Secrets of the past and an Unexpected Visitor

The gentle clinking of dishes filled the small but cozy Johnson kitchen as Eila and Meera helped their mother clean up after dinner. The warmth of the evening meal still lingered in the air, a rare moment of peace in their bustling household.

Their father and Michael were in the living room, setting the table back in order and making sure the house was neat for the next day. The rest of the children were already tucked into their beds, their quiet breaths the only sign of their presence.

Eila enjoyed these moments, feeling a sense of normalcy before the chaos of her life resumed. But even as she dried the last dish and placed it on the shelf, her mind was elsewhere. She was still grappling with the reality of her mate bond, and more importantly—her impending heat cycle.

Unlike the younger girls, who shared a room with bunk beds, or her brothers, who had their own crowded sleeping quarters, Eila had been given her own room a few weeks ago. It was an unspoken rule among werewolves that once a girl reached maturity, she needed privacy, especially with the inevitable arrival of her heat cycle.

Michael, the ever-complaining brother, had been relentless in his requests for his own space, often lamenting how cramped it was in the boys' room. But their parents had made it clear—once Eila was married and moved out, he could have her room.

That thought sent a shiver through her.

Married.

Her mind wandered to Leonard, his intoxicating scent of leather and tangerine still clinging to her memories from the night before. Would he help her through her heat? Or would she have to rely on herbal remedies?

Curiosity got the best of her.

Once Meera had left for her room and Michael and their father had retired for the night, she hesitated for only a moment before turning to her mother.

"Mother," Eila began cautiously, drying her hands on a kitchen towel. "Is my heat cycle going to be a problem for me… and for others if I don't complete the mating ritual?"

Celena, who had been wiping down the table, froze. For a moment, she simply stared at Eila, as if the words hadn't fully registered. Then, her expression softened into something between shock and nostalgia.

Her mother sighed, motioning for her to sit at the table. "I suppose it's time we talked about this."

Eila sat down, her heart hammering in her chest.

Celena folded her hands on the table and smiled gently. "You've grown up so fast, Eila. It still feels like yesterday when I held you in my arms, my beautiful firstborn." She reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Eila's ear. "But you are a woman now, and you deserve to know the truth."

Eila listened intently as her mother began explaining something she had never heard before—something that made her appreciate her pack's history in an entirely new way.

"Many years ago, before our time, female wolves had no way of controlling their heat. If their mate wasn't present to help them through it, they had to be locked away for seven days until the cycle passed. It was painful, lonely, and unbearable for many. Some even lost themselves to madness from the sheer agony of it."

Eila swallowed hard, realizing just how terrifying that must have been.

"But then," Celena continued, "a group of witches from a faraway land came to us. They were in danger, hunted by enemies, and sought our protection. In exchange for our aid, they gifted us something—knowledge of an herb that could ease the effects of the heat cycle without the need for a mate."

Eila's eyes widened.

"The herb grew only in our lands, right here in the Moon Treasure Pack," Celena said with a wistful smile. "With it, our suffering eased. And soon, word spread to other packs, who were desperate to get their hands on it."

She paused, letting Eila absorb the significance of what she was saying.

"This herb, my dear, was the foundation of the Blackwell family's success. They were the first to cultivate it, to trade it, and to build a business empire around it. Even now, their wealth and power stem from this one gift."

Eila sat there, stunned.

The realization that something as simple as a herb had shaped the fate of her pack—and her mate's family—was overwhelming.

"So… we still use it?" Eila asked hesitantly.

Her mother nodded. "Yes, though the Blackwell family controls most of its distribution now. However, I've always kept a small supply for emergencies. When your time comes, you will have access to the tea, and you won't have to suffer."

Eila exhaled in relief.

Knowing she had an alternative made her feel a little more in control of her own body. She wasn't entirely at the mercy of fate or instinct.

She was about to ask more about the herb when—

BANG! BANG!

A sharp knock on the door shattered the calm.

Eila's body stiffened. Her mother's face darkened with suspicion, and she immediately rose to her feet.

"Who would visit this late?" Celena murmured under her breath.

Eila's heart pounded as she moved toward the door, her senses on high alert.

Sera, her wolf, growled in the back of her mind. Something isn't right.

Taking a deep breath, Eila opened the door.

Her breath hitched.

Standing in the dim light of the porch, his imposing figure casting a long shadow, was Leonard Blackwell.

His icy blue eyes locked onto hers, intense and unreadable. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, as if he had been running his hands through it in frustration. His scent—leather and tangerine—washed over her, making her dizzy.

For a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

"What—" she started, but Leonard stepped forward, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Can we talk?" His voice was deep, almost rough, as if he had been holding something back all night.

Eila hesitated, glancing at her mother, who was watching with narrowed eyes.

Celena pursed her lips but nodded. "Eila, take him to the sitting room. I'll give you both some privacy."

Eila stepped aside, allowing Leonard to enter.

As she led him into the small sitting room, her heart raced wildly.

What was he doing here at this hour?

Something told her this wasn't just a simple visit.

And she was about to find out exactly what was on his mind.