Chapter 5

Felix’s POV

A diplomatic visit to Sterling Pack should have been nothing more than a symbolic gesture, a step toward friendly relations. My composure, etiquette, and courteous banter were flawless, all perfectly mimicked. I knew I needed to secure Blackwood’s currently fragile position. Sterling’s Alpha, Alaric, was impeccably measured in his attitude, and I responded in kind. We were both wary, but neither revealed any sharpness—this façade of peace was crucial to both sides.

Until that moment.

I followed Alaric through an arched corridor. Just as I hesitated, considering whether to suggest a short break in the garden, a clear, bright laugh suddenly reached my ears.

Every fiber of my being instinctively caught something unusual in that laughter—unrestrained, neither fearful nor ingratiating. It wasn’t the forced social laughter of aristocratic ladies—it was… genuine, relaxed joy. Someone here lived truly at ease.

Sterling Keep had always been orderly; few guests dared make a fuss.

Yet my companion merely smiled slightly, as if such scenes had long ceased to surprise him.

“This area can be noisy, I beg your pardon, my lady’s spirits are good these days, she often plays with the young girls,” Alaric explained politely.

He apologized with his mouth, but his eyes were full of affection.

This scene made my chest tighten. Memories surged inside me like tumbling waves.

…

Back then, she hadn’t changed out of the old, ill-fitting tweed dress. She liked sitting by the old stone pond in the south courtyard, feeding fish with a worn jug in the evenings. Sometimes, lively maids would tease her, and she couldn’t help but laugh. I disliked the noise, and especially resented hearing her play with the maids in the porch. I thought it shameful, and more so, that this pointless laughter diminished the family’s dignity.

So, I ordered that the koi in the pond be distributed elsewhere, leaving only still water; the maids were no longer allowed to keep her company there. Soon, the small courtyard quieted down—no one spoke with her anymore, and the sounds of childish laughter disappeared. The courtyard became empty and silent; the servants always kept their heads low and dared not speak much.

She became even more silent. Often in the evenings, she’d lean alone against the pond’s edge, staring at the gray gaps in the old stones beneath the water, lost in thought. Later, even the pond froze over with a thin layer of ice. The north wind howled; birds fled to the south. On the steps by the pond, only her thin, lonely figure remained.

Whenever I passed by, I merely found her fragile posture irritating. I told myself not to dwell on it—household authority and pack order had to come before personal feelings.

…

Now, hearing such laughter again, it was as if the laughter by the pond from back then echoed in my ears. My heart tightened, as if gripped by something. I persuaded myself that once Elara came back, I’d restock the finest koi, repair the pond, and find some obedient maids to keep her company. I, too, should cherish her like Alaric does his wife—never to restrain her again.

My steps grew ever more hesitant. At this moment, the laughter drew closer; faintly, I could hear her calling the maids by name, her voice full of gentle concern. Images of her sitting alone on the stone steps, and now, under the sun, laughing freely, flashed through my mind.

Could it be… was my decision truly wrong? For the first time, I felt something was amiss—a kind of unspoken remorse surged inside me.

I stopped. A glint of silver caught my eye. Looking up, it was as if time stood still—

It was her. That silver hair, like dawn after the snow, unmistakable anywhere. I saw her profile, smiling as she shared still-warm bread with a nearby maid. She looked… at peace, truly happy.

My heart clutched tight, the blood draining as if siphoned away. Elara? Impossible. Wasn’t she long since… How could this be—how could she be in Sterling Pack, not only well, but cared for and accepted?

Alaric explained offhandedly, “This is my esteemed Luna, Lady Elara.”

I didn’t even manage a reply. She was Alaric’s newly wed Luna? Married to Alaric… as his mate? This was laughable. Such an arrangement was a mockery of Blackwood tradition. The responsibility and symbol inherited by the Sable family had been so publicly claimed by another pack—as if my judgment and authority meant nothing.

My mind was in turmoil. Was her smile a blatant flaunt of her betrayal of Blackwood? Someone I, and the pack, had deemed “unfit,” cast aside to fade quietly away in the Sable estate, now playing the part of noble lady among outsiders as if nothing had happened? Did she not think Alaric would uncover her past? Did she not understand all she represented was Blackwood’s history and honor? Did she belong to Sterling Pack now? No, impossible.

My anger and humiliation churned into a dark, tangled torrent. Was Alaric deliberately making trouble for me? He knew Elara’s past, yet dared use her to smack my face? Or, under his protection, did she become the noble lady here without a hitch? Could my past decisions have become a laughingstock for others?

They thought they had won. But they overlooked that Blackwood Pack’s time-honored responsibilities cannot so easily be stolen or destroyed. Elara, whether she wishes it or not, is destined to be the one I must answer for—no one can use her to step on Blackwood’s or my own dignity.

On my return to camp, I spoke to no one. Outside, soldiers patrolled in order, but my tent was the only safe haven. My fingers clenched pale, I forced myself not to remember the sunlight in her eyes and her gentleness. I must make her realize the cost of escape and betrayal; Alaric, too, must learn that his so-called tolerance will bring him trouble in the end.

What belongs to Blackwood Pack can only be ruled by Blackwood Pack. She should come home.

Alaric Argent, you think you’ve obtained a rare treasure, but I’ll make you see—this is only the beginning of your downfall.