chapter nine

The Alpha's estate was filled with the sound of celebration. Music.

Laughter.

Applause.

Even our house's quietest areas, it faintly reverberated, reminding everyone that tonight was significant. Tonight, the pack celebrated its Alpha and Luna's mating

Elsie sat motionless by her window. She could make out the distant glow of the courtyard's lanterns from her position. Shadows of dancing figures flickered against the walls, and every now and then, a cheer would rise into the night air.

Sara and Edward. Their kingship. They celebrated their union. The entire pack was gathered for them.

Also, she...

She was not expected. Or maybe she had. Elsie was unable to recall. It made no difference. She had no place there.

Before slowly getting up, she slightly clenched her fingers against the windowsill. It felt like the room was too small. Too silent. Too still.

Too empty.

She slipped out of her room and into the dimly lit hallway without thinking. The house was nearly deserted, everyone having gone to witness the celebration.

For once, no one stopped her.

No one noticed her leaving.

The night air greeted her the moment she stepped outside.

Cool.

Gentle.

Free.

As if she had forgotten to taste something, Elsie inhaled slowly. Her feet then began to move without a clear destination in mind. Past the estate.

beyond the celebration lights' outer edge. into the territory's quieter, darker areas. The distant music became softer as she walked, eventually diminishing to a faint echo behind her. And then—

Silence.

True silence. When the familiar sound of flowing water reached her ears, she did not realize where she was going. The water. As the trees parted, Elsie slowed down to a stop, revealing the tranquil stretch of water that sparkled in the moonlight. The surface shimmered softly, reflecting the sky above like a mirror.

For a moment, she simply stood there.

Then she stepped closer.

This area... A small, almost invisible smile touched her lips.

She softly whispered, "I forgot." The riverbank had always been her place.

Her flight. When she was younger, she used to come here after the shifting ceremony. Following that day. Everything changed that day. the day that everyone realized she was unable to shift. Elsie’s chest tightened slightly as the memory resurfaced.

The confusion.

The mumbles. Their look of disappointment. While others celebrated their first transformation, she had stood there… unchanged.

Broken.

Different.

Cursed.

And when it became insufficient— She fled. Here.

To this exact spot.

She would spend hours sitting by the river, hiding from the outside world and acting as though it didn't matter. that she was uninterested. When she looked around, her gaze became softer. She murmured, "I haven't been here in so long..." because the whispers eventually stopped. It was no longer talked about. ceased looking at her as if something was wrong with her. And gradually— She no longer came here. As if avoiding the place would erase the memory.

Elsie sat down on a smooth rock near the water's edge and surveyed her reflection while bringing her knees a little closer together. The first time in several days... She had a sensation. Not pain.

not nothingness. Just… quiet.

A moment where nothing was expected of her.

Where she didn’t have to pretend.

But now— A sound.

Soft.

Subtle.

A rustle from the bushes behind her.

Elsie froze.

Her pulse sped up. Slowly, she turned her head, her gaze narrowing slightly as she listened.

Again, there it was. Movement.

Something—or someone—was there.

For a moment, instinct told her to leave.

to run away. But something else stirred inside her.

Not her wolf.

That remained silent. But there's more to it. Curiosity.

Caution.

Elsie rose slowly to her feet, her movements quiet as she stepped toward the source of the sound.

I felt like I was taking too many steps at once. It seemed like the night was holding its breath. She then carefully removed the branches. And ceased. Her breath caught.

In the silver moonlight, just beyond the clearing, stood— Was a man.

Completely still.

Completely… exposed.

Naked.

However, that was not what took her breath away. He was it. He was—

Gorgeous.

There was no other word for it.

He was tall and had a body that looked like it had been sculpted from stone, with every muscle and line clearly visible beneath his skin. His quiet, effortless power was carried by his broad shoulders and sturdy frame. His visage— Sharp.

Striking.

a jawline that was clearly defined, high cheekbones, and features that had both strength and beauty that were almost dangerous. But it was his eyes that held her.

Silver.

Not grey.

Not blue.

Silver.

They shimmered faintly in the moonlight, unnatural and captivating, like something not entirely human.

Not entirely wolf.

Elsie’s breath hitched softly.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Neither of them spoke.

The world seemed to fall away, leaving only the two of them standing there beneath the moon.

And for the first time in what felt like forever—

Elsie felt something shift inside her.

Not her wolf.

However, something equally potent. Something awakening.