CHAPTER 14
1238 Words
Fractured Trust
Kieran, stop going away from me! Elara’s words cut through the training ground like a whip.
Kieran paused, his back to her, shoulders stiff. This isn’t the time, Elara.
“Then when is the time? she shot back, stepping in front of him, her chest rising with anger. “You’ve been distant. Cold. Ever since the attack, you barely look at me.”
He let out a sharp breath, his jaw tight as he dodged her look. You’re imagining things.”
“Don’t you dare,” Elara snapped, her voice rising. “I know what I feel, Kieran. You’re cutting me out, and I deserve to know why.”
Kieran’s eyes flicked to hers, shining faintly under the moonlight. “You want the truth?” he asked, his tone low and dangerous.
Yes.
“I’m afraid,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Elara blinked, her rage fading. “Afraid of what?”
“Of losing control.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustration written on his face. “Every time I’m around you, it’s like this... fire I can’t put out. I can’t think straight. And with everything going on, I can’t afford to let my guard down.”
Elara stepped closer, her shadows dancing softly at her feet. “You think pushing me away will help? That it’ll make you stronger?”
Kieran clenched his hands. “It’s not about strength. It’s about survival. If I lose control, I lose everything this pack, this fight. And maybe... even you.”
Her heart ached at his words, but she refused to back down. “You don’t have to carry this alone, Kieran. I’m not your enemy.”
For a moment, his guard slipped, and she saw the weakness in his eyes. But just as quickly, he turned away. “We have work to do,” he said, his voice hard again. “Focus on your training, Elara.”
She stared after him, her resolve stiffening. “You can keep running, Kieran,” she whispered, “but I won’t stop fighting for you.”
Interesting place for a midnight walk, Cassandra said, leaning easily against the tree as Aeron appeared from the darkness.
Aeron froze, his eyes sharpening. “What do you want, Cassandra?”
Her smile was all teeth. “Oh, I think you know.”
“I don’t have time for your games,” Aeron answered, brushing past her.
But Cassandra moved quickly, stopping his way. “I saw you,” she said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Meeting with that woman in the forest. Do you want to tell me what that was about?”
Aeron’s face didn’t shift. “You’re mistaken.”
“Am I?” She tilted her head, studying him. “Because it looked to me like you’re hiding something. Something Kieran wouldn’t be too happy about.”
Aeron’s jaw tightened. “Stay out of my business, Cassandra.”
Her smile widened. “I could. Or... you could make it worth my while to keep this little secret.”
“And what exactly do you want?”
“Your loyalty,” she said simply. “Kieran’s days as Alpha are numbered. When the time comes, I need to know you’re on the winning side.”
Aeron’s lips curled into a grin. “And you think that side is yours?”
Cassandra stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with drive. “It will be. But only if I have friends like you.”
For a long moment, Aeron said nothing. Then he nodded, his face carefully bland. “Fine. You have my loyalty.”
Smart move, Cassandra purred.
But as she walked away, Aeron’s eyes darkened. “For now,” he mumbled under his breath, already planning his next move.
Elara walked through the dimly lit halls of the pack’s records, her footsteps ringing softly against the stone walls. She’d been restless ever since her fight with Kieran, and something here had drawn her which she couldn’t explain.
The room was vast, filled with shelves of old tomes and papers, their secrets hidden under layers of dust. As she moved deeper into the vault, her shadows flashed, almost as if leading her.
“What are you trying to show me?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
The shadows led her to a corner of the room where a heavy wooden door stood slightly ajar. Curiosity prickled at her senses as she pushed it open, showing a smaller room hidden within the vaults.
The air was thick with the smell of old paper and something else something ancient and powerful.
Elara’s eyes widened as she stepped inside. The walls were lined with shelves holding strange objects: crystals, relics, and books wrapped in dark leather. At the middle of the room was a platform, and upon it sat an open book.
She approached it carefully, her heart racing. The pages were filled with complex symbols and text written in a language she didn’t recognize. But one word stood out, shining faintly: Shadowglade.
Her breath caught. “What is this place?”
As if in answer, a voice repeated in her mind. The truth lies here, but beware—it comes at a cost.
Startled, Elara stepped back, her shadows whirling protectively. “Who’s there?”
The voice didn’t answer, but the room seemed to hum with energy. She looked around, her gaze falling on another book nearby, its title written in strong, golden letters: The Moonguard Prophecy.
Before she could reach for it, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. Her shadows tensed, wrapping around her like a second skin.
“Elara?”
It was Kieran. She relaxed slightly but kept her voice low. “I’m here.”
He appeared in the doorway, his face a mix of relief and mistrust. “What are you doing?”
“I... I found this room,” she said, pointing to the space around her. “It’s full of information about the Shadowglade and the Moonguard.”
Kieran’s eyes darkened as he stepped inside. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Why not?” she challenged. Don’t you want to know the truth?
“The truth is dangerous,” he said, his tone sharp. Some things are better left hidden.
Elara crossed her arms, her determination stiffening. I’m tired of being kept in the dark, Kieran. If this is about me about my powers—I deserve to know.”
Before he could answer, the room shook, a low rumble that sent dust flying from the shelves. The shadows around Elara flared, and she automatically grabbed Kieran’s arm.
“What’s happening?” she whispered.
Kieran’s face was grim. “We’re not alone.”
From the shadows of the room, a figure began to appear, its form covered in darkness. Its voice was a low growl, filled with threat. “You shouldn’t have come here.”
Elara’s grip tightened on Kieran’s arm as the figure advanced. Her shadows bristled, ready to strike, but something about the figure’s presence froze her in place.
“Who are you?” she demanded, her voice shaking.
The figure chuckled grimly. “The question isn’t who I am. It’s who you are, Elara. And whether you’re ready to face the truth.”
The room fell into darkness, and Elara’s heart raced as the figure’s voice repeated one final warning: Choose wisely, or lose everything.
- Writer
