LOGINElara POVThe afternoon stretched slowly, each passing hour feeling longer than it should have, and still there was no sign of Kael. The room felt different without him, quieter in a way that made everything else louder, from my thoughts to the small sounds around me. I stayed there for a while, sitting on the edge of the bed, hoping I would hear the door open, hoping he would walk in like nothing had happened, but that moment never came.Eventually, I couldn’t sit still anymore.I stood up and made my way downstairs, convincing myself that maybe he would be there, maybe he had just been busy with something important, maybe I had overreacted and everything was still fine.But when I got there, he wasn’t.The dining area was calm, almost too calm, and the absence of his presence hit me harder than I expected. I moved slowly toward one of the chairs and sat down, my hands resting lightly on the table as my thoughts began to spiral again.Everything felt messy.Not just what I said, but
Elara POVWe went downstairs together, the quiet between us stretching in a way that felt unfamiliar, as if something unspoken sat heavily in the space we usually filled so easily. Our things had already been packed neatly, arranged with precision, and I could tell Rowen had made sure everything was handled before we even stepped out of the room.We moved outside, the air cool against my skin, and one of the guards stepped forward to lock the door behind us before handing the key over to Kael with a respectful bow. The elders and the guards began entering the vehicles positioned behind ours, their movements efficient and disciplined, while Kael turned toward me and opened the door for me to get in first.I didn’t hesitate, stepping inside without a word, settling into my seat as he followed after me, closing the door quietly. The engine came to life shortly after, the low hum filling the silence as we began the journey away from the Dimlight pack.I leaned slightly toward the window,
Elara POVI kept walking without direction, without care for where my feet were taking me, my vision blurred by the tears that refused to stop falling. The path into the woods felt familiar, almost automatic, like my body remembered the route even when my mind was too overwhelmed to think clearly. Branches brushed lightly against my arms as I passed, leaves crunching softly beneath my feet, but I barely registered any of it. Everything around me felt distant, like I was moving through a world that no longer belonged to me.My thoughts were loud, too loud, echoing the words I had just heard over and over again, each repetition cutting deeper than the last. She is not your daughter. The sentence refused to fade, embedding itself into my mind like something permanent, something that could not be undone.I slowed down gradually, my steps losing their urgency until I finally stopped.I was standing in front of my former house.The same small structure I had lived in when I was nothing more
Elara POVI stood there longer than I should have, my eyes fixed on the empty space my parents had just occupied, as though staring hard enough would pull answers out of the silence they left behind. The room suddenly felt too quiet, too still, and the warmth I had felt only moments ago had faded into something distant and unsettling. My mind kept circling back to my father’s words, to my mother’s hesitation, to that unfinished sentence that carried more weight than anything they had actually said.“What are you staring at?” Kael’s voice broke through my thoughts, sharp enough to pull me back instantly.I blinked and turned to face him, forcing my expression into something neutral, something controlled, because the last thing I wanted right now was for him to start asking questions I wasn’t ready to answer.“Nothing,” I said simply, keeping my tone steady as I moved slightly away from where I had been standing.His gaze lingered on me for a second longer than usual, as if he was tryin
Elara POVA knock came on the door, the sound steady and deliberate, pulling me out of the quiet moment I was having to myself. Kael reacted immediately, moving without hesitation as he reached for the bedspread and covered me before stepping away to put on his pants. His movements were quick but not rushed, controlled in that way he always was when something required his attention.I watched him as he crossed the room and opened the door, his broad frame filling the space as he spoke to whoever stood outside. Their voices were low, too low for me to catch anything clearly, and I didn’t bother trying to strain my ears. Whatever it was, I would hear it from him soon enough.He closed the door and turned back to me, his expression calmer now, but there was something in his eyes that made me sit up slightly.“Your parents are downstairs with your little sister,” he said.For a second, I just stared at him, the words taking a moment to settle in my mind, and then something inside me lit u
Elara POVMy eyes felt unbearably heavy the moment I opened them, as though sleep still clung stubbornly to my lashes, refusing to let go. For a few seconds, I remained still, adjusting to the dimness of the room, my senses slowly catching up with reality. The sunlight that had once filled the space was gone, replaced by a muted glow filtering through the thick cotton curtains, casting the room in a soft, dusky shade that told me evening had already settled in.I shifted slightly on the bed, the sheets rustling beneath me, and turned my head to the side. That was when I noticed Ava, curled uncomfortably on the chair beside me, her head tilted at an awkward angle, her breathing slow and steady. A small smile tugged at my lips as I watched her. Kael must have asked her to stay with me, to make sure I was alright while he was gone, and somehow that simple thought warmed me more than the blanket wrapped loosely around my body.I didn’t wake her. She looked too peaceful for that, and I kne
Elara’s POVThe silence in our room felt heavier than usual after Kael left for the council meeting, and no matter how much I tried to distract myself, my thoughts kept circling back to the way his jaw had tightened before he walked out the door. I took my time bathing, letting the warm water run o
Elara’s POV“Ma, your former pack is outside, and your parents are with them too,” one of the guards announced respectfully.For a second, my heart leapt like it used to, like the old Elara would have dropped everything and run barefoot across the courtyard without thinking twice. I could already i
Kael POV The night air felt different when I stepped outside. It was no longer calm or peaceful; it carried the bitter taste of failure. I stood at the edge of the courtyard, staring into the darkness beyond the walls, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. I should not have left her alone for that
Kael – POV I know something wasn’t right, that’s the connection we both have. It isn’t sight or sound that reaches me first it’s instinct, sharp and undeniable, slicing through every other thought. The pull turns violent, not desperate but commanding, demanding my attention with the certainty o







