Noir

*The sounds of the forest were magnified, each rustle and creak seeming to echo through my very souThe sounds of the forest were magnified, each rustle and creak seeming to echo through my very soul. My heart raced as I pushed myself to go faster, faster than I ever thought possible. My lungs burned with each ragged breath I took, but still I could not escape the relentless pursuer that lurked just out of sight.*

*As the terror of the chase consumed me, a figure began to take shape in my mind. At first, it was little more than a shadowy outline, but as my panic grew, so did the clarity of the image. It was Noir. His features twisted into a snarl, his eyes burning with a fierce determination.*

*My heart raced as I pushed myself to go faster, faster than I ever thought possible. My lungs burned with each ragged breath I took, but still I could not escape the relentless pursuer that lurked just out of sight.*

*As the terror of the chase consumed me, a figure began to take shape in my mind. At first, it was little more than a shadowy outline, but as my panic grew, so did the clarity of the image. It was Noir. His features twisted into a snarl, his eyes burning with a fierce determination.*

*I screamed as I felt his hand clamp down on my shoulder, spinning me around to face him. His breath was hot against my ear, his words a low growl that sent shivers down my spine. "You can't escape me," he hissed.* *Terror coursed through me as I struggled against his iron grip, but it was useless. His strength was immense, and I could feel my bones beginning to give way under the pressure. "Let me go!" I screamed, my voice breaking with fear. "Please, let me go!"*

*He laughed, a cruel and mocking sound. "Why would I do that?" he asked, his voice low and menacing. "You're mine, you always have been. There's no escape from that." With a savage twist, he threw me to the ground, pinning me beneath his weight. His body pressed into mine, and I felt the hardness of him against my softness. His breath came in ragged gasps as he stared down at me, his eyes burning with an unholy desire.*

*I struggled against him, pushing and kicking, but it was useless. He was too strong, too determined. My heart raced as I felt his hands begin to explore my body, touching me in places I had never let anyone else touch but him.*

*His touch sent waves of pleasure coursing through me, making it impossible to resist him. "You want this," he whispered, his lips brushing against my ear. "You always have." And as he continued to touch me, I felt myself growing wet, my body responding to his touch despite my better judgment.*

*With a groan, he rolled his hips against mine, grinding his erection against my most sensitive spot. I arched my back, crying out as the pleasure overtook me. "Noir," I gasped, feeling my body tighten beneath him.*

*He thrust harder, faster, his breath hot against my neck as he growled with pleasure. His hands held me down, his weight bearing down on me, but somehow it felt wrong. It felt like I was losing myself, becoming a part of him. "You're mine," he hissed, his voice raw with desire. "You always have been."*

*As the intensity of the sensations built within me, I tried to fight back, to regain some control, but it was no use. His strength, his dominance, was overwhelming. My mind reeled, trying to make sense of the conflicting feelings that coursed through me. On one hand, there was the terror of being trapped, of losing myself to him; on the other, there was the pleasure, the intensity of the sensations that he was bringing out in me.*

*Noir's thrusts grew faster, harder, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he neared the brink. His fingers dug into my hips, holding me in place as he found his release. And as he shuddered above me, I felt it too, a powerful wave of pleasure that seemed to engulf us both. His weight pressed down on me, and for a moment, I thought I might not be able to breathe.*

*But then, just as suddenly, he rolled off of me, his breath coming in ragged pants. I lay there, my body aching and my mind reeling, as he stared down at me. His eyes were glassy, his expression a mix of satisfaction and something else. Something more possessive.*

I awoke with a jolt, sweat beading on my forehead and my heart racing. It was just a nightmare, just a horrible nightmare, I kept telling myself, trying to convince my racing mind that the terror I had just experienced was not real. That it had merely been a result of seeing Noir in his true form and the attack from the werewolves.

The night before, as we had traveled the rest of the way back to the fortress, I hadn't been able to stop my thoughts of Noir's transformation entering my mind, or of what I had seen him do to the wolves. Gone had been the man I had known, and in his place, had truly been a monster. For the entire year he had been away, it had never completely sunk in what Noir was. But I had come face to face with the reality of it yesterday, and I had gone to sleep with the image of him snarling own at me still locked within my mind. All the brothers were much more than I had ever allowed myself to believe they could possibly be. But Noir? He was something more; something far worse than Eton and Thorin. Maybe even something that held no equal.

Slowly, I got my thoughts under control, my breath finally resuming its normal rhythm. However, I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe the nightmare had been more than just a dream. A light tap sounded on the door, and Jericha called softly, "Lyra, are you up?"

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Pushing the tangled sheet of my legs, I stood and made my way toward the door to my room.

"I am now," I called back, opening the door to reveal Jericha in the hallway. Her expression was concerned, and her eyes darted nervously back and forth as she took in my appearance.

"Lyra, do you know what the hell is going on?" she asked quietly, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. "I mean, do you think there is something we haven't been told? You know, Noir disappearing the way he did and... yesterday?" Her words sent a chill through me. Was it possible that there was more to Noir's disappearance than we had been led to believe? That perhaps the brothers were keeping something from us? The idea was terrifying, but it also made sense. Noir's transformation, the way he had acted...it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. And, of course, the werewolves.

"I don't know," I admitted, my voice shaking slightly. "But I think we need to find out."

When we had arrived back at the fortress, Jericha, Bentley, Cotton and Sterling, as well Gran and some of the coven members, including Elena, had all been standing outside the Central Hall, looking worried. When they had seen us emerge from the trees, they had all visibly relaxed. After welcoming Noir back and assuring themselves that our injuries were superficial, they had ushered us inside. After we had rested and recuperated for a period, Bentley, Jericha and the others had begun plaguing us with questions. The brothers had deliberately evaded answering questions about Noir and where he had been for the last year, instead focusing everyone's attention on the werewolves attack instead. It wasn't a hard sale as everyone knew the attack was out of the ordinary due to pack rules.

Now, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that the brothers hadn't wanted anyone to know about Noir's transformation. I had to admit, it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was not just a physical change; it was a complete metamorphosis. He had become something else entirely, something that was beyond human.