Lyra Khöller's Story

Lyra smiled to Ares, her mind wishing him luck in this world. She knew first hand how scary and dangerous it could be, her position as alpha's daughter had not shielded her from any of its cruelty. "I don't think the relationships are quite the same," Kiyoshi observed softly. "He sees me differently than you do."

To this simple comment, Lyra felt the world freeze. Her golden eyes grew wider than the sun as she turned to face Kiyoshi, hesitation heavy on her mind. What could he mean by that? Did he see her differently than the small boy that he now cared for? Her heart began to race as her eyes flickered from Kiyoshi to Ares and Ray, unsure how to respond to his comment. Her cheeks flushed, causing her to quiver slightly as she turned to him, one thought heavy on her mind. Destiny waits for no one.

She turned back to Kiyoshi and took a deep long breath. Her eyes took a quick tally of those present, finding Ares and Ray out of direct earshot and Duncan just over the threshold as he gouged himself with snacks. This was about as private as one could get inside a werewolf pack-house. She returned her attention to Kiyoshi, all others present quickly fading from her mind and thoughts. He was here. He was all that mattered.

Lyra took a step closer towards Kiyoshi, standing before him so that she needed to tilt her chin up to continue gazing into his crystal eyes. She had never been this close to him before, not purposely at least. "Kiyoshi-san, I need to tell you something," she whispered softly, knowing that she could not stop now. She reached up softly to push fallen strands of his hair back into place, smiling as she did so. Her strength began to fade, causing her to shift conversations as she noticed its increased length. "You're letting your hair grow out again," she commented, continuing to stoke it softly. Lyra smiled, nodding in approval as she recalled their first encounter where it had been long enough to pull back with an elastic. "That's good, I liked it better that way."

Lyra sighed deeply, her eyes falling down to the ground as she realized she was stuck. To not continue would to look like a fool. To continue would . . . make it final. This thought terrified the she-wolf, suddenly questioning if she was ready. At last she took another breath, her gaze rising up to meet his in shy determination. Her hand slipped from his hair to cup his cheek delicately, temporarily admiring the smooth skin that he managed to obtain. She looked up to him, unable to read his expression, but knowing that she could not stop now. Now or never. With her hand still tender on his smooth face, Lyra spoke her words slowly, careful to find the correct pronunciation even though she had mastered his native tongue long ago. "Kiyo-kun. . . Anata wo Aishiteiru. (I love you.) " She looked up to him her eyes straining to find a reaction. Before giving him a chance to respond, Lyra raised herself upon her toes and kissed him softly, allowing her other hand to raise and cup his remaining cheek. Now, even if he denied her, she had felt his soft lips just once. That would be enough, if necessary. She prayed that it wasn't necessary.

Jac seemed rather preoccupied. Which was pretty understandable, considering all that was going on. “Hey kid, hope you like it. I’ve read the first second and third of these from the library, if I find any fake snakes in my bed, you will find some real ones in your underwear drawer.” She said with a laugh as she handed her the gift.
“I’ll catch you later okay?
Ray smiled and was barely able to get out, “Thanks” before Jac had rushed outside. Distracted for a second as she placed the book down on the counter Ray was caught off guard when Ares arrived.

She jumped a bit at the sound of his voice. “h-h-hello, R-ray...y-y-you s-s-seem v-very hap-happy t-today..." He stuttered, his face was as red as a tomato. Recovering from her moment of surprise Ray smiled at Ares. It was good he was talking to people other than Lyra and Kyoshi; she wouldn’t get to prank him if he was always shy.

Ray beamed at Ares, “I am very happy today, after all it is my birthday.”

He stammered again, trying to spark a conversation "y-y-you're v-very p-pretty w-w-with f-flowers..."

Ray tried to look relaxed with the hopes of making Ares feel more at ease as she replied, “Thanks, this is a pretty awesome tiara by the way.”
Ray let a mischievous grin slide onto her face as she placed one of the flowers in Arres hair, “There, your look pretty good with flowers in your hair too.”

Ray chuckled and added, “And don’t you dare take it out!”

Reina smiled then began to ask, “Hey, I think Anya’s trying to move everyone into the dining room. You want-“

But Reina stopped mid sentence when her eyes caught sight of Kyoshi and Lyra kissing. She shook her head good naturedly and whispered to herself, “well it’s about time.”

Lyra smiled softly as she pulled away, her eyes searching Kiyoshi's face for any signal of what could be running through his mind. His face held no expression as she looked to him, his crystal eyes simply gazing down at her in surprise. In the slit moment of silence, Lyra feared for the worst. To be rejected, to spend the rest of her days alone.

Before she had a chance to voice her fear, the terror bubbling from her core, Lyra felt Kiyoshi wrap his arms around her as he pulled her closer into a lover's embrace. Her arms slid around his neck, inexpressible joy rising from inside her. For once, she knew that she had made the right decision. Never again did she have to worry about who or when. It was Kiyoshi, and it was now.

Lyra smiled as she finally pulled away, resting her head upon his muscular chest while panting for breath. She began to laugh, at first silently to herself and then it grew into a whole-hearted laugh that encased her entire being with glee from her toes to recently kissed lips. "I was so nervous," Lyra admitted, finding the entire sense of her fears to be absolutely ridiculous now. Of course it was Kiyoshi, it always had been. "I thought that you may have denied me, even after all these years I have trouble reading your expressions." Lyra laughed, holding him tightly before slipping to his side, not wanting to disturb Ares with their scene of devotion. She was curious as to what he would think to Kiyo now being mated, as well as the rest of their pack.

"I'm excited to run with you this moon. At last it's my time, our time," she said, resting her head upon his shoulder. She smiled, shaking her head softly. "It feels so obvious now that you're my mate. It's funny how these things work out." She looked into the room to find Ray smiling at them, a small blush rising to her cheeks.

Ares blushed heavily when he looked at Ray's bright and happy smile. He poked his fingers together nervously and fidgeted. 'Well, so much for the attempt of looking confident' His wolf said sarcastically and for once, Ares scowled at it 'w-well, fo-for once...I-I'm t-trying to m-make f-friends h-here...w-would you m-mind l-leaving t-the s-sarcastic f-for l-later use?' His wolf snorted but said nothing after that. Ares let out a sigh in relief. He had thought that the wolf wouldn't never leave him alone. Something was put on his head and he looked up in surprised.

“There, your look pretty good with flowers in your hair too.”

Ray had said and Ares' hand automatically moved to his head to touch the soft, white flower. He smiled shyly and muttered "t-t-thanks..." and prepared to take the flower down to examine it more carefully.

“And don’t you dare take it out!”

Ray added and Ares flinched, expecting to be hit. However, as he looked closer to the girl's face, he realized she was joking and he relaxed slightly. He nodded his head and replied, his stutter lessened just a little bit "...n-never d-dream o-o-of it..." He said, half-joked. He opened his mouth again, trying to continue the conversation despite his shyness and embarrassment.

...But then, Ray continued “Hey, I think Anya’s trying to move everyone into the dining room. You want-” She paused suddenly, looking at something behind Ares and by the look of her face, she was slightly stunned. Ares turned his head and looked at what made Ray speechless like that. He also caught sight of Lyra and Kiyoshi kissing and he blushed bright red. Of all things he had been expecting, it was never that.

However, as soon as the shock was over, Ares found himself really happy for his brother-like-figure. He had found his mate. Ares glanced at Ray and bit his bottom lip before watching the scene again. He smiled happily, the smile brightened his entire face. This was the first time he had been this happy after his Mother had gone. He took a deep breath and whispered softly underneath his breath "...I-I'm g-glad f-for you, b-brother..."

“well it’s about time.”

Ray spoke and Ares looked at her, the smile was still visible on his face and his head popped up and down in agreement. Ares said to Ray "...t-they m-make a-a v-very n-nice c-c-couple, a-aren't they?..."

Lyra grinned as Kiyoshi caged her inside his arms, resting his chin upon her head. It was comfortable here, very comfortable. The blush from her cheeks gradually began to dissolve, realizing she had nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. This was perfection and nothing less. Her hand reached across her body to grasp Kiyoshi's arm that was draped around herself, softly stroking it with her fingers.

"Fate is fickle, sometimes we can only predict the outcome after it has already occurred." He laughed then, breaking out of the samurai mindset. "And I'm excited, as well. Your training should prove useful... for the change. I know it helped me..."

Lyra smiled to Kiyoshi's words, twisting her head slightly to smile up at him quizzically. She never found him weird or strange, always knowing that there was a deeper purpose and meaning to whatever the martial artist said. "Perhaps you are right," she admitted with a soft sigh, tightening his grip around her. "At least I finally figured it out eventually. It only took what, ten years?" she joked playfully. 

Lyra hesitated as Kiyoshi lowered his voice to a whisper, as if he was merely talking to himself than continuing conversation. "I wonder how Calvin will take this..."

Lyra blinked to this though, confusion striking her features. She was well accustomed to Kiyoshi's odd manner of brining in random topics, but why Calvin? She bit her lower lip in thought, unable to pry the obvious answer from her mind. "Why are you concerned about Calvin? If anything, you should be thanking him," Lyra mused softly. "When we were on patrol earlier, we found ourselves of the topic of mates. It was his advice that finally convinced me to tell you."

Lyra shrugged, deciding that it could be only simple curiosity that Kiyo had. Lyra was also curious as to what the others would think. . . Especially her parents. As her dangerous first shift approaching, Lyra was bound to tell Adrain about her revelation in case something went wrong and Kiyoshi could not help her properly. But still, beyond pack matters, she wondered if they would approve. Not as alpha and mate, but as father and mother.

Lyra fidgeted underneath his grasp, her thoughts heavy as she noticed Ares now grinning at them also. She sent the boy a smile, mentally thanking him for the approval. Yes, everything would be fine. "We should head  into the dinning room," Lyra said, rolling her eyes to up look at Kiyoshi and the to Ray and Ares.  "We can't missing your party hiding out in the kitchen all day, no can we?" she said with a wink to Ray. "Besides, I'm starving. Too many unexpected things happened today. My nerves got a workout," she said with a chuckle, slipping Kiyoshi's hand ink her own. She also knew that walking into the dinning room together would reveal their current state, something that brought a smile to Lyra's lips. 

Lyra smiled up to Kiyoshi, unable to fathom how she was able to stay away from his side in the past years. Now that she was here, she could think of no other location she would rather be. "You can sit next to me, if you want, Ares," Kiyoshi said to the younger boy, continuously reminding Lyra of how kind her mate would always be. She had never seen him angered in her life. Then again, she had also never seen him upset. She frowned hesitantly at this thought, wondering why Kiyoshi kept all this to himself. She understood his grief over his lost parents were greater than she could understand, sending the boy into a mute state for a few years after his loss, but even when he did speak his emotions were contained and calm. She found herself wondering what his parents were like, her in-laws that she would never have the honor to meet. She wanted to ask about them, pry information from Kiyoshi, but also wondered what raw emotions she would release. And yet, perhaps a release of emotion would not be a horrible thing for him. After all, this was the happiest that Lyra had ever seen Kiyoshi in her life. The knowledge that it was her that caused this sudden change was exhilarating.

Lyra nodded to Ares, smiling warmly to the boy at Kiyoshi's offer as her mind pulled back to the present. She would never ask Kiyoshi to abandon his protege. It warmed her that he could care so much for another, and would easily welcome her new pack-brother into their little family. "Yes, you are welcomed to come with us Ares," she said, squeezing Kiyoshi's hand as she said this. His grip upon her was firm. Even if she wanted to release his hand (which she had no intention of), she would have been unable to with his heavy grasp. She smiled, walking into the dinning room with Kiyoshi with interlocked hands. Everything suddenly felt so different for Lyra. It was warmer and kinder also. She shrugged off this thought, watching as her father turned to answer the ringing door. Had he seen them? She couldn't tell. She desperately wanted to tell her parents, but was hesitant at the decision of finding the right time. For once, she didn't want and alpha-packmate relationship between them. She craved the father-daughter link that had limited time to foster between them. Tai slipped off into the kitchen with Kathy, leaving Lyra to watch the female with her eyes. Her mother seemed distant, as if a heavy thought was present. Lyra sighed heavily, fully realizing that, as with everything else, she was completely over-thinking what could be a simple matter. To distract herself from all this, she leaned her head against Kiyoshi's shoulder, her eyes wandering over the buffet of food. "So, Ares made a salad?" she asked in amusement, reminding herself to take extra of it in that case to please the younger wolf.

At Tai's call for dinner being serves, Lyra felt her stomach growl in anticipation. She only had an apple for breakfast and, in annoyance for missing her morning training even if the time had been spent with Kiyoshi, went for a run instead of partaking in lunch at school. Lyra chuckled, her face blushing. On top of that, nerves always made her unable to eat. Now that her nerves were calmed, her hunger came back rapidly. "Let's go eat, I'm starved," she said, pulling Kiyoshi with her. Her gaze lingered upon Duncan and Anya, smiling to them both as she waved in greeting. "Hey guys. Duncan, I hope you didn't run into any trouble after you abandoned Calvin and I on patrol," she joked, her good mood washing over any distaste she had for the action when it occurred. "Did you find the rogue?"

Lyra looked up to Kiyoshi again unconsciously, not wanting to leave him out of the conversation. "Duncan wouldn't let me follow him on patrol once mentioning of a rogue came along. I was. . . pretty ticked," she admitted shyly, knowing Kiyoshi, of all people, would understand. He had unfortunately accepted the offer to train with Lyra once or twice when she was in such moods. The phrase "show no mercy" fit pretty well to describe those situations.

Ares fidgeted when he saw Lyra and Kiyoshi came to his direction, hands in hands. Would Kiyoshi tell him that he didn't need Ares as a brother now that he had had a beautiful mate? Ares took a fearful step forward, afraid of the rejection. He knew that if Kiyoshi rejected him, he would be utterly broken by it. He bit his lips and waited for the couple to come.

"You can sit next to me, if you want, Ares,"

Kiyoshi said and Ares let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Kiyoshi didn't reject him. He still accepted him as a part of his family. The smile on Ares' face was brilliant as he ran to catch up with Kiyoshi and Lyra, his fear and shyness were temporarily forgotten. In his excitement, he turned and faced Ray. He said cheerfully "...I'll s-see you i-inside, R-ray..." He grasped Kiyoshi's other hand and walked with the couple into the dinning room.

"So, Ares made a salad?"

Lyra asked suddenly and Ares blushed before nodding his head. Well, he wouldn't have been able to do it if it had not been for Kiyoshi to teach him. He said softly underneath his breaths "k-k-brother h-h-helped m-me..." He paused, unsure if he should call Lyra his 'sister' but since Lyra had become Kiyoshi's mate, his brother's mate, it meant that Lyra had become his sister, too, right? He opened his mouth and added hesitantly "...L-l-s-sister..."

Well, he had said it. If Lyra or Kiyoshi disagreed, they would probably make their opinions known but in truth, Ares depressedly wanted Lyra to accept that title because it would mean he had a new family member. He gazed shyly at the beta and Anya as Lyra waved her hand and talked to them. He gave a timid wave in greeting and stayed near Kiyoshi's side in case something bad happened. He hadn't had the chance to interact with the beta much and therefore, he didn't really know what to make of the man.

Lyra smirked to Kiyoshi, pretending to be offended by his comment. She knew that her temper was anything but level at the best of times, and unfortunately Kiyoshi had always been ready to help her work through the frustrations. Perhaps that was what made them work. Lyra's temper was offset by Kiyoshi's calm, a match that made both parties somewhat closer to the norm of emotional society. Her face grew bright quickly, unable to even pretend annoyance while only happiness and glee filled her being. Nothing could take her down from this emotion high that she was feeling and nothing could ever compare. And, even more so, nothing could compare to Kiyoshi.

Her thoughts were broken by a small, shaky voice that could only belong to one. She smiled as Ares spoke, listening intently to the words hidden beneath his stutter. If only he could grow braver. The full moon worried her, unable to know how many times the boy had shifted before and if he would be able to function properly. Then again, how would she react? It was always a nervous time for everyone, but now Lyra wondered what it truly composed of, the "shift". Would her wolf be kind or drive her mad? Little was spoken about this subject to the unmated females. It was simply expected knowledge. She frowned, pondering if she should voice her fears to Kiyoshi. After all, without lessening the burden in any way, he would be in charge of her . . . Life. It would be even more difficult if he had to care for Ares. "k-k-brother h-h-helped m-me ... L-l-s-sister..."

Lyra blinked in surprise, looking over her shoulder subconsciously to see who Ares could be speaking to. It was only with Kiyoshi's soft whisper that she understood what was running through the young wolf's mind. Not only had Ares accepted her as Kiyoshi's mate, but he had accepted her into his little family. Lyra smiled, her golden eyes sparkling with pleasure at this simple statement. She found herself thinking about how cute Ares was, and how she would do anything to defend him as she expected Kiyoshi would also. They were a family after all. Before responding to Ares, Lyra's eyes wandered over to another individual however. Brother, she thought softly to herself, looking to James. That was a name she had stripped him of many years ago due to the rivalry between them. Even so. . . She could not harm his ego by accepting Ares's offer. James was still her brother and, as impossible and it may seem, she did not want to replace him. Instead, Lyra turned toward Ares and smiled, nodding to his statement. "I'm sure you were a big help to Kiyoshi, Ares. . . My little brother. My otouto" she said, using the Japanese term to accept Ares. She smiled and rubbed Kiyoshi's arm lovingly as he sat down between them. She was proud of her mate and the lengths that he took for others. Not many people in the world could claim to have such patience. Not even she would pretend to have half of his stamina.

"Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving," she said, using her left hand to pick up her fork and begin to eat so that she could still remain in contact with Kiyoshi to her left. "It all smells wonderful."

I'm sure you were a big help to Kiyoshi, Ares. . . My little brother. My otouto"

Lyra said and Ares blushed slightly before pressing his fingers together in his usual nervous habit. Oh, 'otouto'...Little brother...That what Kiyoshi had called him right? It meant that Kiyoshi also accepted him too, didn't it? His gaze drifted from Kiyoshi's fact to Lyra's face and he saw her smile. He returned her smile with one of his own and he muttered softly underneath his breath "t-thank y-y-you, b-brother, s-s-sister..." Well, that settled it. He would learn Japanese as hard as he could. He wanted to be able to talk the language that both Lyra and Kiyoshi could speak. And he needed to learn the words for 'big brother' and 'big sister' in Japanese, too.

Ares fidgeted uncomfortably as Kiyoshi moved his chair and he looked at Lyra. Wasn't it supposed to be Kiyoshi taking care of Lyra and not him? Wouldn't it make Lyra angry to know that Kiyoshi cared about him more than his mate? Care enough to move his seat while he let his mate do it by herself? He chewed his bottom lips and sat down slowly.

His gaze shifted toward Lyra's face again and he carefully studied her expression. She didn't seem as mad as he had expected. It was a good sight. He relaxed slightly and folded his hands in his lap but didn't dare to take anything without permission. It might make others mad.

"Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. . . It all smells wonderful."

Lyra picked up her fork and began eating. Only then did Ares dare to do anything more than sitting silently on his seat. He hesitantly raised his fork and took some potatoes and meat, his hands shook slightly. The last meal he had eaten with the pack didn't go so well and Ares was afraid that this meal would turn out that way, too. He took a deep breath and had his first bite. Chewing his food, Ares swallowed and nodded his head shyly in agreement "I-it t-tastes g-g-good, t-too..."

Lyra grinned to Ares as he commented on the food, nodding in agreement rather than speaking with her mouth full. She was hungry as a, well, a wolf at this moment. With the scent of everything around her and the warmth in her stomach, nothing could break her spirits. She had a gorgeous japanese wolf by her side, a new younger brother, and for once she did not allow rivalry into her heart. She would enjoy tonight for what it was. “We may want to get some training done…” Lyra smiled to Kiyoshi at this comment. In truth there was nothing else that she would prefer to do. Training with Kiyoshi always helped her feel more relaxed. And now that she knew he was her mate, the time together only felt more precious. Once again Lyra only nodded to this, using her knife to push more food upon her fork and raising it quickly to her mouth for another bite. "Before the moon."

At this, Lyra's entire body froze, the fork hanging mid-air in shock. Her appetite suddenly rippled away as she swallowed the tasteless morsels in her mouth and turned to look at Kiyoshi. His expression was darker than usual, fear lurking around in the depths of his mind. It wounded Lyra to know that she was the source of such fear. Her first shift. It terrified her, but also excited her. Once she shifted she would finally be a suitable candidate for alpha. But the look of Kiyoshi's face twisted her stomach fiercely. "Kiyo," Lyra whispered softly, her mind too surprised by his emotional display to remember her Japenese or even utter his full name.

Lyra knew little about the occurrences of a first shift. She had seen males shift before, but never for the first time. It was said to be horrible, painful, and occasionally. . . Fatal. The she-wolf swallowed, gazing to her mate tenderly. As much as Kiyoshi was able to hide his emotions behind a wall of calm, Lyra could conceal hers behind false confidence. She knew that it was something she could never do on her own. But then again, she would not be on her own.

Lyra rested her fork on the rim of her plate and wrapped slender arms around Kiyoshi, gazing up into this eyes. "Do not worry, I will be perfectly fine. I will be protected by you, remember?" she said softly, placing a calming kiss upon his cheek. "I know you will not let any harm come to me, and I would rather kill my wolf than have to leave you. But I will never turn down an opportunity to train with you, especially if it will calm your nerves. Tomorrow then, all right?" she said squeezing him tightly. "Maybe even Ares will join us. I promise I won't come upset." Lyra hid her discomfort of the subject on the first shift with a laugh. "Now Kiyoshi-san, stop with that expression," she teased him, "I like it better when you smile. And even then it is not nearly enough."

Ares stiffened as he heard his name was mentioned in the conversation between Kiyoshi and Lyra and he looked up from his plate. Slowly, he swallowed his food and chewed his lips when he looked at their interactions. Suddenly, he felt really uncomfortable . He lowered his head and ate in silence, his bottom lip quivered slightly as he imaged himself as a third wheel between them. The tension between him and them raised but they didn't seem to notice as they were too busy showing their affections toward each other. Ares sighed. He didn't want to become a burden nor did he want to get between them in their private moment.

Pushing the half-finished plate away, Ares stood up abruptly and stuttered softly underneath his breath, the tension still was still visible on his face as his movements were stiffed and robotic "I-I-I n-n-need t-to g-go..." He bowed his head, his hair hid his eyes as he felt them began to water but he refused to let his tears fall. He was not weak! He had promised himself not to cry over such pathetic reasons anymore. And he definitely didn't feel like he was being left out.

He bit his bottom lip hard enough to shed some blood and he took a deep breath to stop himself from shaking. He repeated, his voice became steadier "I n-need to g-go to my r-room...I-I d-don't f-feel so g-good..." He didn't even want to wait for their responds as he pushed his chair away and nearly ran through the door. He ran passed several persons, including Ray, the Alpha, James and Kathy but didn't acknowledge any of them. He just continued to push his feet to walk faster and didn't even bother to watch where he was going.

Ironically, his feet leaded him to the wood and Ares sat down immediately, like a puppet with its strings being cut. He hugged his knees in a protecting position and he thought bitterly 'What's wrong with me? I should have felt happy for them. . . I. . . I shouldn't have felt so jealous like this. . . am I turning into a bad person? I shouldn't have been jealous of Lyra...she has accepted me, too and so has Kiyoshi...why am I being so selfish?...' His gripped his shirt, no...Kiyoshi's shirt tightly and began to rock back and forth 'I...I just can't stand it...in their picture...there is no room for me...' He grasped his hair and buried his face into his lap. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry over silly things like this. There was just dust in his eyes, that's all. Yeah, there's dust in his eyes right now. He clenched his teeth and mumbled "I'm a-a s-selfish b-b-bastard..."

Lyra looked up from her hug around Kiyoshi as the screech of the chair suddenly erupted into the air followed by the soft stammer that only Ares could possess. "I-I-I n-n-need t-to g-go..." Lyra frowned, unsure what had caused such a sudden change in the young wolf's mood. All had been well. They had been happy only a moment ago, munching on their salad and enjoying dinner. No one had suddenly approached the table to startle him, there were no loud sounds besides the one he had caused. Then what- "I n-need to g-go to my r-room...I-I d-don't f-feel so g-good..."

Lyra froze as he said this, not hearing the words he spoke but clearly seeing the ones written upon his face. Hate. Disgust. Envy. Rage. Loss. Jealousy. All direct upon her and only her. She stood up slowly as Ares fled from the room, her mind unable to grasp what had just occurred. Her mouth was parted in thought as she rested her hand on Kiyoshi's shoulder for support, trying to take in what she had just seen. Kiyoshi. Lyra looked down to him, understanding filled her mind. She had stolen Ares brother.

Lyra returned her gaze to the empty spot where Ares had rested only moment before, wondering how she could have been blind to this. She was now a threat to Ares spending time with Kiyoshi, the one member of the pack who took the time to protect the injured pup. And now Lyra had come between them, threatening to tear Kiyoshi away for good. I wouldn't do that, she thought to herself. Not to Ares, not to anyone. Even if Kiyoshi was her mate, if he desired to spend his time with Ares instead she would be more than happy to share him. She did not own him, she simply loved him.

You did this, now fix it.

Lyra blinked slightly, unsure if the snarling voice was her own or. . . From another source. It sounded more rugged than her own, more terrifying and driven. But either way, it had a valid point. This was her fault. If she had no revealed herself to Kiyoshi, than Ares would not have felt penned into a corner. She gritted her teeth, screaming at herself for how foolish she had acted. Never once did she consider Ares in this. "I'm sorry, Kiyoshi-san, I did not mean to upset him. Please, forgive me for harming our otouto, I did not want this," she pleaded. Without waiting for him to respond, Lyra lunged forward. It was obvious the trouble soul had abandoned the idea of returning to his room. No footsteps were heard on the stairs. The woods. He must have gone to the woods.

She ran forward, abandoning her shoes along the path as she followed the dark mass into the woods. She preferred walking barefoot anyway, confined by society to wear stupid heels. She picked up speed as the young boy sat (or fell, Lyra could not tell for sure). A few meters away, she froze. Now that she was here, she had no idea what to do. She was not Kiyoshi. She could not tame his soul and calm him down instantly, if anything her own temper would get in the way of that. [/b]"I'm a-a s-selfish b-b-bastard..."[/b]

Lyra's eyes flashed violently to this, her expression falling deeply for the boy. So he understood his emotions, his hatred of her at this very moment. Would that make any attempts Lyra made to comfort him futile as he had already passed judgment upon her? Lyra released her breath that she had not realized she was holding. No, this must be done. He must realize that even mated, he could still have Kiyoshi. Lyra only hoped that Ares would find room in his closed off heart to accept her also. With a soft step forward, Lyra flicked her wrist to send a ripple of chimes fluttering through the air. Even her bells sung a melancholy tune.

"Ares," she whispered, approaching him slowly and crouching to his side. "Ares, I'm sorry. I did not mean to try and come between you and Kiyoshi. I promise it won't happen again." Lyra knew what she was saying. Although impossible to renounce your mate, she would agree to hold back her feelings of affection whenever not in private with Kiyoshi. If that was what it took to make Ares comfortable with himself, then she would be willing to take that path. "No matter what happens between Kiyoshi and I, you are still his little brother. Not even I can change that. That's what makes Kiyo so great, once he's chosen you, that's it. You're stuck with him forever." Lyra smiled sadly, watching the boy whimper softly. She had done this. "I just hope that one day, you might be able to accept me as you have Kiyoshi. I know why you are upset, and I understand. I'm sorry, Ares. But know this, like Kiyoshi, I'm not that easy to get rid of. To me, you will always be by little brother." Lyra cautiously put her hand on his shoulder, wanting to pull the quivering ball into her arms for protection but only acting if he decided to accept her words.

Ducan actually blushed lightly as Anya pulled him into the centre of the room, she left him alone fore a while but only to turn on some music. He gave a light sigh as he remembered that he said that he would dance with Anya at the party. It s then that Lyra spoke to him, thank goodness for that distraction. " we'll I lost the rouge's track past the border, most of them won't come back if they feel threatened. I apologise for not letting you come with me I understand that it was rude of me" he explained giving a light smile to Lyra.

Turning his head to Anya he spoke " and I will dance with you once this evening and that is all you are getting, until another fancy event happens then you get another dance with me. Deal?" he asked as he started to move his body to the music.

Ares' whole body trembled with guilt and regret at what he had done. What should he do now? What could he do now? He was selfish, disgusting, stupid...and a bastard through and through...He should have gritted his teeth and endured it all. He should have realized that Lyra was just like Kiyoshi, wanting to accept him, too. He should have suppressed his own emotions, his own jealousy. He should have had better control over himself. He should have-

Soft tinkles echoed in the wood

Ares froze as he heard the sound. It was the sound coming from a bell or bells and it sounded remarkably like-"Ares" A soft voice spoke next to his ears and even if Ares had already guessed who that was, he still jumped in surprised. He looked up and hastily wiped off the tears that had trailed down his face and tried to regain his composure but the attempt was futile because just mere seconds ago, he had just thought how to say 'sorry' to the person standing near him - Lyra. She crouched down slowly and Ares took a deep, shaky breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Why was she here? Did he hear what he just said? Where was Kiyoshi? What had happened? Why did she-"Ares, I'm sorry. I did not mean to try and come between you and Kiyoshi. I promise it won't happen again."

Ares stared at her dumbly for a whole minute before tearing his eyes away and looked at the ground in silence, didn't know what to say. She wasn't the one who should apologize. It was supposed to be him who should apologize to her! He opened his mouth and said hesitantly "I-It's a-alright...I-I'm n-not-" He paused again, unsure what to say. 'I'm not mad at you?' should he say that? His wolf sneered and whispered angrily in his ears 'Mad at her? You aren't mad at her? What gives you the right to be mad at her in the first place, you selfish dunderhead?' Ares flinched like he was being slapped and he lowered his head, unable to say anything. His wolf was right. He didn't have any rights to be mad at Lyra. It was very selfish of him. His breaths hitched as he realized how narrowed-mind he had been. He wiped another tear as it ran down his cheeks and didn't say anything as he waited for Lyra to continue.

"No matter what happens between Kiyoshi and I, you are still his little brother. Not even I can change that. That's what makes Kiyo so great, once he's chosen you, that's it. You're stuck with him forever."

Lyra said softly, her gentle voice only made Ares feel guiltier. She wasn't supposed to be this forgiving. She was supposed to be mad at him. It would make him feel so much better...so much better than she apologized to him. He knew it was his fault. Not her. Not Kiyoshi's. His and his fault alone. Of course he never thought of the consequence of his actions. How could Kiyoshi abandon him? He hadn't harmed him, and then adopted him, cared for him, given him a sister-like-figure. He was stupid to think that Kiyoshi would replace him with Lyra. That would not happen. Kiyoshi had said that the ways he thought of Lyra and of him were different, right? So why did Ares doubt him?

'Because you're afraid that you'll lose the person that you think as a brother...the person that has been kind enough to adopt you and given you some of his love'

A voice answered his question for him. It was not his wolf. It was...it was the part of him that had been lost since the day his Mother had gone to heaven and it was the part of him that longed for acceptance, love and affection. He shook slightly, the guilt on his shoulder grew and grew until he could practically feel its weight rested on his small body. He whispered softly underneath his breaths, his voice was quiet and laced with heavy guilt and regret "I-I'm s-s-sorry, s-s-sister...I-I..."

"...I just hope that one day, you might be able to accept me as you have Kiyoshi. I know why you are upset, and I understand. I'm sorry, Ares. But know this, like Kiyoshi, I'm not that easy to get rid of. To me, you will always be by little brother."

Obviously, Lyra hadn't heard his apologize and Ares' eyes watered again as he was, once again, being reminded how stupid he had been. Lyra had accepted him, too. He had seen it in her eyes, in the way she spoke, in the way she always announced her arrival so as not to frighten him, in the way she crouched down slowly in order to prevent him from flinching violently, in the way she had hold his hand and stroked his scar-filled palms to calm his nerves, in the way she had given him the flower...in everything. How...how could he have been that...that blinded? Soft sobs wretched his body as he tried to suppress them, prevent himself from making any sounds but it was useless. The emotions and realization were so strong they hit him like a shock wave. He really never could see the precious people that stood in front of his eyes until one of them kindly reminded him that he was not alone. He was never alone. He just hadn't searched enough.

A hand touched his shoulder and he looked at Lyra with his teary eyes. He hiccuped and tried to talk through his thick voice "I-I'm s-s-sorry...I'll n-never b-b-be t-t-that s-stupid a-and m-mean t-t-to you a-again, L-s-sister..." He lowered his eyes and continued, tears mingled with guilt and regret made him look extremely miserable...and that was exactly how he was feeling right now. Miserable. Guilty. Stupid. "I-I-I..." He took a deep breath and tried again "I-I a-accept y-you a-as m-my b-b-big s-s-sister, t-too..." It was official. He had accepted her as one of his precious people. He had accepted her as his family. Not from guilt nor from regret but from the realization that she truly cared for him, she truly loved him from the bottom of her heart just like how Kiyoshi cared for him. Slowly, Ares wrapped a hand around Lyra's waist in an attempt of trying to hug her but his body, just in that moment, decided it didn't want to co-operate and his hands became as stiffed as a wood board. He was really nervous. Would she be mad at him now? Would she be mad at him for taking so long to answer and taking so much of her efforts to realize the truth?

Lyra smiled softly down to Ares. Even as he huddled to himself, Lyra was taller when she knelt on the ground beside him, trying her best to offer comfort. She gave Kiyoshi praise, unsure how he could handle this small boy constantly. She realized that she loved Ares as a sibling or younger child, but her composure was not as lasting as Kiyoshi's. Her temper was too strong, her mind too driven. Even so, she was determined to comfort Ares to the best of her abilities. This was what would make her alpha some day. Compassion, strength, and understanding. Unlike many she took the time to understand the backgrounds of her friends, trying to mend herself into the perfect acquaintance. If only she had realized how strongly Ares felt about Kiyoshi. It was, after all, equal to how she felt about the Japanese wolf. "I-I a-accept y-you a-as m-my b-b-big s-s-sister, t-too..."

Lyra looked down to Ares, watching as he tried to hug her. When he froze, Lyra smiled softly and finished the action for him. She pulled the young boy closer to herself, letting him rest his head upon her lap as she stroked his black hair tenderly. "Thank you, my brother. Now calm down, everything is going to be all right. No one is going to hurt you. I'm here, shush, everything is all right now," she cooed softly. Lyra gazed down to the boy, wondering how anyone could have been so cruel to him. It didn't make any sense. But he wouldn't have to worry anymore. Not while she was around. . . But how long would that be?

As much as Lyra did not want to admit this, she had her own plans of greatness. If she was going to challenge James as alpha, she could not always be looking over her shoulder to protect Ares. Once she received her wolf, her life would no longer be simple. Her training would increase drastically until she was ready to confront James and her father, revealing the pain and darkness that lingered in her heart from the sexist regiment of the wolves. At that time in her life, would Ares be able to walk on his own? Because it was then that Lyra would need Kiyoshi more than any else. Kiyoshi would never abandon Ares, but could Lyra commit herself to such a role? She swallowed in uncertainty, knowing that her path would suddenly become for difficult.

With her free arm, Lyra wrapped Ares in a soft embrace as she continued to stoke his hair. While rocking back and forth slowly, she begun to hum a lullaby that had always comforted herself as a child. And it had comforted Kiyo also, Lyra realized. This was how she knew what to do with Ares. Ten years ago she had done the same thing for her mate, taking the silent boy in her arms to sooth the nightmares that tangled his sleep. Her eyes drifted upward, knowing he was there even if she could not see him. The two most important people of his life had suddenly darted into the woods. . . She would not be worthy as his mate if she could not predict his actions. However, she was grateful that he allowed her this time to connect with Ares. He was probably struggling with the decision not to whisk the boy away into his own arms, the arms that Lyra also wanted to be held by. She laughed bitterly at herself for the thought, knowing that she would never make Kiyoshi choose between them. But still, if the moment came, who would he pick?

Lyra continued humming her soft, rocking Ares in her arms despite the thoughts running through her mind. All of that could wait for later. For now, this was all that mattered. "I see the moon, the moon sees me, shining through the leaves of the old oak tree, Oh, let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love." Lyra sung softly, recalling the words of her favorite lullaby. It was childish, it was not her style, but it was what Lyra thought Ares needed. After all, it had worked with Kiyoshi, look where they were now.

"Thank you, my brother. Now calm down, everything is going to be all right. No one is going to hurt you. I'm here, shush, everything is all right now,"

Ares' body slowly relaxed as Lyra stroke his head and he closed his eyes, simply enjoyed her presence. He felt a lot less tensed now. He let his shoulder sacked slightly and he released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Everything seemed alright now. And he hoped it would remain that way. He took a deep breath and muttered softly "T-thank y-you, s-s-sister..." He felt his eyelids became heavier with each passing second but he forced himself to stay awake. It would make Lyra angry if he suddenly fell asleep in her lap. Maybe Kiyoshi would get angry, too.

"I see the moon, the moon sees me, shining through the leaves of the old oak tree, Oh, let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love."

A soft and gentle voice hummed and Ares opened his eyes tiredly to look at Lyra as she started to sing a lullaby for him. It was beautiful, soothing and it reminded him of his mother a lot. She used to sing lullabies for Ares, too when he had nightmares. He felt himself humming the tune. Sighing in content, Ares snuggled in her lap like a kitten or...a pup then closed his eyes and let the sleepiness take over him. Before he fell into the deep sleep, however, Ares muttered sleepily "t-thank y-you..." And with that, his breathing slowed down and he let his entire face relaxed.

Even after Ares drifted off into a soft slumber, Lyra continued to stroke his hair and him her soft tune. She smiled sweetly down to him, knowing that perhaps everything would be all right now.  He looked so innocent this way, like a small doll that just needed a little love and imagination. "Shall we take him to bed? I'll carry him?"

Lyra did not flinch as the hand was put on her shoulder, there was no reason to. She knew he would be coming, it was just a matter of where and when. Even with the rogues running around, Lyra felt and content. This was her territory after all.

She smiled to Kiyoshi, her gaze met by unremarkable kindness and compassion. Yes, with him around there was nothing to fear. Rather than speaking and disturbing Ares, Lyra nodded her head and shifted his body into Kiyoshi's arms. She was surprised by how light Ares was, barely more than a child half his age. She sighed as she rose from the ground, dusting her hands as she did so. "We wouldn't want him to catch a cold," Lyra whispered in agreement. She looked down to Ares fondly for a moment, thinking carefully about him. "He's had a long day, but I think he will be all right. He has you after all to guide him."

Lyra followed Kiyoshi silently through the woods and house to carry Ares to bed. She wanted to make sure the young boy would be safe, that he would not wake or stumble in fear. As Kiyoshi laid him to rest, Lyra hung back beside the door frame, watching everything carefully. This room was Ares’s own safe haven and no place for her to walk in unannounced. Unless invited in by the boy personally, she would respect his privacy. It was the least she could do for the boy who had probably not even had his own room before.

She respected every one’s need for their own space, herself included. She never entered another packmate’s room unattended or invited. The only exception, of course, had been to pull Kiyoshi out of the grasp of a horribly vivid nightmare. She never knew what he had dreamed of, only that it frightened him greatly. And then. . . There were the days he would not even allow Lyra to visit him, locking himself in his room to mourn the anniversary of his parents' deaths. That would be coming up soon, wouldn't it? Lyra hesitated in thought. Now that they were bonded forever, would he allow her in at this crucial time?

Lyra smiled as Kiyoshi tossed his head around in search for her. She understood his fear and chuckled slightly to herself, although it was not directed at Kiyoshi. Sticking with her opinion on privacy, Lyra leaned her head against the doorframe and smiled to him. "I think he will be okay, Kiyo-kun," she whispered to not disturb the boy. "Even if he isn't, we will be around for him. He knows that he is not alone anymore, and that will help Ares more than anything. That's what affect you also, wasn't it? The fear of being alone without your parents."

Lyra sighed softly and stood, shifting topics so that Kiyoshi would not feel pressured into answering her question. "I think I'm going to head back downstairs. I still need to give Ray her gift and. . ." Lyra hesitated, knowing her motive for abandoning Ares was selfish. "It will not look good if the alpha's daughter skips out on a packmate's birthday party. James is there, so I should be also. I cannot let him best me over popularity at a social event," she said. Her voice was almost mute when she finished, refusing to look at Kiyoshi in the eyes in case he disapproved.

Lyra smiled to Kiyoshi, accepting his hand warmly as they returned to the party. He did not seem to comment on her motivation for going back and Lyra was unsure what to think of this. Then again, Lyra had little knowledge of how Kiyoshi even felt about her desire to one day be alpha. It was not a hidden fact to the world, in truth everyone probably knew about the sibling race. She had gone to no lengths to keep her passion a secret from anyone, especially James. The last civil conversation that she shared with her elder brother, outside of family matters and forced events, had been years ago. Lyra knew it was herself that has caused this rift, but at this point she also knew that there was nothing that could be done to mend it. Only one of them could be alpha, after all.

Lyra stopped in her room to grab Ray's gift. It was two tickets to Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum in the next town over along with a diary. Lyra had been hesitant about the last gift, but decided that if Ray did not like the idea of a prank log or daily journal than at least the girl would have another notebook for school. Tai had given Lyra a dairy when she was only a child. Although her writing time was limited to once a week, she still enjoyed looking back upon the fond memories. With the gifts ready, Lyra returned to Kiyoshi and reclaimed his hand for her own. These would be the last moment that Lyra and Kiyoshi would have as "secret mates." Although most had already realized what occurred between the pair, it would be made official through the party as Lyra had no desire to hide who her mate was and would always be. Now they just had to figure out how to inform her parents. . .

At the base of the stairs, Lyra paused and smiled to Kiyoshi, wondering what thoughts could be bouncing in his head. "There's no turning back now," she said softly, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. "We might as well tell everyone tonight. I don't see any point in trying to hide us," she said with a hint of amusement. Holding his hand firmly, Lyra and Kiyoshi stepped into the living room and glanced around. Everything seemed to lively. People were chattering and guests were laughing. She smiled, thinking about how lucky she was to be a wolf. Humans did not have these community connections like they did.

Lyra spotted Tabitha in the corner of the room with Anya and smiled, tugging slightly on Kiyoshi's sleeve. "That's the girl I was telling you about, Tabby, from the music group. I'm glad she was able to make it finally. Maybe you should go talk with her, you might be able to share some notes on going big in the music industry," she said, playfully teasing her mate. "You used to sing very well, Kiyo-kun. I haven't heard you much lately, though."

Tabby was running through in her head what she'd say if someone she hadn't seen yet came to the door and asked who she was, but her luck came through when the door opened and she was greeted by the blonde from the school.

"Thanks." she smiled, stepping in and looking around at the house, taking it in from the inside. It was obvious that this was not an ornamental home resided in and kept clean by a rich family, but an active place where a lot people lived on a daily basis. The closet was packed to bursting point with coats, jackets and footwear for all seasons. The sound of music brought a smile to her face also; it was easier to advance gradually into a crowd of people under the cover of music.

"I'm good, thank you." she replied, "It's nice to actually be doing something. So great of you guys to invite me."

So allowd herself to be guided to the dining room where she looked around and was surprised that there were fewer people than she'd expected, and more to the point a wide variety of ages. But she couldn't prevent her eyes being drawn to the bounty of food which was laid out. She hadn't eaten well in a couple of days!

Lastly, she noticed Lyra standing with an oriental guy, and immediately remembered that Lyra had mentioned having a close Japanese friend. From the looks of things now she'd obviously meant 'boyfriend' because it was clear they were together. Tabby waved over at her, and scanned the room one last time...it had been mentioned that it was a birthday party, but she wasn't sure whose birthday it was, and for that reason hadn't been able to write a card or anything.