7. Elisabed

7

Elisabed

When I finally left the bedroom, I was immediately overwhelmed by how unfamiliar everything was—big and loud and filled with unknown scents and objects. I had to force myself to breathe to calm down.

You’ve already survived worse than this. You can handle it.

The living room was a mess of activity. Bags were scattered across the floor, and the three of them—my new alphas—were gathered around the dining table. They weren’t just eating; they were packing.

Packing for what?

My fingers curled around the edge of the door frame as I watched August scan a map, his expression unreadable. Finn leaned back in his chair, his boots resting on another, his posture as lazy and self-assured as ever. And Marshall, of course, was a storm in the background, silent and brooding as he zipped up a heavy bag.

It felt like they barely noticed I was there. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

August finally looked at me. “You’re up,” he said calmly.

“Morning, sweetheart,” said Finn, winking at me. “Or should I say afternoon? Did you sleep well?” His eyes sparkled with something sharp, probably remembering our little conversation earlier this morning.

I ignored my burning cheeks and cautiously stepped into the room. “What’s going on?” I asked, gesturing vaguely to the bags.

“We’re leaving,” August said, folding the map.

I froze. “Leaving? When?”

“Tonight,” he replied, tucking the map into his pack like this was just another day for him.

“ Tonight ?” I echoed, my voice higher than I intended. “Why? Did something happen?”

They didn’t answer right away, and the silence that followed made my stomach twist. Marshall zipped up another bag, his movements slow and deliberate like he was trying to avoid looking at me.

“It’s time to move,” August said finally, his tone clipped.

“But why now?” I asked, stepping closer. “I thought we were staying here for a while.”

Finn chuckled, low and rough, as he reached for a piece of bread from his plate. “You ask a lot of questions for someone who just decided to get out of bed.”

I clenched my hands into fists at my sides, ignoring the way his smirk made my heart race for all the wrong reasons. “I think I have the right to know what’s going on,” I said, attempting to maintain a confident tone. I was emboldened by our new closeness in a way I had never experienced before. It seemed as though my silent wolf was standing by me.

“You do,” August responded, his voice a little softer. “But right now, all you need to know is that it’s safer for us to leave.”

“Safer from what?” I pressed, unable to drop the subject. “Or is it safer from who?”

“Safer from people like Raol,” Marshall said, his deep voice cutting through the tension like a blade. He still didn’t look at me as he hefted a bag onto his shoulder. “Or do you want him showing up here again?”

The mention of Raol made my stomach drop, the memory of his cold, calculating eyes flashing in my mind. “He was here?”

“He’s gone now,” Marshall said shortly.

The words didn’t comfort me—if anything, they made the knot in my chest tighten.

Raol had been here, looking for me. The thought made my skin crawl, and my hands unconsciously went to the faint marks on my arms, where Finn and August had claimed me. Did Raol know they claimed me already? Did he care enough to fight the council’s decision? If he came knocking again, would my new alphas think I’m more trouble than I’m worth and allow him to take me?

I swallowed hard, my voice shaky when I finally spoke again. “So, where are we going?”

“North,” August replied, sitting back in his chair with that calm, unshakable authority that made me want to scream.

“North?” I frowned, glancing between them. “That’s it? Just...north?”

Finn smirked around a bite of bacon, so infuriatingly at ease. He looked like someone who had known power their entire life. “You’re not exactly in a position to be picky, sweetheart,” he said, his voice teasing but with an edge of truth that made my cheeks burn with helplessness.

“Finn,” August said warningly.

“What?” Finn said, leaning back farther in his chair. “She’s got a point—I’ll give her that. She’s leaving behind everything she’s ever known. I’d be asking questions, too.”

The reminder of everything I was leaving behind hit me like a punch to the gut. My home. My sister. I’d told myself I was ready to walk away from it all, but now, staring at the bags and the alphas who barely seemed to care about what I was losing, the weight of it all came crashing down. We would be going further away from my home than I’d ever been in my life.

Before I could stop myself, the words were tumbling out of my mouth. “Can I see my family again before we go?”

The room went still.

August’s sharp gaze fixed on me, his expression unreadable. Finn’s smirk faltered, and Marshall...Marshall finally looked at me for more than a second, his dark eyes narrowing like I’d just said something incredibly stupid.

“I couldn’t get my clothes when we saw them yesterday,” I said. “If we’re leaving...I need my clothes.”

“No,” Marshall said immediately, his tone hard and final.

I flinched, but I didn’t back down. “Do you expect me to wear the same thing every single day?” I said, trying to keep my voice from trembling. I didn’t want them to know the real reason—I wanted to see my sister one last time. No, I wasn’t thinking of practical things like clothes—I needed to go home for my sanity.

“It’s too risky,” Marshall snapped, his gaze burning into mine.

“And,” Finn intervened, his gaze shining with amusement. “I took the liberty of going to the nearest human town and buying some things for you. My favorite is the little red silky number. I’m counting the seconds until I see you wearing it—my imagination doesn’t do you justice.” He winked at me, and I could feel my face turning ten shades of red. I’d only visited the nearby human town once, but I knew the type of store he’d gone into.

My shoulders slumped, anger and indignity filling my body. I wanted to scream and lash out, but I knew it was no use arguing with them. Without answering, I turned around and stomped to the stairs, feeling my heart squeeze. I wouldn’t win this argument, not now—not when Raol’s threat was so recent and our bond so new.

I just wanted to see my sister again.