Chapter 4

Elara

The walls rise like jagged teeth against the dawn sky.

I’ve never seen anything like them—tall, dark stone fortifications stretching as far as I can see, bristling with guards and torches that burn even in the daylight. My breath catches as we approach, awe and dread tangling in my chest.

This is Ironhide territory.

This is my new prison.

Behind me, the steady thrum of hooves and padded steps of wolves keeps time with my heartbeat. Kael rides ahead of the group, a dark, imposing figure that looks carved from the same stone as his stronghold. Even his horse moves differently—disciplined, controlled, utterly in sync with its master.

I keep my head down, partly to avoid the sharp gaze of his warriors, partly because every time I lift it, I feel like I’m suffocating under the weight of what’s coming.

The journey here was grueling. Hours of cold wind biting at my face, my body stiff from being tied to the saddle. My wrists are raw beneath the rope, my legs trembling so badly I can barely sit upright.

But worse than the physical pain is the silence.

Kael rarely spoke. His men didn’t either, unless to issue short, clipped orders.

In Bloodfang, silence always meant danger, punishment lurking just out of sight. Here, it feels… heavier. The quiet of predators who don’t need to announce themselves.

As the gates creak open, I can’t help but flinch. The guards on the walls glance down, their expressions blank, unreadable. None of them look surprised to see me tied and bound. I wonder how many females before me have passed through these gates like this—traded, claimed, bound.

How many never came out again?

Inside, the stronghold is even more intimidating. Stone buildings rise in sharp lines, their roofs pitched steeply to shed snow. Warriors move with purpose, their expressions hard, their bodies scarred. Even the few women and children I glimpse seem wary and fierce, a stark contrast to the beaten-down omegas I grew up with.

I feel small here. Smaller than I’ve ever felt.

The horses halt in a wide courtyard. Kael dismounts first, his movements fluid, efficient. One of his warriors moves to untie me, but Kael stops him with a raised hand.

“I’ll do it,” he says, voice flat but final.

The warrior bows his head and steps back.

Kael approaches me, his shadow falling over me like a cloak. My breath hitches, my pulse wild in my throat. I can’t meet his gaze, so I stare at the ground, waiting.

His fingers brush my wrists as he loosens the knots. Even through the roughness of his touch, I can feel the heat of his skin. It’s unsettling. When the ropes fall away, I rub my raw wrists, grateful for even that small freedom.

“You will walk beside me,” he says, not looking at me. “Do not lag behind.”

My mouth is dry. “Yes, Alpha.”

He strides forward, and I hurry to keep pace. My legs are unsteady, and more than once I stumble, catching myself at the last moment. Kael never looks back, but I can feel his awareness on me, sharp and constant.

The stares of his pack burn hotter than the sun. Everywhere I look, there are eyes—curious, suspicious, hostile. Whispers ripple through the crowd, words I can’t make out but don’t need to. I know what they’re saying.

Wolfless.

Why her?

She’s nothing.

The same words I’ve heard all my life, but somehow heavier here, in this place where strength is everything.

We reach a set of massive double doors leading into what must be the main hall. Two guards swing them open, revealing a cavernous space lit by flickering torches. The air smells of smoke and leather and something wild beneath it all—wolf, strength, dominance.

Kael leads me to the center of the room and stops. He doesn’t turn to face me, but his voice carries easily through the hall.

“This is Elara,” he announces, each word precise and cutting. “She comes to us as part of an agreement with Bloodfang. She is under my protection.”

The reaction is immediate—a low, rolling growl ripples through the gathered wolves. Some faces twist with anger, others with confusion. A few glance at me with open contempt.

Under his protection.

The words should bring relief. Instead, they feel like a collar tightening around my throat.

One man steps forward, his shoulders broad, his expression hard. “Alpha,” he says, his voice edged with challenge. “She’s wolfless. What use is she to us?”

The hall goes deathly silent. My breath freezes in my lungs.

Kael turns his head slowly, gray eyes like sharpened ice. “Do you question me, Roran?”

The warrior hesitates, then bows slightly. “No, Alpha. I simply… wish to understand.”

“You will understand in time,” Kael replies, his tone final, dangerous. “Until then, you will follow my orders. As will everyone here.”

The weight of his authority slams through the hall like a physical force. Even I feel it, my knees going weak. The murmurs die instantly.

Kael gestures to a woman standing near the edge of the hall. She’s tall, with sharp features and eyes like polished amber. “Leira, see to her needs. She will stay in the omega quarters, but separate from the others.”

Leira inclines her head. “Yes, Alpha.”

Separate.

The word chills me.

At Bloodfang, I’d always been shoved in with the others, treated like a burden. Here, they won’t even let me share their space. It’s both a relief and a threat.

Kael’s gaze flicks to me. “You will obey Leira’s instructions. Fail to do so, and you answer to me.”

I nod quickly. “Yes, Alpha.”

For a moment, something unreadable flickers in his expression. Then it’s gone, replaced by cold command.

“Take her.”

Leira gestures for me to follow. I go, my steps small and hesitant. As we leave the hall, I glance back over my shoulder.

Kael stands where I left him, tall and unyielding, his eyes on me like a shadow I can’t escape.

For the first time, it truly sinks in:

I am no longer Bloodfang’s slave.

I am Kael’s.

And I have no idea which fate is worse.