LOGINElara POVI woke up earlier than usual, long before the sun had fully claimed the sky. The room felt different, quieter, as though something had shifted in the night while I slept. For a moment I remained still, staring at the ceiling, letting my mind gather itself. The events from yesterday pressed heavily against my chest, but I refused to let fear root me to this bed.I had to prove myself.Not just to them.To myself.I pushed the covers aside and rose, moving with quiet determination. I dressed carefully, tying my hair back firmly, fastening the leather straps around my wrists for training. If anyone in this pack thought I was fragile or weak because of what happened, they were mistaken.I would not be pitied.I stepped outside the room and began walking downstairs. The halls were alive with the faint scent of wood smoke and morning meals, but something else lingered beneath it—tension. I hadn’t seen Kael since I woke up. The other side of the bed had been cool when I touched it.
Kael POVThe forest did not lie.It never had.Every broken twig carried intention. Every disturbed patch of soil held memory. Every lingering scent told a story to those strong enough to hear it. And tonight, the woods were speaking clearly to me.I slowed my pace, lowering my head as I inhaled deeply. The night air was thick with pine and damp earth, but beneath it lingered something acrid. Something unsettled.Fear.Not Elara’s.Male.My paws pressed firmly into the ground as I followed the faint trail winding through the trees. Whoever it was had attempted to blur his scent by moving through shallow water and brushing against resin-heavy shrubs. It was clever.But not clever enough.I was not simply Alpha of this pack.I was Alpha King.The trail curved sharply toward the eastern quadrant of the territory, where the guards’ quarters stood like silent sentinels. My muscles tightened as understanding sharpened into certainty.The scent intensified.Rhode.A low growl vibrated from d
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 long. No matter how secure this pack was, no matter how many guards surrounded this place, I should have known that danger did not always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it waited. Sometimes it watched. And tonight, someone had watched her. The thought made my wolf snarl inside me, claws scraping against my restraint. Whoever dared to touch her had already signed his death sentence. I did not need proof to know that; I could feel it in the air, in the way the wind shifted, in the faint scent of fear that lingered on the stone floor where she had collapsed. Rowen approached quietly, but I sensed him long before he reached my side. His steps were controlled, careful, as though he alrea
Elara POVI stepped out into the night, the cool air brushing against my skin, the soft glow of the lanterns casting long shadows across the courtyard. The stone paths stretched out before me, silent and serene, and I felt a strange calm as I breathed it all in. The world at night in the Moon Pack grounds felt alive but strangely empty, as if the darkness itself was watching.“Ma, do you want me to go with you?” Ava’s voice came softly from behind me.“I just want to walk a bit,” I said, closing the door behind me. The weight of the day still clung to me, the training, Kael’s presence, everything swirling in my mind. I wanted a moment to breathe, to see the pack under the quiet of night.As I turned to admire the moonlight on the pillars and the glint of silver in the walls, a voice behind me froze me in place. “Ma, would you like me to show you around?” I looked up sharply and saw Rhode standing there, his presence solid and unnerving, his dark eyes fixed on me.My stomach tightened
Elara’s POV “Send Ava to bring her meal upstairs. She is too tired to come down.” The voice reached me through the haze of sleep, firm but quiet. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. Then I opened my eyes. The ceiling above me was unfamiliar only for a second before memory returned. Kael’s room. Training. The ache in my muscles. I shifted slightly and winced. Every part of me felt as though it had been stretched beyond its limit. My arms protested even the smallest movement. “Kael?” I said, my voice soft, almost questioning. He stood near the door, speaking briefly to someone outside before closing it. When he turned toward me, his expression softened just slightly. “You should still be asleep,” he said as he crossed the room. I pushed myself upright anyway. He reached me in two strides and caught my hands before I could fully stand. His grip was steady but gentle as he guided me back toward the bed. “You need to rest,” he said quietly. “Ava will bring your
Elara pov The ache in my thighs deepened suddenly, and the strength I had been forcing into my spine slipped away without warning. My vision tilted slightly, and before my knees could touch the ground, strong arms wrapped around me.Kael lifted me effortlessly.I barely had time to gasp before I was pressed securely against his chest, one arm beneath my knees and the other supporting my back. The scent of him surrounded me instantly, grounding me before embarrassment could.“You were about to collapse,” he murmured, his voice low but not mocking.“I was not,” I protested weakly, though I could barely hold my head up.A faint smile curved at the corner of his lips. “You did well today, my queen.”His eyes searched my face as he carried me up the staircase, he was watchful in a way that made my heart soften despite my exhaustion.I rested my forehead lightly against his shoulder, too tired to argue. The world felt distant. He carried me upstairs as if it was the most natural thing in







