Elaine stood up , brushing the leaves from her skirt , and glanced at the dark - haired alpha beside her . The sun had climbed higher , its light breaking through the canopy and scattering golden beams across the forest floor . " It is time to come back , Alpha Darius . " She said softly . Darius turned his head , as if reluctant to end the quiet moment they had shared near the falls . Then , with a small smile , he nodded . " Ah , yes . I've been out for quite a while . Alpha Efrein said he expects me at breakfast . " Elaine returned his smile faintly . " Ah , yes . It's something of an unspoken rule here in our pack . Everyone eats breakfast together every morning . That's why our dining hall is much larger than most packs . " She paused , then added almost absently , " At least , according to everyone who's visited other territories . " " That's a good tradition ," Darius replied thoughtfully . " It can strengthen bonds within the pack -improve relationships . " They began walking side by side , their steps quiet on the worn forest , path . Neither suggested shifting into their wolves to cut the distance ; instead , they matched each other's pace as though an unspoken agreement bound them to walk as they were . The silence between them wasn't heavy , nor was it empty . It was ... easy . For Elaine , that was confusing . Once upon a time , she had known this kind of peace with others with her sister , with her friends . But all of that had shattered . Betrayal had stolen it away , leaving her to carry loneliness like a cloak . And yet , beside this alpha - a stranger from another pack - she felt the faint echo of what she had lost . It startled her . It almost hurt to realize how much she missed it . " The party last night , " Darius said at last , breaking the silence , " was a success for your pack , wasn't it ? Your future alpha and luna look good together . They seemed like a strong match . " He glanced at her with an easy smile . " Looks like your pack is in good hands . I'll admit , I'm a little jealous . Michael and I are the same age , but while I've already taken the title of alpha , I still haven't found my mate . " The words hit Elaine like a knife twisting deep in her chest . Her breath faltered , though she 1/4 Moon pain ? She had been enjoying this rare , simple connection with Darius - two strangers walking like old friends . But the mention of Michael and Kathy dragged her back to reality . To the truth she couldn't escape . Her hands clenched at her sides . What did I ever do to deserve this ? Why must even an outsider see them as perfect ? Why can't I breathe without being reminded ? Beside her , Darius noticed the shift . One moment , she had been smiling faintly , her laughter still echoing in his mind from earlier . Now , her expression had shuttered . Her presence dimmed , as though she had stepped away without moving an inch . It was the same hollow look she had worn at the party the night before . A mask . A doll's face . His brows furrowed . What did I say ? Elaine forced herself to answer , her voice steady though it cost her everything to keep it that way . " Yes ... They are a good couple . Our pack is lucky . Blessed by the Moon Goddess . " She turned her gaze away from him , fixing it on the trees ahead . She couldn't let him see her eyes . If he looked too closely , he'd see the storm hidden behind them - the grief , the betrayal , the jagged wound that still bled every day. Darius slowed slightly , studying her profile . " Did I say something wrong? " His tone carried genuine concern , not the authority of an alpha but the earnestness of a man who cared to understand . " No , Alpha . " She gave a quick shake of her head , not daring to meet his eyes . " Everything you said was correct . Our pack is fortunate to have such a strong match for our future alpha and luna . " She hesitated , forcing the corners of her mouth upward into something resembling encouragement . " But ... you don't have to feel jealous . You'll find your fated too . The Moon Goddess hasn't forgotten you ." Her words were kind , but they carried a distance he couldn't ignore . The rest of their walk stretched out in silence , but it wasn't the peaceful quiet of before . The air between them felt heavier now , thick with something unspoken . Elaine's walls were back up , and no matter how Darius tried to shake the sense of it , he couldn't find the right words to bring her back to where she had been before . 2/4 < Chapter 14 More Rewards For Elaine , the moment of peace was gone . For Darius , there lingered only confusion - and a gnawing curiosity about the woman who could laugh so freely one moment , then disappear behind her mask the next . The forest path widened the closer they came to the heart of the Silverblade territory . The faint murmur of voices carried on the breeze , mixed with the scent of cooking food drifting from the pack house kitchens . It reminded Elaine of the world she'd been trying to escape- the routines , the noise , the endless eyes that never stopped watching her . " There it is ," Darius said lightly , his voice breaking the silence . He gestured ahead , his expression thoughtful . " Strange , it feels like we've only just started walking . " Elaine offered him a small smile , polite but muted . " Yes . The falls aren't so far , really . " Elaine slowed her pace even more . The thought of stepping inside - into that hall full of eyes -made her chest tighten . She turned to Darius , giving a respectful dip of her head . " You should go ahead , Alpha . They'll be expecting you . " He looked at her , a flicker of surprise crossing his face . " And you ? " " I'll come in later . " She straightened , her voice calm , carefully neutral . " Thank you for the walk , " she added softly . Then , with a polite bow , she turned and slipped into one of the side corridors that skirted the pack house . Within moments , she was gone - swallowed up by the familiar shadows she seemed so comfortable disappearing into . Darius stood where she had left him , the noise of the dining hall pulling him forward . Yet his eyes lingered on the direction she had gone . He couldn't explain it , but something about her unsettled him . Not in a threatening way , more like a puzzle that refused to fit neatly into place . One moment , she laughed with the ease of someone who'd known him for years . Next , she carried herself like a ghost , fading before he could get close enough to understand . With a faint shake of his head , he forced his attention back to the present . He was an alpha on another pack's land , and breakfast awaited . Still , as he stepped into the dining hall , he realized he was thinking less about the gathering and more about the quiet girl who had already vanished from it . And that , somehow , felt strange . < Chapter 15 Chapter 15