Chapter Eleven

Almost Home

Aurelia’s POV

By the beginning of the second month, I had learned how to walk without thinking about it. That alone felt like a miracle.

My body was still weaker than it had been before the attack, but the pain no longer controlled every movement. The scars remained, pale reminders of a night I wished I could forget, but at least they no longer kept me in bed.

I was finally free to leave.

Or so I thought.

“You’ll need another few days.”

I stared at the healer. “Why?”

“Because you’re still not completely recovered.”

“I’m strong enough to walk.”

“Walking isn’t the only thing you’ll need to do.”

“I can manage.” I have wasted too much time here. I have to go home.

She sighed. “You’ve been saying that for weeks.”

“And I’ve been right.”

She gave me a look.

I smiled despite myself. For the first time in weeks, something felt almost normal. I had spent so long measuring my life by how much pain I could endure that I had forgotten what it felt like to simply be stubborn.

I returned to my room and found a folded set of clothes waiting on the bed. Most of it was bought by Lucien. Beside them was a small bag.

My eyes widened.

I recognized it immediately.

Mine.

My fingers trembled as I opened it. Most of my things were gone. But someone had managed to save a few pieces. My necklace, my small silver bracelet, and the ribbon Cassian had given me years ago.

There was a letter beside the bag.

I had some people look back to the eastern border where we saw you. They gave that to me. I believe those were your belongings.

-Luc

He did that?

I felt something warm in my heart but I quickly brushed it off and stared at the ribbon Cassian had given me. I touched it carefully.

The memory came instantly.

His smile. His hand tying the ribbon around my wrist. His voice teasing me because I had complained that he had tied it too tightly.

I smiled.

But then the smile faded.

I held the ribbon against my chest. “I’ll see you soon.”

The words felt almost like a promise. And this time, I believed it.

After some time, I’ve decided to pack my things, including the ones I almost lost. Since the healer didn’t stop me anymore, I’ve made up my mind. I’m leaving tomorrow.

I have to inform Lucien.

It seemed like he could somehow read my mind because I saw him standing outside when I left the room.

He looked at the bag in my hand.

“You’re leaving.”

“I am.”

He nodded. No surprise and no argument. “Where will you go?”

“Silvercrest.”

He was quiet. “I thought so.”

I frowned. “Is that a problem?”

“No.”

“Then why do you look like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re expecting something.” It kind of makes me feel bad, but I didn’t show him that.

He looked away. “I’m not.”

I didn’t believe him but I didn’t press. It’s useless anyway. He had always been difficult to read. During the past month, he’d become a familiar presence without ever becoming familiar himself.

He rarely spoke more than necessary. He never asked questions I didn’t want to answer. And whenever I pushed myself too hard, he was always somehow nearby.

I had never thanked him. Not properly, but…maybe I should have.

I looked at him. “Thank you.”

His eyes returned to mine. “For what?”

I shrugged. “Everything.” He’s basically the reason I was still alive. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be able to go back to my pack. To Cassian.

He studied me for a moment, then he simply nodded.

“You’re welcome.”

That was it.

No dramatic goodbye and no promises. I almost felt disappointed. Then I realized why.

Somewhere along the way, his presence had become part of my recovery. Not important enough to replace what I had lost. But familiar enough to notice when it wasn’t there.

I shook the thought away.

I was going home. That was all that mattered.

The next morning, I woke up before sunrise.

I barely slept. I was too anxious for today. I didn’t know if I was excited or nervous. Every nerve in my body was shaking.

My bag was packed beside the bed. My clothes were ready. I had spent half the night imagining Silvercrest.

I wondered what it would look like.

Would the packhouse still be standing? Would they have rebuilt the village? Would everyone recognize me? Would Cassian—

I stopped myself.

I didn’t know what would happen. But I knew what I wanted. I wanted to see him. I wanted answers. And maybe…I wanted him to tell me that everything I’d been told was a lie.

That he had searched for me. That he had never stopped. And that the moment he learned I was alive, he would come running.

The thought made my heart ache, but it also gave me courage.

I left my room shortly after sunrise. I wasn’t even surprised when I saw that Lucien was already waiting near the entrance.

“You shouldn’t travel alone.”

“I won’t.” I agreed.

He raised an eyebrow like it was new for me to agree to him. He spoke again.

“I have people who can take you.”

I hesitated. “Your people?”

“Yes.” I didn’t like the idea.

He noticed. “You don’t trust us.” It wasn’t a question.

“No.” For the second time, I agreed with him.

He nodded. “Fair.”

I looked at him. “You aren’t offended?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Trust isn’t something you owe me.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.

He stepped aside and I saw that a horse was waiting beyond the entrance.

I stared at it.

“You’ve arranged everything?”

“Yes.”

My eyes squinted in realization. “You were planning to send me home.”

“Once you are ready, yes.”

Something about those words made me pause. He had been preparing for this. He knew I would leave, and perhaps he’d always known.

I looked at him. “You never tried to stop me.”

“No.”

“Why?”

His expression was unreadable. “Because you wanted to go.”

Simple.

I lowered my gaze. For some reason, that answer stayed with me.

I climbed onto the horse. My legs were still weak, but I managed.

Lucien stood below.

I looked at him one last time. “I’ll repay you someday.” That was a promise I will soon fulfill…more than either of us know at that time.

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“I still will.”

He gave a faint nod, his expression unreadable. “Then stay alive.”

I smiled. “I will.”

I turned the horse toward the road. The forest stretched ahead of me and beyond it was Silvercrest.

My home. My family. Cassian.

My heart beat faster.

I was finally going back.

*****

The journey took longer than I expected.

My body wasn’t as strong as I thought. We had to stop several times because I needed a break or else every effort I made to recover would be wasted.

But still, I hated every pause. Every minute away from Silvercrest felt wasted.

I wanted to get there. I needed to know.

As the sun began to set, the familiar mountains appeared in the distance.

My breath caught.

Silvercrest.

I knew those mountains. I had grown up beneath them. I stared at them until my eyes burned. Home.

I was almost home.

But then, I noticed something strange. There were more guards along the road than I remembered.

New banners hung from the trees. Black and silver.

They weren’t the banners of my pack.

My heart began to pound. “What happened here?”

The man riding beside me didn’t answer immediately. Then…

“Things changed.”

“What things?”

He looked at me like he knew something I didn’t. Something big.

“You’ll see.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. Still, I pushed forward. The closer we came, the more unfamiliar everything looked.

New buildings stood where old ones had been. The village had been rebuilt. But it wasn’t the same. It felt like I was returning to a place that had moved on without me.

I held onto my necklace.

Maybe that was why I felt uneasy. Maybe home was never going to look the same again.

But I still had Cassian.

Didn’t I?

That thought kept me moving until we reached the outer settlement. I instantly heard voices ahead. Two women were talking beside the road.

I wasn’t paying attention at first, then one of them laughed.

“Can you believe the Luna ceremony is only a few weeks away?”

My horse slowed beneath me.

I froze.

The second woman smiled. “I know. After everything Alpha Cassian has been through, he deserves someone by his side.”

My fingers tightened around the reins.

Alpha Cassian. Luna ceremony.

The words didn’t make sense together. My heart began beating faster.

The first woman continued. “She’s beautiful, too. The perfect Luna.”

I stared at them.

My mouth went dry.

I wanted to believe I had heard wrong. Maybe they were talking about another pack. Another Alpha. Another Luna.

But then the second woman said his name again.

“Alpha Cassian is lucky to have found her.”

The world went silent. My fingers went numb.

I couldn’t breathe.

For two months, I had imagined returning to him. For two months, I had fought through pain because I believed he was waiting. For two months, I had told myself there had to be an explanation. And now…

There was someone else.

I looked toward the mountains. Silvercrest stood beyond them. My home. The place I had spent two months dreaming of returning to.

Suddenly, I wasn’t sure I belonged there anymore.

I looked down at the ribbon around my wrist. The one Cassian gave.

My vision blurred.

I whispered his name. “Cassian.”

But this time…it wasn’t filled with hope. It was a question…and something more. Something that even I wasn’t prepared to handle.

And for the first time since the night of the Blood Moon…

I felt a new sense of emotion surging through me. Not excitement. Not happiness. Not hope.

I felt…betrayed.