chapter 3
1311 Words
Elara woke up screaming; her back struck the door. For several seconds, she couldn't breathe.
The pain was gone, but her chest still felt as if someone had ripped something out of it.
Her hand flew to her heart; nothing, no warmth, no bond, no strange pull towards Lucien.
Only emptiness; she sat on the floor, staring at the wall. He had rejected her; the alpha king had rejected her, her mate had rejected her.
The man she had known for less than a day, the man she had already begun to feel connected to.
Elara laughed; the sound came out broken
What a joke.
A knock sounded at her door; she didn't answer
The door opened anyway; Mira rushed inside
Elara! She stopped when she saw her sitting on the floor.
oh moon goddess
Mira hurried towards her. What happened
Elara looked up at her, I'm fine
Mira stared at her
You're on the floor.
I know!
You're bleeding, Elara looked down; blood covered her fingers.
She had not even noticed. The wound on her palm had reopened.
Mira grabbed a cloth on the table and pressed it against the cut.
What happened? Elara looked away
Lucien rejected me
Mira froze.
what?
She gave a bitter smile. The alpha king, my mate.
Mira's mouth opened, but no words came out.
Elara looked at her, saying something
Mira slowly sat beside her.
Are you sure?
Elara stared at her. I was there.
But why?
Apparently, my family destroyed his.
Mira's expression changed. what?
Elara......
Did you know? Mira immediately shook her head. No
Did you know my family was involved in the death of Lucien's family?
No
Elara studied her face; Mira looked genuinely shocked.
Then why does everyone else know?
I don't know
Elara looked down at her hand; the blood was still flowing. It should have stopped by now.
Mira noticed it too.
Your wound isn't healing.
Elara didn't respond. Mira slowly removed the cloth; the cut was deeper than it should have been.
But something else was wrong; the blood was not red, not entirely.
A faint silver shimmer ran through it.
Mira's face went pale.
Elara! What?
Mira pointed at her blood
Elara looked down. For a moment, she saw it. Silver
Then the blood turned red again
Elara blinked. What?
your blood
What about it?
Mira looked terrified
nothing
Elara frowned
Maybe we should call a healer
no!
Elara.......
I said no!
She pulled her hand away
The moment she stood, pain exploded through her head.
She grabbed the bedpost
A vision flashed before her eyes, a woman
long silver hair
a golden crown, blood on the floor, a baby crying, a voice screaming
Take her!
The vision vanished
Elara gasp
Mira grabbed her shoulders
Elara!
Elara looked at her; her breathing was uneven
What did you see?
I don't know
The room suddenly felt too small
Elara pressed both hands on her head; the vision had never been cleared before.
The woman, the crown, the baby, the blood and the voice. She had heard that voice before
In her dreams for years
Elara
She looked at Mira
Get out!
Mira blinked. What?
please
Elara........
Just go!
Mira hesitated, then she nodded
I'll be outside
The door closed
Elara stood in the middle of the room; her hand was still bleeding
She looked at the mirror; she stared at her reflection. Her face looked pale, her eyes red from crying, and beneath the collarbone, the strange mark was glowing.
She slowly pulled the neckline of her dress; the mark had changed. It was no longer a scar; silver
lines had spread across her skin; they formed a symbol.
A crescent moon surrounded by a crown. Elara touched it.
The moment her fingers made contact, the door opened
She turned sharply.
Her father stood there
His eyes immediately went to the mark; his face lost all color.
Elara saw it, fear again
She pulled her dress back into place.
What is that? he didn't answer
Elara stepped towards him
I asked you a question.
cover it
why?
Elara!
Why?
His jaw tightened, because I told you to
She stared at him. No!
he froze
Elara had never said no to him like that before, not with that tone, not without fear.
Tell me what had happened eight years ago
Her father looked away, not now.
Why not?
Because you are upset
I'm upset because I was rejected by my mate in front of everyone in the entire room because of something you did!
His eyes hardened. You know about what happened.
Then tell me! Her voice echoed through the room; her father stared at her
For a long moment, neither of them spoke
Then he walked towards her. You need to leave
Elara frowned. What?
Moonridge is no longer safe for you
She stared at him. Why?
Because Lucien knows
knows what? Her father said nothing
She grabbed his hands. Knows what?
He looked down at her hand. Your mother!
Elara froze; her entire body went still.
What about my mother?
Her father pulled his arms away. Forget this conversation
No!
Elara!
Tell me about her
She is dead!
I know that; then what more do you want?
The truth!
Her father flinched
Elara noticed; her heart began to pound.
You've never spoken about her
There's nothing to say
Then why are you afraid?
Her father went silent
Elara took a step forward. Why did Lucien recognize my mark?
no answer
Why did you look terrified when he saw it?
Still nothing.
Why did everyone say the Veyne family betrayed the Blackthorn family?
Her father's face became hard.
Enough!
No!
The room suddenly shook; the windows rattled.
Elara froze.
Her father stared at her
A strange pressure filled the room; the silver mark beneath her collarbone burned.
Then every candle in the room went out.
Darkness swallowed them.
Her father whispered something
Elara couldn't hear him
A strange voice whispered inside her mind, "Run"
She turned to the door; she saw a shadow beneath it. Someone was standing outside. Her father grabbed her wrist, don't move
Elara looked at him. What was happening
He didn't answer
The shadow beneath the door disappeared
Then came three slow knocks
knock! knock!! knock!!!
Her father moved in front of Elara. Who is it?
No one answered
Elara's heart pounded
A cold scent filled the room
smoke
The same scent from the dead wolf
Her father reached for the dagger hidden beneath his coat; the door opened. A figure stood at the other side
Elara couldn't see the person's face.
Because she saw the silver symbol carved into their hand.
Her father stepped backward
The stranger smiled
After all these years, the figure said, the queen had finally awakened.
Elara's blood ran cold
Her father whispered
no!
The stranger's eyes moved to Elara
yes!
And then the figure disappeared into the darkness
Elara turned to her father. Queen?
Her father closed his eyes. For the first time in her life, she saw her father truly afraid.
Pack your things
why?
Because they know you are alive
who?
He looked at her, the people who killed your mother.
Elara stood frozen; her father grabbed her shoulders.
You have to leave before Alpha King finds out who you really are!
A voice came from the doorway. Too late.
Elara turned.
Lucien stood there. His eyes were fixed on her father; then they moved to Elara.
For one terrifying moment, his gaze stopped on the glowing mark beneath her collarbone.
His expression changed
Elara saw it: recognition, shock and something close to fear.
Lucien slowly looked at her father
What did you do?
Elara's father said nothing
Lucien's voice dropped
Tell me the truth
Elara looked between them. Her entire life was built on lies, and now every lie was beginning to fall apart.
- Writer
