It was the morning after.
Elara woke up to the sounds of boots. She sat up slowly on her bed, listening to what was going on outside her door. She heard two sets of footsteps, one moving, the other staying.
She stood up from bed, crossed to the door, opened it, and saw two men standing on both sides of her door.
"Good morning Lady Elara." one of them greeted.
"Good morning," she replied. "Why are you here?" she asked.
"We were asked to guard your room by the elders of the council," the second man answered.
"And how long have you been for?"
"Since before dawn."
She looked away from the two men and back at them. "I didn't ask for guards," she said.
"We were assigned to protect you," they both answered.
"Protect me, from who?"
He scoffed, "I don't have the authority to answer that."
Elara nodded once, entered her room angrily, and banged the door.
Now furious, she started pacing her room.
"I didn't want to come here."
"I don't need to be watched, I already didn't get my wolf"
"Why do they still have to make me more miserable?". She went back to her bed as she was talking to herself.
Now calm, she quickly dressed and stepped back out. She tried to avoid the men guarding her as she walked down to the dining hall but she couldn't because they didn't stop following her, they were close enough for her to see and far enough for them to pretend they were not watching her every move.
When she got to the dining hall.
She felt the energy change, the slower conversations, and the whispers.
"Would you like tea or coffee?" a man walked up to her and asked.
Elara nodded her head with a smile that at least someone had now walked up to her to talk.
"I'd prefer tea," she said.
The man nodded and got her the tea without looking into her eyes.
Elara sat.
The tea tasted right but every other thing felt wrong.
She scanned the entire dining room looking for one person. Kael.
She looked as soon as she heard any sound to see if she would see the one person she needed to see.
Someone was laughing at the end of the hall, and another was moving his chair loudly so he could get up. But none of them was him.
She was not shocked. She was sad.
She stood up after a few minutes and started to walk.
With the men now walking behind her closely.
"I'd like to walk —"
"Council's orders." One of them stopped her.
She was tired of arguing.
She was now walking the outer paths of the Pack grounds. She saw a training session for wolves from a distance. Some shifted and some didn't.
Elara noticed again that people were looking at her.
Quick, dismissive.
"That's her," somebody said.
Another replied, "The one without the wolf."
She kept walking.
She has now reached the lower part of the courtyard when a familiar voice cuts in.
"Elara."
She turned.
Cassian stood near the railings, with his arms folded in front of him. He was well dressed and smiling like he got some good news.
The men following her moved in front.
"It's fine," Cassian said. "I just want a word."
They stepped back but stayed within sight.
Cassian led Elara to a bench.
"Please sit."
Elara didn't sit. "You already have my time, say what you came to say."
"Straightforward, I guess." Cassian smiled
"What do you want?"
"I came to see how you were faring."
"Well, I'm being watched, if that answers your question."
"It does," he replied. "The council members are worried."
"About me?"
"About uncertainty"
Elara folded her arms. "Youve never cared about uncertainty."
Cassian raised his head. "That's not fair."
"Is it not true?"
He smiled "You didn't get your wolf?"
"No," she answered.
"And yet here you are."
"Yes"
"And Kael hasn't denounced you."
"No"
"That makes people uncomfortable, you know."
"I wouldn't know." Elara lied.
She knew quite well that there had been talks about how an alpha taking a wolfless Luna would make people die.
Elara looked at him. "Is that all?"
"No," Cassian replied. "There's also the matter of what you felt yesterday."
"You weren't there, Elara said
"I didn't need to be, you know how things like this spread."
She took a step closer. "Talk to me."
"You didn't get your wolf, but the bond reacted when it shouldn't have. That scares people"
"Does it scare you?"
"No," he answered. "It interests me."
She wanted to answer when a voice called out.
"Elara."
She turned. Just who she's been looking forward to seeing. Kael
He walked slowly towards where she was.
This time he looked distant and nothing like the man who kissed her the day before.
"Councilor," Kael said
"FutureAlpha," Cassian responded. "I was just speaking with Elara."
"I can see that."
Cassian looked at Elara. "I think it's time for me to go."
Then he walked away.
Kael waited for him to walk far enough.
"You should not be alone with him."
"I wasn't," she replied. "Your men were close enough to hear everything"
"That doesn't make it safer."
Elara stared at him intently. "You didn't sleep."
"Neither did you."
"That's not an answer"
Kael exhaled. "You shouldn't provoke him."
"How did you mean?" she asked
"Font provoke him."
"I didn't."
"You are existing," he said. "That's enough to provoke him."
Elara laughed. "You make it sound like it's my fault."
"I didn't say it is."
"Then what are you saying?" she asked
He hesitated. "The timing."
She scoffed. "That's your point?"
She moved closer. "Have you been avoiding me?"
"Yes."
At least he didn't lie.
"Why?"
"Because if I don't, I won't be able to do what my duty expects me to do."
"And what's that?"
He didn't answer
Someone approached them. "Alpha Kael. The council is ready."
Kael nodded. "I'll be there."
He looked at Ekara too without saying her name. "Youre expected too."
"Where?" Elara asked
"Not inside." "Just nearby."
Kaellookeat him. "She wasn't informed."
"She is now," he answered. "Those were my orders."
Kael looked at Elara. "Walk behind me, don't say anything unless asked."
"What?" she exclaimed. "Is it that bad?"
"Yes."
They have now gotten to the council chambers and the doors were open. Kael stepped in alone and she stood outside.
She could hear voices spilling out.
"…Duran pack must be decisive."
"…can not be allowed to stay in the Silvermoon territory."
She couldn't see everyone but she heard enough.
"This is about stability," an elder said.
"The Moon Oath Ceremony is tonight."
Everybody went silent.
"I know," Kael said
"Then you understand your duty"
"I understand," Kael said.
She didn't know why that hurt more than every other thing she had heard.
The doors now shut,
Decisions were made
She waited. And waited
And when Kael eventually came out, he didn't even look at her.
"Decisions have been made."
"About what?" she asked
"You are required to attend the Moon Oath ceremony tonight."
"As what?"
"As a witness."
"To what?"
He hesitated. Then he said it.
"The Alpha of the Duran Pack will be naming a new Luna."
Elara didn't speak.
"You should prepare," Kael continued.
And for the first time since she arrived, she knows clearly now that this wasn't about where she belonged. It was about who would be chosen to stand beside him.
And she already knew it wouldn't be her.