevada, and if they secure Salt Lake City before we do, it’ll give them a fortified central base protected by the mountains. We can’t let that happen.”
The gravity of his words settled over me like a weight. This wasn’t just another mission—it was a linchpin in a much larger conflict. “So, you and Star will be staying here, then?”
“No,” Cayro shook his head. “We’re here as a show of force for you and your team. Once the camp is properly established, we’ll be moving on.”
“Who’s staying behind to run the camp?”
“We’re leaving the 254th Infantry Pack to maintain the camp and secure the corridor until we can establish a garrison,” Cayro explained, his tone firm.
I blinked in surprise. “Cameron’s pack? I thought they were stationed overseas, fighting on the European front?”
“We pulled them back. Something happened over there—something bad. Cameron hasn’t been willing to talk about it, but it’s clear it changed him. Look, I know you’re upset with him, but he needs a friend right now. If you can set your anger aside, it might do you both some good,” Cayro said, his voice softening.
I chewed on his words for a moment, the anger and hurt I’d buried bubbling to the surface. “I’ll think about it, but no promises, Alpha,” I finally replied.
Before Cayro could respond, the office door slid open. His gaze shifted past me, softening as a small smile curled his lips. I didn’t need to turn to know who had just entered, but I did anyway, out of habit.
Star’s amethyst eyes met mine, her expression as fierce and determined as ever. She was clad in her black armored suit, the one her father had designed, with her helmet tucked under her arm and an M4 slung over her back. Her unit patch was proudly displayed on her shoulder, the FS flag above it, and her colonel rank emblazoned on her chest plate and helmet.
My concern grew as I glanced back at Cayro. “Where are the girls?”
“Back in Pigeon Forge with our grandparents and the Lyconotu’s,” Star answered as she walked past me, setting her helmet on the desk before planting herself on Cayro’s lap with a grin.
Ah, now it made sense. Cayro wasn’t just upset about the mission—he was struggling with leaving the girls behind while he and Star fought in this war. I couldn’t help but smirk at the irony. He and Star had pushed me to lead, to fight, and now they were feeling the sting of that same responsibility.
“You can kindly remove that smirk off your face, Lyra,” Star griped, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Oh, but Luna, I’m just enjoying this little taste of karma. It’s about time you and Alpha got a dose of it,” I shot back with a snort.
Cayro chuckled, holding Star close as she huffed in mock indignation. “I hope you haven’t forgotten about what Mr. Bracton did to you back in Virginia,” Star retorted, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
“You wouldn’t dare!” I exclaimed, feigning outrage.
“I most certainly would. I’m sure the girls, their great-grandfather, and Aura would have a blast with the amount of glitter I could order them,” she said with a wicked grin.
My jaw dropped. Recruiting the girls and Aura to glitter bomb me? That was a low blow, even for her.
“Fine…” I huffed, trying to suppress a grin. There was no winning against the queen of revenge. If I pushed too hard, I wouldn’t be surprised if I woke up to find my truck painted some hideous color for her amusement.
Cayro cut in, his voice bringing the banter to a close. “Alright, you two, enough with the banter. Now that we’re all here, I thought we could catch up and plan a dinner. I’d like to meet your new pack, Lyra, and as their commander, they need to know who I am.”
“Dinner?” I echoed, still trying to process the shift from battle plans to social obligations.
“Yes, tomorrow evening here aboard the Crescent Moon. Let’s say around 17:00,” Cayro confirmed, his voice firm, but with a hint of warmth.
“Uh, um, okay. Dinner at 17:00 here on the Crescent Moon,” I repeated, trying to wrap my head around the idea of a formal dinner in the middle of a war zone.
“Oh, she and her pack are invited to dinner, but I’m left out? I see how it is, you two,” a familiar, annoyed voice interjected from my go bag. Before I could react, Scuzball’s holographic form flickered into existence, standing indignantly on Cayro’s desk.
Cayro let out a long, exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling as if asking the heavens for patience. “Did we not assign you to help and assist Lyra?” he grumbled, not bothering to hide his frustration.
“Yes…” Scuzball replied, his tone dripping with faux innocence as he sat on his haunches, examining his claws with exaggerated disinterest.
“Ergo, you are included in said pack, Scuzball,” Cayro huffed, clearly not in the mood for the A.I.’s theatrics.
“I thought we locked you out of the Crescent Moon’s computer?” Star grouched, narrowing her eyes at the smug hologram.
“Please… I helped design and build the operating system for this ship. I just let you think you managed to lock me out,” Scuzball retorted with a huff, his glowing eyes twinkling with mischief.
Cayro shook his head, clearly regretting some life choices. “I should have sent you to assist Andrew… Then maybe things would have been better planned.”
“That would have turned out bad, and you know it, Honey,” Star interjected smoothly. “Andrew hates Scuzball, and Scuzball would have fed into it. Andrew and Tiffany have enough on their plates as is. We don’t need to dump Scuzball on them.”
“Oh, but it’s okay for you to dump him on me?” I grumbled, crossing my arms and giving Star a sideways glare.
“Has he not been helpful?” Cayro asked, arching a brow as if daring me to complain.
Scuzball turned his holographic gaze to me, a question in his glowing eyes. I sighed, knowing there was no escaping this one.
“I mean… yeah, he has been. Everyone besides Stoneclaw likes him,” I admitted, with a small, grudging nod.
“Good. Stop complaining and go check on Stoneclaw and Ironfist. They’re aboard the Star Lancer,” Cayro ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
“Speaking of which, where did the Star Lancer come from? I don’t recognize it,” I asked, curiosity piqued as I stood from my seat.
“She’s the newest carrier ship in the fleet. I’ll introduce you to the captain sometime,” Cayro replied as Star rose from his lap, stepping toward me with a soft smile.
I nodded, processing the new information, just as Star wrapped me in a tight hug. The gesture, as familiar as it was comforting, reminded me that despite the chaos, there was still warmth and connection in this world.
“I’ll come check on you later tomorrow before dinner time,” she whispered in my ear before releasing me.
I returned her smile, a little softer now, and turned to leave the office, my thoughts already shifting to the next task.