THE ALPHA'S FORSAKEN LUNA

The Return

Shadowfang territory looked smaller than I remembered. I stood at the eastern border, the same boundary line Marcus had forced me across three months ago. The magic still shimmered, but it felt different now. Weaker. Or maybe I was just stronger.

I stepped across the line. The pack bonds hummed to life. I felt them. Every wolf in Shadowfang, connected by threads of magic that I had never been able to sense before. My exile had not severed the pack bond. It had just made me invisible to it. Until now. "Heads up, Alpha," I whispered. "I am home." I walked through the forest toward the pack house. The trees looked the same. The paths looked the same. But I was not the same girl who had been dragged across this border in the dark. A patrol found me at the edge of the training grounds. Three wolves, young males I recognized from my childhood. They had been the ones who laughed loudest when Kael rejected me. "Halt," one of them commanded. "State your business in Shadowfang territory." I stopped. Met his eyes. Watched recognition dawn across his face. "Elara?" He stumbled backward. "The Omega's daughter? You are supposed to be dead."

"Clearly, I am not." I smiled, and it was not a kind smile. "Take me to the Alpha. I have business with him."

"He will not see you."

"He will." I stepped forward. The wolves did not try to stop me. Something in my presence, in my wolf, made them hesitate. "Tell him the rejected mate has returned. Tell him the Omega's daughter wants an audience." The young wolf swallowed hard. "Or what?"

"Or I will walk into the pack house myself. And we both know how that would look. The Alpha who cannot control a rejected Omega. How long do you think his pack would respect him then?" They exchanged glances. Then one of them turned and ran toward the pack house. I waited. The sun climbed higher. Birds sang in the trees. It was a beautiful day, the kind of day that made you forget the darkness that lurked beneath the surface. The young wolf returned, breathless. "The Alpha will see you. In his office. Now."

I nodded. "Thank you." I walked toward the pack house. My heart pounded. My wolf surged beneath my skin. I had dreamed of this moment for three months. I had imagined a hundred different versions of this conversation. But nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Alpha Kael's face when I walked through his door. He looked at me. His eyes widened. His mouth opened, then closed.

"Elara," he breathed.

"Alpha." I inclined my head, but I did not bow. "We need to talk."