Our First Conversation
1375 Words
Elara's Pov
I couldn't stop thinking about him.
The masked Alpha.
Even after Martha and I returned to my room, my mind wandered back to the courtyard.
The way everyone respected him.
The way he had knelt before a child instead of punishing him.
The calm confidence in every step he took.
It was nothing like the Ashthorne Pack.
Nothing like Ryker.
I hated myself for comparing them.
One had broken my heart.
The other had saved my life.
Yet they both carried the same commanding presence.
"You're thinking too much."
Martha's voice pulled me back to reality.
I looked up to find her smiling as she folded the blanket at the foot of my bed.
"Is it that obvious?"
She chuckled.
"You've been staring out that window for nearly ten minutes."
I looked away, embarrassed.
"I was just..."
"Wondering about our Alpha?"
Heat immediately rushed to my cheeks.
"I wasn't."
"You were."
She laughed softly.
"I've seen that expression before."
"What expression?"
"The expression of someone who's trying very hard not to ask questions."
I sighed.
"I just don't understand."
"What don't you understand?"
"Why he saved me."
The smile on Martha's face faded.
She became quiet for a moment.
"Our Alpha has always been like that."
"Like what?"
"He can't ignore someone who's suffering."
Her answer only confused me more.
"Even a stranger?"
"Especially a stranger."
I lowered my eyes.
That was something I couldn't understand.
People had watched me suffer for years.
Some laughed.
Some looked away.
No one helped.
Yet a complete stranger had risked his life to pull me out of the forbidden forest.
"Miss Martha!"
A young maid hurried into the room, slightly out of breath.
"The Alpha is asking for you."
"I'll be right there."
Martha turned back to me.
"I won't be long."
She gently placed a glass of water on the table beside me before leaving.
The room became quiet once again.
Unable to sit still, I slowly walked toward the bookshelf near the window.
Most of the books were about herbs, healing, and pack history.
One thick book caught my attention.
Its cover was worn with age.
I carefully pulled it from the shelf.
The title read:
The History of the Northern Packs.
Curious, I opened it.
The first few pages described the founding of several powerful packs.
Then I reached a page filled with portraits of Alpha families.
My eyes stopped on one familiar face.
Alpha Victor Ashthorne.
Ryker's father.
I frowned.
The portrait showed Alpha Victor standing beside his Luna while holding...
A baby.
Just one baby.
I turned the page.
Nothing unusual.
Maybe I was imagining things.
Just as I was about to close the book, a folded piece of parchment slipped from between the pages.
It landed silently on the floor.
Confused, I bent down and picked it up.
It looked old.
Very old.
The edges were yellow with age.
Someone had written only one sentence across the center.
"Some truths are buried because they are too dangerous to remember."
A chill ran down my spine.
What did that mean?
Before I could think any further, the bedroom door opened.
Startled, I quickly looked up.
The masked Alpha stood in the doorway.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
His gaze shifted from me...
To the old parchment in my hand.
The atmosphere in the room changed instantly.
For the first time...
I sensed genuine surprise in his eyes.
For one long moment...
Neither of us moved.
I looked from the old parchment in my hand back to the masked Alpha standing in the doorway.
Something had changed.
His posture was still calm, but his eyes... they were fixed on the folded paper.
Almost as if he recognized it.
"I'm sorry," I said quickly, closing the old book. "I wasn't trying to touch anything I shouldn't."
His gaze shifted to me.
"You were reading."
It wasn't a question.
I nodded.
"I couldn't sleep."
He stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind him.
Unlike Ryker, he didn't make the room feel suffocating.
His presence was powerful, but strangely... peaceful.
"I should've asked first," I admitted. "If I've done something wrong, I'll put everything back."
"You haven't."
His answer surprised me.
"The library is there to be read."
I blinked.
"You... don't mind?"
"No."
He walked toward the bookshelf, stopping beside me.
For the first time, I realized just how tall he was.
I had to tilt my head slightly just to look at him.
His eyes fell on the old parchment again.
"Where did you find it?"
"It slipped out of this book."
I held it out to him.
"I haven't read anything else. Just this sentence."
He accepted the parchment carefully.
For a brief second, his gloved thumb brushed against the faded ink.
His expression became unreadable.
"It shouldn't have been left here."
There was something in his voice...
Not anger.
Sadness.
He folded the parchment and slipped it into the pocket of his coat.
"I'm sorry."
I apologized again.
He looked at me.
"You apologize too much."
His words caught me off guard.
"I..."
I didn't know how to answer.
He was right.
I apologized for everything.
For speaking.
For existing.
For taking up space.
It had become a habit.
"You don't need to apologize for things that aren't your fault," he said quietly.
A lump formed in my throat.
No one had ever told me that before.
Not once.
Trying to hide my emotions, I changed the subject.
"Miss Martha said you saved me."
"I did."
"Why?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked out the window overlooking the courtyard.
"The forest was dangerous."
"It always is."
"You were alone."
I gave a bitter smile.
"I've been alone for a long time."
His shoulders stiffened slightly.
When he spoke again, his voice was lower.
"No one should be."
Silence settled between us.
It wasn't uncomfortable.
It was... strangely calming.
"I never thanked you properly."
I bowed my head.
"Thank you for saving my life."
"You already thanked me."
"I don't think once is enough."
A faint chuckle escaped him.
It was quiet.
Almost impossible to hear.
But I heard it.
Without thinking, I smiled.
He noticed.
"You should smile more often."
The words made me freeze.
Ryker had once told me my smile was irritating.
This man...
Thought I should smile more.
I looked down, suddenly embarrassed.
"I don't have many reasons to."
"You will."
His answer came so naturally that it almost sounded like a promise.
Before I could ask what he meant, a knock sounded at the door.
Martha stepped inside.
"My Alpha."
She inclined her head respectfully.
"Dinner is ready."
He nodded.
Then he looked at me.
"Can you walk?"
"I think so."
"If it becomes painful, tell me."
I nodded.
Together, we left the room.
The dining hall wasn't nearly as grand as the Ashthorne Pack's.
Instead, it felt warm.
Comfortable.
A long wooden table stood near the fireplace.
Several dishes had already been prepared.
The delicious smell made my stomach rumble.
I immediately looked down in embarrassment.
I hoped no one had heard.
Unfortunately...
Martha laughed.
"I'd say that's a compliment to the kitchen."
Even the corners of the masked Alpha's lips lifted slightly.
I quickly sat down, hoping to hide my burning face.
As servants began serving dinner, I instinctively waited.
Old habits.
At Ashthorne, I wasn't allowed to eat until everyone else had finished.
I folded my hands in my lap.
The masked Alpha noticed.
"Why aren't you eating?"
"I..."
I hesitated.
"You should eat first."
He frowned.
"The food is for everyone."
"I know, but—"
"Elara."
It was the first time he had said my name.
His voice remained calm.
"Here..."
He gently pushed the basket of warm bread toward me.
"...no one eats last."
My fingers trembled.
Such simple words.
Yet they shattered something inside me.
I slowly reached for a piece of bread.
For the first time in years...
I didn't feel like an unwanted guest.
Across the table, hidden behind his silver mask, the mysterious Alpha watched me quietly.
And somehow...
I had the unmistakable feeling that he was beginning to see the parts of me I had spent years trying to hide.
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