Chapter 5
I move back, releasing my hold on Elijah.
“Wolfsbane?”
That’s something we learned about during our childhood. It’s incredibly rare to get hold of, and there’s an unspoken rule among werewolves to never use it on one another.
Typically, it’s associated with wolf hunters, who never cared about the lives of werewolves. “How is that possible?” I can’t imagine when it could have happened.
Elijah’s scowl grows more serious. “That’s exactly what worries me. Somebody is aware of your identity and has intentionally set their sights on you.” He reaches for my arm, but then thinks twice and lets his hand fall back to his side.
“I honestly have no idea who could have slipped it to me or when it might’ve happened.” Fear creeps in at the realization I’ve been attacked. Had Elijah not been there in the alley when I collapsed…
“There’s something else.” Elijah pauses, seemingly reluctant to add to my distress. “While Dr. Isabella was examining your blood, she detected some strange indicators.”
My brows draw together. “What are you saying?”
He bites down on his lip. “It appears you might not be a full-blooded werewolf. She suspects that’s the only thing that saved your life. The wolfsbane should have been fatal.”
That information just confuses me further. “But both my parents are purebloods. I can’t make sense of this.”
“We’re just as confused,” he says, fingers raking through his hair. “To me, you still carry the scent of a pureblood. In fact, your scent-” He abruptly cuts himself off.
His silence unsettles me. Could my scent be the reason for all the rejection I’ve faced? “Do I smell bad? Please, just be honest. If you’d rather stay away from me, I can handle it. I’ve experienced plenty of rejection.” The thought makes my cheeks warm with frustration.
“No, absolutely not!” Elijah immediately clasps my hand. “It’s actually the opposite. You smell incredible. You smell like-” He pauses, eyes dropping to the floor. Then, finally, he meets my gaze. “You smell like my mate.”
“You’re out of your mind.” The consequences of his words don’t even register. I’ve never once considered the idea of meeting my mate. I can’t even find a pack that will take me. I try to withdraw my hand, but his grip remains firm.
“Am I wrong? Surely you notice it too. The tingling when our skin touches? The amazing scent when you’re close? What about your wolf-does she sense anything?”
I stop fighting his grasp. Is this what Amelia has been trying to communicate to me? His words begin to fit together. I do feel more attracted to him than I’ve ever felt toward any other wolf, but it’s not the instant, overwhelming bond described in the stories.
Nothing inside me screams that he’s my mate, and I don’t feel like I love him. He’s still a stranger. I’m not even sure I can trust him. “Maybe. I’m not sure. I haven’t exactly had the time to process it, considering I’ve been teetering on the edge of death.” My laugh comes out uneasy.
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Elijah doesn’t join in. “I’m not trying to force you into anything, but I don’t want to lose you before we’ve even started to know each other. I’m not asking for a lifetime commitment-just that you consider giving us a shot. I can help you discover who’s targeting you and offer protection. If, in the end, you’d rather go it alone, I’ll respect that.”
Sadness flickers across his face at the idea.
Agreeing goes against my instincts. This time, though, I’m not worried about the pack turning me away. What scares me is that, if everything Elijah says is true, I might start to hope again. I fear he’ll eventually decide the same thing my family did and back away.
Amelia’s voice repeats in my thoughts. ‘He’s capable of helping us.’
“So, let me make sure I have this right. The reason I’ve been feeling unwell, lost my strength, and even blacked out is because someone slipped wolfsbane into my system. That would mean a hunter has figured out who I really am. The test results also show my blood isn’t pure werewolf, and the fact that I’m still alive after being exposed to a deadly amount of wolfsbane confirms it.
On top of all that, we’re mates. Because of this, you want me to let you help uncover who’s after me, find out what I truly am, and get to know each other, so I can decide if I want to accept you as my mate. That’s a lot to process.” I inhale slowly. I’m not sure if this is better or worse than what I expected. I release his hand.
Elijah pushes his hand through his hair. “I get that it’s overwhelming, and I realize you don’t trust me yet. Right now, I can’t give you proof, but if you’re willing, I want to earn your trust. I truly want to help you.”
I study his face, searching for any hint of dishonesty. I feel a pull toward him, but I can’t tell if it’s the mate bond or just exhaustion from always depending on myself. At last, I nod.
“Alright. I’ll give it a try.”
I can only hope I’m not making a huge error.
Elijah visibly relaxes, his whole body loosening. “That’s wonderful! You can’t imagine how relieved I am. The first thing we should do is visit the pack house and speak with Dr. Isabella-she can give you more details. We also need to talk about increasing your security. Someone already targeted you; there’s a chance they’ll try again. Honestly, it may be safest if you stayed at the pack house.”
“Hold on,” I say, raising my hands. “That’s a lot at once, and I’m not ready to move in. I don’t know you or your pack, and you barely know me. What if, after spending time together, you decide I’m not trustworthy?”
“You’re my mate. That’s never going to happen,” Elijah replies with such certainty that I feel butterflies in my stomach.
“Even so, I have a life of my own. I can’t just leave everything behind. I’m grateful for your offer to help, but I’ve been wounded too many times before. I need to take this slowly.” Anxiety starts to creep in.
Elijah’s expression darkens, and he steps closer. “I apologize. I rushed things. I’m just so happy to have met you, and the idea that someone could hurt you before I get a chance to show you who I am scares me.”
He gently touches my cheek. “We’ll go at your pace, with a few exceptions. Until we know more about your attacker, I don’t think you should be alone. Apart from that, you’re in control.”
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For a moment, I lose myself in the intensity of Elijah’s gaze and the warmth of his touch. With his palm resting against my cheek, I feel a willingness to grant him whatever he wishes. Is this what it means to find your mate?
The sensation is both soothing and overwhelming. Trusting someone else completely would be a relief, yet the thought of losing myself in another person is unsettling.
I reach up and wrap my hand around Elijah’s, letting my touch linger on his skin longer than I mean to. “Thanks.” I gently remove his hand from my face, though I hesitate to release it entirely.
Part of me wants to hold on, but eventually, I let go. “Let’s just take this slowly. I’m not sure I can manage too many choices at once. There’s a lot here I still need to process and understand.”
Elijah gives a nod. “Alright, step one: we should talk with Dr. Isabella. She might be able to explain some things to you more clearly, and maybe you’ll have insights to help her connect everything.”
Elijah offers his hand to me, and I pause before accepting. A part of me longs to take his hand and run away together, but that desire frightens me. I recognize this as the effect of the mate bond, but experience has taught me to rely on logic to survive.
If I had let my feelings lead, I might have given up years ago. Years of being unwanted have taken their toll, leaving me wary and isolated. I don’t want to let my fears from the past keep me alone forever.
I take Elijah’s hand and nod, allowing him to guide me forward. The moment he pulls me along, a sense of peace settles over me. There’s no rational explanation, but deep down I sense that as long as Elijah is there, things will turn out all right.
Elijah walks me to his nearby car, opening the passenger door for me-a gesture I’m not used to- before getting in himself. The ride starts out in silence. I can’t tell if Elijah is trying to avoid overwhelming me or just feels uneasy. Part of me worries he might already regret his choice to help.
Eventually, I break the quiet. “Why did your pack decide to relocate here?”
At my question, Elijah’s jaw tightens. I suspect I’ve touched on a painful subject, though I can’t help but notice how striking his jawline is.
After a pause, Elijah responds. “I guess you should know more about me, too. Honestly, I don’t enjoy talking about it. Our old pack ran into a lot of trouble. We ended up splitting into two groups because we couldn’t agree on anything.
We tried to divide the land, but it didn’t work out. My packmates started getting injured in fights with the others. I felt it was best to leave and claim a new area before things escalated further.”
“You’re being very protective,” I remark. There are more things I want to ask, but I decide against it. I realize that if I dig deeper into his history, he’ll likely want to know more about mine in return. I’m not prepared to reveal everything just yet. I worry that if I admit my parents realized I wasn’t enough, he’ll reach the same judgment even sooner.
As we approach the pack house, the surroundings become familiar, but this time I notice details I missed when I was fleeing. The homes in this neighborhood are set far apart, which makes sense for a group of werewolves trying to stay out of sight from humans.
Each property is massive, nearly reaching the scale of mansions. Buying a place here must have required a significant amount of money. I figure that’s one advantage of being part of a pack- finances are less of an issue when everyone contributes.
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“We’ve arrived,” Elijah says, snapping me out of my reverie.
My gaze settles on the house at the end of the driveway. It’s undeniably the largest place around, though it’s a bit weathered compared to the others. I step out of the vehicle and continue to study the building before me. It rises at least four stories high.
“It could use some improvements,” Elijah comments, joining me. “We haven’t been here long-just a few weeks-but I intend to fix it up.”
“It’s incredible,” I reply. Even with its imperfections, the house is stunning. Its Victorian design features dark wood, and tall birch trees stand all around, their leaves shifting color for the coming autumn. “Is this yours?’
Elijah confirms with a nod. “Yes. When we chose to relocate, I searched for a place that would accommodate us and allow room for growth. I want our home to expand alongside our strength.”
“How large is your pack?” I inquire, knowing most groups keep their numbers low these days to avoid drawing attention. Too many wolves in one area would easily arouse human suspicion.
“There are thirteen of us right now. This house can easily hold thirty,” Elijah answers. He extends his hand to me once again. “Ready to head inside and get some explanations?”
