Whispers in the Shadows

Chapter Seven: Whispers in the Shadows

Nora’s POV

I stayed pressed against the shadows, barely daring to breathe. Every word from the room beyond the door clawed at my nerves, sharper than any blade.

Axel’s voice was steady, low, and unwavering, but there was an edge to it, quiet fury, determination, a promise I could feel even from here.

“…Axel, the pack expects you to choose a Luna. Tradition dictates it,” one elder’s voice cut in, cold and precise. “Without a Luna, your position is… vulnerable. Instability could follow.”

“I work to be the Alpha,” Axel replied, calm but firm, almost defiant. “I won’t let anyone else take this role. And being Alpha isn’t about having someone by my side . I will lead the pack, with or without one.”

There was a pause, thick and tense, like the room itself was holding its breath. Then another elder’s voice, sharper this time, like steel on stone: “Tradition is not optional. The pack’s faith wavers when rules are ignored. Someone must stand beside you, or unrest will spread.”

Axel’s jaw tightened. I could almost see the tension in his shoulders from here. “Then let them try to crown someone else. I will be Alpha regardless. I do not answer to fear, politics, or the whims of the past.”

Another long pause. I could almost feel the silence stretching, the unspoken threat hanging like a knife. I shifted slightly, my fingers brushing against the wall as if it could anchor me to reality.

And then I realized… I was watching him. Watching him, the man who had saved me, who had risked so much for me, who had held me when I could barely stand on my own. And yet he carried the weight of this pack like a mountain on his shoulders, alone, defying expectations, defying tradition.

I swallowed hard, a lump in my throat. For the first time, I understood just how much he carried, and how little he would ever ask for in return. He wasn’t fighting for himself. He was fighting for the pack. And for me.

A pang of guilt shot through me. All the times I had felt helpless, all the times I had thought I was powerless… maybe I could do something. Something small. Something to make this fight easier for him.

If being a Luna could help him, if standing beside him could make the elders hesitate, or make the pack steadier, then I would do it. Not because he demanded it, not because tradition said so, but because he had given me so much, and I wanted to give back. I owed him that much.

I pressed my hands to my chest, as if holding my resolve close could give me courage. The elders continued their argument, their voices sharp, full of threats and ultimatums. Axel’s replies were calm, precise, but I could sense the fire simmering beneath each word, the quiet refusal to bend, the determination that nothing would shake him.

I could almost imagine him standing there, shoulders squared, eyes like steel, refusing to bow to anyone. And something stirred in me, a warmth, a protective instinct I didn’t even realize I had.

I had seen him at his calmest and his fiercest. And both sides of him were awe-inspiring. Both sides deserved respect. Both sides deserved loyalty.

I straightened slightly, letting my resolve harden. I wouldn’t hide anymore. Not just because I was afraid, not just because I had been broken. I would step forward. I would stand with him. Not as a shield, not as someone to protect him, but as someone who had seen what he carried and wanted to share the burden.

And maybe, just maybe, it could make a difference.

I pressed myself closer to the door, straining to hear more. Axel’s voice rose slightly, firm and commanding, unwavering despite the elders’ pressure.

“…I will not force the pack’s faith through fear or tradition. I will lead, as Alpha, without bending to politics or expectation. Let anyone try to challenge that.”

There was a tense silence after that, punctuated by the faint rustle of robes, the shifting of feet. I could hear the elders exchanging quiet murmurs, calculating, questioning. And I knew this was the first battle of many.

But I no longer felt powerless.

I would be by his side, not because the pack demanded it, not because tradition dictated it, but because he had saved me, trusted me, and given me something I hadn’t felt in years: hope.

I pressed my hand against my lips, whispering silently to myself, I will stand with you. I’ll be there. Not as anyone else’s pawn, but as someone who belongs beside you. Someone who will help you carry the weight.

And in the quiet of the shadows, listening to the pack’s whispers and Axel’s defiance, I made a promise I would never break: I would do my part. And I would make sure he never had to bear this alone.