Chapter 7

Elara Vance POV:

The act of walling off the mind-link was like slamming a steel door in my own head. A sharp, splitting pain lanced through my skull, and for a moment, the world went gray. But then, as the last echo of Zane's presence faded, an incredible sense of lightness washed over me. The silence in my mind was absolute. It was mine.

Back in my room, I knew what I had to do next. It was time for a final purge. A ritual to cleanse myself of the last seven years.

A sharp knock on my door interrupted my thoughts.

I opened it to find one of Kael's warriors. "There's a visitor for you in the main hall," he said, his tone neutral but his eyes curious.

A visitor? Here?

My first instinct was suspicion. No one outside Sterling knew I was here-or so I had thought. But as I followed the warrior to the hall, the pieces began to fall into place.

Silas Adler stood waiting, his posture straight and formal. I recognized him instantly-a student of Elder Alaric, the most revered figure in the Blackwood Pack. Alaric had been my mentor in herbology and healing, one of the few people in Blackwood for whom I held genuine affection and respect.

"Elara," Silas said warmly. "It's good to see you." He held out two items: a thick, elegant envelope and a small, cloth-wrapped parcel.

I stared. "How did you find me?"

"The invitation," he explained, gesturing to the envelope. "Elder Alaric enchanted it himself-a seeking scroll attuned to your essence. A bit of old magic for an old friend. He insisted on delivering it personally." His expression softened. "But this," he said, handing me the parcel, "is from Faye Sutton. She found a few things in your old room and thought you might want them."

I unwrapped the cloth carefully. Inside was a small, carved wooden box-my box of memories. The first piece of jewelry Zane ever gave me, a simple silver pendant. A smooth, gray stone from our walk by the river. A dried wildflower. Artifacts of a life I now knew was a lie.

"Faye also wanted you to know," Silas added quietly, "that things are changing in Blackwood. There are rumors... about a new appointment. And she's not the only one who misses you."

I stared at the invitation. Elder Alaric's eightieth birthday celebration. A summons back into the lion's den.

After Silas left, I stood holding the invitation and the memory box, my mind at war with itself. To go back was unthinkable. But to refuse was to disrespect the one man in Blackwood who had always shown me kindness.

Then my old tactical communicator-the one piece of Blackwood gear I had kept-buzzed softly. The encrypted channel was still active. A voice message from Faye.

I activated it, and her familiar, fierce voice filled the room: "Elara, where in the Goddess's name are you?" It was a hushed, urgent whisper. "Things are a mess here. The Alpha is planning to put that Croft woman in charge of the Moonspring Valley command. The warriors are furious. She doesn't know the first thing about our defenses. Whatever you're doing, stay safe-and don't come back. Not yet."

A second message followed moments later. This one was from Lea Shaw, another she-wolf I had once considered a friend. Her tone was completely different-syrupy sweet and dripping with condescension.

"Elara, darling, I heard you've been having a little tantrum. You should really come back before you do something you'll regret. The Alpha's position isn't something just anyone can challenge, you know."

The contrast was stark. Faye's genuine concern versus Lea's patronizing scorn. It clarified everything. Faye knew my number because she had been my second-in-command for years-this was our old unit's private channel. Lea must have gotten it from overhearing Faye.

And then, an idea began to form in my mind. A bold, audacious idea. Alaric's birthday party wasn't a threat. It was an opportunity. A stage.

It was a chance for Zane, for Seraphina, for Lea, for the entire Blackwood Pack to see me again. Not as a runaway, not as a spurned lover crawling back in disgrace.

They would see me as I was now.

I made my decision. I would go. But I would not go alone, and I would not go as Elara Vance of Blackwood.

I found Kael in his office, the invitation held firmly in my hand. He looked up, sensing the shift in my demeanor.

"Kael," I said, my voice steady and clear. "I've decided to attend this party. But I need your help."