Chapter 58 – The Scent
Inside, slumped across the seat, was Elara. Her body was limp, her hair falling across her face.
Edward’s chest clenched. Rage and fear tangled in his heart. He entered back into his car.
Carefully, he pulled back from the wolf form. His body shrank, bones cracking back into place, fur retreating, claws retracting until he looked like a man again. Sweat drenched his skin, his chest heaving. His clothes were torn to shreds so he began to put on a spare cloth he had in the car.
Titan padded over, still in wolf form. With a low growl, he turned back, shifting into his human body once more. He was breathing heavily, blood streaked across his arms and chest. He carries Elara from the captors car and into Edward’s car.
The faint smell of chemicals lingered in the air, sharp and wrong.
“They drugged her,” Titan said grimly.
Edward’s jaw tightened. He gently lifted Elara into his arms. Her head rested against his chest, her soft breaths brushing against his skin. He brushed a strand of hair from her face.
He closed his eyes for a moment, fighting the storm inside him.
Titan changed back into some spare clothes also and started the car engine.
Edward looked once more at the bodies of the two dead rogues, then at the darkness where the third had escaped.
“This isn’t over,” he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. “Make sure this mess is cleared up before morning”
Titan nodded silently.
Together, they headed to the mansion with Elara safe in the back seat.
Edward sat quietly, his eyes on the road, but his mind was a storm. The rogues had made a move again. They tried to take Elara this time. They had forced his hand.
And Edward knew–he would burn the world itself before he let them touch her again.
The car’s interior was quiet except for the steady hum of the engine and the faint rustle of fabric as Edward shifted Elara gently in his arms. Titan kept his eyes on the road, his large hands gripping the steering wheel firmly, but his glances in the mirror were quick and concerned.
Edward hardly noticed. His focus was fixed entirely on the unconscious Elara resting against his chest. Her hair brushed against his chin, soft and faintly scented with the outside air. But beneath it, something stirred, something sharper.
A scent.
At first, it came in waves so faint he thought his senses were playing tricks on him. But the longer he held her, the clearer it became. His wolf stirred restlessly within him, recognizing it before his mind did.
Elara.
Edward inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. His chest tightened, and for the first time that night, the storm of rage that had driven him against the rogues began to ease, replaced with something entirely different, warmth.
She wasn’t just an ordinary girl. She was one of them.
A werewolf.
The realization didn’t shock him–it steadied him, grounded him. As though some unseen puzzle piece had slid perfectly into place. He had always known there was something different about Elara, something that went beyond her kindness and bravery. Now the truth was right in his arms.
And more than that…
Edward’s lips curved faintly, a smile only his wolf would understand. Now she stands a chance. A real chance. The goddess could choose her. She could be mine.
The thought brought an ache to his chest, an ache so deep it rivaled the fury he had unleashed just moments ago. He glanced down at her face–peaceful, though her brows twitched faintly as if she were dreaming. He brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek with surprising tenderness for a man whose hands had just torn apart enemies.
Edward’s mind, however, refused to rest. Memories and questions began swirling.
Did Ma’am Albright know?
She had insisted so firmly on Elara. Almost pushed her into his home with unshakable confidence. Could it be that she had known Elara’s true nature all along?
Or… could there be another reason?
Edward’s jaw tightened at the thought. He didn’t like unanswered questions, and this one pressed at him with the same persistence as his longing to keep Elara safe.
Edward realized the reason he didn’t figure out the fact that Elara is one of them is because she hadn’t yet turned twenty-one. That was when a wolf’s scent and nature reveals itself fully. She was just months away.
He lowered his head closer to hers, whispering softly against her hair, words only for himself and the goddess who ruled their fates.
“Please. Let her be the one. Let her be mine.”
Titan’s voice broke the silence. “We’ll be back at the mansion in less than ten minutes.”
Edward gave a short nod. He shifted Elara more securely against him with one arm and reached for his phone with the other. His thumb pressed the familiar name, and after two rings, Ma’am Albright answered.
“Yes, sir?” Her tone carried a hint of concern.
“Prepare a bigger room in the guest wing,” Edward ordered, his voice calm but leaving no room for questions. “One that’s warm. Make sure it’s ready immediately.”
There was a pause. “A bigger room? For Elara?”
“Exactly,” he said. “And have dinner prepared for her. Something filling, something fresh. She’ll need her strength.”
Ma’am Albright hesitated just a moment longer. “Is she well? Did something happen?”
Edward’s tone softened just slightly. “She will be fine. Just do as I’ve asked.”
“Yes, sir.” The line went dead.
Back at the mansion, the rhythm of the household shifted as Ma’am Albright set things in motion. She left her room quickly, heading toward the kitchen herself. Her hands moved fast, chopping, seasoning, stirring–but her mind was restless. Why the bigger room? Did something happen to Elara?
Still, Edward’s orders were never to be questioned.
Once the pots were set and the warm aroma of herbs filled the kitchen, she called for Callista.
“Go to the guest wing,” Ma’am Albright instructed, wiping her hands on her apron. “Prepare one of the larger rooms immediately. Fresh sheets, dust free, everything spotless.
Callista’s eyes widened slightly. “One of the big rooms? For who?”
“Don’t ask questions,” Ma’am Albright replied briskly. “Just do it.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Callista hurried off, but her mind spun.
Meanwhile, Titan pulled the car to a stop at the grand entrance of the mansion. The guards on duty straightened immediately, bowing as Edward’s sharp eyes met theirs.
Titan, without waiting for instructions, opened the rear door fully and reached for her. With surprising gentleness, he lifted her from Edward’s arms and carried her inside.
Edward let the guards help him into his wheelchair.
The air in the mansion was warm, the lanterns casting a soft golden glow against the polished floors. Titan moved quickly, his footsteps echoing as he carried Elara toward the newly prepared room. Edward followed close behind in his chair, his expression unreadable but his presence heavy with authority.