Chapter 2 No.2

Elara POV:

The opportunity felt like a lifeline thrown to a drowning woman. Seven years ago, I had been selected for a prestigious position at the Wolf's Sanctum, a place of learning and power for the most gifted of our kind. It was an honor that should have cemented my place in the pack, but the false accusation had stolen it from me, just like everything else. This new chance, this sanctuary in the north, was my final, desperate hope for a life of my own. Ten days. In ten days, I would be free.

I awoke the next morning to the sound of music and laughter drifting from the village center. Pushing myself up, I limped to the grimy window and peered out. The entire pack was gathered. Banners of deep crimson and silver, the colors of our pack, fluttered in the breeze. A large feast was being prepared.

My stomach clenched. It was a celebration. For Seraphina. Today was her eighteenth birthday, her official coming-of-age ceremony.

A part of me, the weak, foolish part that still remembered being a sister, whispered that I should stay hidden. But a stronger, colder part of me refused to cower. I had ten days left in this personal hell, and I would not spend them hiding in the shadows.

I washed my face with the cold water from the basin and pulled on the simple, threadbare tunic they had given me. My limp was more pronounced today, the damp air seeping into my old wound. Every step was a fresh wave of pain, but I forced myself forward, my head held high.

My arrival cast a pall over the festivities. The music faltered. The laughter died. All eyes turned to me, their expressions shifting from joy to open hostility. I saw my parents standing near the center, their faces tight with displeasure. My sister, Lyra, glared at me, her hand resting on the hilt of the warrior's dagger at her belt.

And there, standing beside Seraphina like a devoted guardian, was Kaelen. He was dressed in the formal black attire of the Alpha, making him look even more imposing. His eyes met mine for a fleeting second, a flicker of something unreadable in their depths, before he turned his full attention back to Seraphina.

Seraphina, dressed in a flowing white gown that made her look like an innocent angel, broke the silence. She glided towards me, her face a perfect mask of concern.

"Elara, sister," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "I'm so glad you could be here. I was so worried about you." She reached out as if to touch my arm, but I subtly shifted away.

Her smile didn't waver. She turned to Kaelen, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Alpha Kaelen," she began, her voice gaining a theatrical tremor. "For my coming-of-age gift, I ask for only one thing. I wish for you to reaffirm your promise. Your promise to protect me, always."

It was a blatant, provocative challenge, aimed directly at me. She was reminding everyone, especially Kaelen, of the lie that bound them together-the fabricated story of her saving his life.

A cold, hard knot formed in my chest. "I will not bear witness to this farce," I said, my voice low but clear.

Seraphina's eyes widened in mock hurt. She immediately switched to the Old Tongue, the formal, ancient language of our ancestors, reserved for sacred ceremonies and matters of high importance. "Ah, but dear sister, this is not a farce. It is a pledge of honor. Why would you deny me this small comfort?"

My parents rushed to her side, their faces etched with worry. My father placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, speaking to her in the same ancient language. "Do not mind her, little one. Her years in the dungeon have made her bitter."

My mother added, her voice sharp with disapproval, "She has forgotten her place. An Omega should not speak with such insolence."

Through the mind-link, Lyra's voice seared into my thoughts. 'You are cruel, Elara. Can't you see you're upsetting her? After everything she's been through for this pack?'

They all assumed I couldn't understand. I was raised as an Omega, denied the formal education given to the higher ranks. They believed the Old Tongue was beyond my comprehension. Kaelen simply frowned, his gaze a silent warning for me not to ruin the day.

A bitter smile touched my lips. They were wrong. My secret white wolf heritage came with certain gifts. Not only could I sense the faintest of mind-links, but my mind absorbed knowledge like a dry sponge. I had taught myself the Old Tongue years ago, listening to the elders' lessons from the shadows. I understood every single word of their condescension, every syllable of their misplaced pity for the viper they cherished.

"I feel unwell," I said, keeping my voice carefully neutral in our common tongue. "I must return to my quarters."

As I turned to leave, my mother's voice followed me, a parting shot delivered in the elegant, flowing script of the Old Tongue. "Let her go. It is for the best. Her presence here is a stain on this happy day."

I didn't flinch. I just kept walking, my limp a steady, rhythmic beat on the hard-packed earth. They had all forgotten something in their rush to celebrate their precious Seraphina.

Today was also the first day of my freedom. And I had only nine more to endure.