Hated By The Alpha Bound To Me (Completed)

Chapter 52 - Somehting Doesn't Fit

Elara shivered as she closed Thorne's office door behind her.

The uneasy feeling of being caught in his office crept up the back of her neck. It wasn't the first time she had snuck in here, yet the risk still made her nervous.

Her wolf stirred at the back of her mind, curiosity bleeding through the bond they shared. The heightened senses made the room seem sharper, every shadow and sound standing out in the quiet darkness.

Crossing to the desk, Elara picked up the phone and dialed Lyria's number.

It rang three times before her sister answered.

"Who's this?" Lyria mumbled, sounding both exhausted and offended at being awake.

"It's me."

Rustling sounded over the line, followed by a muffled curse.

A second later, Lyria's voice returned, far more alert.

"Elara? What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I'm okay."

Silence greeted her response.

"If you're calling to catch up at two in the morning, I'm hanging up."

Despite herself, Elara smiled.

"No. I learned something today, and I need your help."

A yawn crackled through the phone.

"Sure. What do you need?"

Elara glanced toward the closed office door and listened for any sign of movement beyond it. Satisfied they were alone, she lowered her voice.

"Thorne had a sister."

"What?"

Lyria's shout exploded through the receiver.

Elara jerked the phone away from her ear and winced.

When the ringing subsided, she slowly lifted it back.

"You think you could have said that any louder?"

"Sorry," Lyria replied without sounding remotely sorry. "You caught me off guard."

"Next time try being shocked with a little dignity."

A laugh slipped through the line.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Elara rolled her eyes.

"Can we focus?"

"Fine," Lyria said. "Start from the beginning."

Elara rolled her eyes and settled into Thorne's chair.

"As I was saying, Thorne had a sister. Her name was Rose."

"Had as in... had?" Lyria asked cautiously.

"Yes. That's why I'm calling."

She pulled the chair closer to the desk and shot another glance toward the closed office door.

"I spoke to Kaia today. She told me about Rose and how she died."

Silence greeted her words, prompting Elara to continue.

"They believe she died during a Valamere attack along the border."

A sharp breath hissed through the phone.

"That's impossible."

Elara frowned.

"Exactly."

"Valamere never launched attacks," Lyria continued. "We were always defending our territory. We responded when we were attacked, but we never crossed into Draegon lands looking for a fight."

The certainty in her sister's voice mirrored Elara's own memories.

"That's why I called you. Something doesn't fit. Rose was found with a dead Valamere wolf beside her and tracks from several others."

Her fingers tapped against the desk.

"The longer I stay here, the more secrets I uncover."

Lyria fell quiet.

"What do you need me to do?"

Relief loosened some of the tension in Elara's shoulders.

"I need you to find out if Valamere ever planned an attack against Draegon. Check records, speak to older wolves, whatever you can manage."

A groan echoed through the receiver.

"Dad guards those records like they're his favorite child."

A small smile tugged at Elara's lips.

"I know."

"This isn't going to be easy."

"I didn't call you because it was easy."

Lyria muttered something under her breath.

"Fine. I'll see what I can find."

"Thank you."

The knot in Elara's stomach eased.

"I'll send Nyra to you when she gets back. Anything you find, give it to her."

A pause followed.

"Nyra?" Lyria asked. "Wait. Where is Nyra? Isn't she supposed to be with you?"

Elara winced.

"She's busy."

"Busy doing what?"

"Just helping me with something."

Lyria immediately became suspicious.

"What something?"

"Nothing dangerous."

"That isn't an answer."

"It's the only answer you're getting."

Her sister let out a long sigh.

"Dad is going to lose his mind if he finds out Nyra isn't with you."

"Which is exactly why you aren't telling him."

A soft laugh came through the line.

"You know, one day this is going to stop working."

"Today isn't that day."

"No. Apparently not."

The amusement faded from Elara's voice

"How is he?"

A lump formed in her throat.

"How's Dad?"

"He misses you."

The simple words nearly let the tears slip from her eyes.

"We all do."

Elara stared down at the desk.

The familiar ache of homesickness tightened around her chest.

"When things settle down here, I'll come visit."

"You better."

They spoke for a few more minutes, drifting onto safer topics before finally saying goodnight.

Reluctantly, Elara hung up the phone and returned it to its cradle.

The conversation had answered nothing, yet somehow left her feeling lighter.

Pushing away from the desk, she slipped out of Thorne's office and quietly closed the door behind her.

A few hours earlier she had skipped dinner, and her stomach had started reminding her of that fact.

Changing direction, she headed toward the kitchen in search of something to eat.

The kitchen was dark when Elara stepped inside, illuminated only by the pale moonlight streaming through the windows.

Her stomach growled in protest as she crossed the room and headed straight for the large refrigerator.

She pulled the door open and immediately started searching through the shelves.

A container of leftover stew caught her eye.

Then some fruit.

Then a slice of cake hidden behind a bowl.

Elara smiled.

Perfect.

She reached toward the cake.

A familiar presence brushed against her through the bond.

Her smile disappeared.

Before she could react, a voice sounded from directly behind her.

"Looking for something?"

A startled gasp escaped her.

Elara spun around so quickly that she lost her balance.

Strong hands closed around her hips before she could fall.

The sudden contact sent a jolt through her.

Heat seeped through the thin material of her shirt where Thorne's hands rested, steady and impossibly warm.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

The refrigerator door remained open beside her, cool air spilling into the room while her pulse hammered against her ribs.

Thorne's scent wrapped around her, woodsy and familiar.

A shiver ran through her.

His eyes darkened slightly.

Elara immediately stepped back, breaking the contact between them.

The loss of his warmth was instant and annoyingly noticeable.

Elara cleared her throat and focused her attention on the piece of cake still sitting safely inside the refrigerator.

"What are you doing sneaking around the kitchen in the middle of the night?" she asked, hoping her voice sounded steadier than she felt.

Elara took the piece of cake from the refrigerator and stepped around Thorne, putting a little distance between them.

Her heart continued to hammer against her ribs.

Part of it came from the lingering warmth of his hands. Even now, she could still feel where they had rested on her hips.

The rest came from an entirely different fear.

Thorne's office.

The phone call.

The fact that she had once again entered his office without permission.

Elara stole a glance in his direction.

Moonlight caught the angles of his face, making him impossible to read.

A knot formed in her stomach.

Had he seen her leaving?

Did he already know?

Or was she about to discover exactly how observant the Alpha of Draegon truly was?