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Chapter Three

**Elara**

Strangely, yelling at the stranger left me feeling lighter. A quiet part of me knew it had been reckless, but the release still felt good.

“Dad, don’t call him again. Don’t give that bastard any more respect than he deserves.”

“Elara!” Mom’s voice rose in pure scandal. “Watch your language!”

“It is what it is. I don’t want to see him. I’ll marry the next alpha you line up without even looking twice. This one can rot for all I care.”

I walked out, leaving them staring after me as if I’d sprouted a second head.

They had never seen me like this. Honestly, I hadn’t imagined myself cursing a stranger over the phone either. I just didn’t care anymore.

And it felt surprisingly satisfying to finally say what I thought.

Nearly a week had passed without a word from Elias, yet for the first time I fell asleep without worrying about him.

That peace lasted exactly twelve hours.

Breakfast the next morning was unnaturally quiet. Mom and Dad only spoke to pass the butter or silverware.

I looked between them, foot tapping under the table.

“Okay. What’s wrong?”

They exchanged a glance before Mom answered carefully. “We have a… peculiar situation.”

I frowned. “How peculiar?”

Mom glanced at Dad again, clearly checking how much she was allowed to reveal. The knot of worry in my stomach tightened.

“The alpha wants another meeting. At a diner this time. I sent you the address.”

“What?”

Of everything I had expected, this hadn’t even made the list.

“Why would he?” The worry was already expanding into something larger.

“Because he was… occupied last night,” Mom said carefully. I could tell she knew more than she was saying.

“Just ignore it,” I said, turning back to my plate.

Dad shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way, Elara. Angering him further could damage our pack, and we’re already in a fragile position.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

The sheer nerve of this man—to miss the first meeting, demand a second, and hold our pack’s future over our heads simply because *he* failed to keep his word—was unreal.

“This is insane.” I stood so quickly the chair scraped loudly against the floor.

“He wants to set things right, sweetheart,” Mom said gently. “If one short meeting can prevent bigger problems later, it’s worth it.”

I chewed my lip, torn between wanting to refuse and the tempting idea of finally confronting the arrogant alpha face to face.

Dad noticed my hesitation and sighed. “I’ll handle it if you don’t want to go.”

But the unspoken message was clear: *I trust you not to make this worse.*

Maybe I had been wrong to dump all my frustration about Elias onto a stranger. That didn’t erase the fact that this late alpha had still wasted our time without explanation.

I took a slow breath. “No. I started this. I’ll finish it.”

Mom looked worried, but I gave her a small nod. “I’ll behave. I promise I won’t do anything to hurt the pack.”

“Don’t make it worse,” she cautioned as I headed for the bathroom.

When I came out, Mom was waiting again with two formal dresses laid out.

“No dresses,” I muttered, opening my closet and pulling out my usual jeans, a plain white tank, and a simple jacket.

“Elara, you don’t understand. You need to present yourself properly—”

I shook my head. “No, *you* need to understand. This man clearly doesn’t like me. He’s only putting on a polite face so he can feel superior. After I called him out for being late, do you really think he still wants an alliance or a marriage? This is just him trying to save face. I’m not dressing up for that. I’ll be back in an hour.”

Mom was still shaking her head as I finished dressing, added black boots, and headed for the door.

“Stay safe,” she said, as if I were walking into battle.

“I will.”

My eyes caught on a small knife lying on the side table. I slipped it under my jacket, out of sight. I probably wouldn’t need it, but there was no harm in being prepared.

I called a cab and arrived an hour later at Dining Haven, an upscale restaurant in the heart of the city.

The moment I stepped out, I became painfully aware of my clothes. Even from the sidewalk I could see the interior filled with people in expensive outfits. Everyone inside looked like they belonged.

I didn’t.

Maybe I should have taken one of Mom’s dresses after all. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t here to socialize.

A polished attendant approached the moment I reached the entrance, hair in a perfect bun and a professional smile in place.

“Miss Elara Ravencrest?”

“Yes. I’m here to…” I trailed off.

In my rush I had never even asked for the alpha’s name.

“Please follow me.”

I followed her past the elegant crowd and up a staircase, away from the main dining floor.

“Aren’t we meeting downstairs?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, miss. The private VIP suite has been prepared for you.”

My stomach tightened.

Why would this man spend that kind of money just to lecture a girl about her language? I couldn’t think of any other reason for the invitation.

The upper level was even more luxurious—thick velvet carpet, gleaming vases lining the hallways.

The attendant stopped outside a door. “The alpha is waiting.”

I raised my hand to knock when a sharp, commanding voice cut through from inside.

“Don’t show your face here again!”

A second later the door flew open. A young woman rushed out, tears str

eaming down her face.

And across the room, calmly pouring himself a drink, stood the most striking man I had ever seen.