Chapter 7

ELARA’S POV

The search lasted the entire night. I knew because I never fell asleep again.

Heavy boots echoed constantly through the fortress halls while soldiers searched room after room looking for an intruder that did not exist. Every sound made my stomach twist harder.

From the doors opening to voices murmuring and weapons shifting. And it was all because of me.

I sat curled near the edge of the massive bed with my knees pulled tightly against my chest while fear slowly hollowed me out from the inside.

The shattered mirror had already been cleaned hours ago, but I still kept staring at the empty space where it used to be.

As if another explosion would happen if I looked away too long. Gods. What was wrong with me?

The fortress felt quieter sometime near dawn, though the tension never disappeared completely. Rain still tapped softly against the windows while pale gray light slowly crept into the room.

I was exhausted. But every time I closed my eyes, I remembered the light erupting from my body. The mirror shattering. That terrible pressure inside my chest.

A soft knock sounded against the bedroom door. I stiffened immediately. “Come in,” I whispered weakly. The door opened slowly and Varak stepped inside.

My pulse stumbled instantly.

He still wore dark clothing, though this time without armor. The silver mask covered half his face as always, making him look just as dangerous as he had the night before.

But somehow quieter now. His eyes moved across the room carefully before landing on me. “You haven’t slept,” he observed.

Heat crawled faintly into my face. “I’m sorry.”

The words escaped automatically. Something unreadable flickered across his expression again.

That look he always got whenever I apologized. Like it irritated him and hurt him at the same time. “You don’t need to apologize for existing in your own room, little wolf.”

The nickname made something strange twist softly beneath my ribs. I lowered my gaze quickly.

“I caused trouble.”

He stared at me for a moment before speaking. “You were frightened.”

“That’s still trouble.” Silence stretched between us.

Then he moved closer slowly, stopping near the fireplace.

“The fortress has been searched,” he said calmly. “No intruder was found.” Cold panic immediately flooded my stomach. Of course they found nothing.

Because there was nothing to find. I forced myself not to look nervous. “I see.”

His gaze stayed on me too long. Sharp. Observant. Like he was waiting for something. Then quietly, he said, “No harm will come to you here.”

My breath caught slightly. There was something underneath the words. Something heavier. Like he was not only talking about the imaginary intruder.

Like somehow, he knew. Fear climbed sharply back up my throat. Did he know I lied? Did he know something was wrong with me? But his expression never changed.

“If anyone threatens you,” he continued calmly, “they answer to me.”

The room felt too warm suddenly. I didn’t understand this man at all. Everything about him contradicted the monster I spent my entire life hearing about.

And honestly? That frightened me even more. Because cruelty made sense to me. Kindness didn’t. Varak studied me one last time before turning toward the door.

“Sena will help you prepare for the day.” Then he paused slightly. “And Elara?” I looked up instinctively. For one strange moment, his gaze softened almost imperceptibly beneath the silver mask.

“I mean it when I say you are safe here.” Then he left. The door closed quietly behind him. And somehow those words unsettled me more than the shattered mirror had.

Because a part of me, a dangerous stupid part, wanted to believe him.

Sena arrived shortly afterward carrying folded towels and fresh clothing over one arm. “You need a bath,” she announced flatly.

Embarrassment rushed through me immediately. “I can do it myself.”

“No.” Her answer came instantly. “It’s my duty.” I fell silent after that.

The bathing chambers connected to the bedroom through another dark stone doorway. Steam curled softly through the air from the massive bath already prepared near the center of the room.

The warmth should have been comforting. Instead, I felt awkward standing there while Sena helped unpin my clothes with efficient cold movements.

She barely looked at me. Honestly, I preferred it that way. Silence stretched heavily between us while I stepped carefully into the warm water.

For a few moments, only the sound of water filled the room. Then quietly, before I could stop myself, I whispered, “You can hate me if you want.”

Sena paused. “What?”

I swallowed hard. “I understand it.”

She stared at me strangely. Heat crawled into my face again while I looked down at the water. “I know what people say about me,” I continued softly. “That I’m weak and worthless.”

The words hurt less now that I expected them.

“My mate rejected me in front of everyone,” I whispered bitterly. “Even the Moon Goddess made a mistake choosing me.”

Saying it aloud made my chest ache. “I think…” My voice shook slightly. “I think maybe I deserved it.”

There was heavy silence immediately those words entered my mouth. Sena stopped moving entirely behind me. For one brief second, when I looked up slightly, I thought I saw something in her expression.

Pity. It vanished immediately. Her face turned cold again so quickly I almost wondered if I imagined it.

“I’ve seen many dangerous people pretend to be helpless,” she said flatly.

The words hit me hard enough that I blinked in confusion. “What?”

Her gaze sharpened. “I won’t fall for manipulation simply because you look fragile.”

My chest tightened painfully.

“I wasn’t trying to manipulate you.”

“Mm. That's what they all say. ” She sounded unconvinced. I stared down at the bathwater quietly while humiliation crept slowly beneath my skin again.

Of course. Why would she believe me? No one ever did. Sena reached for another cloth before speaking again. “And I know you lied about the mirror.”

Fear slammed through me so violently my breath caught. My head jerked upward immediately. She met my gaze calmly. “I don’t know what truly happened in that room,” she continued coldly, “but I know you were the cause.”

Panic thundered inside my chest. “I—”

“If you are wise,” Sena interrupted sharply, “you will never betray the Alpha.”

The Alpha. Varak. I stared at her speechlessly. Why would she think I wanted to betray him? He was the only person in my entire life who had shown me even the smallest amount of kindness.

And somehow that made the fear worse. Because if they discovered whatever was wrong with me, if they believed I was dangerous, then I would lose even this.

Sena stepped away from the bath. “You should finish washing.” Then without another word, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone.

The silence afterward felt enormous.

I slowly wrapped my arms around myself beneath the warm water while her words echoed painfully through my head.

You will never betray the Alpha. My eyes dropped toward my trembling hands. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I never had. Not Kaelen. Not Sena.

And definitely not the terrifying man wearing silver armor and calling me little wolf like the words actually meant something.

Slowly, I closed my eyes. And there inside the quiet bathwater, I made myself a promise.

Whatever this strange thing inside me was, whatever power shattered mirrors and controlled wolves, I would bury it if I had to.

Because I would never become something capable of hurting the only people who had shown me mercy.