Chapter 174 CHAPTER 174

Chapter 174 CHAPTER 174
Elara woke to the soft hush of morning light spilling across the third‑floor bedroom, the new pack house still carrying the faint scent of fresh timber and paint. Kaelan was already awake beside her, propped on one elbow, watching her with an expression that made her smile. His hair was tousled, his jaw shadowed, his eyes soft in a way she rarely saw except in the privacy of moments like this.

“Morning,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.

Elara exhaled slowly. “Morning.”

He studied her for a moment, as though searching for cracks she might be hiding. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” she admitted. “But… better than yesterday.”

“Good. You went through a lot.” Kaelan said, then he turned his head, scanning the room. “We should sort this room out, make it feel more like ours.”

Elara smiled faintly. “I’d like that.”

They dressed slowly, moving around each other with ease. The third floor felt large, almost too large, but as they unpacked their belongings, the room began to warm. Kaelan hung their coats by the door, Elara arranged their books on the shelves, and together they spread blankets across the bed until the space felt less like a building and more like a home.

But even as they worked, Elara’s thoughts drifted again and again to the cabin outside. Or more specifically, Talia.

Talia had not spoken since the extraction, she had not cried, she had not reached for Elara or Kaelan. Elara couldn’t help but worry; this wasn’t the Talia who came to them scared from the Matchmaker, this wasn’t the girl Elara had come to know. And she couldn’t help but worry that the Talia that entered the extraction was gone.

Elara paused with a folded blanket in her hands. “Do you think she’ll come out today?”

Kaelan looked up from the dresser he was organising. “I don’t know.”

“She’s so quiet,” Elara whispered. “I’ve never seen her like that.”

Kaelan crossed the room and cupped her face. “She’s grieving. She lost something she didn’t choose to lose. She needs time.”

Elara leaned into him, letting his warmth steady her. “I just want to help her.”

“And you will,” he murmured. “But she has to take the first step.”

“Okay.” Elara reluctantly agreed. Kaelan placed a kiss on her forehead, then stepped back.

They finished their room, and then they walked to the room they picked out for Talia. The pack had gathered comforts for her, soft blankets, plush toys, books, warm socks, and a small carved wolf figurine someone had left on the windowsill. Elara placed the figurine gently on the bedside table, her fingers lingering on the smooth wood. She wasn’t sure if leaving this in the room was a good idea, not after everything.

“She’ll come back to us,” Kaelan said quietly, coming up behind her. “And she will love this room.”

Elara nodded, though her heart felt heavy with the thought that she won't recover. “I hope so.”

They spent longer than they realised making sure everything felt soft and welcoming. By the time they stepped back and looked at the finished room, it was already evening, the sky deepening into shades of rose and violet.

Elara glanced at the window, startled by how quickly the day had slipped away. “We need to get ready for dinner,” she murmured. “My parents will be waiting.”

Kaelan brushed a kiss to her temple. “We do.”

They changed quickly, washing the dust from their hands and straightening their clothes before heading downstairs. They joined Saphira and Nikolas for dinner in the new dining hall, just the four of them for the evening. Jed and Raven had left earlier that afternoon to return to the Arrax pack, promising to visit soon and insisting Elara call if anything changed with Talia. And the rest of the pack were asked to give them space for the night.

The meal was warm and comforting, roasted vegetables, fresh bread, and a stew that filled the room with rich, savoury scents. For the first time in days, Elara felt her shoulders loosen.

Saphira raised her glass. “To the new pack house. And to all of us still being alive to enjoy it.”

Nikolas chuckled. “A low bar, but I’ll take it.”

Elara smiled faintly. “It really is beautiful. I still can’t believe you finished it so quickly.”

Nikolas shrugged, though pride gleamed in his eyes. “I would do anything for you, and I wanted you to have something good to come back to.”

Kaelan smirked. “You mean you bullied half the pack into working double shifts.”

Nikolas lifted his glass. “Leadership.”

Saphira rolled her eyes. “You mean stubbornness.”

Elara laughed softly, the sound easing some of the heaviness in her chest. “Thank you. Truly. It means more than you know.”

Nikolas reached across the table, squeezing her hand. “It was the least I could do for my only daughter.”

As the evening went on, they talked about the house, about the rooms, about the future plans for the training grounds and the gardens. The conversation drifted easily, warm and familiar, and for a little while, Elara allowed herself to simply exist in the moment. This was what she always wanted, a carefree, easy family dinner with her parents… Her real parents.

When dinner ended, Saphira pulled Elara into a tight embrace. “We’ll be back soon,” she murmured against her hair. “And if you need anything, anything at all, you call me straight away. No waiting, no pretending you’re fine when you’re not.”

Elara smiled into her shoulder. “I promise. I will.”

Nikolas stepped in next, cupping Elara’s cheek before pressing a warm kiss to her forehead, the gesture so unfamiliar it softened something deep inside her. “Get some rest,” he said gently. “You’ve earned it.”

Saphira moved to Kaelan, wrapping her arms around him without hesitation. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “For loving her. For looking after her.”

Kaelan hugged her back, steady and sure. “Always,” he said, and there was no hesitation in his voice, only truth.

Nikolas clasped Kaelan’s hand, pulling him into a brief, firm embrace. “You’re family now,” he said simply. “And family looks after each other.”

Kaelan nodded, a quiet smile touching his lips. “I know. And I won’t ever stop.”

When they left, the house felt quieter, but not empty. It felt like the beginning of something new.

Later that night, Elara and Kaelan returned to their room. Kaelan lit a few candles, their warm glow filling the space with a gentle, flickering light. “I drew a bath for us,” he said quietly. “Thought it might help.”

Elara smiled and followed him into the adjoining bathroom, a spacious room with a deep tub already filled with warm water. Rose petals floated on the surface, their scent delicate and calming.

Her breath caught. “Kaelan…”

He stepped behind her, his hands brushing her waist. “Let me take some of the stress away, just for tonight.”

Elara turned to him, her heart swelling with a mixture of love and exhaustion. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’ll never have to find out.” He answered.