Chapter 114: Into the Firelight

The moon hung low in the ink-black sky, casting a silvery glow across the treetops. Campfires flickered like scattered stars in the clearing below, but none of their warmth reached Serena as she stood at the edge of it all, her arms folded tightly over her chest.

The distant howls of rogue wolves echoed like broken songs in the wind, and even though they’d returned safely from the raid, Serena’s heart wouldn’t settle.

Elias was pacing. Again.

She watched him from a distance—his cloak trailing behind him like a shadow, boots grinding against the dirt, frustration radiating from his rigid form. Since they returned hours ago, he’d barely spoken. Not even to her.

“Elias,” Serena called softly.

He didn’t stop.

“You’re going to dig a trench into the ground if you keep pacing like that.”

Still, he didn’t stop.

Serena walked toward him, stopping when she was just a foot away. “Elias.”

Finally, he looked at her. His face was hard to read in the low light, but his jaw was clenched and his dark eyes—usually sharp with focus—were rimmed with exhaustion.

“We lost two tonight,” he said, voice low and rough. “Kara and Brynn.”

Serena felt the punch of grief at the names. She closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing the pain. “We saved ten others. Including those children.”

Elias let out a sharp breath, somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. “And how long until we lose ten more?”

Serena reached out, placing a steadying hand on his arm. “You’re not responsible for every life, Elias.”

His voice dropped to a near whisper. “But I feel like I should be.”

“You’re not the Alpha King yet,” she said gently. “Even if you act like one.”

That made him stop. He turned to her more fully, and the firelight caught the edge of his face—his cheekbone bruised, his lip cut, dried blood tracing his temple. His eyes, though, were raw.

“You’ve changed,” he murmured. “Since the first night we met.”

“So have you.”

Elias looked away. “Back then, I still believed this war could be won without becoming a monster.”

Serena frowned. “You’re not a monster.”

“No?” He raised a brow. “I’ve killed more men than I can count. I make decisions that cost people their lives. Sometimes I have to choose which pack lives... and which one burns.”

She stepped closer. “But you do it to protect the rest of us. I’ve seen what real monsters look like—Theron, Marcus, even my own father at times. You’re nothing like them.”

The mention of Theron made Elias stiffen, but he said nothing. Instead, he stared into her eyes, his expression unreadable.

“You believe in me,” he said quietly.

“I do.”

“Even after I pushed you away?”

“Especially after that,” she replied with a small smile. “You’re only human, Elias. Even if you’re not entirely one.”

He chuckled dryly. “Gods, what would I do without you?”

Serena didn’t answer. Instead, she reached up, brushing a lock of hair away from his brow, her fingers lingering a little too long. Their eyes held, and something shifted in the air between them—heavier, warmer, deeper.

“I missed you,” he said, voice rough with restraint.

“I’m right here.”

Elias leaned in, slowly, like he was waiting for her to stop him. But she didn’t. And when his lips met hers, it wasn’t gentle—it was desperate.

Serena melted into the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck, her body pulling close to his. The fire behind them crackled, casting shadows that danced across their skin as they clung to each other. She could feel every inch of him—the tension in his shoulders, the hunger in his kiss, the storm in his soul.

When they finally broke apart, breathless, Elias rested his forehead against hers.

“I can’t lose you,” he whispered.

“You won’t,” Serena promised.

But their moment was short-lived.

A sharp rustle in the trees behind them made Elias whip around, pulling Serena protectively behind him. His hand went to the blade at his waist just as a familiar voice called out.

“Relax,” Theron said, stepping into the clearing. “It’s just me.”

Serena pulled back from Elias quickly, smoothing her hair and trying not to look guilty. Theron’s eyes flickered between them, his face unreadable.

“You two should get back,” he said, voice clipped. “We’ve got movement on the eastern ridge. Scouts found tracks—fresh ones.”

Elias nodded. “Human?”

“Too light for rogues. Too quiet for wolves. Whoever it is, they’re watching us.”

Serena’s mind raced. “It could be one of Marcus’s spies.”

“Or worse,” Theron muttered. “One of the king’s shadows.”

Elias turned to Serena. “Get your weapons.”

She didn’t hesitate.

As the three of them moved into the forest, the tension was palpable—not just from the threat looming beyond the trees, but from the kiss still lingering on Serena’s lips.

Behind her, Elias walked in silence.

Beside her, Theron’s eyes never left her.

And ahead of them, the darkness waited, hungry for war.