Chapter 161 Elara's POV
The memories hit me like a tidal wave I held onto Kaden tightly, my fingers digging into his bloody shirt, as images flooded my mind.
My parents I could see clearly now my father was tall, strong, with kind eyes. My mother is beautiful, gentle, and sings me lullabies.
Then the attack the night Silver Moon Pack was destroyed.
I was eight years old, hiding in a closet while screams filled the house. Watching through a crack in the door as dark figures in robes moved through the hallways.
My father is fighting desperately to protect us. My mother pushed me deeper into the closet, telling me to be quiet, to stay hidden no matter what.
Then the sounds of my parents dying their screams cutting off abruptly.
A figure appeared in front of the closet. Cloaked in shadows. I couldn't see his face clearly but I felt his power and the darkness radiating from him.
Erebus It had to be Erebus.
But the face was blurred in my memory like my mind couldn't fully process what I'd seen. Or something had deliberately obscured it.
He had opened the closet door and looked down at me with eyes that glowed with malevolent light.
"The Silvercrest daughter," He'd said. "Perfect. She will serve her purpose when the time comes."
Then he had placed his hand on my head and everything had gone dark.
When I woke up, I had no memory of who I was, where I came from, or what had happened.
The memories continued. Fifteen years of wandering. Being found by different packs never fitting in, always feeling like something was missing.
Then coming to Blue Moon Pack working as a servant. Keeping my head down trying to survive.
Meeting Kaden instantly attracted the mate bond I didn't understand.
The night we slept together how complete I'd felt. How certain I was that he felt it too.
Then the rejection.
"Last night we couldn't be together. You need to leave."
The words echoed in my mind, fresh and painful as if he'd just spoken them. The heartbreak, the devastation believing I was worthless, unlovable , nothing.
Running away being attacked by rogues left for dead in the forest.
Damian found me the months with no memory building myself back up from nothing.
Discovering I was pregnant the terror and joy mixed together.
Returning to Blue Moon Pack Kaden's shocked at seeing me, the mate bond pulling us together despite everything.
The poisoning, the accusations almost being executed, finding out I was Elena Silvercrest. The lost Alpha's daughter.
Being taken to Dark Moon Pack thinking I was safe when I was actually in enemy territory.
The cave the torture, Kira, Kaden saving us. Adrian's birth nearly killed Selena's attack.
Ethan's death.
Everything every moment, every pain, every joy. All of it crashing through my consciousness at once.
It was too much and my mind couldn't process it all.
"Kaden," I gasped.
"I can't…..it's too much-"
"Stay with me, focus on my voice, you are okay. You are safe."
But I wasn't safe. I was drowning in fifteen years of suppressed memories all returning at once.
My vision blurred my legs and the last thing I felt was Kaden catching me as I collapsed.
Then darkness.
I woke to voices quite concerned.
"How long has she been unconscious?" Kira's voice.
"Three hours." Kara said.
"Damian said her brain is processing the returned memories. It is overwhelming her system."
"Will she be okay?"
"He thinks she just needs time."
I opened my eyes slowly. I was in bed in our quarters. Adrian's bassinet was beside me, my son sleeping peacefully.
Kira and Kara sat in chairs nearby, both looking worried.
"You are awake," Kara said, relief flooding her face. "How do you feel?"
"Like my head is splitting open but I remember everything now, absolutely everything."
"Is that good or bad?" Kira asked gently.
"Both it is terrible knowing what I lost. What was taken from me. But it's also good to know who I really am. Where I came from."
I sat up slowly. "Where is Kaden?"
"War room with Marcus and Damian and the senior warriors. They are planning the counter-attack against Xavier."
"How long have they been there?"
"Since you collapsed they have been strategizing for hours."
I needed to be there to tell them what I had seen in my recovered memories.
"Help me up."
"You should rest-"
"I will rest when this war is over right now, I need to talk to Kaden."
They helped me stand. My body was still weak but I could walk.
We made our way to the war room, guards were posted outside but they let me through immediately.
Inside, Kaden stood over a large table covered with maps and reports. Marcus, Damian, and a dozen senior warriors surrounded him.
"We can't just sit here and wait for Xavier's next attack," Marcus was saying.
"We need to take the fight to him."
"Agreed but we don't know where Dark Moon Pack's base of operations is now. Xavier abandoned his pack house after we discovered his connection to Erebus."
"Then we search send scouts-"
"Elara." Kaden saw me and immediately came to my side. "You should be resting."
"I needed to tell you something about my memories."
I moved to the table. "I saw something. When I was eight Erebus attacked my pack."
Everyone went silent, listening.
"There was a fortress not in any territory I recognized. It was massive. Built into the side of a mountain. Surrounded by dark magic barriers."
I closed my eyes, trying to pull up the image. "I only saw it for a moment. In Erebus's mind when he touched me but I think that is where he is based where his true power is centered."
"A fortress?" Damian leaned forward. "Where? What region?"
"North far north beyond the territories we know. In the wild lands where no pack has claimed territory."
"That is hundreds of miles of unexplored forest."
Marcus said. "How would we even begin to search?"
"We don't search, we force them to reveal it.”
I looked at Kaden. "If we could kill Erebus. Destroy his physical form permanently. Xavier and all the other followers would lose their power source and the war would end."
"We would have to get through Xavier's entire army. Through dark magic barriers through defenses we can't even imagine." Damian shook his head. "It is suicide."
"It is our only option we can't keep fighting defensive battles. We are losing too many people.
“Half of our pack is gone already, another attack like today and we won't have anyone left to defend."
The door opened. Elder Miriam entered, her expression grave.
"Forgive the interruption, Alpha but the elders have been discussing the situation. We believe we have a solution."
"What solution?" Kaden asked.
"A way to draw Erebus out to force him to come to us instead of us having to find his fortress."
"How?"
Miriam's eyes moved to Adrian's bassinet. "We use the child as bait."
The room went silent.
"What did you say?" I asked, my voice dangerously quiet.
"Erebus wants Adrian the blessed child. He's been planning this for years. If we offer the child openly, Erebus will come and he won't be able to resist."
"You want to use my newborn son as bait? To dangle him in front of a monster who wants to corrupt his power?"
"It is the only way the elders are in full agreement. We announce that we are willing to negotiate to discuss terms for surrendering the child.
“Erebus will come personally to claim him. And when he does, we will be ready, we will trap him and kill him while he is vulnerable."
A growl rumbled from my chest. "No. Absolutely not."