Chapter 5 Five

The dense forest air greeted Elena with the scent of pine and damp moss, adoring her every step she took along the familiar path toward her family home.

The wind rustled through the leaves like whispers of a past she had run away from, and the full moon above painted shadows across the worn part she took. It had almost been a year since she last stepped foot in her pack's territory-the Vale lands.

She could already hear the distant howls of wolves, signaling her arrival. The guards must have caught her scent; she didn't try to hide it. There was no need for secrecy here-not yet.

She was in her home so masling her scent was not worth it.

By the time she reached the large clearing where the ancestral home stood, lanterns had been lit. The wooden lodge was warm and golden in the evening light, exactly as she remembered it. Despite the time that had passed, nothing seemed to have changed.

The front door burst open before she could even knock. Her mother, The Luna, ran out, her arms open, eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Elena! Oh, my moon-Elena, my baby!"

Elena barely had time to respond before she was enveloped in her mother's embrace, the woman clutching her as if she might vanish again. Behind her, her father emerged-tall, rugged, and far more composed, but Elena saw the soft flicker of relief in his eyes.

"You came back," The Alpha said, his voice a deep rumble, the kind that could silence a room or bring a daughter to tears.

"I had to," she replied, her voice small, cracking under the weight of memories and guilt.

They led her inside, fussing over her like she was still a child. The smell of herbs, warm bread, and pine oil filled the air. It was home, and yet-

"You came at the perfect time," Luna said, pouring her a steaming mug of herbal tea.

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Perfect time?"

Her father cleared his throat. "We were going to call for you anyway. It's almost time, Elena. The Blood Moon approaches."

Elena's heart dropped. She placed the mug down, barely able to swallow. "For what?"

Her mother answered softly, almost reverently. "Your union with Alpha Adam."

The air turned to ice.

Elena stood up. "I didn't come back for that. I came to ask questions-about someone. A patient I met. I thought I still had time before that."

"Who is it that made you worry so much you remembered you had a family?" The Alpha asked, tilting his head, instantly on alert.

"Leo. He survived injuries no human should. He healed faster than I've ever seen. I think he's one of us."

Her father exchanged a look with her mother. "Leo," he repeated. "Describe him."

She did. The dark hair, amber eyes, the strange calmness. The way his body responded to adrenaline and pain as if he weren't bound by human limits.

The Luna's expression hardened. "Rogue."

Elena blinked. "What?"

"Leo is a rogue werewolf," The Alpha said gravely. "There's no doubt in my mind. Those healing patterns, that resistance to pain-they're typical of wolves. He didn't even change his name. Leo went rogue and was abandoned because of his malicious behavior. Rogues don't follow the pack code. They've lived in the wild, some with no human ties, others surviving by their own rules."

"But he's not dangerous," Elena said quickly. "He's... different. He seems unaware of what he is."

"That's worse," The Alpha muttered. "A wolf unaware of his nature is volatile. He's either hiding his identity-or it was hidden from him."

The Luna's eyes narrowed. "You said he responded too fast to medical treatments?"

Elena nodded.

"Some rogue bloodlines are ancient. Tainted. They carry healing gifts, yes, but also a curse. It depends on where his roots are."

"Do you know of him?" Elena pressed. "Do you know where he came from?"

Her parents hesitated, then her mother looked away. "There were rumors. Years ago, before your time. A female rogue from the northern hills gave birth to a boy after fleeing a massacre. She was hunted. Some say the child survived and he came back with malicious plans. He tried to fit in but could not"

Elena's blood ran cold. "What happened to her?"

"She was found dead. But the boy... he was never discovered."

It was too much to ignore. She had to go back to him. She had to know more.

Her father placed a heavy hand on her shoulder. "If he is the boy, then you must stay away. Rogues bring nothing but danger. And we cannot delay your bonding with Adam any longer. The packs expect it."

"I won't marry someone just because it's expected," Elena snapped.

"You must," the Alpha said, voice iron-hard. "You're the heir to this pack. Your union with Adam ensures peace."

"But peace for whom?" she whispered, backing away.

Later that night, she wandered out to the lake behind the lodge, moonlight flickering across the water like scattered diamonds. Her brother, Pete, approached quietly.

"You're thinking about him," he said.

She nodded. "He might be more than any of us know."

"Then find out," Pete said. "Before it's too late."

She looked up at him, grateful. "Thank you."

"Just... be careful. If he's not just a rogue, but something else... a lot could happen."

That night, Elena packed her bag. The time for waiting was over.

She was going back to the city. Back to Leo. And she would find out who-or what-he really was.

But she didn't know that shadows already moved behind her. Adam had been informed of her return and he was not the type to let go of anyone. Not especially Elena who was a rare gem because she was one of the only werewolves to blend in completely with humans and even work on them. She was feared and respected and so he was coming for her.