4: The Mysterious Invitation
1352 Words
Elara’s POV
A cold shiver ran down my spine as my wolf stirred to life.
"Wake up."
My wolf’s voice was a whisper, but it carried urgency.
I blinked awake, my breath catching in my throat as I took in my surroundings. The cabin was small, dimly lit by the soft glow of early morning light filtering through the cracks in the wooden walls.
For the first time in years, I wasn’t in chains.
For the first time, I hadn’t woken up to pain.
I sat up slowly, expecting my body to ache, expecting wounds to reopen.
But there was nothing.
No bruises. No burns. No open flesh. Goddess... was I really reborn? A second chance. Tears burned my eyes but I refused to let it drop.
I ran my hands over my skin, my fingers trailing over smooth, unbroken flesh.
I should be covered in scars or maybe injuries due to what had happened to me.
I should be broken.
But instead...I felt strong.
Stronger than I had ever felt before.
My breath came unsteady as flashes of last night hit me.
The chase. The fear. The shift.
The woman.
I turned sharply, scanning the room for any sign of her and hoping against hope that I wasn't in some kind of new trouble.
And then...she was there.
She stood by the doorway, silent and unreadable, just like before but the power radiating off her was like nothing I've ever encountered before.
No footsteps. No sound. It was as if she had always been there. Watching me... geez, that's really creepy.
Before I could demand answers or ask questions, she stepped forward, extending her hand, her face still rigid.
A sealed envelope rested between her fingers.
The wax stamp gleamed in the sunlight... a crest that sent a strange pulse of familiarity through me.
I didn’t reach for it immediately.
"What is this?" I asked, my voice low, cautious.
"Take it," she said simply.
I hesitated and my wolf stirred in me.
"Elara, take it. It's not harmful."
My wolf’s voice was firm this time.
I reached out and took the envelope. The moment my fingers brushed against the wax seal, something inside me stirred.
A strange pull. A sense of purpose.
"What is this?" I repeated, lifting my gaze to her.
"The next step in your journey," she said. "It will take you to Silver Moon Academy."
My brows furrowed. "Why would I go there?"
Her silver eyes bore into mine, as if she was seeing something deeper.
"You’ll find your answers there," she said. "And you’ll be safe."
Safe.
That word felt foreign to me.
"Who are you?" My voice was sharper now. "Why are you helping me?"
She tilted her head slightly, gave me one creepy smile.
And then...she was gone.
Vanished into thin air.
I sucked in a breath, my pulse hammering.
I looked down at the envelope in my hand.
It held my only lead.
And my only chance at survival.
The envelope felt heavier than it should.
I hesitated before breaking the wax seal, my fingers trembling slightly as I slid the letter free.
The paper was smooth, thick, marked with a formal insignia.
I scanned the words quickly, my heart slamming against my ribs.
---
Silver Moon Academy
Official Invitation for Enrollment
Dear Eli Lunaridge,
You have been granted admission into Silver Moon Academy, an institution dedicated to training the next generation of Alpha leaders. Your presence is expected immediately upon receipt of this letter.
Enclosed, you will find directions to the Academy and the required documents for your integration.
We look forward to your arrival.
- Council of the Silver Moon Academy
I froze.
My stomach twisted violently.
Eli Lunaridge?
A man’s name.
But I was a girl.
I reread it, waiting for the words to change, for some mistake to reveal itself.
They didn’t.
I set the letter down carefully, my hands shaking.
What was this? Some kind of trick?
"Elara," my wolf murmured, calm but firm. "This is your way in."
My breath hitched. "What do you mean?"
"You can’t enter as yourself. The world thinks you’re weak, an Omega and you're a girl. If you go in as Elara Nightwind, they will find you. Your father will find you. But Eli… Eli Lunaridge does not exist to them."
The words settled deep in my chest, so heavy I thought I'd suffocate.
A new identity.
A way to survive.
I squeezed my eyes shut, my thoughts racing.
I had never lived as anyone but Elara. I didn’t know how to be someone else.
Would I even be able to pull this off?
Would I be convincing enough to hide among the strongest Alphas and future warriors?
What if they found out?
But then...the truth crashed into me.
I had no choice.
If I stayed here, I would be found.
If I went back, I would be dragged to Darius’s bed and torture, that is if I wasn’t killed for running away.
Eli Lunaridge was my only way forward.
I inhaled sharply, forcing down the rising fear.
"You will not be alone," my wolf whispered. "I will be with you."
I nodded slowly.
I would have to do this but I need time...maybe a day or two to think about everything and practice how to be a boy and I'll also need supplies if I'm gonna survive here.
Determined, I searched the cabin.
There had to be something that could help me disguise myself.
But as I rummaged through the small space, my hope quickly dwindled.
There were no supplies. No food. No weapons. Nothing.
Just an old binder—or tape—used to flatten a chest.
I stared at it for a moment, realization settling in.
Whoever the woman was, she had prepared for this and she doesn’t want me to waste time thinking.
I swallowed hard.
No turning back I guess.
With shaking hands, I picked up the tape, gripping it tightly.
Then, I moved to the small mirror against the wall.
My long, tangled curls framed my face, too delicate, too feminine.
I grabbed a rusted blade from the drawer, my heart hammering.
With one deep breath, I cut the first strand.
The blade sliced through the thick waves easily, my locks falling to the wooden floor.
I kept going. Cutting. Shortening.
Until only ragged, uneven strands remained.
The girl in the mirror looked different now... a bit different maybe.
She's no longer Elara.
Not an Omega but...
A boy.
Eli Lunaridge.
I undress from the gown she must have dressed me in yesterday night and look at my boobs, they look smaller than usual and I gasped, "Do you think that woman did something to my boobs?"
My wolf chuckled, "Now is not the time to worry about your boobs, you should be grateful to her, big boobs won't help your disguise at an all boys academy, we're going to try and figure out our life, not seduce the school's entire population."
I let out a breathy laughter as I grabbed the tape on the table and wrapped my chest, wincing slightly at the pressure.
Finally, I pulled on the boyish clothes left behind.
Loose. Simple. Masculine.
I stared at myself again, my heart twisting with uncertainty.
Would this be enough?
Would I fool them?
I clenched my jaw, pushing the doubt away.
I had to.
"Get some rest, I'll work on masking your scent till we leave at dawn tomorrow." My wolf announced and I nodded before staring at the new me in the mirror.
"I sure am a pretty boy." I grinned as I patted my head and my wolf scoffed.
"Perfect prey for the gays in the school, now that's another problem." She whined and I chuckled before heading out in search of wild fruits.
---
As the first rays of sunlight spilled through the trees, I stepped out of the cabin, my wolf had masked my scent, erasing all traces of Elara.
I took one last breath.
And then, using the map, I walked toward Silver Moon Academy.
My last hope for survival.
- Writer
