Whispers Among Wolves

Elara couldn't sleep that night. Bryn's amber vial sat untouched on her nightstand, glowing in the moonlight. Kaelen had given her a small room in the pack house—safe, but still feeling like a cage.

Morning came too quickly. A soft knock at her door made her jump.

"Breakfast is ready," called a gentle voice.

Elara opened the door to find a young woman with kind eyes and a warm smile.

"I'm Maya," she said. "Alpha Kaelen asked me to show you around today."

Elara followed Maya to the dining hall where dozens of pack members ate together. The room went silent when she entered. All eyes turned to her, some curious, others suspicious.

"Don't mind them," Maya whispered. "They're just not used to newcomers, especially one who's the Alpha's mate."

"I'm not—" Elara started to protest, but stopped. For one week, she had agreed to learn about the bond. Arguing wouldn't help.

Kaelen wasn't at breakfast. According to Maya, he'd left at dawn to patrol the borders, making sure Elara's father and sister stayed away.

"There she is," a deep voice growled. "The rogue who thinks she can just walk in and become Luna."

A tall, muscular wolf with angry eyes stepped forward. Several others nodded in agreement behind him.

"That's Zane," Maya whispered. "He's been like a brother to Kaelen for years. He thought he'd be Kaelen's second-in-command forever."

"And now he sees me as a threat," Elara guessed.

Zane marched closer, towering over her. "We know who you are, Elara of the Northern Ridge. The girl who killed her sister. The weakling who couldn't protect her own blood."

Elara's cheeks burned. The old shame flooded back, making her hands shake.

"That's enough, Zane."

Jorin appeared beside Elara, his presence calm but commanding. Unlike the others, his eyes held no judgment—only caution.

"The Alpha has welcomed her. That should be enough for you," Jorin said.

Zane sneered. "The Alpha is blinded by the mate bond. Someone needs to protect this pack from his mistake."

Whispers rippled through the room. Elara felt her wolf rising, angry and defensive.

"I'm not here to cause trouble," she said, keeping her voice steady. "I'm only staying for a week."

"A week too long," Zane muttered before stalking away.

Jorin turned to Elara. "Don't let him get to you. Not everyone feels that way."

His kindness surprised her. "I thought you'd be the first to want me gone."

A hint of a smile touched his lips. "I'm loyal to Kaelen. If he believes in you, I'll give you a chance."

After breakfast, Maya took Elara around the pack grounds. The Silver Moon territory was three times the size of her childhood pack. There were training fields where young wolves learned to fight, gardens where others grew food, and a school for the pups.

"It's so... organized," Elara marveled.

Maya beamed with pride. "Kaelen built most of this. Before him, our pack was weak and scattered. He united us, made us strong."

Near the edge of the grounds, they found Bryn gathering herbs. The old healer looked up, her wise eyes fixing on Elara.

"You didn't drink the potion," she said. It wasn't a question.

Elara shook her head. "I'm afraid of what I'll remember."

Bryn nodded. "The truth is often painful. But without it, you'll never truly understand what's happening now."

"What do you know about my sister? About me?" Elara asked.

The healer carefully placed herbs in her basket. "I know that you and your sister share more than blood. You share power—ancient magic that runs deep in your family line."

"That's impossible," Elara protested. "I'm just a normal wolf."

Bryn's laugh was gentle. "Child, if you were normal, Kaelen wouldn't have been drawn to you. Fated mates are rare because they're meant for extraordinary wolves with extraordinary purposes."

Before Elara could ask more questions, a howl tore through the air—the pack's warning signal.

"Intruders," Maya gasped.

They rushed back to find the pack in chaos. Warriors grabbed weapons while others hurried the young and elderly to safety.

In the center of it all stood Kaelen, his face grim as he gave orders. When he saw Elara, relief flashed in his eyes.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"Your father is back," Kaelen said. "And he's brought reinforcements. Not just Northern Ridge wolves—others too. Mercenaries."

Elara's stomach dropped. "He's really going to attack your pack? Because of me?"

"Not just because of you." Jorin approached, blood on his shoulder from a fresh wound. "They captured Finn. Your father was... questioning him when we found them."

"Is Finn alive?" Elara asked.

Jorin nodded. "Barely. He kept saying he needed to speak with you. Something about the river day."

The river day. The day Liora supposedly drowned. The day Elara's memories went dark.

Elara made a decision. She ran to her room and grabbed Bryn's vial. Without hesitating, she drank the amber liquid in one gulp.

The effect was instant. Her knees buckled as images flooded her mind—memories breaking through a wall she hadn't known existed.

Liora screaming as the river pulled her under. Elara diving in, reaching for her sister's hand. A strange power surging through her as she touched the water, making it glow blue. The current stopping, the water parting. Her father's horrified face as he watched from the shore.

"He wasn't trying to save her," Elara whispered, the truth finally clear. "He was trying to drown her. And I stopped him."

When she opened her eyes, Kaelen was kneeling beside her, concern etched on his face.

"What did you see?" he asked softly.

"My father tried to kill Liora that day. He was scared of something—of us. Our power." Elara's voice shook. "And he's still scared. That's why he's here now."

Kaelen helped her stand. "Whatever power you have, whatever happened in your past, you're not alone anymore. The pack will protect you."

"Not all of them," Elara said, thinking of Zane's hostility.

"They'll learn," Kaelen insisted. "Just as I'm learning to trust you."

A commotion outside drew their attention. Through the window, Elara saw Zane arguing with Jorin, pointing angrily toward the forest.

"Something's wrong," Kaelen muttered, hurrying outside with Elara behind him.

They reached the two wolves just as Zane snarled, "She's been lying to us from the beginning!"

"What's happening?" Kaelen demanded.

Jorin's face was grim. "We found something at the border. A message from Liora."

He held out a piece of bark with words carved into it: Sister, the power always comes with a price. Father isn't the enemy. Your mate is.

Elara looked up to find everyone staring at her, doubt creeping back into their eyes.

"I don't understand," she whispered.

But deep inside, a terrible suspicion was growing. What if the memories she'd just recovered weren't complete? What if there was more to the story—something even worse?

And in the trees beyond the pack grounds, a pair of familiar eyes watched—eyes that matched her own, filled with secrets that could destroy everything Elara was beginning to hope for.