Chapter 54 Kaden's POV
The pack was finally stabilizing.
After weeks of chaos, the Erebus attacks, Selena's poisoning, my detention, the political mess with Victor, things were beginning to find a rhythm again.
I stood at my office window looking out over the pack lands. The borders were reinforced, now triple patrols at all hours, new security measures that made it nearly impossible for anyone to enter undetected.
I had called in favors from allied packs, brought in additional warriors temporarily, and personally inspected every vulnerable point in our defenses.
Erebus's followers had tried to probe our borders twice in the past week. Both times they'd been driven back before they could do any real damage. We had captured two of them rogues branded with those symbols and they were currently in our cells awaiting interrogation.
"The northern sector reports are in," Ethan said, entering without knocking. He set a stack of papers on my desk.
"No unusual activity, the new rotation system is working well."
"Good and the eastern border?"
"Quiet. Marcus wants to know if we can scale back some of the patrols there to reinforce the west, but I told him no changes until you approve."
"Tell him no, we maintain current levels on all borders until we understand Erebus's full strategy."
Ethan nodded and made a note. "The council wants to meet with you this afternoon. Something about trade agreements with the western packs."
I suppressed a groan. "What time?"
"Three Elder Marcus insisted it couldn't wait."
Of course he did, Marcus had been increasingly difficult since the Selena situation. He seemed to think that because the elders had overruled me once, they could do it again whenever they disagreed with my decisions.
We would need to have a conversation about that eventually but not today.
"Anything else?" I asked.
"Ryan called and said he wants to know if you are still planning to attend the Alpha Summit next month."
Ryan. My closest friend among the neighboring Alphas. We'd grown up together, trained together, and maintained a strong alliance between our packs.
"Tell him yes. I will be there."
"He also mentioned he's bringing his new Beta. I want you to meet him."
"Fine. Schedule dinner when I'm there."
Ethan hesitated. "There's something else. About Elara."
I immediately focused. "What about her?"
"The servants are talking about what happened yesterday with Selena. Apparently Elara confronted her and told her to stop abusing the staff."
Pride and concern warred in my chest. Pride that Elara was standing up for herself and others. Concern about what Selena might do in retaliation.
"How did Selena react?"
"Publicly? She walked away but according to the servants, she has been even worse to them since then. Taking out her anger on anyone she can."
"And Elara?"
"Seems fine. Damian says she's physically healthy. But..." Ethan trailed off.
"But what?"
"She's isolating again, spending more time in her room. Only comes out for meals and occasional walks. It's like confronting Selena used up all her courage and now she's retreating."
That didn't sound like the woman who had stood up to Selena in front of a servant. But I also understood the toll that kind of confrontation could take.
"Keep an eye on her," I said. "Let me know if anything changes."
"Will do."
After Ethan left, I tried to focus on the paperwork in front of me. Budget reports. Security assessments trade proposals. The endless administrative work that came with being Alpha.
But my mind kept drifting to Elara.
I had barely seen her in the past few days. Between reinforcing the borders, attending council meetings, and dealing with the political fallout from Selena's return, I had been too busy to check on her properly.
I'd catch glimpses of her sometimes walking through the gardens with Damian. Sitting in the library reading. Eating alone in the dining hall while pack members whispered and stared.
Each time I wanted to go to her to sit with her. To make sure she was okay.
But something always pulled me away. Another crisis, another meeting, another problem that needed the Alpha's immediate attention.
The days blurred together. I attended a territorial dispute hearing with two neighboring packs.
Negotiated a new trade agreement with the western territories. Hosted visiting Alphas who wanted to discuss the Erebus threat and coordinate defenses.
Ryan visited twice, bringing news about attacks on other packs. Erebus's followers were spreading, becoming bolder. Three packs had been hit in the past month alone.
"They're testing everyone," Ryan said over drinks in my office. "Seeing which packs have weak defenses makes Alphas vulnerable."
"And then what? They just keep hitting us until we break?"
"That's the pattern so far of hit and run attacks. Psychological warfare. Making us paranoid and exhausted."
Ryan took a sip of whiskey. "How are your borders holding?"
"Strong for now but I can't maintain triple patrols indefinitely. Eventually our resources will run out."
"Same problem everyone's having. It's a smart strategy, actually. They don't need to defeat us in direct combat. They just need to drain us until we can't defend ourselves anymore."
The thought was chilling.
Through all of this, I kept tabs on Elara. Not personally I was too busy but through reports from Ethan, Damian, and even Elder Miriam, who'd taken an interest in her wellbeing.
"She's eating properly," Damian reported. "The baby is growing well but she's stressed. I can see it in her vitals."
"She stood up to Selena again," Miriam told me during one of our brief conversations.
"In the library Selena was berating a young servant and Elara intervened. She's finding her courage."
"She is also finding enemies," Ethan warned.
"Some pack members don't like how she challenges Selena. They think she's overstepping. Getting too comfortable acting like she has authority."
I wanted to tell them all that she did have authority. That she was my mate and the mother of my child and she had every right to speak up.
But I couldn't yet because the timing wasn't right.
Two weeks after Selena's return, I started feeling something strange.
Pain.
Not my own pain, something different. Something that came through the bond.
It would hit at random times. A sharp ache in my chest. A dull throb in my head. A twisting sensation in my stomach.
At first I thought I was imagining it. But it kept happening. And each time, I knew somehow, instinctively that it was coming from Elara.