Chapter 6

 Elara

It took some time to get through Thomas’s schoolwork, but we finally finished it. Afterward, we sat together and talked about his life in the pack and what he liked to do. I completely forgot about my suitcases. The unpacking could wait until tomorrow.

Nyx looked through my eyes as Thomas rambled on. “Does this kid ever stop talking?” she grumbled.

“He’s just excited,” I thought back, suppressing a laugh. “You know how kids are. The ones I work with back home talk even faster than he does.”

Nyx let out a dramatic groan. “Don’t remind me.” She plopped back down in my mind.

I focused back on Thomas, who was staring at me with a curious smile. “You were just talking to your wolf, wasn’t you?” he asked. “What’s her name?”

“Her name is Nyx,” I said.

“What color is her fur?”

I went still. Only four people in the world knew the truth about Nyx, and I wasn’t comfortable sharing that details with a kid I just met, let alone anyone else in this pack.

“You know, buddy, most wolves don’t like it when you ask them that,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

Thomas tilted his head. “Why?”

“Because your wolf is your ultimate weapon and your closest secret,” I explained, using the same gentle tone I used with the kids back home. “When I train the youth in human form, I always remind them that they won’t get their wolves until they are teenagers. But they still need to learn how to fight and protect themselves before that day comes.”

Thomas’s eyes went wide. “You train the youth wolves? How old are they?”

“I’ve trained kids from age six and up,” I replied.

“Younger than me,” he whispered, looking amazed.

“Yeah. In my uncle’s pack, some of the kids lost their families to rogue attacks or were abandoned. I teach them the basics. That way, if a rogue ever breaches the borders and they are completely alone, they know how to defend themselves or find a safe place to hide.”

Thomas went quiet, the wheels turning in his little brain. Then, he looked up at me with a serious expression. “I wish I could train. I hate feeling helpless whenever the borders get attacked.”

“You’re the future second-in-command,” I smiled. “You’ll learn when you’re older. Your dad will train you.”

Thomas pouted, looking out the window. “Dad won’t train me. He only focuses on Kaelen. He thinks I’m just the baby of the family. He’d never let me on the field.”

My heart ached for him. It was clear he wanted to be strong like his older brother, but Alpha Silas was keeping him sheltered. Probably to protect him. Still, every werewolf child needed to know how to fight.

“Tell you what,” I said, leaning closer. “I have plenty of free time while I’m here. I can show you a few self-defense moves. You definitely need them.”

Thomas turned back to me, his face lighting up. “You would really do that? Seriously?”

“Yeah. But it has to be our secret. We do it when no one else is around.”

“Deal!” Thomas grinned. “Mum hates it whenever I try to do anything physical anyway.”

A cold prickle of resentment washed over me at the word Mum, but I forced myself to stay calm.

Thomas noticed the sudden shift in my mood. His eyes softened, studying my face. “Is it weird to you that I call her Mum?”

I cleared my throat, feeling Nyx edge closer in my mind. I didn’t want to lie to the kid. “A little bit,” I admitted honestly. “I haven’t seen her in so long. Even when I hear the word, it sounds foreign to me.”

I truly didn’t know if the title meant anything to her anymore, especially coming from me.

“When was the last time you saw her?” Thomas pressed.

“Nosy little wolf,” Nyx muttered.

“About two weeks ago,” I told him. “But before that? It had been years.”

Thomas stared at me, trying to process what that meant. He opened his mouth to say something else, but suddenly his eyes glazed over as a mind-link cut him off. A moment later, he focused back on me and slid out of his chair.

“Dad just linked me,” Thomas said. “It’s time to get ready for dinner.”

I stood up, my stomach instantly knotting.

Thomas walked to the door and looked back over his shoulder. “Dinner is in a few minutes. I’m going to go change into a clean shirt, and then I’ll come back to knock for you so we can go up together.”

“See you in a bit,” I said.

Once the door clicked shut, I stood rooted to the spot. Having dinner with my mother was stressful enough, but doing it alongside her new Alpha husband and his family felt entirely overwhelming.

A sharp chime sounded from my phone. I walked over to the desk and picked it up.

Three text messages were waiting for me. One from Wes, one from Carmen, and one from Uncle Victor. They all wanted to know if I had arrived safely and how things were going with my mother.

I typed out a quick, identical reply to all three: Arrived safely. The pack house is huge. Heading up to a family dinner now with my mom, Alpha Silas, and his kids. Wish me luck.

I put the phone face down, knowing they would reply immediately, but I didn’t have time to text. I needed to get ready, and my anxiety was through the roof. Even Nyx was pacing nervously in my head.

I rushed into the private bathroom, stripped out of my clothes, and took the fastest shower of my life. Part of me desperately wanted to pull the bedcovers over my head and hide there for the next month. I absolutely did not want to be the center of attention tonight.

I wrapped a towel around myself, walked back into the bedroom, and unzipped my first suitcase. I opted for something simple: a casual t-shirt, dark jeans, and flat shoes. There was no reason to dress up. This wasn’t a formal gala.

I quickly pulled my red hair into a neat ponytail just as a knock sounded on the door. Thomas walked in, wearing a fresh shirt and clean jeans.

“Ready?” he asked.

I forced a smile and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

“It’s just going to be you, me, Mum, and Dad,” Thomas explained as we walked out into the hall. “Kaelen has border patrol tonight. He never skips his shifts, but I have a feeling Dad is going to be furious anyway. He specifically ordered Kaelen to be at this dinner.”

I blinked. So the brooding older brother had skipped out on my welcome dinner just to avoid me. Great. He clearly despised my presence here.

“I don’t think he hates us,” Nyx chimed in thoughtfully. “He’s the future Alpha. He has duties to maintain.”

I ignored her, but she just chuckled. “Look on the bright side. Do you really want to be staring at that gorgeous face through an entire meal while I try not to rip our mother’s throat out?”

A small frown tugged at my lips. I shook my head to clear the thought and looked back down at Thomas.

“Come on,” Thomas urged, tugging my hand. “I’m starving.”

My own appetite was completely gone. The thought of sitting across from my mother made my stomach drop. I had a bad feeling about this dinner. Something felt off, and I knew it was going to center around me.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I stepped out of the room and closed the door behind me. Here goes nothing.

“I’m right here,” Nyx whispered supportively. “If she starts acting like a bitch, I’ve got your back.”

Knowing my wolf was standing with me was the only thing keeping me moving down the hall.