< Chapter 48 Chapter 48 " Alpha , we will be in the Silverblade pack in thirty minutes ," Marcus said from the seat , glancing briefly at Darius before turning his gaze back to the road . Darius gave a silent nod , his jaw tightening slightly . +25 Points passenger They were here for the Alpha and Luna ceremony tomorrow , a formal event that demanded his presence . As tradition dictated , they would remain until the day after before returning home . But Goddess , he already missed Elaine . It had only been a month since she agreed to be with him , and though the bond they shared grew stronger each day , the time apart gnawed at him more than he expected . If it were entirely up to him , he would have announced their union right away , claimed her openly , and celebrated her as his Luna without hesitation . His wolf howled for it , urging him constantly to make it official . But Darius knew better . Elaine needed time . She trusted him when he promised he would reject his fated mate for her , but she didn't want that sacrifice . She didn't want anyone - especially another woman - to feel the same agony she felt when Michael had chosen Kathy over her . Darius could still see the lingering shadows in Elaine's eyes whenever the topic surfaced . Her pain was real , and so was her fear . So he gave her his word . He told her he would wait as long as she needed , and in that moment he meant it wholeheartedly . Yet when she finally whispered that she wanted three years - three years before she could bring herself to accept the title of Luna - it nearly broke him . Three years of waiting . Three years of enduring the pack politics that would demand he attend mating balls . Three years of proving over and over again that she was the only one he wanted . But he would do it . For her . For the love that had taken root so fiercely in his heart that he knew nothing could uproot it . He would prove every day that his devotion was unshakable . He would choose her every time . He would show her that he could be the kind of man - and wolf - worthy of not only her love , but of being the father to her pup . The car slowed to a halt in front of the Silverblade pack house , its towering structure as 1/4 : < Chapter 48 +25 Points imposing as he remembered . Darius took a deep breath , his chest tightening as memories surfaced . Meeting the people who had hurt Elaine - the pack that had failed to protect her , failed to value her - while maintaining civility was no small feat . As an Alpha , he wasn't here for himself alone . He represented the Crescent Moon Pack . His composure had to reflect his people's strength and dignity . But as Darius , the man , the wolf ? Oh , how he longed to have just one private moment with Michael . One fight . One chance to bare his teeth and show him what it meant to break the heart of the woman he now cherished . " Alpha Darius , welcome back to Silverblade ," Alpha Efrein greeted warmly as he stepped forward . He was flanked by his beta and his Luna , both of whom dipped their heads respectfully . " Thank you , Alpha Efrein . Luna Beatrice , " Darius replied with a polite bow of his head . " Alpha , thank you for coming ," Luna Beatrice said , her voice steady , though her eyes flickered briefly as if measuring him . " The omega will guide you to your quarters so you may rest ." " Thank you , Luna ," he responded smoothly , his tone neutral . Still , his wolf bristled inside him . Rest . The word felt foreign in this place . " Alpha Efrein , " Darius said after a brief pause , " would it be acceptable if my wolves and I stretched our legs around your territory ? The flight here has left them uneasy , confined , and they are eager for a run . " The request was true enough , but underneath it pulsed another motive . He wanted - no , needed - to see the waterfall . The place where he first met Elaine . Even though their meeting had not been under the best of circumstances , the memory was etched into his soul . That waterfall wasn't just a landmark anymore . It was a sacred place . A reminder of the moment fate had placed Elaine into his life . " Of course , Alpha , " Efrein said with a nod . " I understand the needs of your wolves . You are welcome to roam the territory freely . If you require guidance , the omegas are available to show you the safe paths . They have already been informed of your presence . " Darius gave a small , courteous smile . " There's no need . I still remember the old running trails from my last visit . Thank you , Alpha . " With that , he inclined his head once more before turning to follow the omega who had stepped forward , ready to escort him to his quarters . His stride was even , steady , the perfect 2/4 < Chapter 48 picture of control . +25 Points But inside , his wolf paced restlessly , eager to break free , eager to find the waterfall , eager to feel close again to the woman who owned his heart . Once the omega had shown him to the guest quarters , Darius dismissed him with a curt nod . He barely spared the room a glance ; a bed , a dresser , a window overlooking the eastern trees -nothing that mattered . His wolf was already clawing at his skin , restless , demanding release . With practiced ease , he shed his clothes and shifted , bones cracking , fur erupting across his body . In moments , the Alpha wolf stood in place of the man , shaking out his thick coat as a low growl rumbled from his chest . The walls felt suffocating , the scent of this place all wrong , tainted with memories that weren't his but lingered like stale smoke . He bolted out the back door , paws hitting the earth with force . The wind rushed past him , cool and sharp , carrying the mingled scents of the Silverblade territory . His wolf snarled at them , but Darius forced his instincts down . They weren't here to fight , not tonight . Tonight , he had a different purpose . The trees blurred as he ran , his paws finding familiar paths . Every stride carried him closer , and with every bound , the pull in his chest grew stronger . His wolf knew exactly where they were headed . The waterfall . Elaine's place . He broke through the last line of trees , and there it was - the cascade of water tumbling over the rocks , gleaming silver beneath the moonlight . The roar of it filled his ears , but beneath it , he swore he could still hear her laughter . Not the laughter she gave everyone else , but the soft , shy one she had given him when she finally started to trust him . His wolf slowed , padding toward the pool at the base of the falls . He lowered his head , drinking deeply from the cool water , but his mind wasn't on the taste . It was on her . The memory of her standing there , fragile yet defiant , when they first crossed paths . The haunted look in her eyes when she told him her story . The courage it took for her to let him in at all . Darius shifted back into his human form , sitting on a smooth rock near the edge of the water . The spray misted across his face , and for a moment , he closed his eyes , letting it wash over him . He imagined her here beside him , her hand in his , her voice teasing him for looking so serious . 3/4 < Chapter 48 +25 Points " I'll wait for you , Elaine ," he murmured softly into the night , his voice swallowed by the rush of the falls . " Three years , thirty years ... it doesn't matter . You are worth every second . " His wolf stirred within , both restless and soothed . Being here was like being close to her , like he had found a way to bridge the distance between them . Still , the thought of facing Michael tomorrow brought a flash of heat through his veins . His fists clenched around the rock at his side . Not tonight . Tonight was for her . Tonight was for remembering why he was fighting so hard to keep her heart safe . 1 Comments Get Bonus ( Ad ) > E