Chapter 6

Elara Vance POV:

I woke to the scent of antiseptic and pine. I was lying on a soft cot, tucked under a thick wool blanket. My wounds had been cleaned and dressed, and the gnawing pain had subsided to a dull, manageable ache.

My eyes fluttered open. The first thing I saw was the canvas ceiling of a tent. The second was him. The Alpha King.

Alaric Thorne sat in a simple wooden chair beside my cot, watching me with those unnerving, amber-gold eyes. His powerful scent of winter storms and ancient forests filled the small space, but instead of feeling intimidating, it felt... protective. Like a fortress wall.

He saw I was awake and leaned forward, offering me a cup of lukewarm water. "You've been unconscious for a full day," he said, his deep voice a quiet rumble.

I tried to sit up, a groan escaping my lips. He reached out, his large, warm hand supporting my back. The moment his skin touched mine through the thin fabric of the shirt they'd put me in, the Sparks returned, a soft, insistent crackle. We both felt it. A flicker of something unreadable passed through his amber-gold eyes before he coolly withdrew his hand.

My own voice was a dry, raspy whisper. "My... my baby..."

A shadow of something that looked like empathy softened his chiseled features. "The doctor confirmed you lost the child. The fall was too severe. I am sorry for your loss."

The clinical confirmation was a fresh stab to the heart. Tears I didn't know I had left began to slide silently from the corners of my eyes, tracing paths through the grime on my cheeks. Alaric didn't speak. He simply sat there, a pillar of silent strength, giving me the space to grieve. His quiet patience was a stark contrast to Ryker's performative concern, and it felt more genuine than any words of comfort could have.

After a long moment, I wiped my face with the back of my hand, the fire of my resolve burning away the tears. "Thank you for saving me, Alpha King."

"Alaric," he corrected me, his tone firm. "Now, tell me who you are. And what a Luna of a ranking pack was doing half-dead in the middle of Gloomfang Peaks."

I hesitated, my trust shattered into a million pieces. How could I believe this Alpha King was any different from the monster I had married?

But Lyra, my wolf, was surprisingly certain. *He is powerful. More powerful than Ryker. He can protect us.*

I took a breath and chose to trust my wolf. "My name is Elara Vance, of the Black Moon pack. My mate... my Alpha... he tried to kill me."

"Alpha Ryker Blackwood?" Alaric asked, one silver eyebrow arching slightly. He knew the name.

I just nodded, closing my eyes against the fresh wave of pain the name brought.

Just then, the tent flap opened, and the man from the car entered. He leaned in and spoke to Alaric in a low voice. "Alpha King, our scouts have confirmed Black Moon warriors are active near Gloomfang. They're... searching for a body."

The report hung in the air, a stark confirmation of my story.

Alaric's gaze turned glacial. To attempt to murder one's own pregnant, Fated Mate was the highest form of blasphemy against the Moon Goddess, a crime that sickened the soul of any true wolf.

"You are safe here for now," he said to me, his voice flat and hard. "Ryker's men will not find this encampment."

A small measure of relief unfurled in my chest, but it was quickly followed by a new fear. "What will you do with me? Will you send me back to him?"

Alaric stood, his immense height seeming to shrink the tent. His shadow fell over me, a cloak of intimidating power. "I do not interfere in the internal politics of other packs," he said, his voice a low growl. "However, I do not, and will not, tolerate the murder of a Luna and her unborn pup."

The promise in his words was as solid and unyielding as a mountain. "I will have my men escort you out of this territory, to a place where he will never think to look. You need a new beginning."

Gratitude, sharp and overwhelming, brought a fresh sting to my eyes. "How can I ever repay you?"

He looked down at me, his gaze intense. "Heal. Get strong. You will need all your strength for what comes next."

He turned to leave, but paused at the tent flap. Without looking back, his voice entered my mind, not through my ears, but through the intimate channel of a mind-link-a connection reserved for the deepest bonds of trust and family.

"Do not worry, Elara Vance. Justice will find its way- all that is black and white shall be made clear in time."