Elara 6

The faint sound of approaching footsteps and hushed voices slowly stirred Elara awake.

She was still in the same position as the night before—curled up on the pile of dry straw, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees.

There was no one else inside the cell, yet the muffled voices continued to drift toward her.

When Elara lifted her head, she realized they were coming through the small opening near the top of the wall.

Morning had arrived.

A thin beam of sunlight had begun to filter through the opening, casting a faint glow across the dim cell.

Click!

The sound of the door latch sliding open drew her attention again.

The man who had stood beside Gareth the previous night—if Elara remembered correctly—walked in carrying a tray with a steaming bowl of soup, a cup of water, and a thick piece of bread.

Without saying a word, he set the tray down on the stone floor.

Cole watched Elara, who remained frozen in the corner.

While asleep, she looked so peaceful and fragile.

But the moment she woke, she transformed into something else entirely—a frightened stray cat, tense and ready to bolt at the slightest movement.

“Your breakfast,” Cole said curtly.

Elara didn’t move an inch.

“You don’t want it?”

“Are… are you the wolf who saved me that night?” Elara whispered hesitantly.

Cole didn’t answer.

He simply leaned his back against the iron bars, folded his arms across his chest, and kept his eyes fixed on her.

His index finger tapped rhythmically against his arm—a sharp little gesture that made it clear his patience was wearing thin.

“You’re not going to eat?” Cole asked again, impatience creeping into his voice.

He was annoyed.

Gareth had ordered him to bring the girl food and make sure she finished it before he returned. It was hardly a Beta’s favorite assignment, but the Alpha’s orders were absolute.

Besides, Cole still couldn’t shake his suspicion of the girl.

Elara only stared warily at the tray.

It wasn't that she wasn't hungry.

Her stomach was practically begging for food.

But trauma had taught her to question everything.

What if there’s poison in it? Or some kind of sedative?

“If we wanted you dead, we wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of bringing you here and having a healer treat your injuries for the past few days,” Cole said coldly.

Elara lowered her gaze, examining her hands and feet.

The bruises on her skin had already faded considerably, her cuts had begun to heal, and the faint, distinctive scent of herbal ointment lingered on her skin.

She hadn’t noticed any of it the night before. Her mind had been far too consumed by panic.

“Thank you…” Elara murmured sincerely.

The words were meant for both the warm food and the medical care they had given her.

She crawled toward the tray, wincing slightly when a sharp pain shot through her still-swollen ankle.

The clay bowl felt warm against her palms, its heat slowly spreading into her chest.

Elara took a cautious sip of the soup, letting the broth soothe her parched throat.

Then her ravenous hunger surged to the surface.

Before she knew it, she had devoured everything on the tray.

But the moment she placed the empty bowl back down, Elara nearly choked.

Alpha Gareth was standing in the doorway of the cell.

His icy blue eyes were fixed on her, somehow more intimidating than they had been the night before.

“A-Alpha…” Elara whispered, fear tightening her voice.

Cole turned as well, seemingly only now realizing that their Alpha had arrived.

Gareth stepped into the cell.

His gaze shifted toward Cole, a silent command for his Beta to leave.

Cole hesitated for a moment, but eventually picked up the empty tray and walked out, leaving Gareth and Elara alone inside the confines of the cell.

“Elara Moon, granddaughter of Magnus Calloway…”

Gareth unrolled the parchment in his hand and held it out before her.

“Is the name written on this notice yours?”

The parchment listed Elara’s physical description, the crimes she had been accused of, and the staggering reward offered to anyone who brought her back alive.

“Poisoning the Betas and Omegas of your own pack, as well as stealing your master’s property…” Gareth’s eyes narrowed. “Aren’t these serious offenses? At the very least, they would warrant thirty lashes—or even the death penalty.”

“No!”

Elara’s eyes widened in shock.

“By the Moon Goddess, I never did any of those things! Those accusations are nothing but vicious lies!”

Until now, all Elara had known was that she was being hunted for a reward of two hundred gold coins. She had never known what vile accusations had been leveled against her.

Hearing that she had supposedly poisoned members of her own pack made her stomach churn. The food she had just eaten suddenly threatened to come back up.

“Who can say whether these accusations are lies or not?” Gareth questioned coldly. “You’re the granddaughter of a renowned healer. Your knowledge of poisons must be extensive, which makes these accusations seem quite plausible.”

“I did study poisons, but I have never used them to hurt anyone!” Elara defended herself, her voice trembling.

A dark thought briefly crossed her mind.

Why hadn’t I actually used poison to get rid of the people who humiliated and abused me?

If she had poisoned Hera and Jonathan, at least she would have died with her revenge fulfilled.

But no.

Elara knew she wasn’t a murderer.

She had studied poisons not to take lives, but to formulate their antidotes.

Who could be cruel enough to fabricate such vicious accusations?

She had never poisoned anyone, nor had she stolen anything!

If Hera wasn’t behind this, then it had to be Jonathan.

Why was he willing to destroy her this thoroughly?

After all the years they had shared… after everything Elara had sacrificed for him…

Why was it so difficult for Jonathan to simply let her go?

“Then tell me your side of the story. Give me your defense,” Gareth ordered.

His tone wasn’t harsh, but it demanded honesty.

Elara fell silent, staring at Gareth with tear-filled eyes and a heart full of confusion.

Should she tell him everything?

If she revealed the truth about her relationship with Jonathan and Hera, what would this Alpha of Silverhollow do to her?

“If I tell you the truth…” Elara swallowed hard, meeting Gareth’s icy blue eyes head-on. “…will you let me go?”