Chapter 99 Kaden's POV
"Good you will leave tomorrow morning. Helena's already been notified. She'll meet you at the border with her own security detail."
"Tomorrow morning." She tested the words. "That's so soon."
"If I give myself more time to think about this, I will change my mind so it has to be tomorrow."
We stood there in awkward silence.
"Thank you," she said finally. "I know this is hard for you. I know you're scared but this means everything to me."
"I know it does that's why I'm letting you go even though every instinct I have is screaming at me to keep you here."
She moved toward me and, after a moment's hesitation, wrapped her arms around me.
I held her tightly, breathing in her scent, memorizing the feel of her in my arms.
"Come back to me," I whispered into her hair. "When you are ready, come back."
"I promise."
I pulled back enough to look at her face. Then I kissed her not frantically like at the celebration, but deeply tenderly. Pouring every ounce of love and fear and hope into it.
She kissed me back with equal intensity, her hands in my hair, her body pressed against mine.
When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathing hard.
"I love you," I said.
"I should have said it sooner, should have shown it better. But I love you, Elara more than I've ever loved anyone."
"I know and I..." She paused.
"I'm getting there. I'm not ready to say it back yet. But I'm getting there."
"That's enough for now, that's enough."
The next morning came too quickly.
I watched as Elara climbed into the armored vehicle, Damian settling in beside her. The five guards took their positions two in the vehicle, three in a follow car.
Kara was there too, insisting she needed to come to help Elara with daily tasks. I'd approved it after checking her background thoroughly.
"Ready?" the lead guard asked.
Elara looked at me through the window. I saw uncertainty in her eyes and last minute doubts.
I nodded at her and mouthed "it's okay."
She nodded back and mouthed "I will be careful."
Then the convoy pulled away, heading toward the border and Helena's territory. I stood there watching until they disappeared from view.
My wolf was howling inside me. Raging at me for letting our mate leave. For not stopping her. For being too weak to keep her safe.
'This is wrong, we should go after her and bring her back.'
"She needs this, she needs space."
'She needs us, she needs our protection.'
"She needs her freedom more."
I turned and walked back to my office, already dreading the empty hours until her evening call.
The day dragged every minute and felt like an hour. I tried to work but couldn't focus. I tried to eat but had no appetite.
Finally, around six in the evening, my phone rang.
Elara's face appeared on the video call. She was in what looked like a comfortable guest room, sitting on a bed.
"We made it," She said. "No problem, the guards were very thorough."
"How are you feeling? Is the baby okay?"
"We're both fine. A little tired from the drive but fine. Helena's pack is beautiful. Very different from Blue Moon but beautiful."
She showed me around the room, pointed out the window at the forest view, and introduced me briefly to Helena who appeared in the background.
"Tomorrow Helena's taking me to the old Silver Moon territory," Elara continued.
"Where the pack used to be before the attack. She says there are still some survivors living nearby who might remember my family."
"Be careful that area isn't fully secured-"
"I know the guards will be with me. And Damian and Helena's own security."
She smiled slightly. "You've made it impossible for anything to happen to me."
"Good that's the idea."
We talked for another twenty minutes. About nothing and everything. About the Red Stone Pack's customs. About what she'd seen on the drive about how strange it felt to be away from Blue Moon territory.
"I should go," She said finally.
"Helena invited me to dinner with her family. I shouldn't be late."
"Okay call me tomorrow evening?"
"I will. I promise."
"Elara?”
"Yes?"
"I miss you already."
Her expression softened. "I miss you too."
The call ended and I was alone again. I sat in the silence of my office, staring at the blank screen.
She was safe and she would arrive without incident. Everything had gone according to plan.
So why did I feel like something terrible was about to happen? A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts.
"Come in."
Ethan entered, his expression grim. "We have a problem."
"What kind of problem?"
"The guards on the eastern border just reported a fire in a building burning on pack lands."
"What building?"
Ethan's face was troubled. "Your mother's memorial garden. The one your father built after she died someone set it on fire."
The world tilted. "What?"
"The garden is burning. The guards are trying to put it out but whoever started it used an accelerant. It's spreading fast."
I was already moving toward the door. "Get fire teams there immediately. I want every available person to fight this fire."
"Already done. But Kaden..." Ethan caught my arm. "This wasn't random. The guards found something at the scene."
"What?"
"Erebus's mark carved into a tree near the garden entrance was a message."
I felt cold fury settle over me. "What kind of message?"
"The kind that says they know how to hurt you. That they can strike at what matters most even inside your own territory."
Ethan's voice was grim. "And Kaden... the timing. Right after Elara left this might be a distraction."
"A distraction from what?"
"From whatever they are planning to do to her."
The fear I'd been suppressing all day crashed over me.
Elara alone outside my territory with Erebus knowing exactly where she had been. I grabbed my phone and called her number.
It rang and rang and rang.
No answer.
"Get me Helena," I told Ethan. "Right now.”