Chapter 2

Elara Vance POV:

"Go and pack your things, child," Corbin said, his voice gentle. "From this day forward, the Blackwood Pack is your home."

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak. As I turned, my eyes met Kaelan's again. That calming scent of the forest, his scent, seemed to thicken in the air around us, a silent promise of safety.

Faye and Clara exchanged a greedy look and followed me upstairs. They claimed it was to help, but I knew they were acting as guards, making sure I didn't take anything they considered valuable.

They needn't have worried. My room was little more than a closet, containing a narrow bed and a small wooden chest. My belongings consisted of a few threadbare dresses and the only thing my mother had left me: a worn copy of a children's book of fairy tales. It was my most precious possession.

"Is that all?" Faye asked, her lip curling in disgust as she eyed my meager bundle. "Good. Less of a burden for Kaelan to deal with."

I ignored her, clutching the wooden chest to my chest. It was the one thing I would fight for.

Downstairs, I could hear Corbin's low murmur to his son. "You played your part well, but don't forget your purpose. And be good to her."

Kaelan's reply was too quiet for me to hear.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, Kaelan moved forward and took the small bag of clothes from my hand without a word, leaving me to hold only my treasured chest. The small, thoughtful gesture sent a surprising warmth through me.

He led the way outside to a battered old Ford pickup truck parked at the curb. It was covered in mud and scratches, looking like it had seen a thousand rough trails.

Faye let out a derisive snort. "My Goddess, is that how the Blackwoods travel? I thought you dragged it out of a junkyard."

Heat flooded my cheeks. It was an irrational impulse, but I felt the need to defend him. "A vehicle is just for getting from one place to another."

Kaelan opened the passenger door for me, his expression unreadable. "My Alpha allows me to borrow it," he said, his voice calm and even.

The explanation was perfect. It neatly explained the decrepit truck while reinforcing the image of a low-ranking wolf, dependent on the charity of others. It silenced Faye.

I climbed into the cab. To my surprise, the inside was immaculately clean, a stark contrast to the rough exterior.

Kaelan started the engine, and it roared to life with a shudder. Before he pulled away from the curb, he turned to me, his stormy gray eyes serious.

"Our union is by the Goddess's will and our elders' agreement," he began, his voice low. "I propose we do not complete the mating mark. Not yet."

I stared at him, stunned. A mate bond without a mark was incomplete, a fragile thing that could be broken without the soul-tearing agony of a true rejection. It was almost unheard of.

He continued, his reasoning flawless. "We do not know each other. To mark you before you have truly chosen this, truly chosen me, would be unfair. This gives you an out, should you need one."

Every word was a balm on my wounded spirit. He was offering me respect. He was offering me a choice, something no one had given me in years. Lyra, my wolf, whined in disappointment, craving the finality of the bond, the complete connection to her mate. But me, the woman who had just been sold like cattle? My rational mind knew this was the greatest gift he could offer.

A wave of gratitude washed over me, so strong it almost brought tears to my eyes. "I agree," I whispered. "Thank you."

He held my gaze for a long moment, as if searching for something in my soul, then gave a single, sharp nod.

The truck pulled away from the Vance house. In the side mirror, I watched Faye and Clara's triumphant faces shrink until they disappeared entirely.

We drove in silence, the rumble of the engine filling the space between us. I hugged my wooden chest, a strange mix of relief and terror swirling inside me. I was free, but I was heading into a future I knew nothing about, with a man who was a total stranger.

A soft buzz came from Kaelan's pocket. He pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen, and slipped it away. The movement was so quick I almost missed it.

He broke the silence. "My father says that for our union to be accepted by the pack, we must live together."

My heart skipped a beat.

I looked out the window at the passing trees, the world blurring into a streak of green and brown. My life was now irrevocably tied to this quiet, mysterious Omega. And we were going home.