Chapter 13 Get Out of My House
Elara's POV
"Grandmother has very strict rules about animals in the main house," Aurora continued, her voice maintaining that same gentle concern. "I'm only thinking of Elara's position here. It would be terrible if Grandmother arrived and immediately had a conflict with her over something that could have been avoided."
James nodded vigorously. "Exactly! You're still new to the family, Elara. You don't understand how Grandmother can be when her rules are broken."
I felt my grip tighten on Maple. Around the room, pack members nodded in agreement, their faces showing varying degrees of sympathy and judgment.
But then Damian's amber-gold eyes swept across the entire gathering, and the temperature seemed to drop. His Alpha aura expanded outward in a controlled wave, not threatening but absolutely undeniable.
"I will speak with Grandmother myself," he said, his voice calm but carrying absolute authority. "This is Elara's home. She has every right to keep whatever she chooses here, and that decision is not up for debate."
Aurora's smile faltered before she recovered, biting her lower lip in a gesture that looked almost childlike. "Of course, Damian. I'm only concerned because I care about Elara. She's family now, and I don't want to see her put in a difficult position."
The words were perfectly chosen, positioning Aurora as caring while simultaneously reminding everyone that I was still an outsider.
"Come on, Elara," Damian said, his voice cutting through the awkward silence. "Let me show you where Maple will be staying."
Damian led me through the house and out to the eastern gardens, where I could see workers already busy constructing something that looked far too elaborate to be a simple dog house. As we got closer, I realized it was essentially a miniature mansion, complete with climate control vents and what appeared to be a small water fountain being installed.
"Damian, this is too much," I started to say, but he just smiled and shook his head.
"Maple is part of your life, which means she's part of this family now," he said simply. "She deserves to be comfortable."
He gestured to a shaded area where a grooming station had been set up with brushes and supplies. "The workers will be here for a few more hours. Why don't you get her settled while I handle some business? I'll check on you later."
After he left, I sat down with Maple and began brushing her fur, trying to process everything that had happened at breakfast. But as I worked, I noticed something strange. Maple kept turning her head toward the boundary line between our estate and Kaelen's territory, her whole body going rigid with an intensity I had never seen before.
"What is it, girl?" I murmured, following her gaze.
Through the trees, I could just barely make out the roof of Kaelen's mansion. Maple's eyes were fixed on it.
I checked my phone. It was just past ten in the morning. I had time.
I gathered Maple into my arms and headed back toward the house, my mind already working through what I would need to prepare.
An hour later, I stood at the main entrance with Maple freshly groomed and a small wrapped package under my arm. I had spent the time crafting a protection charm, woven from silver thread and blessed with protective energies, wrapped carefully in red silk.
But as I stood there trying to work up courage to call for a car, I heard an expensive engine approaching. I looked up to see a sleek black vehicle pulling up, and my heart stuttered as I recognized the driver.
Kaelen stepped out, and I was struck by how different he seemed in daylight. He wore a perfectly tailored charcoal suit that made his ice-blue eyes even more striking, and the morning sun caught the gold undertones in his dark hair.
"Kaelen," I said, proud my voice came out steady. "I'm glad I caught you. I wanted to apologize for last night. Maple shouldn't have trespassed on your territory."
I held out the wrapped package. "This is a protection charm. I made it myself this morning."
Kaelen's expression remained unreadable as he took the package, his fingers brushing mine for just a second. The brief contact sent electricity shooting up my arm.
"You didn't need to do this," he said. "Your dog didn't cause any real harm."
"Still, I should have been more careful. And one more thing." I gestured to the charm. "For it to work properly, it needs to be worn against the skin. The closer to your heart, the more effective the protection."
Something flickered in Kaelen's ice-blue eyes before it was gone. He unwrapped the charm slowly, studying the intricate knotwork, then slipped it into his inner jacket pocket, his hand lingering over his heart for just a moment. "Thank you, Elara."
The way he said my name made my stomach flip. I ducked my head, trying to hide the blush spreading across my cheeks.
An awkward silence stretched between us, and I realized this was my chance.
"Actually," I said, forcing myself to meet his eyes again, "there's something else I wanted to ask you. I need to go to Emerald pack territory today, but I don't have a car and I'm not familiar with the route. Would it be possible for you to give me a ride?"
Kaelen's eyebrows drew together. "Why do you want to go there?" he asked. "And why wouldn't you ask your brother to arrange transportation?"
I bit my lip. "It's a personal matter," I said carefully. "Something I need to handle myself, without involving the family."
Kaelen studied me for a long moment, his throat working as he swallowed. Finally, he let out a soft breath, and his voice came out cold and clipped. "Get in."
Relief flooded through me as I hurried to the passenger side, clutching Maple close. The interior smelled like cedar and winter air. Kaelen slid into the driver's seat, and I felt the subtle shift in air pressure as his Alpha presence filled the confined space.
The car moved smoothly through the gates, and I noticed how other vehicles immediately gave us right of way, drivers recognizing the Alpha King's car and responding with automatic deference.
The Emerald Pack House came into view, its pale stone walls gleaming in the midday sun. Kaelen pulled up to the main entrance, and I could see the imposing front door with its elegant brass fixtures.
I took a deep breath and stepped out with Maple in my arms, walking up to the entrance. I rang the bell and waited, my heart pounding.
The door opened to reveal a woman with sharp, elegant features and an air of authority that immediately marked her as someone important. Her eyes were the same lake-blue as Sunny's, but they held a wariness and intelligence that her daughter's lacked.
"Yes?" she said, her tone polite but guarded as she looked me over. "Can I help you?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you," I said, keeping my voice respectful. "I found something that belongs to Sunny. A protection charm. I wanted to return it to her."
The woman's expression didn't soften, but after a long moment of studying me with those sharp eyes, she stepped aside. "Come in," she said, though her tone remained cautious.
She led me through the elegant foyer and into a spacious sitting room filled with afternoon light. The Emerald estate was beautiful in a different way than Crimson Moon, all pale woods and soft colors that created an atmosphere of gentle warmth.
And there, sitting on the plush carpet surrounded by crayons and drawing paper, was Sunny.
She looked up as we entered, and I felt my breath catch. She was fifteen years old, but everything about her demeanor was that of a much younger child. Her lake-blue eyes were wide and innocent, and when she saw me, her face lit up with uncomplicated delight.
"Pretty lady!" she exclaimed, her voice high and sweet like a little girl's.
I moved closer, kneeling beside her so we were at eye level. "Hello, Sunny. My name is Elara."
As I spoke, I activated my Aetherial sight, letting my vision shift to perceive the energy patterns most people couldn't see. What I saw made my blood run cold, and I felt my expression freeze, unable to hide the shock and horror that must have shown on my face.
Sunny's life core was catastrophically damaged. There was a massive tear running through the center of it, as if something had violently ripped away a significant portion of her essential life force. I could see the edges of the wound, still raw and unhealed, and I estimated that roughly a third of her original life energy was simply gone.
"What are you staring at?" Vera's voice cut through my shock, sharp and dangerous. When I looked up, I saw her lake-blue eyes had begun to glow with an eerie luminescence, her wolf rising to the surface in response to a mother's protective rage. Her canines had elongated slightly, pressing against her lower lip, and her hands had curled into claws at her sides, nails darkening and sharpening into points. "Get out of my house. Now."
"Wait," I said quickly, the word coming out before I could stop myself.