The Alphas Shadow

Chapter 9- Nerves

​The water in the campus dorm shower was scalding, but Elara couldn't feel it. She scrubbed at her skin until it was raw, as if she could wash away the scent of cedar and the heavy, invisible weight of Silas’s touch. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the phantom sensation of his teeth against her neck, sealing a bond that was currently tearing her world apart.

​She dressed in a daze, pulling on the thickest, highest-collared turtleneck she owned. It felt like a noose, but it was the only thing standing between her and a pack-wide scandal.

​She was staring into the bathroom mirror, trying to breathe through the literal fire in her chest, when the door to her dorm room slammed open.

​"Elara Rose!" Maya’s voice boomed, followed by the frantic clicking of boots on the linoleum. "You absolute traitor! You vanished! I spent three hours looking for you before Elias told me a cab picked someone up at the gate."

​Maya stormed into the tiny bathroom, her face a mix of mock outrage and genuine curiosity. She looked perfectly put together, not a hair out of place, which only made Elara feel more like a crumbling ruin.

​"Where did you go?" Maya demanded, crossing her arms. "I turned around to say goodbye to that Enforcer and you were just... gone. No text, no call, nothing."

​"I... I got sick," Elara stammered, her voice thin. "The champagne. I think I just needed to be in my own bed."

​Maya narrowed her eyes, stepping closer. Her nose crinkled as she leaned in, and for a second, Elara’s heart stopped. If Maya caught her father’s scent—even a trace of it—it was over. But the heavy dorm soap and the steam seemed to hold the line.

​"Wait," Maya said, her expression shifting from suspicion to a wicked grin. She reached out and flicked the fabric of Elara’s turtleneck. "A sweater? It’s sixty-five degrees out, El. Why are you wearing a—"

​Maya froze, her eyes widening as she caught a glimpse of a dark, bruised shadow peeking above the collar. She let out a shriek of laughter that echoed off the tile.

​"No way! Hickeys? Elara! I knew you went off with one of them!" Maya began to bounce on her heels, pointing a finger at her. "Which one was it? The Beta with the dimples? Or was it that brooding guy from the Northern Pack? Oh my god, I’m so proud of you. I thought you were going to be a wallflower forever."

​Elara felt the blood drain from her face. She looked like she was going to puke right there on Maya’s expensive boots. "Maya, please, it's not—it wasn't like that."

​"Oh, it was exactly like that," Maya teased, oblivious to the sheer terror in Elara’s eyes. "Was he a good kisser? Does he have a name? Or was it a 'masked stranger' situation? Tell me everything!"

​Elara couldn't answer. She couldn't even form words. Because as Maya laughed, a physical wave of agony rolled through Elara’s chest.

​It was the bond.

​Now that she was miles away from her mate, her wolf was grieving, screaming at her to go back. It felt like a hot iron was being pressed against her sternum, a constant, searing burn that pulsed with every heartbeat Silas took. Her insides felt like they were being pulled toward the mountains by a giant, invisible hook.

​"I... I really don't feel well, Maya," Elara gasped, clutching the edge of the sink as her vision blurred.

​"Whoa, okay, okay. I’ll stop teasing," Maya said, her voice softening with concern as she reached out to steady Elara. "You’re really pale. Maybe it was the punch. Just lay down, okay? I’ll go grab us some smoothies and we can talk about your mystery man when your head stops spinning."

​Maya squeezed her arm and headed for the door, still humming a celebratory tune.

​The door clicked shut, leaving Elara alone in the silence. She slumped to the floor, her hand clawing at the fabric over her chest. The burn was getting worse. Somewhere, back at the mansion, the Alpha was awake. He was looking for her. And if the pull was this strong for her, she could only imagine what it was doing to a man who was used to getting everything he wanted.