Chapter 47
Elara's POV
I shut my eyes. Forced my body to stop shaking.
The cave was too small. Kael was too close. Every breath I took was full of him—cedar and rain and something darker that made my stomach clench.
I pressed harder against the stone wall. Focused on the cold seeping through my wet clothes. On the rain hammering outside. Anything but the heat radiating from his body.
"Sleep." His voice cut through the storm. Low. Commanding. "I'll keep watch."
I wanted to argue. To say I didn't need him watching over me like I was some fragile thing that might break.
But exhaustion pulled at me like a riptide. My muscles ached. My lungs burned. The adrenaline crash hit hard and fast.
I let my eyes stay closed. Let the darkness take me.
I woke to warmth.
Not the bone-deep cold from last night. Real warmth. Body heat.
My eyes opened slowly. Confusion first. Then shock.
I was curled against Kael's chest.
His arm was wrapped around my waist. Solid. Secure. Like he'd been holding me all night.
Oh god.
I went completely still. My brain scrambled to process what was happening.
When did this—how did I—
I must have moved in my sleep. Sought out his warmth without thinking. And he'd just... let me?
Kael's breathing was steady. Even. He was still asleep.
I should move. Pull away. Put distance between us before he woke up and realized—
But I didn't move.
Because when was the last time someone held me like this? Like I was something worth protecting instead of something to use or destroy?
Never. The answer was never.
Lynette had been untouchable. Alone. Always alone.
And Elara had been invisible. A ghost in her own life.
But right now, in this moment, I was neither of those things.
I was just... warm.
My eyes drifted to Kael's face. Sleep had softened the hard edges. Made him look younger. Almost peaceful.
His lashes were longer than I'd noticed before. Dark against his skin. His jaw was still sharp enough to cut glass but his mouth—
I looked away. Stared at the cave wall instead.
What the hell was I doing?
This was dangerous. More dangerous than facing down that wolf in the alley. More dangerous than walking into a refugee camp with nothing but a silver blade and attitude.
Because this? This made me want things I couldn't have.
Kael's eyelashes moved. A slight flutter.
I held my breath.
His eyes opened. Amber and sharp even in the dim light.
We stared at each other. Neither of us moving.
The air between us felt electric. Charged.
"Rain stopped." I pulled away. Fast. Put three feet of space between us in two seconds flat.
Kael sat up. Ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah."
His voice was rough. Sleep-rough. It did things to my insides I refused to acknowledge.
"I should—" He stood. Stretched. His shirt rode up just enough to show a strip of skin above his belt.
I looked at the cave entrance. At the gray morning light filtering in. Anywhere but at him.
Then he sneezed.
The sound was so unexpected I actually turned to look at him.
Kael's jaw tightened. He turned his head away like he was embarrassed.
That's when I noticed.
His shirt was soaked through. Clinging to every muscle. Water still dripped from his hair.
My clothes were damp but not soaked. I'd been sleeping in the deeper part of the cave where the rain couldn't reach.
He'd blocked the entrance all night. Taken the brunt of the cold and wet while I—
"You're sick." I moved toward him before I could stop myself. Reached up to check his forehead.
Kael caught my wrist. His grip was gentle but firm. "Wolves don't get sick."
"You sneezed."
"It's nothing." He let go of my wrist. Stepped back. "We should go. Your family will be worried."
Right. My family.
The family that thought I was their sweet, fragile Elara who needed protecting.
Not the girl who'd spent the night in a cave with the most dangerous Alpha in town.
Guilt twisted in my chest. Sharp and cold.
"Yeah." I picked up my jacket. Shook off the worst of the water. "Let's go."
---
Kael's car was parked two streets away from my house. Hidden in the shadows where neighbors wouldn't see.
He pulled up to the curb. Cut the engine.
Silence filled the space between us.
I should get out. Go home. Pretend this never happened.
"Drake will call when he finds something." Kael's voice was carefully neutral. "About the wolf with the scar."
I nodded. Reached for the door handle.
"Elara."
I stopped. Looked back at him.
His eyes were intense. Searching. "Be careful."
Something in my chest tightened. "You too."
I got out before I could say anything else. Anything stupid.
Like thank you for keeping me warm.
Or I felt safe with you.
Or I don't know what the hell I'm doing anymore.
The car pulled away. I watched until the taillights disappeared.
Then I climbed through my bedroom window. Changed into pajamas. Set my alarm to go off in thirty minutes so it would look like I'd been here all night.
Normal. I had to act normal.
Even though nothing about this was normal anymore.
---
At School - 10:20 AM
"Elara!"
Chloe's voice hit me the second I stepped out of class.
She bounced up to me. Eyes bright with excitement. "Did you pack for the archery camping trip? I made you a list of everything you need!"
I blinked. "What trip?"
Chloe's face fell. "The weekend camping trip. For the archery club. You said you'd come remember?"
Shit.
I had zero memory of agreeing to this. Which meant original Elara had agreed and I'd inherited the commitment.
"I don't think—" I started.
"Please don't bail on me." Chloe grabbed my hands. Her eyes went wide and pleading. "Sophia's group will be there and if I'm alone they'll make my life hell. You promised you'd come."
I looked at her. Really looked.
She wasn't faking. The worry in her eyes was real. The fear of being alone and vulnerable was real.
I knew that fear. Had lived with it in this body for weeks now.
"Okay." The word came out before I could stop it. "I'll go."
Chloe squealed. Actually squealed. Then hugged me so hard I almost fell over.
"Thank you thank you thank you! It's going to be so fun I promise. Fresh air and target practice and s'mores by the campfire—"
I let her ramble. Tried to figure out how I was going to investigate the Goldman situation while stuck in the woods with a bunch of teenagers.
Maybe I didn't need to investigate. Kael had Drake. They had resources I didn't. Intelligence networks. Surveillance.
I could take one weekend off. Right?
"—and I heard the Council is doing recruitment at our school!"
That got my attention. "What?"
Chloe nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! They're looking for special operatives or something. People who can work directly for the Council instead of just one pack."
Council operatives. Elite. Dangerous. Loyal only to the highest authority.
Exactly the kind of position someone like me—someone like Lynette—would have killed for in another life.
"I'd never make it obviously." Chloe laughed. "They want the best of the best. Trained fighters and strategists. Not clumsy Omegas who can barely—" She stopped. Tilted her head. "Why are you blushing?"
"I'm not blushing."
"You totally are." Her eyes went wide. Mischievous. "Oh my god. Were you thinking about someone? Who is it?"
"No one."
"Liar." She leaned in close. Lowered her voice to a whisper. "It's Kael Harrington isn't it?"
My heart skipped. "What? No. Why would you—"
"Because you get this look whenever his name comes up." Chloe grinned. "Like you're trying really hard not to think about him but you're totally thinking about him."
I was going to die. Right here in the school hallway. Death by mortification.