Whispers of the night

ejection, yet her heart beat with a furious determination. The bond she had once dreamed of, the connection she thought would bring her strength and unity, had instead been shattered before

't let this define me." Her wolf howled in agreement, the sound echoing in her mind like a vow. She would rise. She would fight. A rustle in the trees behind her snapped her out of her thoughts. Elara tensed, her senses sharpening as the familiar scent of pine and moss filled her nostrils. It was a smell she recognized well-Alaric. "Elara!" His voice was filled with concern, his footsteps quick and light as he approached. "I've been looking everywhere for you. What happened? I felt-" He stopped short when he saw her kneeling by the river, her face pale, her eyes burning with an intensity that caught him off guard. Alaric's golden eyes narrowed, and in an instant, he was by her side, crouching down to meet her gaze. "Elara," he said quietly, his tone soft but urgent, "what's going on? I felt something... something's wrong." She met his gaze, and for a moment, the weight of everything pressed down on her again. She wanted to tell him, to spill everything-about Kael, the rejection, the anger boiling beneath her skin. But the words lodged in her throat, tangled in the shame of it all. "Elara," Alaric said again, his hand reaching out to touch her arm. "Talk to me." She swallowed hard, trying to push past the knot in her chest. "It's Kael." Alaric's expression darkened instantly. "What about him?" Elara shook her head, the words finally tumbling out. "He's my mate. Kael Thorne is my mate." Alaric's eyes widened, shock flickering across his face. "What? Kael? But he-" His voice trailed off as realization dawned. "He rejected you, didn't he?" Elara nodded, her jaw clenched tightly to hold back the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "Yes. He... he didn't want the bond. He doesn't want me." A silence fell between them, thick and heavy. Alaric's grip on her arm tightened, his golden eyes flashing with anger. "That bastard," he growled. "How could he-" "I don't know," Elara interrupted, her voice raw. "But it doesn't matter. It's done." Alaric's jaw tightened, his eyes flickering with something she couldn't quite read. "It matters, Elara. You'