Chapter 2 MERCY WRITTEN IN LIES

Elara Pov

I stayed on the floor for what felt like hours but was probably only minutes because I could still hear the crowd in the temple talking and their voices drifted through the walls like poison. My silver gown was wrinkled and tear-stained and I knew I looked pathetic but I could not bring myself to care.

The door burst open without warning.

Father stood in the doorway with two of his enforcers behind him. His face was carved from ice and his eyes held no trace of the man who used to read me bedtime stories when I was small.

"Get up," he said.

I stood because my body obeyed even when my mind screamed at me to stay down and make him drag me out.

"You humiliated this family," Father said.

"I did not do anything," I said. "Adrian rejected me."

"Because you are worthless," he said. "A wolfless disgrace who shamed your mother into the grave."

The words hit like fists and I flinched but I forced myself to meet his eyes.

"Mother did not kill herself," I said.

Something flickered across his face but it was gone so fast I almost missed it.

"Do not speak of things you do not understand," he said.

"I understand more than you think," I said.

He stepped closer and his power pressed against me like a physical weight. I was wolfless and weak and he could crush me without even trying but I held my ground.

"You will leave this pack," he said. "Tonight."

"Fine," I said. "I will go."

I expected him to just throw me out but instead, he smiled and it was the kind of smile that made my stomach turn.

"I am not completely without mercy," he said. "You will attend the northern academy. Prove yourself worthy there and perhaps one day you can return."

I stared at him because this made no sense. Father never showed mercy and he definitely never gave second chances.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because despite everything, you are still my blood," he said. "I will not have it said that I abandoned my daughter without giving her a chance to redeem herself."

He pulled a sealed letter from his jacket and held it out to me.

"Give this to the headmaster when you arrive," he said. "It explains your situation and asks for their discretion."

I took the letter because I did not know what else to do. The paper was heavy and expensive and sealed with our family crest in red wax.

"You leave in an hour," Father said. "Pack only what you need. I am assigning an escort to ensure you arrive safely."

He left before I could ask any more questions and the enforcers followed him out. I stood there holding the letter and trying to figure out what game he was playing because Darius Moonshadow did not do kindness without a reason.

I moved fast after that because an hour was not much time. I changed out of the ruined wedding gown into travel clothes and packed a small bag with essentials. I pulled up the floorboard and grabbed my mother's journal and wrapped it carefully before tucking it into the bottom of my bag under my clothes. The evidence was all I had left and I would not leave it behind.

Someone knocked on my door and I tensed.

"Come in," I said.

Two wolves I did not recognize entered and they wore the uniform of Father's personal guards. Both were male and both looked at me like I was something they scraped off their boots.

"We are your escort," the taller one said. "Alpha's orders."

"I am ready," I said.

I followed them through the pack house and we took the back exits so I would not have to walk past the celebration that was probably still happening in the main hall. Celestia was getting everything she ever wanted and Adrian was getting a mate with a wolf and Father was getting rid of the daughter who knew too much.

We walked in silence through the forest and the moon was bright overhead but it felt cold instead of comforting. The guards stayed ahead of me and they did not speak and I did not try to make conversation because what would I even say?

Hours passed and my feet hurt and my bag felt heavier with each step. We crossed into neutral territory and the trees grew thicker and the path grew harder to see.

"How much farther?" I asked.

"Not long now," the shorter guard said.

Something about his tone made my skin crawl but I kept walking because what choice did I have?

We walked for another hour and then the guards stopped. We were deep in the forest now and I could not hear any pack borders or smell any markers and the moonlight barely reached through the canopy.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked.

The taller guard turned to face me and his expression was cold.

"You are declared rogue, Elara Moonshadow," he said.

My heart stopped.

"What?" I said.

"You attacked Celestia in a jealous rage," the shorter one said. "You stole sacred items from the pack vault. Alpha Darius has declared you a criminal and a danger to the pack."

"That is not true," I said. "None of that is true."

"The evidence says otherwise," the taller guard said.

"What evidence?" I demanded.

He did not answer and instead they both turned and started walking back the way we came.

"Wait," I said. "You cannot just leave me here."

"We have our orders," the shorter guard called back.

"Please," I said but they were already disappearing into the trees.

I stood there alone in hostile territory with a bag and a lie and no protection. My hands shook as I pulled out the sealed letter and broke the wax seal. I unfolded the paper and stared at it.

It was blank.

Completely blank.

No message and no explanation and no recommendation to any academy. Just expensive paper with a broken seal. I laughed but it came out choked and bitter because of course it was blank and of course Father never meant for me to reach any academy.

The truth hit me like ice water.

My father never meant for me to survive.