chapter two

Mira's POV

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my jaw clenched as I stole a glance at Elara beside me. She was barely holding herself together, her body curled against the seat, her arms wrapped tightly around herself like she was trying to disappear.

Bruises were already forming on her pale skin, dark shadows marring her delicate features. Every time she shifted, I caught the slight wince of pain she tried to hide.

Rage simmered beneath my skin. My wolf growled low inside me, furious that I had let this happen. That I hadn't noticed sooner.

I swallowed hard, forcing my anger down. Right now, Elara needed safety, not the monster that lurked within me.

She didn't know the truth about me.

She didn't know that I was a wolf, part of the Silvercrest Pack, living among humans to keep our presence hidden. She didn't know that every full moon, I ran beneath the stars, my senses sharp, my instincts wild.

She thought I was just an ordinary girl. And for years, I let her believe that.

But now, I was taking her somewhere she should never go. The pack house the heart of our territory, the place where Alphas ruled and warriors trained. A place no human was ever supposed to step foot in.

And I was breaking every rule to get her there.

The drive was quiet, the forest growing denser as I took the back roads leading to the pack's hidden land. Elara had drifted off at some point, exhaustion pulling her under.

She didn't wake until I pulled through the tall iron gates of the pack house.

Her eyes fluttered open, confusion crossing her face as she sat up. "Where are we?"

I hesitated. "Somewhere safe."

She didn't press me further, just sighed and leaned back, too drained to question it.

I parked outside the massive stone mansion nestled deep in the forest, its towering walls guarded by warriors who immediately turned to stare as I stepped out with Elara.

I felt their gazes burning into me, but I ignored them.

I needed to get her inside before anyone stopped me—

"Mira."

A deep, familiar voice made me freeze.

I turned slowly to see my brother, Jace, standing on the porch, arms crossed over his chest. His sharp blue eyes locked onto me, then flickered to Elara.

His expression darkened.

"You know we can't bring humans to the pack house," he said, his voice tight. "It's too dangerous."

Elara flinched slightly at his tone, and I instinctively stepped in front of her, my wolf stirring protectively.

"Don't worry," I said, keeping my voice calm. "It's just for a week. I plan on sending her to a friend who's human to stay with. I just needed to get her out of her brother's place first."

Jace's jaw tensed. "A week is too long."

I glared at him. "She has nowhere else to go right now."

For a moment, he said nothing, just watching me with that sharp, calculating gaze of his. Then, with a frustrated sigh, he ran a hand through his hair.

"If the Alpha finds out—"

"I'll handle it," I said firmly.

Jace exhaled heavily, muttering something under his breath before stepping aside.

"Keep her away from the warriors," he warned. "And if she asks questions—"

"I'll deal with it."

Jace gave me one last hard look before shaking his head and walking away.

I turned back to Elara, who was watching the whole exchange with tired, confused eyes.

"Come on," I said softly, offering my hand. "Let's get you inside."

She hesitated, then took it.

I led Elara through the halls of the pack house, keeping my steps steady even though my mind was racing. I knew bringing her here was dangerous, but what choice did I have?

The moment she stepped inside, I felt the shift in the air. The wolves in the house could smell her.

Even though most of them were upstairs or in the training fields, the ones nearby stiffened, their heads subtly turning in our direction. My own senses sharpened, instinct warning me to move quickly before anyone started asking questions.

Elara, thankfully, was too exhausted to notice. She walked beside me without a word, taking in the grand stone walls, the tall wooden beams, the dim but warm lighting that flickered along the hallways.

"Your house is… big," she murmured, her voice laced with fatigue.

I forced a small smile. "Yeah, something like that."

I wasn't about to explain that this was the home of warriors and beasts, not an ordinary house.

I guided her toward my room on the second floor, ignoring the questioning glances from a few pack members lingering in the common areas. They wouldn't challenge me not yet. But word would spread fast.

Jace was right. If the Alpha found out, I'd be in serious trouble.

But I'd deal with that later.

For now, I needed to get Elara settled.

Once we reached my room, I shut the door behind us and let out a slow breath.

Elara stood in the middle of the room, her arms wrapped around herself, her tired eyes scanning the space.

It wasn't much just a bed, a small dresser, and a desk with books stacked on top. A window overlooked the dense forest outside, moonlight spilling through the glass.

"It's nice," she said softly.

I moved to my closet, grabbing some spare clothes. "Here these should fit you."

Elara hesitated before taking them. Her fingers brushed against mine, and I felt the slight tremble in her hands.

"…Thank you, Mira."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the emotion in it was heavy.

I swallowed hard.

"Always."

She gave me a small, tired smile before heading into the bathroom to change.

As soon as the door clicked shut, I exhaled sharply and sat on the edge of my bed, running a hand through my hair.

I could still feel my wolf pacing restlessly inside me. She hated the scent of blood lingering on Elara, hated that I had brought a fragile, injured human into our world.

But I didn't care.

Elara wasn't just some human. She was my friend.

And I'd protect her no matter what.

Later that night, I sat in bed, pretending to scroll through my phone while listening carefully to the sounds of the house.

Elara had fallen asleep quickly, exhaustion pulling her under the moment she laid down on my bed. I had let her take it while I settled into the chair near the window.

Everything was quiet. Too quiet.

My instincts wouldn't let me relax.

Something felt… off.

I could hear distant voices downstairs—Jace, probably talking to a few other pack members. But outside, beyond the walls of the pack house, the night seemed too still.

Like the forest itself was holding its breath.

I clenched my jaw, my wolf stirring uneasily.

And then—

A howl shattered the silence.

Not one of ours.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Then came the shouts. The pounding of feet. The unmistakable roar of an Alpha's command.

I was on my feet before I even realized I had moved.

Shit.

A rogue attack? No this was something else. This wasn't just some stray wolves crossing into our land.

This was organized.

Elara stirred in her sleep, shifting slightly, but she didn't wake.

I moved to the door, cracking it open just as Jace stormed past in his Beta uniform, his expression hard.

"Jace," I hissed, grabbing his arm. "What's happening?"

He didn't even hesitate. "We're under attack."

My stomach dropped.

"How many?"

"A whole pack. They're coming straight for the house."

Before I could respond, another deafening howl rang through the air ,this one closer.

Elara's eyes fluttered open. "Mira…?"

I turned back to her, my mind racing.

If she saw what was really happening if she saw what we were there would be no going back.

"Stay here," I said quickly, moving toward her. "Lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me."

She sat up, still half-asleep. "What's going on?"

"Nothing just stay here, okay?"

I grabbed a knife from my drawer and turned toward the door.

Jace was already gone.

As soon as I stepped out, the scent of blood and rage hit me like a wave.

And for the first time in years, I felt real, bone-deep fear.

Because whoever was attacking us wasn't just a random enemy.

It was a powerful Alpha.