The Alpha's Forgotten Daughter

The Letter

The letter sat on the corner of Mara's worktable all morning.

Watching me.

At least, it felt like it was.

Every time I looked up, there it was.

Folded neatly.

Sealed with dark blue wax bearing the Beaumont crest.

Ashley.

I tried to ignore it.

I really did.

I sorted herbs.

Ground dried roots into fine powder.

Wrapped jars of healing salve.

Reorganized shelves that hadn't needed organizing in years.

The letter never moved.

Waiting.

Patient.

Certain I'd eventually give in.

Mara noticed.

Of course she noticed.

Mara noticed everything.

"You're staring at it."

I kept my eyes on the bundle of yarrow in my hands.

"I'm working."

"You're staring while working."

"That's a talent."

"It's distracting."

"A useful one."

"It isn't."

A reluctant smile tugged at my lips.

Mara hid one of her own behind a steaming cup of tea.

Outside, Beaumont buzzed with excitement.

Visitors had arrived.

Important visitors.

The kind who made warriors stand a little straighter and servants polish furniture that already gleamed.

Their voices drifted through the open window.

Excited.

Curious.

Hopeful.

Beaumont loved important guests.

Especially when alliances were involved.

Or trade.

Or marriages.

Anything worth talking about for the next month.

I wasn't interested.

At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

Mara wasn't convinced.

"Go."

I blinked.

"What?"

She pointed toward the door without looking up from the herbs she was crushing.

"You're useless today."

"I've been helping."

"You've sorted the herbs alphabetically."

I frowned.

"That sounds helpful."

"You've done it three times."

I looked away.

She had a point.

"You've also counted my bandages."

"I wanted to make sure we had enough."

"You counted them yesterday."

"...I forgot."

Mara chuckled.

The sound warmed the room.

"Go see what's happening."

"I don't care what's happening."

She raised one eyebrow.

"Aria."

I sighed.

Maybe I cared a little.

The village square overflowed with life when I stepped outside.

Colorful banners stretched between buildings.

Children darted through the crowd, laughing as they dodged adults who pretended to scold them.

Merchants stood outside their shops, hoping visiting packs might spend a little extra coin before moving on.

The scent of roasted meat, fresh bread, pine smoke, and cold air mingled together.

It almost felt like a festival.

Warriors lined the main road leading into the square.

Pretending not to watch.

Every single one of them was watching.

Including me.

Near the center of the square stood the Alpha.

His dark cloak shifted gently in the winter breeze.

Even surrounded by visiting Alphas and their entourages, he somehow seemed larger than everyone else.

More commanding.

More distant.

His expression gave away nothing.

It never did.

A familiar ache settled quietly inside my chest.

I ignored it.

Several visiting Alphas stood nearby.

Their Betas.

Warriors.

Advisors.

Wolves whose names carried weight beyond their own territories.

Some banners I recognized.

Others I'd never seen before.

One displayed a silver crescent moon stitched into midnight-blue fabric.

Another bore the image of a black wolf surrounded by tiny silver stars.

Beautiful.

Ancient.

Almost magical.

For a fleeting second, something stirred deep inside me.

Not my wolf.

She had remained silent for as long as I could remember.

Just...

Recognition.

A feeling I couldn't explain.

Like I'd seen the banner before.

Or dreamed it.

The sensation disappeared before I could catch it.

Just like every memory of my mother.

Fragments.

Always fragments.

I was so focused on the banners that I nearly walked straight into someone.

"Easy."

Strong hands caught my arms before I lost my balance.

I looked up.

A young warrior smiled down at me.

He immediately released me and stepped back.

"Sorry."

"No... that was my fault."

His smile came easily.

Warm.

Honest.

"I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Neither was I."

His laugh surprised me.

It wasn't loud.

Just genuine.

"I'll remember to watch out for distracted herb gatherers."

"I'll remember to avoid distracted warriors."

"Fair enough."

He dipped his head politely before disappearing into the crowd.

I watched him go.

Strange.

I didn't know his name.

Yet something told me our paths would cross again.

The thought disappeared almost as quickly as it came.

Movement near the Alpha caught my attention.

An elderly woman stood among the visitors.

Unlike everyone else, she wasn't speaking.

She wasn't admiring Beaumont.

She wasn't watching the Alpha.

She was watching...

Me.

My stomach tightened.

She looked ancient.

Not fragile.

Ancient, the way mountains were ancient.

The way forests remembered things long after people forgot.

Her silver eyes met mine.

The noise of the square seemed to drift farther away.

Not completely.

Just enough.

She tilted her head.

Recognition flashed across her face.

Impossible recognition.

I'd never seen her before.

Then she smiled.

Small.

Knowing.

Gone before I could understand it.

Someone stepped between us.

The moment shattered.

When I looked again, she was quietly speaking with another elder as though nothing had happened.

A chill crawled up my spine.

I turned away.

Immediately regretting it.

Because Elder Thomas stood only a few steps away.

Watching me.

The way he always did.

Like he could see thoughts I'd never spoken aloud.

I hated that look.

Mostly because I wanted answers.

And Elder Thomas never gave answers.

Only riddles.

"Good afternoon, Aria."

"It's barely noon."

"A minor detail."

I folded my arms.

"What do you want?"

His smile widened.

Never a good sign.

"You ask me that every time."

"Because every time you're about to say something strange."

The old wolf looked genuinely offended.

For all of two seconds.

Then he laughed.

"I have a question."

"I was afraid of that."

"If a star falls into the ocean..."

He paused.

"...does it stop being a star?"

I stared.

He stared back.

The silence stretched between us.

Finally, I sighed.

"There it is."

"There what is?"

"The strange thing."

His laughter echoed across the square.

Several wolves turned to look.

Apparently, seeing Elder Thomas laugh was as unusual as hearing one of his riddles make sense.

His smile slowly faded.

In its place came something quieter.

Something almost... sorrowful.

"Some things remain exactly what they are," he said softly.

"Even when the world forgets."

The words settled deep inside me.

Before I could ask what he meant, someone called his name.

He gave me one last knowing look.

Then walked away.

Another conversation.

Another half-answer.

Another mystery.

I glanced once more toward the visitors.

The silver-eyed woman was still there.

Still watching me.

And, for reasons I couldn't explain...

I suddenly wanted to know why.

When I returned to Mara's den, the letter was exactly where I'd left it.

Waiting.

I picked it up.

Turned it over in my hands.

The wax cracked beneath my thumb.

Ashley had written dozens of letters over the years.

Most spoke of her studies.

The places she'd visited.

The wolves she'd met.

Maybe this one would be different.

Maybe this one would finally say something that mattered.

I unfolded the parchment.

My eyes found the first line.

My breath caught.

Aria,

I'm coming home.