Chapter 101 Kaden's POV
When Elara finally answered, relief hit me so hard I nearly collapsed.
"Thank God you're okay." My voice came out rougher than I intended. "Are you safe? Is anyone hurt?"
"We are fine, we just got back from the old territory. The cell signal was bad there so I couldn't-"
A growl rumbled from my chest before I could stop it. "You had no signal? For how long?"
"About two hours maybe a little more the guards said it was normal for remote areas-"
"Nothing about this is normal!" I was pacing now, unable to stand still.
"Two hours, you were completely unreachable for two hours. Do you understand what that did to me? I've been calling you for the past three hours straight!"
"Kaden, I'm sorry. I didn't know-"
"You should have turned back the moment the signal dropped. That was the protocol: no signal means potential danger means immediate return."
"The guards said we were almost there. It seemed safer to continue than to turn around-"
"The guards were wrong!" I slammed my fist on the desk papers scattered.
"They should have prioritized communication over completing the mission. What if something had happened? What if Erebus had attacked while you were out of contact? How would I have known? How would I have sent help?"
There was silence on the other end when Elara spoke again, her voice was quiet. "You are right. I'm sorry we should have turned back."
The apology deflated some of my anger. But the fear remained, coiled tight in my chest.
"Elara, listen to me very carefully, something's happened. Something bad, you need to increase security immediately."
I told her about the fire about Erebus's mark. About my certainty that it was all connected to her leaving.
"You think it was a distraction?" She asked.
"I think it was a message that they know where you are. That they are planning something."
I forced myself to breathe. "I need you to come home tonight. It's not safe there."
"Kaden, I just got here and Helena's pack is secure-"
"No pack is secure against Erebus! You've seen what they can do! They infiltrated the Blue Moon Pack, placed a guard right outside your door for weeks! They could do the same thing there!"
"Helena has good security-"
"It's not enough! Nothing is enough when you're the target!" I was shouting now, all my control slipping.
"Please. I'm begging you to come home. Before something happens that I can't protect you from."
"I understand you're worried. But I can't just leave. I promised Helena I would stay for at least a week. I need to learn more about my past-"
"Your past doesn't matter if you're dead!"
Another silence. Longer this time.
"That's not fair," She said finally.
"Maybe not but it's true." I forced myself to lower my voice to sound calm even though I felt anything but.
"I'm not trying to control you. I'm trying to keep you alive, there is a difference."
"Is there? Because right now it feels the same."
"Elara, please I let you go even though every instinct I had screamed at me to keep you here. I gave you the freedom you needed even though it terrified me.”
“But now there's a direct threat. A fire deliberately set as a message. I can't ignore that. I won't ignore that."
I heard her breathing on the other end. I heard her struggling with the decision.
"What if we increase security?" she asked.
"Double the guards set up better communication protocols. Stay inside Helena's pack house instead of traveling to remote areas."
"That's not enough."
"What would be enough? What would make you feel safe?"
"Having you here where I can see you. Where I can protect you directly instead of relying on reports from guards who might not tell me the full truth."
"You don't trust your own guards?"
"I don't trust anyone when it comes to your safety, not even myself half the time."
More silence I could hear her thinking. Weighing options.
"Okay," she said finally.
"Okay?"
"I will come back tomorrow, give me one more day to say goodbye to Helena properly. To thank her for everything. Then I will come home."
Relief crashed over me. "Thank you, thank you for understanding."
"I don't fully understand. But I do trust that you're genuinely worried. That this isn't about control." She paused.
"And maybe you're right. Maybe I'm not safe anywhere until Erebus is dealt with."
"I will send additional guards tonight and they will arrive before morning. And I want you to check in with me every two hours until you leave tomorrow with no exceptions."
"Every two hours? Kaden-"
"That's the deal you get your extra day, I get regular check-ins take it or leave it."
She sighed. "Fine every two hours."
We talked for another few minutes. I extracted promises about staying inside, about not traveling anywhere alone, about taking the security seriously.
When we finally hung up, I felt slightly better. Not good but better than the panic that had consumed me for the past three hours.
Elara was safe when she came home. Everything would be fine, I tried to believe it.
The next morning, I was reviewing the fire damage reports when Ethan entered with several elders behind him.
Marcus, Rowan, Vera, all three looking determined.
"We need to discuss Selena," Marcus said without preamble.
"There's nothing to discuss. She's in detention where she belongs."
"She's been there for three days now. Without formal charges. Without a hearing. That's against pack law."
"She threw a rock through my car window while Elara was inside. That's assault on Luna. The charges are obvious."
"Are they?" Rowan moved forward.
"Because from what we understand, you marked Elara publicly. Without proper ceremony without pack approval some would argue that makes her status as Luna questionable."
A growl rumbled in my chest. "Careful."