Chapter 5

Elara Thorne POV:

Jax's arrogant words shattered the fragile peace in our home. I felt Faye stir in my lap, and I carefully lifted her, placing her gently on our small pile of furs in the corner. Then, I stood up.

I moved to stand between him and the pot, my body a silent barrier. My eyes were as cold as a winter night. "My food is for my family," I said, my voice low and even. "You are not welcome here."

His face flushed a deep, ugly red. Humiliation warred with his greed. "You forget yourself, Omega!" he snarled, taking a threatening step forward. "Without me, you and your pups would have starved in the woods long ago! Consider this a taste of the interest you owe me!"

I didn't back down. I took a step toward him. "I remember," I said, my voice cutting through his bluster. "I remember you taking the pack rations meant for my children, then 'gifting' me back a few scraps and demanding my gratitude."

The words hung in the air, sharp and undeniable. Jax was struck dumb, his jaw working but no sound coming out.

Behind me, I heard a sharp intake of breath. Moira and Cole were staring, their faces a mixture of shock and dawning understanding. They had believed his lies. They thought he was our protector, not our tormentor. My silence had allowed their disdain to fester.

Rage finally overtook Jax's shock. He lunged, his hand reaching for the pot.

I was ready. My hand moved in a blur, and the thorny, black vine materialized in my grasp. It sang through the air, cracking like a whip.

He had learned his lesson from before. He tried to snatch his hand back, but the tip of the vine caught him across the back of his knuckles. A thin, black line of blood welled up instantly.

He yelped and scrambled back, his eyes fixed on the vine in my hand with raw terror.

I held the vine loosely, letting it dangle from my fingers. I let my gaze sweep across the room, from the cowering Jax to my wide-eyed son, and finally, to my stunned mother-in-law.

My voice, when I spoke, was not loud, but it held the weight of absolute law. "From this day forward, there are new rules in this house. Rule one: No one touches my children. Rule two: I do not share my food with outsiders."

My eyes locked onto Jax, sharp and unforgiving. "You are an outsider. Get out. And never come back."

The combination of my unyielding stare and the unnatural weapon in my hand was too much for him. His bravado crumbled completely. He muttered a stream of curses under his breath and stumbled out of our hovel, a coward defeated.

As he disappeared, the vine in my hand dissolved into harmless motes of light.

The silence that followed was profound. Cole looked from the empty doorway to me, and for the first time, I saw something akin to awe in his eyes.

Moira's expression was a tempest of emotions. She finally found her voice, though it was rough and strained. "Was it true? What you said? Jax was stealing your supplies?"

I simply nodded. There was no need for embellishment. The truth was enough.

A flicker of guilt crossed her face before she masked it with her usual stoicism. She stood for a long, silent moment, then turned to leave. "I... I should go."

She paused at the doorway, her back to me. "Tomorrow," she said, not looking at me. "Make extra. I want to take some to the Elder."

She left without another word, almost fleeing. But I understood. It wasn't an order. It was a request. The first she had ever made of me.

Cole walked over to me, his small hand reaching out to tug on my tunic. He looked up, his emerald eyes clear and direct.

"Mom," he said.