Chapter 67 Caring for Elara
Chapter 67 Caring for Elara
The message came in fragments, carried by one of the few people who knew enough to understand its urgency. Kael’s brow furrowed the moment he heard it. Elara had been acting unusually, her health suddenly failing during the outing. The words themselves were vague—she was sick, frightened, shaken—but that was all he needed. His instincts, honed over years of watching, tracking, protecting, flaring immediately.
He didn’t hesitate. Not once.
“Let’s move,” Kael said, his voice low but commanding. Luca, Rowan, and Jace were already waiting, silent but ready. They understood him without explanation. In an instant, they were gone from the familiar streets, out into the city, weaving through alleys and side streets with a speed and precision that belied the casual pace of the crowds around them.
Kael’s mind raced as he ran. He imagined her pale, trembling, clutching her stomach, her breaths shallow. He pictured the fear in her eyes, even if she tried to hide it. The image sharpened his resolve, made his movements more precise. Every corner he turned, every building he passed, was calculated. He knew where she was—or at least he trusted the fragments of information he had received.
“Which building?” Luca asked, matching his pace to Kael’s as they moved.
“The dorm,” Kael said without pausing. “The room she shares with Sonia and Sophie. That’s where she’s most likely to be.”
Rowan glanced at him briefly. “You sure?”
Kael’s jaw tightened. “Positive. She’s not wandering somewhere else. She’s not in the open. She’s hiding—or she’s with friends. Either way, she’s our priority now.”
They moved as one, fluid and silent in their coordination. Kael’s eyes flicked constantly to the sides, scanning for any signs of threat. Though the report was only of sickness, he knew better than anyone that danger could be lingering unseen. He would not let anything—or anyone—reach her before he did.
The city’s streets blurred past as they ran. Pedestrians turned heads, startled by the sudden, purposeful movement of the four young men, but none could grasp the urgency that drove them. To an observer, they were just fast, coordinated, unusually serious. To Kael, they were a lifeline rushing toward someone who needed him more than anything in the world.
Finally, the dorm came into view. Kael’s pace didn’t falter as he scanned the surroundings. No unusual shadows. No figures that seemed out of place. But he could feel it—the tension lingering in the air, the invisible threads of unease that clung to the streets. His instincts told him someone—or something—was still near.
“Stay sharp,” he muttered to the others.
They approached the entrance. Kael pushed open the door without hesitation, moving with the confidence of someone who had entered this space countless times before. Inside, the familiar smell of the dorm greeted him: the faint scent of candles, old wood, and the remnants of dinner long past. It was comforting, grounding. But the feeling that had driven him here remained, a subtle hum of unease that whispered of unseen threats.
“Room,” Kael said, already heading up the stairs.
They reached the corridor quickly. The door to Elara’s room was closed, but muffled voices—Sonia and Sophie—leaked out. Kael’s heart thumped painfully in his chest. He didn’t wait for an invitation. He knocked sharply, one, two, three, and then pushed the door open when there was no immediate answer.
Inside, the scene confirmed every fear that had driven him here. Elara lay on the bed, pale, trembling, clearly exhausted. Sonia and Sophie were seated on either side of her, holding her hands, trying to soothe her, whispering words Kael couldn’t fully catch from the doorway.
“Elara,” Kael said softly, his voice carrying that careful balance of command and concern that always made her turn to him instinctively.
Her eyes widened the moment she saw him. Relief, confusion, and lingering fear mingled on her face. She tried to sit up, but her strength failed her, and she sank back onto the pillows.
“I… Kael…” she whispered, her voice fragile.
He moved swiftly to her side, kneeling beside the bed. His hand hovered for a moment before gently brushing back her hair. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “You’re safe now. We’re here.”
Luca, Rowan, and Jace followed, forming a protective circle around the bed. They didn’t crowd her, but their presence was unmistakable—a silent promise that she could not be harmed while they were there.
Sonia exhaled, relief evident in her posture. “He’s here,” she said softly. “Kael’s here.”
Elara tried to nod, but a wave of dizziness made her falter. Kael caught her instantly, steadying her with ease. “Don’t try to move,” he said. “Just rest.”
Her breaths came in shallow, shaky pulls. Kael’s eyes scanned her face, taking in every detail—the paleness of her skin, the slight tremble of her hands, the distant fear lingering in her gaze. He wanted to erase it all, shield her from every shadow that had dared to touch her that day.
“What happened?” Luca asked quietly, his voice steady but laced with concern.
Sonia gave a brief summary, careful not to exaggerate, but conveying enough for Kael to understand. Elara had felt ill suddenly, overwhelmed by nausea, and there had been an unsettling encounter with a stranger in the city. Kael’s jaw clenched.
He stood, moving toward the window briefly, eyes narrowing as he scanned the streets outside. Nothing seemed out of place—but he knew better. The city always hid its dangers well. The rival wolves were clever, but he was already thinking several moves ahead. They wouldn’t get near her—not while he was watching.
Returning to her side, Kael settled gently beside her, letting his presence be a steady anchor. “You don’t have to explain everything right now,” he said. “You just rest. We’ll figure out the rest together.”
Elara’s hands instinctively reached for him, seeking comfort in the familiarity of his presence. Her breathing began to slow slightly, the tension easing as the knowledge that Kael was there wrapped around her like armor.
Jace moved closer, offering a small reassuring smile. “She’s strong,” he said quietly to the others. “Even when she feels weak, she fights.”
Rowan nodded. “But even the strong need protection sometimes.”
Luca placed a hand on Elara’s other shoulder, careful not to crowd her. “And we’re not going anywhere. Not for a second.”
Kael’s gaze swept the room, lingering briefly on each of them. His friends were always ready, always reliable, but he knew that Elara’s safety wasn’t just their responsibility—it was his. Every ounce of his focus was on her. Every instinct, honed and sharpened, was attuned to ensuring nothing would ever harm her again.
He noticed the way her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted the blanket around herself, the lingering pallor on her cheeks, the faint sheen of sweat from her sudden illness. Every detail mattered. Every small change in her expression was a signal he noted, stored, and considered in his silent calculations for keeping her safe.
“Elara,” he whispered again, gently tilting her chin so she met his eyes. “We’re here. You’re not alone.”
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, though she tried to blink it back. “I… I was so scared,” she admitted.
Kael’s thumb brushed lightly over her cheek. “I know,” he said softly. “I know. But you’re safe. And you will stay safe.”
Sonia and Sophie stayed close, their presence a comforting reinforcement. The room, once ordinary, became a sanctuary, a space where Elara could finally let go of the fear that had been building inside her all day.
Kael remained by her side, his mind still alert, still calculating. The rival wolves, the strange man in the city—they existed, yes, but they would not touch her. Not while he was there. Not while Luca, Rowan, and Jace were there.
And as Elara slowly began to relax, leaning into the warmth and security of their presence, Kael made a silent vow: he would never let anyone hurt her. Not ever.
Even if the entire world stood against them, he would be her shield.
He would be her guardian.
And she would never be alone.