Elara“They couldn't be more sectarian,” Louisa said fearfully.I prayed that wasn't the case.Not because I couldn't handle them, but because Theo and Louisa were really going to be in serious trouble. I didn't know what the cultists might do, and I didn't want to have to deal with any more crap.Just as I was about to say something funny, the roar of high-powered engines and the crunch of branches under heavy tires announced their arrival. Several armored trucks and SUVs that I recognized very well finally parked.It was the damn heavy cavalry of the pack.I felt relieved.Well, take advantage of the help and run after your mates, Nira said briskly.The first vehicle stopped with a screech of tires.The door opened, and Alpha Kaelen emerged. He was wearing his light combat armor, his face a mask of iron authority. At his side was Luna Kate, her expression one of horror at the sight of Louisa bound and the cultists unconscious.“Elara! What the hell happened here?” Alpha Kaelen's voi
ElaraIt was just after eight in the morning.The morning sun filtered weakly through the windows of the room. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed and consumed by wakefulness.Beta David.Adrik.The Pack's money.The cold panic of the impending threat had replaced my need for rest.Aiden, Brayden, and Jayden were in the dressing room, putting on their academy uniforms. They were taking the matter very calmly, more than I could even understand, and I shook my head.“Elara, are you sure you’re okay?” Brayden asked, coming out of the locker room. He came over and put a hand on the back of my neck. His touch was warm, and I felt guilty about my secret. “You look tense.”“I'm fine. I just... I think the issue I discovered needs to be addressed sooner rather than—”The sharp, jarring sound interrupted the conversation. The triplets turned around, and Jayden handed me the phone with a frown.It was Louisa, and it was unusual for her to call me so early.I answered the call, m
ElaraIn the days that followed, my mates focused on securing the bond.Aiden, the strategist, designed containment and defense exercises against dark magic. Brayden made sure the pack was supplied and calm, focusing his energy on their well-being. Jayden, still recovering from his attack, stayed close to me, using his instincts to track any perceived threats.My own preparation was a juggling act.Gaining access to Counselor Aldric's computer was ridiculously impossible.I studied his routine, his visitors, and his materials, discovering that he spent 80% of his time inside the castle, leading the group of counselors who were increasingly at odds with the way Alpha Kaelen was running the pack.It sucked, but I had to keep quiet and stick to my research.It was the least I could do under the circumstances, but it was difficult until the day finally arrived. I discovered that the advisors would be having a night meeting that evening, so I could try to access the computer inside the cas
ElaraI clung to him, the nervousness of my mission clashing with the need for his support.“I need you to calm down, Aiden,” I said softly, my hands wrapping around his waist. I held him tightly, infusing the calm of my own aura into the battlefield of his mind.Aiden relaxed slightly in my arms, the knot of tension in his shoulders loosening.I pulled away just enough to look into his eyes and kissed him.It wasn't a simple kiss; it was a deep, loving kiss, a silent reminder that our connection was the priority.“You have to trust me,” I said once we finished kissing.“I trust you,” Aiden replied, his voice a low, sincere growl. “But I don't trust the others.”And rightly so, Nira muttered, and I ignored her.With one last kiss, we parted.We walked back down the hallway.The peace didn't last long.As we approached the main area, near the stairs leading to the classrooms, we encountered our first complication.Tracy.She was standing next to a pillar, clearly waiting for someone or
ElaraThe air in the classroom had been cut by the edge of Professor Ulrike's authority.Her mere presence had silenced the murmurs of the Academy.I knew that her gaze fixed on me was no mere coincidence; the Order never made moves without a purpose. And so it was. At the end of the class, Professor Ulrike addressed me in a voice that brooked no reply.“Miss Elara. And you, Miss Louisa,” Ulrike said. “Follow me to my office. There are matters that require our immediate attention.”Louisa looked at me with wide eyes, her face pale.I nodded, forcing a calm I did not feel. If the Silver Fang Order had decided to intervene, it meant that the threat from the Pureblood Sect had exceeded all tolerable limits.You must be careful, Nira whispered.We left the classroom and were surprised when we followed Ulrike and found that her office was not in the teachers' wing. It was hidden in an ancient and forgotten tower of the academy, accessed through a secret passage protected by runes.The plac
ElaraThe air in the castle had cleared, but the atmosphere remained heavy with the promise of war. Jayden's recovery had been a slow and painful process, but the magical cleansing and infusion of energy from the bond had restored not only his strength but also his soul.Jayden's possession was the lowest blow of the Pureblood Sect, and its failure, the greatest triumph of our bond.And I didn't know how to feel about it.After the incident, the lives of the four of us changed radically.The lockdown in the bunker was lifted, but surveillance was quadrupled.Aiden returned to his task of deciphering the Rune of Sacrifice, Brayden and Jayden strengthened the external and internal defenses, and I focused on mastering Nira's Light, preparing for the inevitable confrontation with the Pureblood Sect.However, the attack and the trauma had brought an inescapable clarity to my life: my old world was over. My life as a spy, my mission to steal secrets... it all felt distant.The Pureblood Sec