Se connecterElliott's POV I ran a hand over my hair, flattening it a final time before I considered myself ready. The dark tunic felt good against my skin, tailored perfectly, and the sturdy trousers were comfortable. I’d taken extra care, I admitted that to myself. I tried to convince myself it was because I wanted to feel sharp, look good, not because Reylap would be accompanying me. Just for me, I thought, but the words felt hollow even in my own head.A knock sounded at the door. “Alpha Elliott? Are you ready?” It was Mark, his voice a low rumble.“Almost,” I called back, straightening my shoulders. I caught my reflection in the polished surface of the dresser. Not bad.Mark stepped in, his gaze raking over me. A slight frown creased his brow before he masked it. “Is everything alright, Alpha?”“Perfectly. Just… getting ready.” I tried to sound casual.He nodded, but his eyes narrowed slightly. “Reylap will be joining us, I hear?”“She will,” I confirmed, a little too quickly.Mark’s lips th
Reylap's POV His touch, the soft press of his hand against mine, sent a jolt through me that had nothing to do with the day’s chaos. My wolf stirred, a deep, resonant hum in my bones, pulling me harder towards him, towards the warmth that radiated from his presence. For a fleeting moment, the weight of the accusations, the cold stares, the whispered words, all faded. All that existed was Elliott, his eyes, dark and reassuring, on mine. I lingered, caught in the unexpected comfort, my heart fluttering like a bird trapped in a cage, desperate to take flight. Then, the real world crashed back in. This wasn’t the time for tenderness. I pulled my hand away, a quick, jerky motion, and mumbled a hasty goodbye, hurrying out of the great hall before I could lose myself completely in his gaze.I needed to clear my head, and packing my sparse belongings seemed like the only logical next step. My new room, away from Elliott’s quarters, felt like a safe haven even though I hadn’t even reached it
Reylap's POV His hand felt warm, so much warmer than I expected, and the gentle press of his thumb on my knuckles sent a strange shiver down my arm. My wolf, usually a reserved presence, surged forward, a soft purr vibrating deep in my chest. For a moment, suspended in that tender touch, the chaos of the stolen heirloom, the accusations, and Syrn’s venom faded. It was just us, an unexpected lull before the storm. But the storm wasn't over. I pulled my hand away, the warmth lingering long after the contact broke, and hurried back to the shared quarters.My new room. Right. I still had to pack the meager belongings from the temporary dwelling I shared with others. The communal area was mostly empty now, the earlier drama having dispersed everyone. As I gathered the few things that were mine, a small voice piped up.“Reylap?”I turned. A girl, tiny, with wide, anxious eyes, stood a few feet away. I hadn’t noticed her before today. Navine, I recalled her name now. She was one of the youn
Elliott's POV I looked at the gathered faces, a knot tightening in my stomach. The air in the compound was thick with suspicion, every eye darting between Reylap and me. My stolen family heirloom, the moonstone necklace, had ignited a wildfire of accusations, and Reylap, as usual, was at the center of the storm. It wasn't fair, but I knew the pack resented her, mostly because I favored her. My wolf gnawing at my insides, a deep, insistent feeling that she was innocent. *Don't listen to Tilda*, my instincts screamed."Alpha," Tilda began, stepping forward, her hands clasped tightly in front of her apron. "I saw Reylap near your chambers yesterday. She looked… furtive."A low murmur rippled through the crowd. I met Tilda’s gaze, my voice calm despite the tremor in my chest. "Furtive? Tilda, did you bother to check if Reylap actually took anything? Or are you just assuming because it's convenient?" I paused, letting the implication hang in the air. "Or perhaps you were hiding something
Elliott's POVThe murmurs swelled through the courtyard, a low, buzzing hive of whispers and judgmental glances. I glared out at the gathered pack members, my chest tight with a rising storm. "Silence!" My voice ripped through the air, sharp as a whip-crack. The sound died instantly, replaced by a suffocating quiet. Every eye was on Reylap, who stood beside me, her shoulders hunched, tears shimmering in her eyes. My wolf snarled. _She’s innocent. Don’t do this, Elliott. Don’t let them do this to her._My gaze softened as I turned to Reylap, ignoring the pressing weight of every person in the courtyard. "Reylap," I began, my voice low, just as I had in my study only moments ago. "Tell them."She looked up, her eyes wide and glistening. "I told you, Alpha," she started, her voice barely a whisper, but clear enough for all to hear in the sudden stillness. "I was with the others. Camille… she was convulsing. I was helping Madame Ana soothe her. All of us were there, for what felt like
Reylap's POV“No, no, no!” Eliott’s voice boomed, rattling the very air in the room. He yanked open the top drawer of his bedside table, a rough, impatient motion that made the wood groan. He didn’t just open it; he overturned it, sending a cascade of cufflinks, loose change, and what looked like old notes scattering across the polished floor. My breath hitched. He was furious. “It’s not here! It’s not here! Where is it?”My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. “Eliott, what… what are you looking for?”He didn't even look at me, his eyes wide and wild, scanning the room as if the answer might suddenly materialize on the ceiling. He moved to the next drawer, tearing it open with similar aggression, tossing aside stacks of folded shirts. “The necklace! My grandmother’s necklace! It’s gone!”“Gone?” The word was a whisper, a scared little thing in the sudden, vast silence of the ransacked room.He spun on me, his gaze sharp, accusing. “When was the last ti
Reylap's POV“State your business!”The guard’s voice rang out through the drizzle just as I stepped up to the gates of Dark Moors Pack, and for a second, I genuinely thought he was joking.I stood there dripping from a miserable six-hour ride, mud clinging to the hem of my coat while my medical ba
Elliott's POV The stale air of the council chambers still clung to me, a heavy scent of old wood and older disagreements. I’d spent the last three hours fending off probing questions, their eyes sharp, their mouths twisting around the word “rogue” like it was a curse. *Why did I house her? Why did
Reylap's POV The scent of roasting meat and simmering herbs hung heavy in the kitchen, a welcome distraction from the persistent knot of anxiety in my stomach. Anna, the head maid, a wiry woman with eyes that missed nothing, had just finished her morning rounds. I kept my head down, focusing on
Elliott's POVI let the muttering fill the air, a low, dangerous hum that grated against my nerves. My jaw was locked so tight I felt the ache all the way to my ears. They talked in whispers, in hushed, cruel tones, but every word clawed at me. “Rogue.” “Danger.” “Outsider.” All aimed at her. All







