Chapter 70 Family Gathering
Elara's POV
Damian's car pulled up to the Pack House. The moment we stepped through the front door, the living room was packed with people.
Damian paused beside me with his hand already reaching for his phone, probably checking whatever messages he'd been ignoring during the drive, when an elderly voice cut through the murmur of conversation from somewhere down the hallway.
"Damian, you're finally home."
I turned toward the sound just as Aurora appeared in the doorway, her hands carefully guiding a wheelchair that held a silver-haired woman I'd never seen before. Her eyes were sharp despite her age, taking in everything about the scene with the kind of calculating intelligence.
Damian's posture shifted slightly beside me, his shoulders straightening. "Grandmother, I didn't know you were coming back today."
My attention caught on Nolan's sullen expression. He'd been sent away to handle some trade cooperation issue months ago, and from the way he was avoiding everyone's eyes while looking thoroughly miserable, I could guess that whatever he'd been doing hadn't gone well.
Matilda's voice softened noticeably when she addressed Damian. "Your sister Aurora was kind enough to drive all the way to the care facility to bring me home herself. Such a thoughtful girl, always thinking of family."
Aurora's voice came out in that sickeningly sweet tone she always used when she wanted to appear innocent and caring, her fingers gently patting Matilda's hand where it rested on the wheelchair armrest. "I missed you so much, Grandmother. How could I let you stay there all alone when you should be here with us?"
I noticed then that the wound on Aurora's forehead had completely healed, not even a trace of scarring left behind. It was strange. Normal werewolf healing was fast but not that fast.
Matilda's sharp eyes fixed on me again with an expression that made it clear she'd been waiting for an explanation.
Damian's hand moved to rest lightly on my shoulder in a gesture that felt protective and possessive at the same time. "Grandmother, this is Elara. My sister, your granddaughter."
The words hung in the air for a moment while Matilda's expression shifted through several emotions, finally settling on something that looked like forced politeness mixed with barely concealed distaste. "I see. Well, Elara, since you've returned to the Sterling family, you should understand that there are certain standards of behavior expected from a Sterling young lady."
I felt my jaw tighten at the thinly veiled criticism in her tone, the implication that I'd somehow already failed to meet these mysterious standards she was talking about. I didn't bother responding, didn't see the point in pretending to be grateful for her unsolicited advice when she clearly had no interest in actually welcoming me into this family.
Maple chose that moment to dart out from where she'd been hiding near my feet, her small body launching itself up my leg with the kind of enthusiasm that would have been adorable under different circumstances. I caught her automatically, cradling her warm weight against my chest as she nuzzled into my neck, and I heard Matilda make a small sound of startled disgust.
Her face had gone slightly pale, her fingers gripping the wheelchair armrests with enough force to make her knuckles white. "What is that creature doing in this house?"
I took an instinctive step backward with Maple still clutched protectively in my arms, my eyes darting to where James stood near the stairs watching this entire exchange with obvious anxiety written across his features.
Matilda seemed to gather herself after a moment, her expression smoothing into something that resembled acceptance even though her eyes still held clear distaste. "I suppose if you've grown attached to the animal, we can make allowances. However, that brings me to another matter that needs addressing."
Her tone shifted into something sharper, more authoritative. "This Moonveil Institute you're attending, what kind of school is that exactly? The Sterling family has standards to maintain, and I can't imagine what people will think when they hear that my granddaughter is attending some obscure institution instead of a proper werewolf university. You should transfer immediately to somewhere more appropriate."
I felt Damian tense beside me, heard the carefully controlled edge that entered his voice when he spoke. "Grandmother, with all due respect, I'm not sure that's a reasonable request. Elara's education should be based on what's best for her development, not on what looks good to outsiders."
"Damian is right," Sebastian said as he stood up from where he'd been sitting in the corner, his expression harder than I'd ever seen it. "Elara attending Moonveil Institute is something I approved personally."
Matilda's head whipped around to face her son with clear shock written across her features. "You approved it? Without consulting me first? Without considering what's appropriate for a Sterling?"
Sebastian's eyes flashed with something dangerous, his posture radiating authority that made even Matilda shrink back slightly in her wheelchair. "She is my daughter. She can attend whatever school she chooses, and I don't need anyone's permission to support that decision."
"Excuse me," I said loudly enough to cut through their argument. "I can make my own decisions about where I go to school."
Then I turned my head slightly, my eyes finding grandfather who moved to stand closer to our group, his expression warm. "Grandfather, don't you agree?"
Matilda's face went rigid with shock and Aurora's fingers tightened visibly on the wheelchair handles until her knuckles turned white.
Grandfather's weathered face softened into genuine affection as he reached out to rest his hand on my shoulder, his touch gentle and reassuring. "Of course you can make your own decisions, Elara. Your education is your own business."
I felt some of the tension drain from my shoulders at his support, grateful that at least one person in this family seemed capable of treating me like an actual person instead of a problem to be managed.
He turned to face Matilda with his expression cooling noticeably, his voice taking on an edge that commanded respect. "You just arrived today, Matilda. Don't go frightening the children with your assumptions."
I noticed Aurora's head dip lower as if trying to make herself smaller, her expression shifting into something that looked like hurt and sadness, though whether it was genuine or performed I couldn't tell anymore.
Nolan suddenly spoke up from his position near the windows, his voice carrying an edge of desperation like he was trying to change the subject away from this uncomfortable family drama. "Speaking of Moonveil Institute, I heard some interesting things about that—"
Sebastian cut him off without hesitation, his voice cold enough to make everyone in the room fall silent. "Nolan, since you came back specifically for this family gathering, perhaps you'd like to explain in person how you managed to lose a million dollars in trade cooperation funds in less than a week?"
The silence that followed was absolutely crushing. I watched as Nolan's father Edwin practically exploded out of his seat on the sofa, his face turning an alarming shade of red as he jabbed an accusing finger at his son. "One million dollars? You've only been handling that account for a few days! And you want to strike out on your own, start your own business? Don't you dare embarrass me further by failing publicly!"
Nolan's entire face flushed crimson with humiliation and anger as he stood there being dressed down in front of the entire assembled family, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. When his eyes finally lifted to meet mine, they were filled with resentment and blame, as if somehow this public shaming was my fault.
I raised an eyebrow at his pointed stare, feeling no sympathy whatsoever for his situation. "Don't look at me like that. You've been having terrible luck lately, extremely unlucky. Staring at me won't help."
Every Sterling family member in the room turned to look at Nolan with expressions ranging from concern to barely concealed pity, and I saw his face darken even further with rage and embarrassment.
Matilda's voice cut through the awkward silence with sharp disapproval. "Elara! How dare you curse your own cousin like that? Nolan is family!"