The Past

POV: Elara

​I was sitting by the window in my newly emptied room when a sharp knock sounded at the door, and before I could even tell the person to come in, the handle turned and a woman with perfectly styled hair and a smug grin stepped inside.

I recognized her from the party, or at least from the brief memory of that night that Silas had described, and she was wearing a dress that looked far too expensive for a casual visit. She walked around the room, trailing her fingers over the bare dresser, and she let out a little hum of disapproval as she looked at the empty spaces where the photos of Silas used to be.

​"I heard you were awake and back at the house, so I thought I should come by and see how the poor little rogue was holding up after such a nasty accident," she said, and she sat down on the edge of my bed without being invited.

​"I'm doing fine, though I don't think we’ve actually met properly, or if we have, I’ve forgotten your name along with everything else," I replied, and I stayed in my chair because I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing me stand up.

​"I'm Nadia, and I’m sure you remember me deep down because you spent three years trying to copy my style and failing miserably," she said with a laugh, and she leaned forward to look at my bandages. "It’s a shame about the car, but honestly, Elara, did you really think running away was going to make Silas chase after you, or were you just being your usual dramatic self?"

​"I don't know why I was running, but I’m sure I had a very good reason to want to get away from this house and the people in it," I said, and I watched her face tighten when she realized I wasn't going to get defensive.

​"Well, everyone found that pregnancy test in the wreckage, you know, and it was quite a scandal for the pack to talk about," Nadia said, and she watched me closely to see my reaction. "I have to admit, it was a clever move to try and tie him down with a pup, but did you really think a rogue’s offspring could ever be special or that Silas would actually care about it?"

​The word ‘pup’ hit me like a physical weight, and for a second, I felt a sharp, hollow ache in my chest that made it hard to swallow, but I didn't let my expression change.

I hadn't actually processed the fact that there was a living thing inside me, and hearing this woman talk about my child with such disgust made my blood run cold. I felt an instinctive urge to protect something I didn't even remember having, yet I kept my hands folded in my lap and looked at her with a calm, steady gaze.

​"You seem very concerned about a child that doesn't belong to you, Nadia, and it makes me wonder if you’re worried that a 'rogue’s pup' will have more of a claim to this pack than you ever will," I told her, and I saw her eyes flash with genuine anger.

​"You have no claim to anything here, and Silas told me himself that you were just a vessel for his heir, so don't go thinking that a baby makes you a Luna," she snapped, and she stood up and started pacing the room just like Silas had done earlier.

​"If I’m just a vessel, then why are you here trying to pick a fight with me while I’m recovering?" I asked, and I leaned back in my chair, feeling a strange sense of amusement at how easily she was being rattled. "If you were as secure in your position as you claim to be, you wouldn't feel the need to come up here and mock a woman who can't even remember her own last name, so it seems to me like you’re actually quite threatened by me."

​"Threatened by you? You’re a pathetic orphan that Silas took in out of pity, and the only reason you’re still in this house is because he’s a responsible Alpha who won't throw out his own blood," she said, her voice rising in pitch.

​"Then you should probably go back downstairs and enjoy being his favorite, because staying here and arguing with a 'pathetic orphan' is just making you look desperate, and I’m sure a woman of your standing has better things to do than worry about my medical status," I said, and I gestured toward the door with a polite but firm wave of my hand.

​Nadia looked like she wanted to scream, and she opened her mouth to say something else, but she stopped when she noticed the door was slightly ajar. I followed her gaze and saw Silas standing in the hallway.

He was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest, watching the entire exchange with an unreadable expression. He didn't look angry like he usually did, and instead, he looked like he was seeing something for the first time, and his eyes were fixed on me with an intense focus that made the hair on my arms stand up.

​"Nadia, I think that’s enough for today, and Elara needs her rest if the doctor is going to clear her for the pack dinner later this week," Silas said, and his voice was surprisingly quiet as he stepped into the room.

​"I was just checking on her, Silas, I didn't mean any harm," Nadia said, her voice instantly changing to a sweet, high-pitched tone as she moved toward him and tried to take his arm.

​He didn't pull away, but he didn't look at her either, and his gaze stayed locked on mine as if he was trying to find the woman he used to know behind my eyes. "I heard what you said, Elara, and you’ve developed quite a sharp tongue for someone who claims to have lost their mind."

​"I haven't lost my mind, Silas, I’ve just lost the memories of why I used to let people talk to me like that," I replied, and I stood up slowly, feeling the strength in my legs returning. "Now, if both of you are finished using my bedroom as a stage for your drama, I’d like to be alone so I can think about this baby that everyone seems so eager to talk about."

​Silas didn't move for a long moment, and I could see the confusion warring with something else in his expression, something that looked like a spark of genuine interest. He had expected me to break down and cry when Nadia mentioned the pup, or at least to look to him for protection, but seeing me handle her with such cold efficiency seemed to have thrown him off balance completely.

He finally nodded and led Nadia out of the room, but he lingered at the doorway for one last second, and he opened his mouth as if he wanted to ask me something important, but then he just shook his head and closed the door behind him, leaving me in the silence of the room with the ghost of a child I was only just starting to understand.