[Elara's POV]
No one had seen it coming.
The entire crowd stared, mouths agape, as I landed firmly on the back of the frenzied wolf. With practiced ease, I gathered the reins, leaned forward into the charge, and clamped my legs tight against its powerful flanks, moving with the beast as it thundered across the field.
The movements were so fluid, so masterful, that even a novice could see my skill was far beyond ordinary.
Kaelen's face was a mask of pure shock. He never knew. He never imagined I could ride. The woman on the beast's back was a stranger to him. They had been mated for three years, and yet he knew nothing of this fierce, capable rider. My silver hair streamed behind me like a banner in the wind, and for the first time, he saw me not as his quiet, unassuming mate, but as a true warrior.
In his arms, Seraphina was equally stunned. How could I possibly know how to ride? And not just ride, but mount a beast this savage? She silently prayed, a venomous hope coiling in her heart, for the wolf to throw me, to break me.
But her prayers went unanswered. Not only did I stay on, but after a few tense laps, the feral beast began to yield. Its frantic energy smoothed into a grudging rhythm, its movements finally syncing with mine. The beast had submitted.
When I finally rode the now-docile Shadowfang Wolf back to the stunned crowd, a collective sigh of relief went through them.
I had tamed the beast.
As it came to a halt, I dismounted with a clean, athletic grace.
Kaelen was still reeling from the shock. "You… when did you learn to ride?"
"Does it matter?" I asked, my voice as cold as ice.
He had no answer.
My gaze fell upon Seraphina in his arms, her face pale with a jealousy she couldn't hide.
"See? Taming a beast is simple," I said, my voice carrying clearly in the sudden silence. "But if your only goal is to impress an Alpha, then I guess that's the difference between us."
I handed the reins to a trembling servant.
My words were a slap, sharp and loud, echoing the ones she had thrown at me earlier. Seraphina's face cycled through shades of red and white. She had been so smug, so condescending, and now my actions had rendered her speechless. I had taken her own words and hurled them back at her, and she had no defense.
Liana rushed to my side, her eyes scanning me anxiously. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," I smiled.
Liana let out a huge breath. "You scared me to death! First you tackle that madman, then you go and tame that monster! Do you have any idea what could have happened? You could have been killed!"
"It takes more than that to kill me," I reassured her. "Besides, if I hadn't done something, someone else might have been."
Liana sighed. She knew. Even though I was leaving the Blackwood Pack, the warrior's instinct to protect was branded on my soul.
Meanwhile, Seraphina's uncle scrambled over to Malachi, sweat beading on his forehead. "Your Majesty, my deepest apologies! I truly had no idea the beast was not fully tamed! Thank the Goddess you are unharmed, or the Stormcliff Pack would be damned for eternity!"
"The Stormcliff Pack is damned," Malachi stated, his voice devoid of warmth. "If Miss Elara hadn't intervened, your Pack would have been wiped from these lands within three months."
A chill of pure terror shot down the elder's spine.
"So," Malachi continued, his tone arctic, "shouldn't you be thanking Miss Elara?"
"Yes, yes! Of course! We will thank Miss Elara properly!" the elder stammered.
Malachi ignored him, walking directly toward me. He stopped, his presence commanding. "Miss Elara, did you know that if you hadn't saved me, that beast would have been killed on the spot?"
I blinked, then understood. A man of his station would have powerful, unseen guardians ready to eliminate any threat instantly.
"Is the King accusing me of interfering?" I asked.
"No. You saved my life, and for that, you are owed a debt. Name your reward, Miss Elara."
His words caused a stir. Envious and jealous glances shot my way from all sides.
"I don't need one," I refused.
"And if I insist?" he took a step closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over me.
The pressure was immense.
Not wanting to argue, I pursed my lips. "If you insist, then use your influence. Fund a sanctuary for orphaned wolf cubs."
With that, I took Liana's arm and walked away.
Malachi's eyebrow arched slightly. A cub sanctuary? Her request was… unexpected. And rather interesting.
From the cradle of Kaelen's arms, Seraphina glared at my retreating back, her voice thick with venom despite her pain. "Such a pathetic display of false modesty! She's just trying to leave a good impression on King Malachi! She doesn't care about you at all, Kaelen! If she did, she would have used that reward to ask the King to invest in your Pack!"
Kaelen's amber eyes flickered, her poisonous words taking root in his mind.
————
It was past nine when Kaelen finally returned to the Alpha's House.
He had accompanied Seraphina to the Temple for a thorough examination by the Shaman. Fortunately, while she was covered in scrapes and bruises from the fall, she had no broken bones. The ordeal had kept him late.
Seeing me, Kaelen spoke first. "I didn't deliberately miss the memorial for your parents today. Seraphina told me about King Malachi's appearance at the last minute. I went with her for the good of the Pack."
"It's fine," I said flatly. Whatever his excuse, I no longer cared.
"I could go with you tomorrow, to pay my respects," he offered tentatively.
"There's no need."
"But—"
"Truly, there's no need. You're busy," I said, cutting him off. I no longer wanted this man anywhere near my parents' memory.
Kaelen didn't press the issue. He had been incredibly busy lately. And with Seraphina needing to recover in the Temple's infirmary for a few days, his time would be even more limited.
"Alright. I'll go with you another time, then," he said.
A cold smile touched my lips. A time that will never come.
"By the way," he said after a moment, "you told everyone at the festival that you're a member of the Azure Fang. What was that about?"
"It means exactly what it sounds like. I've joined the Azure Fang."
"You don't have to do this just to spite me, Elara. You can come back to the Pack whenever you want," he said.
I gave a hollow laugh. "I didn't join to spite you. And I have no intention of coming back."
Kaelen's brow furrowed. "I just told you that you can come back. What more do you want?"
"Why do you want me back?" I challenged.
"To continue your work on the defense project, of course," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "The Lycan King is looking to invest in defense technology in the eastern forests. You can take charge of the project you started."
"And Giselle? I thought she was the new project lead."
"I can reassign her."
I stared at him, my eyes like chips of ice. "It's because I saved Malachi today, isn't it? You think if I'm leading the project, he'll feel obligated to give the investment to your Pack."
The accusation hung in the air, and the flush of guilt on his face told me everything I needed to know.