Chapter 90 — The Pull of What Awaits
Everything was done–covered, arranged, and waiting. I finished preparing lunch earlier than expected. Since lunch wasn’t due yet, I decided to head upstairs and sort through Edward’s clothes and personal items.
It was routine work–folding, arranging, organizing–things I could do with my hands while my mind tried to stay quiet.
I knocked gently on his door.
“Come in,” Edward’s voice replied.
I stepped inside. “Good afternoon, Edward.”
He smiled, he was glad to hear me call him by his name instead of using the word ‘Sir’. “Good afternoon, Elara.”
I moved past him, setting the tray with a glass of fresh fruit juice aside and going straight to the wardrobe. The room was calm, sunlight filtering through the curtains, dust floating lazily in the air.
And then it happened again. The moment I started working, my senses sharpened.
I could hear his heartbeat–steady, warm, unmistakably alive. I could hear the slow rhythm of his breathing, the subtle shift in his chest as he inhaled and exhaled. Even the faint sound of fabric brushing against his skin reached me clearly.
My hands trembled slightly. And beneath all of that… I felt it. His wolf.
Strong and calm. A presence that filled the room without being aggressive. It didn’t push at me, didn’t threaten. It simply was.
I swallowed and focused harder on folding his clothes. But I knew. He could feel mine too.
Edward shifted in his wheelchair, his gaze fixed on me–not invasive, just aware.
“Elara,” he said gently, “when do you turn twenty-one?”
I paused, then answered honestly. “In seven weeks.”
His expression changed–not with fear, but with understanding.
“That’s very close,” he murmured.
“Yes,” I said softly.
He was quiet for a moment, and I could sense his thoughts even without words. He knew what that meant. The first shift. The confusion. The fear. The loss of control.
And he knew something else too. That I would be facing it alone.
I felt sadness roll off him, heavy and sincere.
“Elara,” he said quietly, “this time… it’s not easy.”
I nodded. “I know.”
“You should have someone guiding you,” he continued. “Someone explaining what’s happening to your body, your wolf, your emotions.”
I kept folding, my vision blurring just a little. “I’ll figure it out.”
He shook his head. “You shouldn’t have to do this alone.”
Silence settled again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was thoughtful.
Then he spoke. “Have you ever heard of the Sacred Museum?”
I turned to face him. “No.”
“It’s a place that holds our history,” he explained. “The truth of who we are. The shifts. The bloodlines. The things elders forget to tell.”
That caught my attention.
“Would you like to visit?” he asked.
I hesitated. “Someday… yes.”
Edward’s eyes softened. “I’d like to take you today.”
“Today?” I echoed, startled.
“I think it could help,” he said. “You’re not ready for everything yet–but understanding something is better than standing in the dark.”
I glanced around the room. “I still have work to do.”
Edward smiled slightly. “Not today.”
Before I could protest, he picked up his phone.
“Ma’am Albright,” he said calmly when she answered. “Please assign Elara’s duties for the rest of the day to someone else. Under your supervision.”
“Yes Sir” Ma’am Albright replied
He hung up and looked at me. “Go get ready.”
I opened my mouth to argue–then closed it. Something in his tone told me this wasn’t a request.
I bowed my head slightly. “Yes, Edward.”
I left his room and walked quickly to mine.
My heart was racing.
I showered, letting the warm water steady me. When I stepped out, I reached for the white dress Edward had given me–the one that still felt too beautiful to belong to me. I paired it with the earrings, the shoes, and the handbag he got me. I tied my hair neatly, my hands more confident than my thoughts.
When I was done, I stared at my reflection. I barely recognized myself.
Edward was already waiting in the car with Titan when I stepped outside.
The moment he saw me, he froze.
His eyes moved slowly–from my face, to the curve of the dress, to the way the sunlight caught my hair. There was something unguarded in his expression. Awe. Affection. Something deeper he didn’t try to hide.
He didn’t speak right away. Just watched me. Like he was memorizing the moment.
I felt heat rise to my cheeks as I walked closer.
“You look beautiful,” he said finally, his voice low.
“Thank you,” I replied softly, sliding into the car.
As the door closed behind me, Edward lifted his hand slightly and called one of the guards over. The man approached at once, opened the front passenger door, and took his seat beside Titan, his presence quiet but alert.
Meanwhile, inside the mansion, Callista headed straight to Vivian’s room.
“Miss Vivian,” she said carefully, “Sir Edward is leaving the mansion with Elara.”
Vivian’s head snapped up. “Wh… What? Where are they going?”
“I don’t know,” Callista replied truthfully. Vivian dressed quickly and rushed downstairs.
The moment Edward’s car pulled out of the gates, Vivian moved, her expression sharp, controlled.
“Get the car,” she ordered one of the drivers. She got into the car and ordered the driver. “Follow them.”
And as the mansion disappeared behind us, I had no idea that this simple trip–meant to help–was already being watched.