Chapter 60
Elara's POV
I pushed open the front door. The smell of roasted chicken hit me first. Then Mom's voice from the kitchen.
"Elara? That you?"
"Yeah." I dropped my bag by the stairs. My shoulders ached. Everything ached.
Mom appeared in the doorway. Flour on her hands. That smile she always wore when I came home.
"How was the camping trip? Did you have fun?"
Fun. Right.
I thought about the cliff. The drug in my water. Sophia's hands shoving me backward. The drill that wasn't really an drill until Warren said it was.
"It was fine," I said. "Learned some stuff."
Ethan came down the stairs. Wet hair. Fresh shirt. He must've just showered.
"You guys had combat drills at archery camp?" He grabbed an apple from the counter. "Heard some rumors at school. Saint George does hardcore training now."
My stomach tightened. What did the news say?
"Just team exercises," I said quickly. "Nothing serious."
Mom wiped her hands on her apron. Walked over with a plate of cut fruit.
"Oh, before I forget—we have a new neighbor."
I was reaching for a piece of melon. My hand stopped.
"New neighbor?"
"Mm-hmm." Mom set the plate on the coffee table. "Young man. Early twenties maybe. Very polite. Helped me carry groceries yesterday. I invited him for dinner but he said no."
Something cold slid down my spine.
Misty Creek didn't get many young renters. Especially not ones who moved in alone. Especially not right after I joined the Council.
"That's... nice of him," I said slowly.
Mom disappeared back into the kitchen. Came out with a wicker basket. Apple pie. Cranberry cookies. The smell made my mouth water despite everything.
"Take this over for me, will you? Thank him for helping."
I stared at the basket. "Can I do it later? I want to shower first—"
"Now, while it's still warm." Mom pressed it into my hands. "And Elara, you need to be more social. You can't always be so cold to people."
Cold. Right. That's what she thought.
I looked at Ethan. He shrugged. No help there.
"Fine." I took the basket.
---
I stood outside the neighbor's door. Took a breath.
Simple plan. Say hi. Hand over food. Leave.
Don't mention family. Don't give details. Don't—
I knocked. Three times.
Footsteps inside.
I arranged my face into something polite. Neutral.
The door opened.
My brain stopped working.
The guy standing there had just gotten out of the shower. Wet dark hair dripping water down his neck. A towel around his waist. Nothing else.
Water droplets slid down his jaw. Down his chest. Over muscles that looked like they'd been carved by someone who really liked their job.
I forced my eyes up.
Amber eyes looked back at me. A slight smirk on his face.
Kael Harrington.
The basket almost slipped from my hands.
"You—" The word came out strangled.
His smirk widened. "Me."
We stared at each other. Three seconds. Four.
I found my voice. Shoved the basket at him.
"My mom made me bring this. Here."
I turned to leave.
His hand caught the doorframe. Blocked my path.
"That's it?" His voice was low. Amused. "No 'welcome to the neighborhood'?"
I looked up at him. My jaw tight.
"You moved in next door to me, Kael Harrington. You better have a good explanation."
He shrugged. One shoulder. Water slid down his collarbone.
Stop looking at that.
"Coincidence," he said. "Rent's cheap here. Good for... keeping a low profile."
"Bullshit."
The word came out harder than I meant. But I was tired. My body hurt. And now this.
Kael's expression shifted. The amusement faded. Something sharper took its place.
"You think I'm following you?"
"Are you?"
"No." He stepped closer. Still holding the doorframe. Still half-naked. "But I'm not leaving either."
My heart hammered. I couldn't tell if it was anger or something else.
"Why?" I demanded. "Why here? Why now?"
He was quiet for a moment. His eyes searched my face.
"Because my mother teaches at your school," he said finally. "Because I'm trying to convince her to come home. And because—" He stopped.
"Because what?"
His jaw worked. Like he was chewing on words he didn't want to say.
"Because you're involved in things you shouldn't be," he said. "And someone needs to make sure you don't get yourself killed."
Heat flared in my chest. "I don't need a babysitter."
"You need something." His voice dropped lower. "You walked into Black Ridge alone. You fought wolves with a body that can't shift. You made deals with people who could crush you." His eyes locked on mine. "You're either brave or stupid. I haven't figured out which."
"Not your problem either way."
"It became my problem when you grabbed my arm in that alley." His hand left the doorframe. Moved toward me. Stopped just short of touching my shoulder. "When you looked at me like you knew exactly what I was. When you—"
He cut himself off. Stepped back.
The space between us felt too hot and too cold at the same time.
"Look," he said. His voice was carefully controlled now. "I'm staying here for a few weeks. Maybe a month. You don't have to like it. But we're neighbors now. So we can either make this awkward or we can be civil."
Civil. Right.
I wanted to argue. Wanted to demand he leave. Wanted to—
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out. Unknown number.
Probably the Council. Probably about the guards.
I looked back at Kael. He was watching me. Waiting.
"Fine," I said. "Civil. But stay out of my business."
"Can't promise that."
"Try."
His mouth twitched. Almost a smile. "Your mom makes good pie."
He was looking at the basket now. Actually looking at it.
"She does." I turned toward my door. "Don't eat it all at once."
"Elara."
I stopped. Didn't turn around.
"If you need backup," he said quietly. "For whatever you're planning. I'm right next door."
My throat went tight.
I didn't answer. Just walked to my door. Unlocked it. Went inside.
Closed it behind me and leaned against the wood.
My hands were shaking.
Kael Harrington was living next door. The Alpha heir who'd saved me in the alley. Who'd tested me at dawn. Who'd kissed me in a club and then pretended it meant nothing.
He was right there. Twenty feet away through a shared wall.
This was bad.
This was really bad.