6. Plan in Motion

|| Lilac’s POV ||

The morning sun lit up my room as I woke up, the shadows of a restless night still lingering. My first thought was to reach out to Runa, my wolf. But there was no response. My heart raced as I tried again, but still nothing. She was barely there. Something was wrong. Why had I been given this second chance? It didn’t make sense.

The smell of pancakes pulled me back to the present. Downstairs, I could hear the soft hum of conversation and the clinking of plates. It felt like home, like the life I’d fought so hard to protect.

I dressed carefully—a blouse, a pencil skirt, and heels. As I walked downstairs, the smell of pancakes and coffee grew stronger. My family was in the kitchen. Mom was at the stove, flipping pancakes. Dad sat at the table with his coffee, and Ezra, my younger brother, was reading a book. He looked so much like Dad, with the same dark hair and sharp features. Everything felt normal, and I wanted to keep it that way.

“Good morning, sweetpea,” Dad said, smiling at me.

“Morning,” I replied, sitting down.

Mom set a plate of pancakes in front of me. “You look different,” she said, studying me.

I glanced down. I *was* different. The naive girl who believed in fairy tales was gone. Now, I carried the weight of a second chance.

“I have some plans,” I said vaguely, picking up my fork.

Mom didn’t press, but her gaze lingered. Breakfast was peaceful, filled with casual chatter and the sound of forks on plates. But I couldn’t stay. I had work to do.

As I cleared the table, Ezra leaned against the doorframe. “Where are you off to so early?” he asked, still in his pajamas.

“Just errands,” I said.

He raised an eyebrow. “Errands? You look like you’re about to negotiate a business deal or break someone’s heart.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not a date outfit, Ezra.”

He smirked. “Are you cheating on Kael already?”

I shoved him lightly. “You’re so annoying.”

“It’s my job as your older brother,” he teased.

“You’re younger by a year,” I groaned, but I couldn’t help smiling. I’d missed his teasing.

The drive to the plaza was quiet. Today was the day. Kael was holding a conference here, and it was my chance to set my plan in motion.

When I arrived, the plaza was busy. Reporters and cameras were everywhere. I spotted Elara almost immediately. She ran over, her curly hair bouncing. “Lilac!” she exclaimed, hugging me. “I heard you’re Kael’s mate! This is huge!”

I forced a smile. “Yeah, it’s… something.”

She tilted her head. “You don’t sound excited. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“It’s complicated,” I said. “But I need your help.”

Her eyes lit up. “What do you need?”

“Get me into the press room,” I said, lowering my voice. “There’s something I have to do.”

She grinned. “Consider it done. But you owe me the full story later.”

“Deal,” I said, relieved.

As we walked, I felt a flicker of hope. This was the first step in changing my fate. With Elara by my side, I could do it.