Chapter 228 Chapter 228

Chapter 228 Chapter 228
Elara sat quietly in her chamber that evening. The sound of laughter and voices outside told her that the pack house was still alive with activity, but her heart was not light. She sat near the window, her hands resting on her belly, her thoughts heavy.

The news about the Silver Moon pack had spread quickly. A whole pack destroyed in one night—it was something she could not remove from her mind. She kept thinking about her parents, how they had been taken from her in the past, how she had lived through pain and loss. And now, hearing that another pack had been wiped out, her heart trembled with fear that the same thing might happen again.

Mira entered the room carrying a small tray of warm milk. She placed it gently on the table and walked closer to Elara. “You are too quiet, my Luna,” Mira said softly. “Your eyes are heavy with worry. Tell me what is in your heart.”

Elara turned her head slowly. Her eyes were wet, though no tears had fallen yet. “Mira, what if it happens to us? What if history repeats itself? What if I lose Damien, or this child, or everything we are building here?” Her voice broke a little as she spoke.

Mira sat beside her, holding her hand. “Do not speak like that. You have survived more than most people could bear. You are here, alive, with a child growing inside you. That is not weakness, that is strength.”

Elara shook her head. “But Mira… my parents were also strong. They fought, yet they still died. My mother was turned into a slave, my father was murdered before my eyes. I survived, but sometimes I wonder why. Was it only to live in more pain?”

Her body trembled as she spoke, and finally the tears slipped down her cheeks.

Mira wiped them quickly. “No, Elara. You survived because you were chosen for something greater. You are Luna now. You are carrying the Alpha’s heir. The Moon Goddess has written your life for a reason. Do you think it is by accident that you are here? No. Your story is not one of pain alone. Your story is one of hope.”

Elara sighed, leaning her head back against the chair. Her eyes looked distant. “Hope feels like such a fragile thing when there are enemies waiting in the shadows. Lucien has not stopped. Clara has not stopped. And now a whole pack is gone. Mira, what if I wake up one day and everything is ashes?”

Mira’s grip on her hand grew firmer. “Then we will rebuild again. But listen to me—nothing will happen to you while Damien breathes. I see the way he looks at you, the way he never lets you out of his sight. That man would burn the whole world if it dared touch you or the child. You have nothing to fear while he is alive.”

For the first time that night, a small smile touched Elara’s lips. She looked at Mira with soft eyes. “You really believe that?”

Mira nodded. “I know it. And even if the world turns against you, I will not leave you. I will fight beside you. I am not strong like Damien, but I will not let you face it alone.”

Elara pulled her into a gentle embrace. “You are more than strong, Mira. You are my sister. Without you, I don’t know if I would still be standing.”

They stayed in each other’s arms for a while. The room was quiet, only the sound of Elara’s breathing and the beating of her heart filling the silence.

After a long pause, Elara whispered, “I am afraid of bringing this child into a world so full of hate and blood. What if I fail as a mother? What if I cannot protect it?”

Mira pulled back and held her shoulders firmly. “Elara, you will be a wonderful mother. You already are. Do you not see how you touch people? Even when you are weak, even when you are in pain, you bring peace to others. You give them strength just by being yourself. That child will grow in love, because it has you. And Damien. Nothing else matters.”

Elara pressed her hand against her belly again. “Sometimes I feel the child move. Just small, like a whisper. And when I feel it, I think maybe you are right. Maybe the Goddess has given me this child as a light. But then the fear returns.”

Mira smiled warmly and placed her hand over Elara’s. “Then every time the fear comes, remember this: you are not alone anymore. Damien is with you, I am with you, and soon your child will be in your arms. That is more than enough to keep fighting.”

Elara looked at her for a long time, her tears finally drying. She gave a small nod. “You are right. I must be strong, not just for myself, but for this child. I cannot let the darkness win.”

The door opened quietly then, and Damien stepped inside. His eyes went straight to Elara, as they always did. He saw the redness around her eyes and frowned. “You have been crying again,” he said in a low, worried voice.

Elara quickly wiped her face. “I am fine,” she whispered.

Mira stood, smiling softly. “I will leave you both to talk.” She picked up the empty tray and slipped out of the room.

Damien crossed the room in two steps and knelt in front of Elara. He took her hands and looked up at her. “Tell me the truth. What is hurting you?”

Elara swallowed hard. She wanted to be strong, but her lips trembled. “I keep thinking about the Silver Moon pack. Damien, what if that happens to us? What if I lose you? What if this child never gets to see the light of day?”

Damien’s jaw tightened, his eyes glowing faintly with anger—but not at her. At the thought of danger. He placed his hands gently on her belly and whispered, “That will never happen. Do you hear me? Never. As long as I live, no harm will touch you or our child. I swear it on my life.”

Elara’s tears came again, but softer this time. “You always say that… and I believe you. But the fear in my heart will not leave.”

Damien kissed her hand, his voice low but full of fire. “Then let my faith carry you. I believe enough for both of us. I will fight, Elara, I will fight until my last breath. And if anyone dares come for you, they will face me first.”

She leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. “Damien…” she whispered.

He closed his eyes, holding her tightly. “Trust me, Elara. Trust me to protect you, to protect this family we are building. That is all I ask.”

She nodded slowly, finally allowing herself to breathe easier.

That night, when Damien helped her lie down, she closed her eyes and whispered a prayer to the Moon Goddess. Not for herself, but for the strength to hold on, to face whatever storm was coming.

And though fear still lingered in her chest, for the first time since hearing the terrible news, she felt a little hope shining in the dark.