Chapter 4:
Her hand dropped, and her eyes dimmed with a hurt that would haunt me forever.
“No, Dante. You’re doing this for yourself.”
She walked away, and with each step, the void she left behind grew larger. I stood frozen, torn between chasing after her and leaving. But the damage was already done. I turned and walked into the night, each step heavier than the last.
Present Day
Years later, her words still echoed in my mind. I had told myself leaving was the right thing, but the doubt never left me. Had I done it for the pack, or had I done it because I couldn’t stand to be questioned, to be seen as less than the leader I believed I could be?
The rumors of Silas and his plans had stirred something I thought I’d buried. For the first time in years, I felt the pull of home, the pack I’d abandoned, and the wolf I’d left behind.
Elara had been my anchor, the one constant in my life. And now, Talon Pack needed me again. She needed me again.
I didn’t have a choice.
I was going back.
POV: Elara
It didn’t feel real, not yet. As I stood before the Talon Pack, with every set of eyes trained on me, I could almost believe I’d stumbled into someone else’s life. But no—I was their Alpha now, whether they accepted it or not.
The air was thick with tension, a palpable weight pressing against my skin. I could feel the skepticism radiating from the elders clustered near the back. It had been simmering for weeks, ever since my father’s death, spreading like a quiet infection. They were waiting for me to falter, watching to see if I would crumble under the weight of a legacy I wasn’t sure I could carry.
The whispers didn’t surprise me. I’d heard them before—questions about whether I was too young, too inexperienced, too compassionate to lead. Most of all, they compared me to him: Marcus, the Alpha whose shadow loomed over every decision I made.
As I stood there, at the heart of the pack compound where generations of Alphas had once faced this same burden, I realized something. It didn’t matter whether I thought I was ready. They didn’t need my doubts; they needed my strength. If I wavered now, I would lose them.
No. I wouldn’t falter. Not today. Not ever.
Drawing a breath as heavy as the mountain air around us, I squared my shoulders and met their eyes head-on. These wolves—my pack—deserved more than hesitation and doubt. They deserved an Alpha who would fight for them, who would protect them, who would lead them through the storm that was already gathering on the horizon. If I wanted their loyalty, I would have to earn it, one step at a time.
“Talon Pack,” I began, my voice steady, though every beat of my heart felt like a drum in my chest.
“We stand at a turning point.”
My words carried over the compound, quieting the scattered murmurs. I let the silence linger, meeting as many gazes as I could. I saw wolves I had grown up with, wolves who had taught me, fought beside me, and watched me grow into the role I now carried. I saw support in some of their eyes, but also doubt, hesitation, and in a few, open distrust.
“I know,” I continued, letting the weight of their expectations press against me without bending, “that many of you have questions. I know some of you doubt whether I am ready to lead. I can’t deny that things have changed, or that my father’s loss has left us shaken. But I will not let that loss break us. We are Talon Pack. We endure.”
There was a ripple through the crowd—a shift, subtle but clear. Some wolves straightened slightly, their eyes narrowing in thought rather than skepticism. Others exchanged murmured words, the tension between them less sharp. I wasn’t winning them over yet, but I had their attention.
“I was raised to believe that the strength of a pack lies in its unity. It lies in the bonds we share, the trust we build, and the loyalty we give to one another. My father taught me that, and I will honor his memory by ensuring that Talon Pack remains strong—not just against our enemies, but within ourselves.”
