Chapter 7

Elara

The first rays of sunlight spill through the barred window, dragging me from a restless sleep.

For a moment, I forget where I am. The stone walls, the blanket clutched tightly around me—it’s unfamiliar. It doesn’t smell like Bloodfang. The usual stench of unwashed bodies and old straw is gone, replaced by clean wood smoke and something wild beneath it all, something sharp and electric.

Then I remember.

Ironhide.

Kael.

My new prison.

A sharp knock rattles the door.

Before I can answer, it swings open and Leira strides in, her amber eyes assessing me like I’m a problem she hasn’t decided how to solve yet.

“Up,” she says briskly. “You’re late.”

I scramble out of bed, my feet hitting the cold stone floor. “I—I didn’t know—”

“Now you do.” Her tone cuts off my protest. She tosses a folded garment onto the bed. “Wear that. You’ll be working with the other omegas this morning.”

I pick up the clothing. It’s simple but clean: a gray tunic, dark trousers, and sturdy boots. It’s practical, far better than the threadbare rags Garrick’s pack forced me to wear. Still, as I change, I can’t help but feel like I’m donning armor for a battle I don’t understand.

Leira waits impatiently, then gestures for me to follow. “Stay close and stay quiet. Eyes down unless spoken to.”

I nod quickly. “Yes, ma’am.”

Her lips twitch, almost like she’s amused. “Ma’am? Interesting. You’ll last longer here if you drop the meekness. Respect is good, fear is better—but never grovel. They’ll tear you apart if you do.”

Her words rattle around in my head as we step into the crisp morning air.

The courtyard bustles with activity. Warriors spar in a ring to one side, their bodies moving with a fluid strength that makes my breath catch. Others carry crates, sharpen weapons, or prepare for patrols. Even the children play with a sort of rough confidence, darting between adults who watch with sharp, protective eyes.

Everything here feels… alive. Fierce.

So unlike Bloodfang, where everyone slouched under Garrick’s oppressive rule, too beaten down to truly live.

But the moment they notice me, the mood shifts.

Conversations falter. Movements still.

One by one, eyes turn toward me—assessing, suspicious, some openly hostile.

My pulse spikes, and I fight the urge to shrink behind Leira. I remember her warning from last night: Never forget who you belong to.

Kael’s name sits heavy on my tongue, a fragile shield I’m terrified to use.

Leira notices the stares and bares her teeth in a sharp, warning smile. “Back to work,” she snaps. “The Alpha’s orders stand.”

Reluctantly, they obey, though not without lingering looks that make my skin crawl.

“Don’t look at them,” Leira murmurs as she leads me toward a long, low building near the outer wall. “You give them power when you acknowledge it.”

Inside, the building is warm and bustling. Omegas move about with practiced efficiency, preparing food, mending clothing, tending to supplies.

I freeze in the doorway, staring.

They don’t cower. They don’t flinch. They laugh and argue and move with purpose.

Nothing like Bloodfang.

Leira notices my shock and gives a small, sharp nod. “Here, omegas have value. We work, we serve, and in return, we are protected. The Alpha enforces that law.”

Protected. The word feels foreign on my tongue.

She claps her hands, drawing attention. “This is Elara,” she announces. “The Alpha brought her in personally. She’ll be under my supervision for now.”

The room falls silent. Dozens of eyes turn to me. Some curious. Some cold.

A tall, broad-shouldered omega with cropped dark hair snorts. “Wolfless, huh?” His tone drips disdain. “Figures.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks. I open my mouth to respond, but Leira cuts in smoothly. “Figures you’d talk before thinking, Joran. The Alpha’s orders are clear. You got a problem with her, you got a problem with him.”

The man glares, but he says nothing more.

“Good,” Leira says crisply. “Elara, you’ll start with simple tasks. Cleaning, sorting, serving. We’ll see what skills you have before moving you to anything specialized.”

I nod quickly. “Yes.”

The morning passes in a blur of work. The tasks themselves are easy enough—washing vegetables, scrubbing tables, carrying water—but the stares never stop. I can feel the other omegas’ eyes on me, hear their whispers when they think I’m not listening.

Wolfless.

Why would the Alpha bring her here?

She’s a burden. A danger.

By midday, my hands are raw, my muscles aching. Still, there’s a strange pride in the exhaustion. At Bloodfang, my labor was meaningless, a punishment meant only to break me. Here, even if they hate me, at least my work serves a purpose.

Leira calls me over as we’re preparing the midday meal. “You’ll take this to the Alpha,” she says, handing me a covered tray. “And mind your tongue. Speak only if spoken to.”

My stomach flips. “Me? Alone?”

Her amber eyes narrow. “Do you want to make him think you can’t handle a simple task?”

“No,” I whisper.

“Then go.”

I carry the tray carefully, my heart pounding louder with every step toward the massive hall. Two guards stand at the doors, their expressions blank. They let me pass without a word, but I feel their eyes following me all the way inside.

Kael sits at the head of a long wooden table, alone. A map is spread before him, weighted down by daggers. He looks up as I approach, and for a moment, those cold gray eyes seem to pin me in place.

“Set it there,” he says, his voice even, controlled.

I place the tray in front of him, my hands trembling slightly. He notices—of course he notices—but says nothing.

“Leira supervising you well?” he asks without looking up from his map.

“Yes, Alpha,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.

His gaze lifts, sharp and piercing. “Speak louder. I do not tolerate fear in my hall.”

I swallow hard and force my voice steadier. “Yes, Alpha.”

For a heartbeat, something flickers in his expression. Approval? Amusement? I can’t tell. Then it’s gone, replaced by cold command.

“Good. Go back to your duties.”

I turn to leave, relief flooding me—only to freeze as the doors slam open.

A warrior strides in, breathing hard. “Alpha, we found signs of rogues near the southern border.”

Kael rises to his full height, and for the first time, I see him fully as Alpha. His presence fills the hall like a storm, electric and terrifying.

“Gather the war party,” he orders. “No one crosses our borders unchallenged.”

The warrior bows and rushes off.

Kael’s gaze flicks to me. “Go with Leira. Stay inside the walls. Do not disobey me.”

I nod quickly, but my legs barely work as I flee the hall.

Outside, the pack is already in motion—warriors arming themselves, omegas rushing to secure supplies, children being ushered to safety. It’s chaos, but it’s organized, efficient.

And at the center of it all is Kael, commanding his pack with unshakable authority.

I’ve never seen power like his before.

And for the first time, I wonder if maybe… just maybe… I’m safer here than I ever was with Bloodfang.

If only I could ignore the way my pulse races whenever his gray eyes find mine.