Chapter 173 CHAPTER 173

Chapter 173 CHAPTER 173
The journey back to the pack felt longer than necessary. Talia walked beside her in silence, her small hand limp in Elara’s grasp, her steps slow and mechanical. She didn’t look at the trees, didn’t look at the sky, didn’t look at the others. She just moved forward because Elara guided her, not because she chose to.

Every so often, Elara glanced down at her, hoping for some flicker of emotion, fear, sadness, confusion, anything, but Talia’s face remained blank, her eyes dull and unfocused. The absence of her wolf had hollowed her in a way Elara couldn’t even begin to imagine.

When the pack’s clearing finally came into view, Elara felt her breath catch. A small group stood waiting at the edge of the trees, Jed with Raven’s infant twins held securely in his arms, and Nikolas standing beside him.

The moment Raven stepped into view, Jed let out a breath of pure relief and hurried forward, shifting both babies carefully so he could reach her. Raven’s face crumpled as she closed the distance, her hands trembling as she touched each tiny head, checking them, reassuring herself they were real and safe.

Jed placed a hand on her back. “We were worried sick,” he said, though his voice softened when he saw the exhaustion in her eyes. “But you’re home. That’s what matters.”

Nikolas approached Saphira, Elara, and Kaelan next, his expression a mixture of relief and stern disapproval. “You two,” he said, shaking his head. “You put yourselves in danger. Again.”

Saphira lifted her chin. “We did what we had to.”

“And you succeeded,” Nikolas said, though his tone remained firm. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to be furious.”

Elara swallowed, glancing down at Talia, then back at her father. “We didn’t have a choice.”

Nikolas sighed, the anger fading from his eyes. “I know. And that’s what good leaders do. They make the impossible choices.” He reached out, brushing a hand over Elara’s hair. “But it doesn’t make watching you walk into danger any easier.”

Elara leaned into the touch for a moment, letting herself feel the comfort of it. But Talia shifted beside her, her eyes still glued to the floor.

“Talia,” Elara murmured softly. “We’re home.”

But Talia still didn’t respond. She looked up, her gaze drifted past the group, past the trees, past everything, until it landed on the small cabin at the far edge of the clearing. The cabin she had lived in before moving into Elara and Kaelan’s home. The cabin where she had spent her first nights in the pack, frightened and alone.

Without a word, Talia slipped from Elara’s grip and began walking toward it.

“Talia?” Elara called softly. “Sweetheart, wait…”

Saphira stepped in front of her, placing a gentle hand on her arm. “Let her go.”

Elara blinked, startled. “She shouldn’t be alone.”

“She needs space,” Saphira said, her voice quiet but firm. “She needs to come to you when she’s ready. Not because you chase her.”

Elara looked toward the cabin again. Talia had already reached the door. She pushed it open slowly, stepped inside, and closed it behind her without looking back.

The ache in Elara’s chest deepened. How can she just leave her to deal with this alone? “She’s hurting.”

“I know,” Saphira said. “But forcing her to talk won’t help. Let her breathe. Let her find her footing and come to terms with what happened.”

Kaelan stepped beside Elara, his hand brushing her back. “As much as I hate it too, your mother is right. We can’t push.”

Elara nodded, though her heart felt heavy. Before she could say more, Lyra cleared her throat. “Ana has just mind-linked me; she has something to show you.”

Darius grinned, though the exhaustion in his eyes softened the expression. “A surprise.”

Elara frowned. “A surprise?”

Jed stepped forward, his smile warm. “You’ve been gone for days. We wanted to do something useful.”

Nikolas gestured toward the path leading deeper into the pack grounds. “Come on. You’ll want to see this.”

Curiosity tugged at Elara, though worry for Talia lingered; she followed the group, Kaelan at her side, Saphira and Raven behind them.

As they approached the clearing where they were building the pack house, Elara stopped in her tracks. Where once there had been scaffolding, half‑finished walls, and piles of timber, now stood a fully built structure of warm stone and dark wood, its windows glowing softly in the afternoon light.

Elara’s breath caught. “How…?”

Kieran stepped forward from the group gathered near the entrance, his grin wide. “Nikolas helped.”

Elara turned to her father, eyes wide. “You did this?”

Nikolas shrugged, though pride shone in his eyes. “You deserved a new home to come back to.”

Elara shook her head in disbelief. “But this would have taken weeks.”

“Not with enough hands,” Jed said. “And not with your father pushing everyone twice as hard as usual.”

Nikolas chuckled. “I may have encouraged a bit of urgency.”

Elara laughed softly. “It’s beautiful.”

“Go on,” Kieran said. “Have a look around.”

Elara stepped inside, and Kaelan took her hand in his as they crossed the threshold.

The interior was warm and inviting. A large open kitchen was on the ground floor, complete with polished counters, a long wooden island, and shelves stocked with supplies. The large dining hall adjoined it seamlessly, with multiple long tables capable of seating the entire pack. There was another room on the ground floor set off to the side, furnished with plush chairs, a huge TV on the wall, and multiple gaming tables. Then there was a multi-bathroom tucked beneath the stairs, completing the ground floor.

They climbed to the first floor, where several bedrooms lined the hallway, each one furnished and ready. The second floor mirrored it, offering even more space for visiting packs or future families.

But it was the third floor that stole Elara’s breath. Four bedrooms and a spacious lounge with large open windows.

“This floor is yours,” Nikolas said softly. “For you, Kaelan, and for your family.”

“Thank you, Dad,” Elara said, putting her arms around him. “This is all just perfect.”

Nikolas hugged her back, something Elara was still getting used to after years of mind-control. “We will let you both settle in. You have had a rough few days.”

“Thank you,” Kaelan said. “We will come see you once we are settled.”

As soon as her parents left, Elara walked to the window, her hand resting on the frame. From here, she could see the entire pack grounds, the training field, the forest edge, and the cabins… And the lone cabin where Talia sat alone.

Her heart tightened. As though he could sense what she was looking at, Kaelan stepped behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll help her through this,” he murmured. “Whatever it takes.”

Elara nodded, her gaze fixed on the small cabin in the distance. “We will,” she whispered. “We have to.”

But as she watched the stillness surrounding that lonely little home, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the hardest part of their journey was only just beginning.