84- Secrets and Promises
POV Edric Eldoria:
“I’ve always been afraid they might come back. I never transformed because of that.”
“Years ago, they killed one of our wolves, so we hunted them down. One by one. We killed them all and spread the rumor that the forest is cursed. Every now and then, some fool shows up, but they never go back home to tell the story.”
I couldn’t tell how relieved I felt hearing that.
Elowen still hadn’t gone through the transformation; she had a few months ahead of her. But… I was afraid something might happen to her, that she might mutate early and be caught by the hunters. On top of that was the terror I felt every time I thought about Alessio getting his hands on her. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to my sister.
“She worked at a bar in town when I came to the forest,” I added, fixing my eyes on him. “That’s why I went so deep in — I tried to keep as much distance as I could between us. In case the wolves reached me, she’d be safe.”
He nodded.
“Since she hasn’t transformed into a wolf, she can go unnoticed,” he commented, and I confirmed it. “But she must be looking for you…”
“She definitely is. That’s why I went into the forest earlier — I wanted to spread my scent, mark the territory. Try to send her my location somehow.”
He drummed his fingers on the tabletop, thoughtful.
“And what if Alessio is with her?”
A chill ran down my spine at that possibility, leaving me trembling.
“If he were with her, he’d make sure to let me know. He’d use that to his advantage. His wolves have never mentioned Elowen — Alessio must think she’s with me.”
He exhaled sharply.
“Elowen is a secret that must be kept,” he stated, lips twisting in a grimace. “If there really is an informant in the pack, they’ll use that against you. They can lie, but there’ll be no way to tell if it’s true or not. That would make you an easy target to capture.”
He was right. If any of Alessio’s wolves mentioned my sister’s name, I’d go with them without a single objection. If there really was an informant in Eldoria, Elowen’s name hadn’t been mentioned because I’d never spoken of her to anyone.
“But… how will I find her?”
“I’ll send only the men I trust most. They’ll search for her.” He leaned back, elbow on the table, resting his head in his hand as he rubbed his thumb along his jaw, his gaze fixed on me. “I suppose she’s keeping herself very well hidden, since she hasn’t been caught yet.”
A sincere smile crossed my lips at the thought of her.
“Elowen is clever. She knows the exact moment she needs to run.” I shrugged. “And Alessio’s wolves know my exact location — they have no reason to go after her when the main target is me.”
“You’re right,” he agreed. “But she’s still your weakness, and she’s out there. That means she’s my concern too. That bastard might use her against you, and I won’t allow that.”
I swallowed hard and lowered my eyes to my hands resting in my lap.
“She’s the only family I have left, Edric. I’ll live in peace and safety for the rest of my days, accepting this reality — my reality — as long as I have her by my side.”
He leaned closer to me.
“And as I said, Lunara, I’ll do everything I can to make your life pleasant. There are many things I can’t offer you — things that might’ve been part of your plans but are beyond my reach. But whatever is within it, ask, and it’s yours.”
Every cell in my body felt the truth in his words. That’s why I confessed my greatest secret to him. Edric was trying to evolve, to accept the fact that I was part of his life now — just as I’d been learning to embrace that same truth.
“Thank you,” I whispered, grateful.
“There’s nothing to thank me for. We’re just trying to make this work,” he said, a bit evasively.
That meant the conversation was over and that his drunken state had passed. There would be no more talk about Catalina or revelations from the past.
I was too calm to start another argument with him. Things were finally good — for the first time in weeks.
For that reason, I stood and began clearing the table, with his help. We both stayed silent, isolated by our own demons.
When we finished, Edric went back to the sofa while I went upstairs to my room. Even after everything that had happened, it would be the first night I would actually sleep in peace.