Elaine's smile flickered through her tears , the first she had managed in what felt like an eternity . It was small , fragile , trembling at the edges , but it carried with it a spark of hope she thought she would never feel again . Darius saw it , and his chest tightened . That tiny spark in her was worth more than any alliance , more than any law binding him . He still didn't know the name of the wolf who had done this to her , who had dared to spit on the moon goddess's gift . But he would . And when he did , there would be a reckoning that even the Silverblade Alpha would not be able to ignore . For now , though , he made only one vow . " I will not let you wither here , Elaine . After the ceremony ... You will leave with me . That , I swear . " Those words had anchored her ever since . They were the only rope keeping her from slipping completely into the darkness that clawed at her heart . Elaine held onto that promise with everything she had , repeating it silently every time the pain surged . Tomorrow , she told herself . Tomorrow after the ceremony , she would leave with Darius and his pack . Tomorrow , freedom . Tomorrow , maybe healing . Until then , she had to endure . Every moment she saw Michael with Kathy was like being flayed alive , a fresh wound torn open in her chest . Her wolf whimpered inside her , weaker with each passing day . Wolves were not meant to be separated from their fated mates , much less rejected by them . The bond was slowly killing her wolf from within , and Elaine felt the creeping numbness spreading further every time Michael touched Kathy in her presence . She couldn't tell anyone . There was no one to tell . No one would care . Her parents had already made it clear with their silence , their looks of pity mixed with expectation for her to step aside , to understand . The Alpha couple had been no different . Every glance , every wordless look at the breakfast table was an unspoken command : endure this , accept this , be silent . And she had . She had accepted it in her own way , which was why she had told them she was 1/3 < Chapter 24 leaving . But even that small decision had cost her . More Rewards By revealing her intention too soon , she had given them time to prepare ways to keep her bound here . That was why she had begged Darius not to approach the Alpha yet . If he moved too soon , they would corner her , lock her in , make sure she never left the territory . Better to wait until the very last moment - tomorrow - when they would have no chance to scheme against her . Darius had understood . He had agreed . And in that agreement , Elaine found the comfort she hadn't known she needed . In the short days since they'd met , he had become something she thought she no longer deserved - a friend . A protector . Someone who didn't look at her with disappointment or disgust . Someone who saw her and believed in her . She could still feel the force of his anger from yesterday when she had confessed the truth . His fury hadn't been for himself , or for what the alliance meant , but for her . That alone had nearly undone her . None of her packmates , not even her parents , had spared her so much as a comforting word after Michael chose Kathy . Not one had stood beside her , not even when her heart shattered . Instead , they had left her to bear the shame alone . To them , she was the mistake - the wrong one for daring to believe the moon goddess hadn't erred . But Darius ... Darius believed differently . To him , the bond was sacred . To him , the moon goddess did not make mistakes . And that made him dangerous - to her pack , at least . Which was why she could never tell him the whole truth . Not yet . He wasn't here this morning . He had told her he needed to meet with his beta , to prepare for tomorrow , to plan the words he would speak when he confronted the Alpha about her transfer . He was careful , deliberate . He would not leave any room for Silverblade to trap her . So now Elaine sat quietly in her little corner at the back of the dining hall , where she wouldn't be noticed . She picked at her food without tasting it , her mind a tangle of thoughts . She tried to breathe steadily, to hold onto the promise of tomorrow . But the room itself seemed to conspire against her . At the far end of the hall , she saw Michael guiding Kathy toward their table . His hand rested protectively at her back , his eyes soft with affection . He leaned close to whisper something , and Kathy's laughter rang out , sharp and sweet . 2/3 < Chapter 24 More Rewards > Elaine's chest constricted , and her wolf whimpered again , curling tighter in the shadows of her soul . Her parents ' eyes met hers across the hall . That same look - pleading , asking her to understand , to be reasonable . As if she hadn't already sacrificed everything . As if she hadn't already agreed to leave . She turned away , blinking back tears . Her breath caught when she felt the shift in the room . The Alpha and Luna entered , their presence commanding immediate respect . Wolves bowed their heads , voices hushed . Elaine lowered her gaze too , hoping they would pass her by unnoticed . But their footsteps slowed , stopping near her table . " Elaine , " the Alpha's deep voice called . She lifted her head slowly , forcing her expression into polite neutrality . " Alpha . " " Please meet us at the office after breakfast ," he said . The Luna's voice followed , softer but firm . " We need to discuss tomorrow's ceremony ." For a moment , Elaine's heart stumbled . Did they already suspect ? Did they know she was planning to leave with Alpha Darius ? She forced herself to breathe evenly , her voice calm despite the storm inside her . " Of course , Alpha . Luna , " she said , dipping her head respectfully . They both nodded once , satisfied , and moved on to greet the next group of wolves . Elaine's hands trembled in her lap . Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough . Comments