Chapter 67:
He turned to me, surprise flashing in his eyes.
“I told you. Silas is a threat, and I couldn’t stand by and let him destroy Talon Pack.”
I looked at him, searching his face for something I wasn’t sure I’d find.
“That can’t be the only reason. You were banished, Dante. You had every right to stay away, to start a new life somewhere else. And yet, here you are.”
He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground before returning to meet mine.
“Elara, I… I came back because this is my home. Because no matter how far I went, no matter how many times I tried to let go, Talon Pack was always a part of me. And so were you.”
His words settled over me, stirring something deep within, an ache I had tried to ignore.
“You left without a word, without any explanation. You just… vanished. Do you know what that did to me? To the pack?”
He nodded, a shadow passing over his face.
“I know. And I’m sorry, Elara. I thought leaving was the only way to protect you—to protect the pack. I thought… I thought my presence would only cause more harm.”
“Protect us from what?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.
“From you?”
“Yes,” he replied, his voice soft, filled with a vulnerability I rarely saw.
“I thought if I left, if I took the weight of their judgment with me, the pack could find peace. And you—you could become the leader I knew you were meant to be.”
I shook my head, anger and hurt twisting together.
“You were part of this pack, Dante. Part of my life. And when you left, it was like a part of me was torn away. You can’t just… come back and expect everything to be as it was.”
He sighed, a sadness in his gaze that matched the ache in my own heart.
“I don’t expect anything, Elara. I came back because I needed to be here, to protect you and the pack. I know I can’t change the past, but I’m here now, and I will do whatever it takes to prove that I belong by your side.”
We fell into silence, his words hanging heavy between us. Part of me wanted to push him away, to keep the walls I had built firmly in place. But another part, the part that remembered the wolf he’d once been, the loyalty and strength he’d shown, wanted to let him in, to trust him again.
“What are you fighting for, Dante?” I asked softly, my gaze searching his.
“Is it just the pack, or is there more?”
He hesitated, his jaw tightening as he held my gaze.
“I’m fighting for Talon Pack, yes. But I’m also fighting for you, Elara. Because… because I never stopped caring. I may have left, but you never left my heart.”
The vulnerability in his voice, the raw honesty, shook something loose in me. I looked away, struggling to keep my emotions in check. I had spent years building myself up, becoming the leader I knew the pack needed. And yet, here Dante was, unraveling everything I thought I had buried.
“Dante…” I whispered, my voice wavering.
“You can’t just say things like that. You can’t… stir up these old feelings and expect me to trust you after everything.”
He reached for my hand, his touch gentle, grounding.
“I know. But I’m here, Elara. And I’m not going anywhere this time. I’ll prove it to you, however long it takes.”
I felt the warmth of his hand, the strength and sincerity in his touch. Part of me wanted to pull away, to keep my distance, to protect myself from the vulnerability his words had uncovered. But the other part—the part that had never stopped hoping, never stopped feeling for him—held me in place.
“I don’t know if I can trust you, Dante,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper.
“But… I want to.”
