Cael's POVThe council was in full assembly. Mira and I stood beside our father, and I could feel the tension in her body as the cold eyes of all the elders seemed to be on her.Father sat at the head as usual, his powerful presence commanding respect even in silence. The weight of the Thallium discovery and the rogue ambush earlier that day still hung over us like an approaching storm, but the moment father opened his mouth to begin the meeting, Lord Halvar raised a hand, with his face twisted in disapproval.“Forgive me, Alpha,” he began calmly, but everyone could see the contempt in his voice“But before this meeting proceeds, I must raise a concern. Why is the girl present? Has she been formally welcomed into your household? Last I checked, you only accepted she was yours, but no welcome has been officially announced to the pack.”I didn’t wait for Father to speak.“Watch your words, lord Halvar” I snapped in anger, making a few of the younger councilmen flinch at my tone. Mira lo
Cael's POVIt was morning, and I was strapping on my gear.The compound was alive with the usual chatter and energy before a hunting party…men double checking weapons, tightening their boots, and trading jokes to mask their nerves.Father was already annoyed that I had insisted on bringing Mira along. I understood his concern…a newly arrived sister, one still that was still trying to gain her footing in the new world she found herself. But I had seen what Mira could do in training, and she was no damsel in distress.“This is reckless,” Father told me again before we left. “You know I don't mind her learning, but this isn't the time. We need to ease her in gently.”“Which is why she needs this trip, father,” I replied, refusing to back down. “She can help with the wounded if we run into trouble. She's already trained in healing, isn't she?”He only sighed and said nothing more, and that was as close to permission as I was going to get.Mira was already coming out from the house, dresse
Mira’s POV“Mom?” My voice trembled as I stepped forward.“Is it really you?”Her eyes softened. “My little moonflower.”My eyes instantly filled with tears, and I allowed them to flow freely down my cheeks. Only she called me that nickname, and I hadn't heard it since she died.“Am I dreaming?” I whispered.She didn't bother to answer, simply opened her arms for me to run into like a scared child…maybe I actually was. Her embrace was nothing but warmth, and the comforting scent of lilies in the summer.And it broke me.I sobbed into her shoulder, holding on tightly to her gown as if she was about to vanish again. “I miss you so much mom…Everything’s a mess. I don’t know what I’m doing. They kicked me out after you left, and Liam rejected me.”“No my love,” she whispered, pulling back to look into my face. “You were never abandoned. The world was simply making room for you to rise.”I looked at her in surprise. “Rise?”“You carry more than pain within you, Mira,” she said, gently brus
Mira’s POVThe day was fading fast, but I remained outside my room, lost somewhere between reality and memory. The silence around me wasn't the peaceful kind, rather it was the kind that suffocated you and makes breathing feel like a battle.I had so many questions that needed answering, but there was no help in sight. What was I doing? What did they really want from me? Was I even healing… or just pretending?I hated feeling this vulnerable. Back at Pine Shadow, I would probably be too busy working to be thinking about my life. But here… surrounded by strangers who sometimes smiled too kindly and sometimes stared too hard…I felt exposed. Like every part of me was being quietly dissected by a pack I wasn’t sure would ever truly accept me.I heard light footsteps, but I didn't even bother to look up…I had no interest.Cael.He was alone. He looked like he had just returned from his usual evening run. I could sense his eyes on me, probably wondering why I was brooding alone. There was s
Liam’s POVThe silence in my chambers felt louder than any argument I’d ever had with Kai.I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows braced on my knees, my thoughts a tangled storm I couldn’t outrun. The incident with Dahlia and the Omega girl had been shoved to the back of my mind… or so I told myself… but another, heavier weight pressed harder on my chest. Mira’s scent was still clung faintly to the room, ghost-like, refusing to fade. It wasn’t supposed to linger this long. And yet it did. As if the walls themselves missed her.Or maybe it was just me.Kai had been prowling all day, his voice breaking through every barrier I tried to put up.“You let her go.”“She was ours.”“You chose the wrong one.”I groaned in frustration, pressing my palms to my eyes, wishing I could mute him, he didn't budge. But he never stopped when he was right… never stopped when the truth I buried clawed its way back to the surface.Weeks had passed since the council banished Mira, and yet… the ache hadn’t dul
Mira’s POVI barely remembered placing my head on the pillow before exhaustion claimed me entirely. Dreams wrapped me in gentle arms, threading whispers of silver moonlight and soft lullabies. For the first time in ages, rest felt peaceful, carrying fragile traces of something that felt remarkably like hope.A loud knock jerked me awake. Blinking sleep from my eyes, I sat up abruptly, startled to hear Cael’s urgent voice filtering through the heavy wooden door.“Mira, wake up. Training is about to start. The warriors won’t wait forever.”I groaned softly, sliding out of bed to open the door. Cael stood impatiently outside, arms folded, brows arched in mild amusement.“Did you oversleep?”“Maybe,” I muttered, stifling a yawn. “It wasa long night.”“Clearly.” His gaze drifted over my rumpled clothes and tangled hair. “Hurry and dress. They’re eager to meet with Alpha Rowland’s daughter. I hyped you to the warriors, so try not to embarrass me.” He winked lightly, a smirk playing on his l