Welcome to Lystra
Ava’s POV
The drive felt endless, even though the landscape was changing rapidly outside the car windows. Fields, forests, and mountains passed by, but I was lost in my thoughts. My body still ached from Landon’s attack, but I could feel my wolf healing me quickly, stronger than before. I glanced over at Raphael. He was calm, his side profile outlined by the dim light of the car’s interior, but I knew he was alert, always watching.
There was comfort in his presence that I hadn’t expected. He didn’t say much, but the weight of his silence was reassuring and safe. I could sense his thoughts were elsewhere, probably on the journey ahead. Maya roused within me, still restless from everything that had happened. But for once, I felt like I wasn’t facing everything alone.
We had been driving for hours, the world outside growing darker as we traveled farther from the familiar territories of the Moon Stone pack. Finally, the car slowed, and Raphael leaned forward, speaking quietly to the driver.
“We’re almost there,” he said softly, his voice pulling me from my thoughts.
I looked out the window, confused. There was nothing but a dense forest ahead, mist curling around the trees like tendrils of smoke. “Where exactly is there?” I asked.
Raphael didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he opened the door and stepped out. His Beta, Caleb, followed, and Gemma was already out, her sharp eyes scanning the area. I hesitated before following them, my curiosity piqued but my nerves on edge.
As soon as I stepped out of the car, I felt it. There was something different here, something... magical. The air hummed with energy, like an invisible force pulsing beneath the ground. I shivered, though the air wasn’t cold.
“We’re at the boundary,” Raphael said, coming to stand beside me.
“The boundary?”
He nodded toward the mist ahead. “Beyond this point, we’re no longer in the human world. We’re entering Lystra.”
I squinted, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. The mist was thick, but as I looked closer, I realized there was something shimmering just beyond it, a barrier of sorts, like water suspended in the air, forming a gate.
“What... what is that?”
“It’s a protective barrier,” Raphael explained. “Humans can’t see it, but for those of us who belong to this realm, it’s a gateway. Once we pass through, you’ll see the true extent of my kingdom.”
My heart pounded with anticipation, but there was a quiver of doubt in my mind. I had grown up in a world where the supernatural was hidden, where even werewolves like us lived in secrecy among humans. But now, I was about to step into a place that defied everything I had ever known, sounds interesting and unreal at the same time.
Raphael stepped forward, holding out his hand to me. “Trust me,” he said softly.
I hesitated for only a moment before placing my hand in his. The instant our skin touched, I felt a warmth spread through me, calming the nervous energy building in my chest.
Together, we stepped through the barrier.
The moment we crossed, it was like stepping into another world, he was right. The mist dissolved, and the scenery transformed before my eyes. Gone were the dense forests and the quiet, dark roads. Instead, we were greeted by sprawling hills, lush and vibrant, dotted with strange, towering trees that shimmered with silver leaves. The air was warmer here, and the sky seemed to glow with a soft, golden light, as if it were permanently stuck in a sunset.
I gasped, my breath catching in my throat. “What... what is this place?”
“Welcome to Lystra,” Raphael said, a small smile playing on his lips. “This is my kingdom.”
I could barely speak, overwhelmed by the beauty of it all. The colors were richer, the air seemed cleaner, and there was a sense of peace here that I had never felt before. It was as if the weight of the human world had been left behind the moment we stepped through that barrier.
We continued walking, and I noticed more people around us. They weren’t like the werewolves I was used to. Some of them had markings on their skin, glowing faintly in the dim light. Others had strange, ethereal auras around them, and I realized with a start that they weren’t just werewolves, in this world.
“There are others here,” I whispered, more to myself than to Raphael. “Not just wolves.”
Raphael nodded. “Lystra isn’t just the kingdom of werewolves. I rule over witches, warlocks, centaurs, and many other beings that you’ve only heard about in stories. This realm is a sanctuary for all of us.”
I stared, wide-eyed, as we passed a group of witches with flowing robes and intricate symbols etched into their skin. Centaurs stood in the distance, their powerful forms towering over the others. The entire place felt like a page out of a storybook, so surreal, so magical, yet so real, wtf?
"Why didn’t you tell me about all of this?" I asked, still in awe of everything around me.
Raphael chuckled, his voice warm. "I wanted to surprise you. And I must say, I like your reaction."
I shook my head, still trying to process it all. "Does my pack know about this place?"
"No," he said, his tone growing more serious. "No one knows except my late sister, Theresa. It’s a closely guarded secret."
I could understand why. This place was a paradise compared to the human world, and if anyone knew about it, they would do everything in their power to exploit it.
"It’s so beautiful and magical... and so peaceful," I said softly, feeling the calm settle over me again.
But as we continued walking, something caught my eye. In the distance, there was a group of people, mostly humans, lined up in chains. My stomach twisted when I realized what was happening.
"I thought you said there were no slaves here," I said, my voice tight with concern. "But those people... they’re being sold."
Raphael’s expression darkened. "I don’t have slaves in my palace. I pay my servants. But I can’t control the nobles. Even if I abolished slavery here, they would find a way to continue it."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "So you’re a people-pleasing king for the nobles?"
His jaw clenched, and he stopped walking, turning to face me fully. "No. I am not. I have my ways of dealing with them, Ava. But I can’t fix everything overnight."
I could hear the frustration in his voice, but I couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. This world, his kingdom, was beautiful, but it wasn’t perfect. There was still darkness here, just as there had been in my world.
We walked in silence for a while after that, and soon, we reached a grand courtyard where carriages awaited us. It was ornate, with intricate carvings and gilded details. Raphael helped me inside, and soon, we were moving again, this time toward the palace.
As we rode, I looked out the window, watching the terrain change once more. We passed through bustling markets, where people of all kinds traded goods, and I caught glimpses of towering structures that looked like they belonged in ancient empires, strong, majestic, and old. The entire city was a mix of old and new, magical and dreamlike.
When we finally reached the palace, my breath caught in my throat. It wasn’t just a mansion, it was a fortress, grand and imposing, but beautiful in its own right. Towers reached up to the sky, their tops disappearing into the clouds, and the walls were adorned with banners bearing Raphael’s crest.
"Welcome to Lystra, Ava," Raphael said, his voice soft as the carriage came to a stop.
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