POV: Lyra

The couch was torture.

Every spring dug into my back. The thin blanket did nothing against the cold. I stared at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the cabin settling around me.

Colt's snores drifted from the bedroom.

Ravenna's soft breathing came from the spare room.

Everyone else was asleep. Everyone except me.

I sat up slowly. My body ached. My heart ached. Everything ached.

I walked to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. The moonlight spilled through the window, painting silver lines across the floor.

I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned.

Colt stood in the doorway, shirtless, his hair messy. His eyes were heavy with sleep. He looked at me, and something crossed his face. Guilt? Longing? I could not tell.

"You should be sleeping," he said.

"I should be a lot of things."

He walked toward me. His bare feet made no sound on the wooden floor. He stopped inches away. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin.

"Come back to bed," he said softly.

"No."

"Lyra—"

I looked at him. "You told me to leave. You chose Ravenna over me. Again."

His jaw tightened. "That was different."

"How?"

"She had a nightmare. She needed comfort."

"And I needed my husband. But that didn't matter, did it?"

He reached for me. His fingers brushed my arm. I flinched.

"Don't touch me."

His hand dropped. His face hardened.

"You are my mate," he said. "You belong to me."

"I belong to no one."

He stepped closer. His body pressed against mine. His hands came up to cup my face. His thumbs brushed my cheeks.

"Look at me," he commanded.

I did not move.

"I said look at me."

I met his eyes. They were dark, intense, burning with something I had not seen in years. Desire. Possession. Hunger.

"I have never stopped wanting you," he whispered. "Do you understand that? You drive me insane. You always have."

His mouth came down on mine.

I froze.

His lips moved against mine, demanding, desperate. His hands tangled in my hair. He pulled me closer, crushing me against his chest.

For a moment, I felt it. The old warmth. The memory of what we used to have.

Then I remembered.

The photos. The group chat. Ravenna in my bed. The years of humiliation.

I shoved him.

He stumbled back, hitting the counter. His eyes widened.

"Don't," I said. My voice shook. "Don't you dare kiss me like you love me. You don't get to do that anymore."

"Lyra—"

"I'm not your toy. I'm not your safe choice. I'm not your backup plan."

I walked past him. His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.

"Let go," I said.

"No."

I turned. My eyes flashed silver.

He froze.

His grip loosened. His face went pale. His wolf submitted. I saw it in his eyes. He was afraid of me.

I pulled my wrist free and walked to the couch.

I did not look back.

Morning came too fast.

I woke to the smell of bacon and coffee. Voices drifted from the kitchen—Ravenna's laughter, Liliana's snarky comments, Rake's loud jokes.

Colt did not say a word.

I sat up slowly. My neck was stiff. My body was bruised from the hard couch.

Ravenna appeared in the doorway. She smiled at me.

"Good morning, Lyra! I made breakfast. You must be starving."

I looked at her. Her smile was sweet, innocent. She had slept in my bed. She had worn my husband's shirt. She had taken everything.

And she was still pretending to be my friend.

"I'm not hungry," I said.

"Don't be silly! You need to eat. You look so thin lately." She tilted her head. "Are you feeling okay?"

I stood up. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You seem... distant."

I walked past her toward the kitchen. Colt was sitting at the table, staring at his plate. He did not look at me.

Ravenna followed me. Her hand touched my arm.

"Lyra, I know things have been hard. But I want you to know, I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

I turned to face her.

"Then leave."

Her smile faltered. "What?"

"Leave. Go home. Stop sleeping in my bed. Stop touching my husband. Stop pretending to be my friend."

She blinked. Her eyes glistened with fake tears.

"I don't understand. I was just trying to help."

Colt stood up. His chair scraped against the floor.

"Lyra. Enough."

I looked at him.

"Enough?" I laughed. "She has been manipulating you for years. She has been destroying our marriage from the inside. And you tell me enough?"

He stepped toward me. His jaw was tight. His eyes were hard.

"Ravenna has done nothing wrong."

"Nothing wrong?" I pulled out my phone. I opened the group chat. I shoved it in his face. "Look at this. Look at what they said about me. Look at the photos they shared."

Colt stared at the screen. His face went pale.

Ravenna's voice was sharp. "Colt, don't listen to her—"

"Shut up," I said.

Everyone froze.

I looked at Ravenna. My voice was cold.

"Your game is over. I am leaving. And there is nothing you can do to stop me."

I walked out of the cabin.

End of Chapter 7