Chapter 17: A Whisper of Something More

Calla's POV

The days in Kaelstrom Pack had begun to blur together.

Sunrise brought routine. Mornings filled with quiet chores—hanging laundry, sweeping wooden porches, sorting herbs with Elder Marla. Afternoons carried whispers from the forest as I walked the boundary trails with Mika, baskets in hand. And in the evenings, I often found myself alone, drawn to the same quiet place on the hill, where the sky burned orange before nightfall.

But today was different.

The wind was colder, brushing the back of my neck like a warning.

"You've been distant," Mika said beside me as we gathered wild roots near the edge of the tree line. Her hands were dirt-covered, quick and efficient. "And don't say you're just tired."

I hesitated. "I don't know what I am."

Mika glanced up at me, her expression softening. "You've been hearing her, haven't you?"

I paused, the basket in my hand suddenly feeling heavier.

"…My wolf?" I asked, voice barely a whisper.

Mika nodded. "She's waking up, isn't she?"

I didn't answer right away. How could I explain the strange sensations—the low thrumming in my chest, the unfamiliar pull toward things I didn't understand? I hadn't fully shifted yet, not since we arrived at Kaelstrom Pack. And I never told anyone that my first shift, years ago, had felt… different.

Stronger. Wilder. Like something had been caged inside me.

"I hear her sometimes," I admitted, eyes on the dark trees ahead. "But she doesn't say words. It's just… feelings. Instinct. She's still quiet, like she's asleep."

Mika placed a hand on my shoulder. "You've always been different, Calla. I think that's why the Alpha notices you."

I shook my head. "Darien doesn't notice me."

"Oh, please," Mika huffed. "He watches you like you're a puzzle he hasn't figured out yet."

I didn't reply. Because she was right—but it wasn't the kind of attention I understood. Darien Kaelstrom was the Alpha of this territory, known for his quiet strength, his unwavering leadership, and the control he had over every situation.

Except, maybe, me.

Darien's POV

"You should rest," Kael said from across the room. He was leaned against the fireplace wall in the Alpha house, arms folded. The evening fire crackled low, filling the silence between us.

"I'm fine," I replied, eyes still on the reports spread out across the long oak table.

"You haven't been fine since she got here," Kael added without hesitation.

I looked up slowly. "What are you getting at?"

Kael straightened, his tone level. "You're distracted. Not careless—just… watching her."

I let out a slow breath. "She doesn't even realize how much she hides."

"Maybe because she doesn't know."

I met Kael's eyes. "Or maybe she does and is afraid to remember."

Kael stayed silent, but we both knew we were talking about the same thing—the pull I couldn't explain. The reason why I found my gaze following her during patrols. The way my wolf perked up whenever her scent caught the wind.

And yet… nothing. No bond. No snap of clarity.

She was an omega.

That should have meant something more distinct—if she were mine, I would know.

Unless something was blocking it. Or asleep.

"Keep an eye on her," I said finally. "But don't pressure her. Whatever she's hiding, it'll come out eventually."

Kael gave a small nod. "It always does."

Calla's POV

Later that night, I stood at the mirror in the guest room Mika and I shared. The house wasn't small like the other omega quarters—it was warm, wooden, and comfortably tucked beneath the trees—but not too far from the main square of the pack.

I stared at my reflection. I barely recognized the girl who stared back—long brown hair braided loosely over one shoulder, faint freckles across her nose, tired eyes that hid too much. My features weren't bold, not like Mika's or the warriors I'd seen training. But my wolf stirred again, like it knew something I didn't.

"You're quiet," I whispered, placing a hand against my chest.

And then… a whisper.

Not words. Not yet.

Just a feeling—like I was standing on the edge of something big, and if I stepped forward, everything would change.

I clutched my silver ring, turning it around and around on my finger.

"Why do I feel like I don't belong here?" I asked the silence.

And deep in my mind, my wolf answered—not in language, but in energy. As if to say: Because you were never meant to stay in the background.

That night, I couldn't sleep. So I walked.

I stepped out into the night air, barefoot, careful not to wake Mika. The ground was cool beneath my feet as I followed the gravel path past the houses. Some homes were small and dim, others bright and alive with laughter. And at the end of the road stood the Alpha's home—larger than the others, but not towering above them. It was wide, elegant, and built from stone and thick timber. Strong, like its owner.

I didn't expect to find Darien standing outside it.

His short dark hair was tousled like he'd just gotten out of bed, and he wasn't wearing his usual leather jacket—just a simple shirt and sweatpants.

We both stared at each other for a moment, unsure.

"I couldn't sleep," I said quietly.

"Neither could I," he replied, voice rough from disuse.

The moonlight made his face look softer, though his jaw was tight like always. I saw his ring—silver-black with the Kaelstrom crest. The sign of a born Alpha.

He looked at me for a long time. "You're not afraid of the dark?"

"I think I'm more afraid of what I'll find in the light," I murmured.

His lips quirked slightly. "That's fair."

I nodded once, about to leave, when I felt it again—that stir inside me. My wolf pacing, ears raised.

"Goodnight, Alpha," I whispered, turning back.

But I could feel his gaze on my back long after I disappeared into the trees.