Novels by Ufuoma Daniel

ELARA..The "easier path" Theron showed me the next morning was still a six-hour hike.But at least it didn't require climbing vertical rock faces."Stay on the path," Theron instructed at dawn. "Don't deviate. The forest has... protections.""What kind of protections?""The kind that kill trespassers." He handed me a carved stone. "This will let you pass safely. Don't lose it."I pocketed the stone carefully. "Thank you for your help.""Thank me by bringing those children back. I want to see what all the fuss is about." He returned to his cabin without another word.I started hiking. Following the narrow trail through dense forest.The first attack came at hour two.Three wolves. Not pack wolves—rogues. Wild. Dangerous. They emerged from the trees, circling me."I don't want trouble," I said, backing toward a large rock. "Just passing through."The largest one snarled. Lunged.I shifted. Barely. My wolf still felt rusty from months of not shifting. But instinct kicked in.We fought

ELARA.."Absolutely not." Kael crossed his arms. "You're not going alone into the mountains to find some reclusive elder who might not even exist.""Theron exists. Grandmother Thea confirmed it." I packed supplies into a backpack. "And he won't see anyone from 'the modern packs.' His words. He thinks we've all become soft. Corrupted.""Then I'll go with you—""He specifically said no Alphas. No entourages. Just one person. Alone. Proving they're serious." I zipped the bag. "That's me.""Elara, it's a three-day hike. Through dangerous territory. You haven't shifted into wolf form since before the twins were born—""Then I'll hike as human. I've done it before." I turned to face him. "Kael, we need Theron. He's the only one who might know how to train abilities like the twins have. After Aria's tantrum, we can't wait. We can't keep hoping they'll just figure it out.""But leaving the twins—""Will be the hardest thing I've ever done." My voice cracked. "But if I don't find Theron, if

ELARA..It happened during breakfast.Aria wanted my plate. I was eating eggs. She decided she wanted them too."No, baby. You have your food." I pointed to her mashed bananas.She didn't want bananas. She wanted my eggs.When I said no again, she started crying.Normal baby crying at first. Frustrated, angry, loud.Then something shifted.The crying became something else. Something that hit every wolf sense I had like a physical blow.*COMFORT ME.*Not words. Pure compulsion wrapped in a baby's distress.I dropped my fork, stumbling toward her. Had to comfort her. Had to make her stop crying. Nothing else mattered—Kael reached her first, picking her up. But his face was blank. Compelled.Through the pack bonds, I felt it. Hundreds of wolves all responding to the same overwhelming command.*COMFORT THE BABY.*Footsteps thundered through the estate. Pack members running toward the nursery. All of them. Security, kitchen staff, warriors training outside. Everyone within a mile radius

ELARA..The secret council arrived at midnight.Five figures in dark robes. No faces visible. No names given. They appeared in my office like shadows."Luna Queen," the tallest spoke. Voice magically altered. "We need to discuss your children.""Who are you?" I stood, hand instinctively reaching for the panic button under my desk."Friends. Allies. Concerned parties." The figure gestured. "Please. We're not here to threaten. Only to offer help.""Help with what?""Your twins' abilities. The telekinesis. The compulsion. The unprecedented power manifesting far too early." Another figure stepped forward. "We have a solution. Temporary suppression. Magical sealing of their abilities until they're old enough to control them properly."My blood ran cold. "You want to seal their powers? Like what was done to me?""Not permanently. Just temporarily. Until age ten or twelve. When they can understand and control what they're capable of." The first figure's voice was reasonable. "Think about i

ELARA..The day Kai moved the rattle without touching it, everything changed.I was feeding Aria when I noticed. The rattle sat on the far side of the nursery. Kai stared at it from his crib, making frustrated baby sounds.Then the rattle slid across the floor. By itself. No wind. No explanation.Straight to Kai's crib."Did you see that?" I asked Kael, who was changing diapers."See what?""The rattle just moved. By itself." I put Aria down and picked up the rattle. "Kai was looking at it and it moved to him.""Coincidence. Maybe the floor is uneven—"I placed the rattle back in its spot. Kai looked at it. Made the same frustrated sound.The rattle slid again. Faster this time. Directly to him.Kael froze. "That's not possible.""Apparently it is." I watched our six-month-old son grab the rattle happily. "He just moved it with his mind.""Werewolves don't have telekinesis. That's not—we can't—" Kael ran his hand through his hair. "This isn't normal.""Nothing about our children is

ELARA..Three weeks after the challenge, Kael was finally cleared for full activity.I came home from a pack council meeting to find him in the training yard, sparring with his warriors like he hadn't nearly died a month ago."Should you be doing that?" I called.He paused mid-strike, grinning. "Rowan cleared me. I'm fine.""Rowan cleared you for light activity—""This is light." He dodged a punch from his opponent. "You should see heavy."I watched him move. Slower than before the fight. Favoring his left side where the ribs had broken. But strong. Capable. Healing.After the session, he joined me on the balcony overlooking the territory."How was the council meeting?" he asked."Productive. We finalized the water agreement. Allocated new hunting territories. Resolved three disputes." I reviewed my notes. "Standard stuff.""You've been handling standard stuff for three weeks without me." His voice was strange. "Leading. Deciding. Managing everything.""That's what you asked me to d