She almost said daughter, but the word burned too much. She wasn’t Beta Richard’s daughter anymore. She didn’t have parents anymore. She was just… alone.
“Ah, yes.” Darius’s expression softened. “That’s why you look familiar. But tell me, what are you doing here all by yourself?”
Elaine looked away, toward the falls. “I like being alone. Away from other wolves.”
Away from the whispers, the prying eyes, the endless judgment. But she didn’t say that part aloud.
“And here I am disturbing you!” Darius exclaimed, his tone exaggerated in mock offense.
The sound made Elaine laugh before she realized it. A short, genuine laugh escaped her lips, and the moment it did, her hand rose to cover her mouth. It had been so long since laughter had come to her freely. She couldn’t help it, though. He had drawn it out of her.
“It’s okay,” she said softly, still smiling. “I can share-for now, Alpha.”
Darius’s gaze lingered on her, unexpectedly struck.
She’s beautiful.
He had seen her last night at the gathering, but now he realized he hadn’t really seen her. Back then she wore smiles like masks-polite, empty, doll-like. The kind of smile that never reached the eyes. But this one… this smile, born from laughter, lit her face in a way that made her seem entirely different.
How could I have missed this? he wondered.
Elaine, meanwhile, felt his gaze and grew self-conscious.
She quickly added, “And you’re not disturbing me. As Alpha Efrein said, no one usually comes here.”
Darius looked around, his eyes sweeping over the trees, the waterfall, the soft glow of sunlight glimmering off the water.
“That’s hard to believe,” he said thoughtfully. “This place is beautiful.”
“Yes,” Elaine agreed quietly, her eyes fixed on the falls. “But it’s on the edge of the pack.”
He nodded, letting the quiet stretch between them. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, though. It felt strangely balanced, as though both were content to let the moment settle without needing to fill it.
For Elaine, that was rare. Usually, silence around others felt heavy, loaded with judgment. But here, with him, it simply… was.
Elaine stood up, brushing the leaves from her skirt, and glanced at the dark-haired alpha beside her. The sun had climbed higher, its light breaking through the canopy and scattering golden beams across the forest floor.
“It is time to come back, Alpha Darius.” She said softly.
Darius turned his head, as if reluctant to end the quiet moment they had shared near the falls. Then, with a small smile, he nodded. “Ah, yes. I’ve been out for quite a while. Alpha Efrein said he expects me at breakfast.”
Elaine returned his smile faintly.
“Ah, yes. It’s something of an unspoken rule here in our pack. Everyone eats breakfast together every morning. That’s why our dining hall is much larger than most packs.” She paused, then added almost absently, “At least, according to everyone who’s visited other territories.”
“That’s a good tradition,” Darius replied thoughtfully. “It can strengthen bonds within the pack -improve relationships.”
They began walking side by side, their steps quiet on the worn forest, path. Neither suggested shifting into their wolves to cut the distance; instead, they matched each other’s pace as though an unspoken agreement bound them to walk as they were. The silence between them wasn’t heavy, nor was it empty. It was… easy.
For Elaine, that was confusing. Once upon a time, she had known this kind of peace with others with her sister, with her friends. But all of that had shattered. Betrayal had stolen it away, leaving her to carry loneliness like a cloak.
And yet, beside this alpha-a stranger from another pack-she felt the faint echo of what she had lost. It startled her.
It almost hurt to realize how much she missed it.
“The party last night,” Darius said at last, breaking the silence, “was a success for your pack, wasn’t it? Your future alpha and luna look good together. They seemed like a strong match.”
He glanced at her with an easy smile. “Looks like your pack is in good hands. I’ll admit, I’m a little jealous. Michael and I are the same age, but while I’ve already taken the title of alpha, I still haven’t found my mate.”
The words hit Elaine like a knife twisting deep in her chest. Her breath faltered, though she
Moon pain?
She had been enjoying this rare, simple connection with Darius-two strangers walking like old friends. But the mention of Michael and Kathy dragged her back to reality. To the truth she couldn’t escape.
Her hands clenched at her sides. What did I ever do to deserve this? Why must even an outsider see them as perfect? Why can’t I breathe without being reminded?
Beside her, Darius noticed the shift. One moment, she had been smiling faintly, her laughter still echoing in his mind from earlier. Now, her expression had shuttered. Her presence dimmed, as though she had stepped away without moving an inch. It was the same hollow look she had worn at the party the night before.
A mask. A doll’s face.
His brows furrowed. What did I say?
Elaine forced herself to answer, her voice steady though it cost her everything to keep it that way. “Yes… They are a good couple. Our pack is lucky. Blessed by the Moon Goddess.”
She turned her gaze away from him, fixing it on the trees ahead. She couldn’t let him see her eyes. If he looked too closely, he’d see the storm hidden behind them-the grief, the betrayal, the jagged wound that still bled every day.
Darius slowed slightly, studying her profile. “Did I say something wrong?”
His tone carried genuine concern, not the authority of an alpha but the earnestness of a man who cared to understand.
“No, Alpha.” She gave a quick shake of her head, not daring to meet his eyes. “Everything you said was correct. Our pack is fortunate to have such a strong match for our future alpha and luna.”
She hesitated, forcing the corners of her mouth upward into something resembling encouragement. “But… you don’t have to feel jealous. You’ll find your fated too. The Moon Goddess hasn’t forgotten you.”
Her words were kind, but they carried a distance he couldn’t ignore.
The rest of their walk stretched out in silence, but it wasn’t the peaceful quiet of before. The air between them felt heavier now, thick with something unspoken.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.