Elvira
I had never felt water this warm before. It soaked into my skin, easing the knots in my muscles, washing away the filth of what felt like months of suffering. My bruise mark stung a little as I scrubbed myself raw, but I didn’t stop until the water ran murky and my skin was clean. Stepping out, I wrapped a towel around myself and walked back into the bedroom. A fresh tunic and trousers were waiting for me. I dressed quickly, my damp hair sticking to the back of my neck, and I turned to the plate of food left on the small wooden table. I hadn’t realized how starving I was until I took the first bite. The flavors were rich, too good. I ate quickly, barely chewing, forcing myself to finish everything. ‘Eat when you can. You never know when the next meal will come.’ I’d learned that rule long ago. By the time I finished, my stomach ached from how fast I’d eaten, and exhaustion settled deep in my bones. I hesitated before moving toward the bed. It was soft, too foreign. I had never laid in one before. But I was too tired to care. The moment my head hit the pillow, darkness swallowed me whole. — It started with the sound of rushing water. The river seized me, swallowing me whole. I tried to breathe, but my lungs burned, my body heavy from the weight of my own blood. My shoulder throbbed. An arrow buried deep in my knee, and when I reached for it, I felt something wet and warm. My blood. I wasn’t alone. Laughter echoed through the trees. “Poor sister,” Elyra’s voice cooed. “It’s over now.” I tried to scream, but the river pulled me under again, silencing me. Then, another voice. Deep, pained, regretful. “I’m sorry, Elvira.” Deric. He stood at the edge of the river, his golden eyes shadowed with something unreadable. “Deric—” My voice broke. He raised the knife—and drove it straight into my chest. — I woke up gasping. Cold sweat clung to my skin, my breath rugged and uneven. My chest aches like something had been ripped away, and my throat burned like I’d swallowed fire. The river was gone. The suffocating cold melted into warmth, heavy blankets draped over me. The scent of cedarwood and something darkly masculine filled the air. The room was dimly lit, shadows leaning against the walls. I wasn’t alone. Then a voice, deep and comforting, startled me. “It’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here now.” The words pulled me back to reality, but my body was still trapped in panic. I couldn't breathe. My fingers trembled as I clawed at the sheets, trying to ground myself. I jerked my head toward the voice, my vision swimming. Alpha Jaxon’s Silver eyes locked onto mine. He sat beside the bed, his broad frame casting a shadow over me. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, like he’d been here a while. His jaw was set, unreadable, but his eyes… there was something in them. Something I didn’t understand. Concern? Definitely not. I tried to sit up, but the room tilted violently. My stomach twisted. I barely bit back the urge to retch. “Easy.” His hands were on me before I could collapse, gripping my shoulders firmly but not harshly. His touch was warm. Soft. I flinched, my body betraying me. I didn’t want to be touched. Couldn’t stand being touched. I swallowed hard, confusion swirling in my chest. Why was he helping me? Alpha Jaxon seemed to notice. He let go immediately, but his silver gaze never left me. “Doctor.” His voice was sharp, like a command. I blinked, remembering that we weren’t alone. Four figures stood near the far wall. Two warriors, stiff and expressionless. A woman in healer’s robes stepped forward. Her scent marked her as the pack doctor. She hesitated, glancing at Alpha Jaxon. “Alpha—” “Check her,” he ordered. I stiffened as the doctor approached, her fingers cool and professional as she pressed against my wrist, my temple. She checked my pulse, the healing wounds on my skin, the bruises that already healed but left a mark. Alpha Jaxon sat unnervingly still, watching her every movement. I swallowed. My mind was a mess, I couldn’t process how I was feeling. The doctor finished her assessment and turned back to him. “She’s stable. Just exhausted. Her body is still recovering from the trauma, but she’ll heal.” Alpha Jaxon gave a sharp nod. “Leave us.” The doctor hesitated. “Alpha—” “Now.” She lowered her head and left, the warriors following behind her. The door shut with a heavy thud, and suddenly, it was just me and him. Heavy silence followed. I shifted under the weight of it, my heart pounding. Alpha Jaxon studied me for a long moment before speaking. “Are you okay?” He asked, his tone softer than usual. I nodded absentmindedly. “What’s your name?” I hesitated. Something in his tone wasn’t demanding. It was gentle, but firm. He wanted an answer. “Elvira.” My voice cracked from disuse. Alpha Jaxon nodded like he’d expected it. He leaned back slightly in his chair, but he didn’t relax. I stiffened. My pulse hammered in my ears. What’s next? Throw me out? Long silence stretched between us, the warriors chants below shattered it. I flinched. Alpha Jaxon moved, my body coiled on instinct, like a wounded animal backed into a corner. His hand moved toward my forehead—slow but steady. I jerked away, a muscle in his jaw twitched. Then, he exhaled, his voice calm but firm. "Relax. I just need to check something." Relax? How could I? His fingers wrapped gently around my wrist instead, pressing two fingers against my pulse. A shiver ran through me. Not from cold, but from something else. The second his skin touched mine, I felt beneath it. A glow. Faint, but there. A silver thread curled beneath my skin where he touched. Alpha Jaxon stilled. His grip on my wrist tightened for half a second before he let go, drawing back like he’d touched fire. His face gave away nothing, but his demeanor had changed. I swallowed hard. "What...what was that?" My voice came out quieter than I wanted. Alpha Jaxon didn’t answer right away. His gaze lingered on my wrist, then on me. I tried to move back, but there was nowhere to go. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, his voice grew softer, he changed the topic. “You were screaming in your sleep.” I swallowed, my throat still raw. “It was just a dream.” Alpha Jaxon didn’t look convinced. His silver eyes blinked in the dim light, studying me too closely. “You’re from Bloodmoon.” He said, his tone clipped. How did he—? It didn’t sound like a question. Every muscle in my body went rigid. My pulse pounded so loudly I thought he might hear. He leaned in, his gaze sharpening. “Who did this to you?” I opened my mouth, then stopped. Something in the way he asked made my blood turn cold. His tone wasn’t soft. It wasn’t comforting. Like he wasn’t asking out of curiosity, but to confirm a suspicion. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. Alpha Jaxon exhaled slowly, dragging his fingers through his hair. He looked almost…frustrated. And it was because of me. “Get some rest, Elvira. We’ll talk when you’re stronger.”Elvira I gasped for air, my throat burning as if I’d been screaming for hours. My wrists ached, the sharp bite of metal digging into my skin. I tried to move, but the clinking of chains told me I was trapped. Where am I? It was dark, cold and suffocating. The air smelled damp, like decay. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I struggled to piece together my last memory. Wolfbane…..I had been sent to Elder Marwen’s hut to retrieve the sacred vial that would seal my mate bond with Alpha Deric of Shadowfang Pack. I remembered the excitement thrumming in my veins, Deric and I had exchanged letters for months, planning this day. My eighteenth birthday. The day I would finally meet my mate. But I never made it back. I clenched my fists, wincing at the sting of cuts and bruises. My body ached, throbbing with pain I couldn’t remember earning. Something wasn’t right, how did i end up here? Suddenly, I heard muffled voices above me. The steady sound of a crowd. A ceremony. My blo
ElviraThe footsteps continued, then I heard voices, mocking and familiar. They held a torch light, and I was able to make out of their shadows first—two figures standing tall and confident. Then they step in, the light illuminating the environment. I was in the dungeon leading to the forest. Their golden eyes glint with amusement as they look down at me, shackled and broken at their feet. “E-l-v-i-r-a,” Beta Elijah says, stepping closer, his boots stopping just inches from my trembling hands. "You’re a mess, Elvira." I flinch when he crouches, his fingers brushing a strand of damp hair from my face. His touch is light, almost gentle, but it makes my skin crawl. I don’t want them near me. I force down my revulsion, swallowing back the bile rising in my throat. “Beta Elijah… Beta Eric… please…” Eric snorts. "Please?" He tilts his head, feigning curiosity. "Please what? You think we’ll let you go?" I lift my gaze to him, just to see him smiling. I hated the look on his face.
Elvira I felt water, cold, relentless waves crashing over my body. My lungs burn. My limbs are heavy. Every inch of me is screaming in agony. I don’t know how long I’ve been here, half-submerged, my body battered and bruised. The wounds on my side throb painfully, and I can feel the sickening warmth of infection spreading through my skin. My clothes are torn, soaked with water and blood. I force my eyes open. The environment around me is blurred, my head spinning. A thick mist hovers over the riverbank, shrouding everything in eerie silence. Where am I? How am I still alive? I clutch my rib, where the arrow pierced me. The pain is sharp, but I grit my teeth and push myself up. My limbs shake, but I manage to stand. I need to move. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know where to go. But I have to keep moving. I step forward, my bare feet sinking into the damp ground. The forest looms ahead, dark and still. I stagger into it, hoping, praying, that I find a way out of this nightmar
Elvira His presence sucked all the air out of the room. His broad shoulders filled the doorway, his dark cloak brushing against the wooden floor. The moment he stepped closer, the elderly woman beside me, who had been silently watching over me, bowed deeply before stepping out without a word. Wait. Bowed? I blinked, glancing between her retreating figure and the Alpha now pacing the room. Why was she bowing? The air in the room shifted, filled with tension. He moved back and forth, his heavy boots thudding softly against the floor. He didn’t say a word, just kept pacing, his jaw tight, his brows furrowed. I swallowed hard. Was he... thinking of what to do with me? I pressed myself deeper into the bed, my pulse hammering. This man had saved me from the rogues, but why? What if he regretted it? What if he was trying to decide whether to toss me back outside? Every few steps, he’d glance at me, his silver eyes unreadable. Just say something! The suspense was killing me. Th
Elvira I had never felt water this warm before. It soaked into my skin, easing the knots in my muscles, washing away the filth of what felt like months of suffering. My bruise mark stung a little as I scrubbed myself raw, but I didn’t stop until the water ran murky and my skin was clean. Stepping out, I wrapped a towel around myself and walked back into the bedroom. A fresh tunic and trousers were waiting for me. I dressed quickly, my damp hair sticking to the back of my neck, and I turned to the plate of food left on the small wooden table. I hadn’t realized how starving I was until I took the first bite. The flavors were rich, too good. I ate quickly, barely chewing, forcing myself to finish everything. ‘Eat when you can. You never know when the next meal will come.’ I’d learned that rule long ago. By the time I finished, my stomach ached from how fast I’d eaten, and exhaustion settled deep in my bones. I hesitated before moving toward the bed. It was soft, too foreign. I had
Elvira His presence sucked all the air out of the room. His broad shoulders filled the doorway, his dark cloak brushing against the wooden floor. The moment he stepped closer, the elderly woman beside me, who had been silently watching over me, bowed deeply before stepping out without a word. Wait. Bowed? I blinked, glancing between her retreating figure and the Alpha now pacing the room. Why was she bowing? The air in the room shifted, filled with tension. He moved back and forth, his heavy boots thudding softly against the floor. He didn’t say a word, just kept pacing, his jaw tight, his brows furrowed. I swallowed hard. Was he... thinking of what to do with me? I pressed myself deeper into the bed, my pulse hammering. This man had saved me from the rogues, but why? What if he regretted it? What if he was trying to decide whether to toss me back outside? Every few steps, he’d glance at me, his silver eyes unreadable. Just say something! The suspense was killing me. Th
Elvira I felt water, cold, relentless waves crashing over my body. My lungs burn. My limbs are heavy. Every inch of me is screaming in agony. I don’t know how long I’ve been here, half-submerged, my body battered and bruised. The wounds on my side throb painfully, and I can feel the sickening warmth of infection spreading through my skin. My clothes are torn, soaked with water and blood. I force my eyes open. The environment around me is blurred, my head spinning. A thick mist hovers over the riverbank, shrouding everything in eerie silence. Where am I? How am I still alive? I clutch my rib, where the arrow pierced me. The pain is sharp, but I grit my teeth and push myself up. My limbs shake, but I manage to stand. I need to move. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know where to go. But I have to keep moving. I step forward, my bare feet sinking into the damp ground. The forest looms ahead, dark and still. I stagger into it, hoping, praying, that I find a way out of this nightmar
ElviraThe footsteps continued, then I heard voices, mocking and familiar. They held a torch light, and I was able to make out of their shadows first—two figures standing tall and confident. Then they step in, the light illuminating the environment. I was in the dungeon leading to the forest. Their golden eyes glint with amusement as they look down at me, shackled and broken at their feet. “E-l-v-i-r-a,” Beta Elijah says, stepping closer, his boots stopping just inches from my trembling hands. "You’re a mess, Elvira." I flinch when he crouches, his fingers brushing a strand of damp hair from my face. His touch is light, almost gentle, but it makes my skin crawl. I don’t want them near me. I force down my revulsion, swallowing back the bile rising in my throat. “Beta Elijah… Beta Eric… please…” Eric snorts. "Please?" He tilts his head, feigning curiosity. "Please what? You think we’ll let you go?" I lift my gaze to him, just to see him smiling. I hated the look on his face.
Elvira I gasped for air, my throat burning as if I’d been screaming for hours. My wrists ached, the sharp bite of metal digging into my skin. I tried to move, but the clinking of chains told me I was trapped. Where am I? It was dark, cold and suffocating. The air smelled damp, like decay. My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I struggled to piece together my last memory. Wolfbane…..I had been sent to Elder Marwen’s hut to retrieve the sacred vial that would seal my mate bond with Alpha Deric of Shadowfang Pack. I remembered the excitement thrumming in my veins, Deric and I had exchanged letters for months, planning this day. My eighteenth birthday. The day I would finally meet my mate. But I never made it back. I clenched my fists, wincing at the sting of cuts and bruises. My body ached, throbbing with pain I couldn’t remember earning. Something wasn’t right, how did i end up here? Suddenly, I heard muffled voices above me. The steady sound of a crowd. A ceremony. My blo