Beastmen: She Tames the Land-Chapter 130: The situation with Lyra

They didn’t begin their discussion with pleasantries. Krag has always been a no-nonsense person. He went directly into what had happened in their absence. Starting with the small things, he told them about the hunts, their interaction with the other tribes, and so on.

Then things became tense. The trio noticed his shift in mood. They understood that something must have happened that would impact the pack. They sat, waiting for Krag to speak.

"Lyra is a spy. She was sent here by the Stonefang pack to probe for weaknesses."

Visha’s face, already solemn from the sudden change, dropped. She did not want to believe that the woman she felt kinship with was a spy. Her beast had told her to take Lyra with them. There must be a reason. But she knew Krag would not lie.

So, no matter what she told herself. The truth was, Lyra was a spy.

"Cato caught her trying to leave after you left. She claims her family is being held against their will, and the reason she is doing this is for them." Krag’s report was simple but caught the essence of what happened.

"Do you believe her?" Uri asked.

Krag and Chi exchanged a glance. Chi nodded.

"We cannot say we believe her. But sometimes there is more to things than meets the eye. Our suggestion is that you speak to her. Before you do, there is a matter we need to clarify with her. Only then will we know how to proceed."

Uri nodded and sent a pack link to Cato, asking him to bring Lyra.

The atmosphere in the square was heavy. Neither Visha, Xeno, nor Uri spoke, each having their own contemplation. Visha thought about the feeling she had with Lyra and how to solve the problem. Xeno wondered whether they would go to war with the Stonefang pack, and the problem of numbers. Uri thought of how to defend their home or resolve the matter peacefully without bloodshed.

When Cato arrived with Lyra, they were holding hands. He was speaking to her softly. Lyra’s head was down, and they could see she was pale. She was biting her lips, and the smell of blood drifted, showing she had bitten hard enough to bleed.

Cato did his standard salute as a greeting to his leaders.

Uri spoke first, "Do you know why we have called you here?"

"Leader, I know..." Cato spoke but was cut off.

"We’re talking to her," Xeno replied, his voice devoid of emotion.

Cato stiffened. He closed his eyes briefly. Still holding Lyra’s hand, he pulled her behind him. Everyone saw the movement. Xeno, taking his actions as disrespect, growled.

Uri placed his hand on Xeno’s arm. He shook his head, indicating him to stop.

"We have no intention of harming your mate, Cato. What we need are answers." Uri’s voice was even. He was trying to be the voice of reason.

Cato and Lyra haven’t bonded, and yet he was willing to go against their leadership for her. It showed how strong their feelings for each other were already. Even their scent was blended. While not the scent of a couple who have been intimate, they have been quite close during this period.

"We need her to tell us what is happening. This is the only way we can both of you. Do not forget, you have family here. If she knows anything that can keep our pack safe, she should speak." Uri held Cato’s gaze.

He saw it. The protectiveness in protecting his mate. The uncertainty of what to do because he wanted both the pack and his mate to be safe.

It was Lyra who made the choice for him. She stepped out from behind him. Her back straighter than when she first arrived. She squeezed Cato’s hand before letting go. Stepping forward, her eyes were filled with determination.

Lyra began, "I know what I did can’t be justified. But I really am doing this for my parents. I didn’t know when I came here that I would like it here. I didn’t know I would meet people I get along with so well."

"Life in the Stonefang Pack is nothing like this. From a young age, both males and females learn how to fight. We are pitted against each other, and we learn that the only people we should care for are our pack."

"It wasn’t a lie that I would need to partner with Garm. If I don’t complete what I set out to do, when I return, I will need to partner with him."

Uri motioned to Krag with a nod. "There is something I need to ask you. What do your parents look like?"

Confusion crossed Lyra’s face. The topic shifted abruptly, and she wasn’t sure why. Not understanding why they asked, she complied. She described her parents.

The expression on Krag and Chi’s faces was grim as they heard her speak. Based on her description of her parents, they are the same people in the house. The same people they had seen rutting. They did not appear to be heartbroken parents who were missing a daughter. They were two people who were happy with their way of life and enjoying in coupling.

If their living space was anything to go by, they had started to discard anything related to Lyra. It wasn’t obvious. It was a subtle disregard that could be seen as carelessness. But for people who care about their children, it wasn’t something they would do.

The trio watched Krag and Chi’s faces and felt their hearts drop. Something was happening, and they were not yet aware.

"If the people you described are your parents, then they are not being held against their will. They are living well in Stonefang Pack." Chi’s words sent a ripple through the group.

Lyra’s face went from confusion to anger.

Krag held up a hand when he saw her about to respond. He did not address Lyra directly. Instead, speaking to the trio.

"We visited the Stonefang Pack. The people she described were not locked away. They were in their own home. When Chi and I went, they were being intimate. They did not look like people who had a daughter who was sent on a dangerous mission."

Visha pursed her lips, glanced at Lyra, then looked at Uri and Xeno. Both were contemplating. Through their bond, Visha felt their anger, confusion, and restraint.

Visha turned to Lyra, "I need you to tell us the truth. Your parents aren’t being held hostage. Why are you lying?"

She stared at Lyra’s face. Searching for anything that would tell her she was telling the truth.