Chapter 67

It seemed to take a long time, but eventually the air shimmered as Elroy's massive wolf form melted away, revealing his chiseled human physique. His eyes, still wild with primal energy, locked onto mine with laser focus.

"Olivia," he breathed, pulling away from me just enough to assess that I wasn’t injured. He had his consciousness back, but only just. I was exhausted, but I’d have to be the responsible one a little bit longer.

“I’m here, Elroy,” I said, deciding to keep my sentences short and simple until I knew he’d be able to grasp more complex thoughts. “Everyone is safe. These people aren’t enemies.”

That last part didn’t seem to quite sink in, because when Fay slowly started to sit up it gained a low warning growl from Elroy’s throat. “Stop,” I told him firmly. “She is not a threat.”

Elroy backed down reluctantly, clearly recognizing her from the casino, but he was still under just enough that my word counted for more than his memory. He didn’t stop glaring at her though, daring her to make any sudden moves. I sent her an apologetic look that she refused to acknowledge.

“You’re not hurt,” he asked me gruffly, needing to hear it again.

“I am not hurt. They took good care of me, Elroy, I like them.” Elroy’s brows pinched, signs of true thought starting to return.

“They’re…Rogues,” he said, as if he couldn’t comprehend why I would stand up for them.

“They’re White Paw,” I corrected. He was clearly struggling to remember what that meant, so I said, “Their Alpha was killed, remember? They couldn’t find another one, so they live out here.”

“Outside the city,” Elroy said, piecing it together slowly.

“That’s right,” I said. “They’re good people, just trying to survive.”

I could see that concept percolating, warring with his existing understanding the same way I’d experienced earlier that same day. He was coming back, I could tell.

“But they kidnapped you,” he argued. I grimaced.

“They didn’t hurt me,” I countered quickly. “They were never going to. They were just going to trade me for supplies.”

“Like a ransom,” Elroy said. I nodded, relieved. His faculties were fuzzy, but they were finally back.

“Exactly like a ransom,” I said.

“But the Omegas?”

“Don’t want to leave,” I said, even though that thought hurt. We’d failed them so completely. “They came here on their own.”

That made Elroy sit up, searching my face like he couldn’t quite believe me. I didn’t blame him.

“I didn’t believe it either, at first,” I said, “but I spoke to Ines, the ninth Omega to go missing, and she told me everything. Her husband killed their son, Elroy. He was going to kill her too.”

Elroy’s eyes widened, head shaking like he wanted to deny it. My lips pressed together, eyes turning downcast in shame. I couldn’t help but feel like I’d personally failed them, even though I hadn’t been a member of Eclipse at the time, let alone the Luna.

“Why didn’t she ask for help?”

“Who would have listened?” I asked. “The police force wouldn’t have, and they certainly wouldn’t have passed the information along to the council, let alone to us. They’d dismissed her son’s murder, and we never heard about it.”

I watched as the horror dawned on Elroy’s face, the guilt settling in as he realized the full weight of the situation. Ines wasn’t the first person to leave, and she hadn’t been the last.

“It wasn’t the house fire,” he murmured. I shook my head sadly.

“No. Peter Hardy set the fire to cover up the fact that he beat his son to death.” Elroy sucked in a harsh breath.

“Why?” he asked, pained.

“Because Tanner presented as an Omega.”

Elroy looked stricken, and I let him bury his head in my neck for comfort. He knew what that meant just as well as I did; that things were much, much worse than we’d thought. I tried to soothe him as best I could, but we couldn’t give the revelation the time it deserved right then.

“All of the Omegas are here,” I said. “They all have similar stories. They weren’t safe in Eclipse, but White Paw has stepped in to protect them.”

I felt Elroy’s shuddering breath against my shoulder before he straightened, looking back to Fay with his lips thinned. His voice was rough with emotion when he spoke to her.

“Thank you,” he said. Fay just looked at him skeptically. I didn’t blame her; she didn’t have the greatest history with upper class wolves in the first place, and Elroy’s aura had done untold damage.

“They deserve it,” he said firmly, glaring at him like she was daring him to disagree. He didn’t.

There were some more noises outside as people started waking up in earnest, and I saw the moment Elroy realized what he’d done in his panic. “My aura,” he muttered.

Fay's lips curled into a bitter sneer as she pushed herself to her feet. "I'm going to check on my people. Do whatever you want—keeping you captive is pointless after this mess."

She limped towards the door, pausing to throw one last venomous glance over her shoulder. "Enjoy your reunion."

The hut fell silent as the fabric fell back over the doorway behind her. Elroy immediately turned to me, his eyes scanning my body with frantic concern. "Olivia, are you sure you're alright? The baby...?"

I closed my eyes, reaching inward to connect with my wolf. A wave of relief washed over me as I felt the steady, pulsing life force within. "We're okay," I breathed. "The baby's still there, still strong."

Elroy's shoulders sagged with relief, and he pulled me close, burying his face in my hair. "Thank the Moon Goddess," he murmured.

For a moment, I allowed myself to melt into his embrace, inhaling his familiar scent of pine and earth. But as the immediate danger faded, a maelstrom of emotions surged to the surface. Joy at his return warred with the anger and hurt that had been festering all week.

Yes, he came for me. But the pent up emotion, the fear and hurt and loneliness, had left deep marks on me.

Part of me longed to forgive him, to fall into his arms and forget that period of anguish. But the wound was still too raw, too deep. I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warmth of the hut.

I selfishly wished he was back in his wolf form, too taken by his Alpha to think, so that I didn't have to navigate this with words. I missed his warm fur against me, his body a solid and steady presence after so, so long alone. I wanted to lean on his support so badly.

But even as I yearned for his touch, fear gripped my heart. I couldn’t take any more pain.