Chapter 77

I rubbed my eyes, bent over yet another dusty old book with writing too small to for comfort. This section of the library was rarely used and it showed, but there was nowhere else I could find more about Eclipse’s history with Ravencrest.

Rita’s testimony brought up a thousand questions. We couldn’t be certain it was true, of course, but something in me told me Rita wasn’t lying about Ravencrest’s involvement. But why would they sabotage our pack?

Nothing I’d found so far indicated any historical feud between the packs, and it wasn’t as if we have territory disputes or resource concerns. Eclipse had always worked well with Ravencrest, and I couldn’t find any reason for Ravencrest to risk our wrath. There was nothing for them to gain.

Eclipse’s martial force was considerable, and a good half of Lunaris’ police were Eclipse; Ravencrest, on the other hand, had very little military might despite their size. What good would it do them to anger us?

Moreover, what did we have that they wanted so bad? There had to be a reason, something to gain, but destabilizing Eclipse would put all of Lunaris on shaky ground, Ravencrest included. They’d never shown any interest in our resources before either, so what did they want?

My eyes were strained and my head hurt, and it smelled musty in this section. I had wanted to pour myself into work to get Rita’s screams out of my head, but now I had an even bigger problem and a desperate wailing in my ears.

"There has to be something here," I muttered, frustration building as I slammed another book shut. This couldn’t be for nothing. I couldn’t just stop.

My fingers traced the spines of nearby books, searching for the next potential source of information. I’d spent the hours since the trial in here, and I had nothing to show for it except the sinking feeling that something much bigger was at play here.

I sighed heavily, sinking into a nearby armchair. I put my hand on my bump, staring at the ceiling. I just wanted to enjoy my pregnancy.

"Why can't the world just give us a break for once?" I whispered to the empty room.

But even as the words left my lips, I knew I couldn't ignore this potential threat. I cracked open another book, already so, so tired of this.

Hours passed in a blur of words and theories. I had to slog through mountains of useless information, from trade legers to legislative records, and by now my head was pounding. I was writing down anything potentially useful but right now it was just a bunch of random and vaguely connected facts.

Just as I was about to call it quits, the library door creaked open. I looked up, surprised to see Elroy's tall frame filling the doorway.

"Dinner's ready," he said softly, his deep voice sending a familiar tingle through me.

I blinked in surprise. "Oh, I... thank you. I lost track of time."

As I stood, stretching my stiff muscles, I studied Elroy's face. His expression was warm, but there was still that hint of guardedness in his eyes. That last invisible barrier that kept him from being fully open with me.

Did I push too hard? I wondered, a pang of uncertainty hitting me. Am I leaning into this romance too fast, or is this about something else entirely?

"Looking into Ravencrest?” Elroy asked, peering at the books scattered across the table. I pursed my lips. “Because of Rita’s testimony?”

“Yes,” I said, feeling suddenly a little stupid. I was going through all these old records just because a criminal made a few comments? But then again, there was that gut feeling, and I couldn’t just ignore that.

Elroy looked up at me, eyes serious. “Good,” he said.

I released a breath, a tension I hadn’t noticed winding away. “You believe her too,” I sighed.

“I hate to admit it,” Elroy said, looking a little disgusted, “but I do. Even with all she’s done, all she’s put you through, I don’t think she was lying about this. Have you found anything?”

I shook my head. "Not yet. But I'm not giving up."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "That's my Mate. Stubborn as always."

The term of endearment made my heart flutter, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was holding him back. As we walked towards the dining room, I reminded myself to be patient. Whatever internal struggle Elroy was facing, I had to meet him where he was at.

One step at a time, I told myself. We'll figure this out together – both the pack's mystery and whatever's going on between us.

We were Mates, after all. We weren’t going anywhere.

Elroy didn’t speak again until we were sitting at our dining table, the gentle clink of silverware against fine china filled the dining room as we settled into our meal. The flickering candlelight cast a warm glow across the table, softening the edges of Elroy's chiseled features.

"Olivia," he began, his tone unusually hesitant. "How are you feeling about... everything with Rita?"

I froze, fork halfway to my mouth. "Rita?" I echoed, caught off guard by the sudden change in subject.

Elroy nodded, his eyes searching mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "The trial, the banishment... I know it must have stirred up some difficult memories for you."

A lump formed in my throat as the weight of his words sank in. I hadn’t thought anyone would notice, or ask. I set my fork down, my throat a little too thick.

"I... I hadn't really thought about it," I admitted, but even as the words left my mouth, I knew they weren't entirely true.

Liar, my wolf snorted. You've been avoiding thinking about it.

"It's okay if it affected you," Elroy said softly, reaching across the table to take my hand. "Your own banishment from Moonshadow... that's not something you just forget."

His touch, warm and comforting, broke something loose inside me. "I thought I was over it," I whispered, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "But seeing Rita go through that, even though the circumstances were so different... it brought it all back."

Elroy's grip on my hand tightened. "Tell me," he urged gently.

And I did.

Like a dam bursting, words began pouring out of me. I told him about the fear, the confusion, the overwhelming sense of betrayal when I was cast out from the only home I'd ever known. I spoke of the sensation of my very soul being ripped away from something that had once been a part of it, the overwhelming feeling of loss and grief.

It wasn’t just that Greg had banished me, it was that the rest of the pack had let him. I’d stood in front of them, shown them exactly who they were standing behind, and they’d decided that Damian was the better option. These people had watched me grow up, smiled at me on the streets, and they chose the man who’d broken my heart.

"I've been so focused on just making it through the next crisis," I choked out, tears now flowing freely down my cheeks. " I never gave myself time to really process what happened."

Without a word, Elroy rose from his chair and came around the table. He pulled me into his arms, cradling me against his chest as sobs wracked my body. His steady heartbeat beneath my ear grounded me, a reminder that I wasn't alone anymore.

In that moment, held in the strong, comforting embrace of my Mate, I finally allowed myself to grieve for all I had lost. And as the tears fell, I felt something inside me begin to heal.

As I started to cry, moving past the anger into the grief, I couldn't help but silently thank the Moon Goddess for giving me such a Mate. No one but my parents had ever held me like this before, a quiet but undeniable pillar to lean on as I finally cried for what I had lost. In spite of the horrors that brought us together, I was glad she delivered me to him.

Elroy's arms tightened around me, his scent enveloping me like a protective cocoon. I felt his lips brush against my hair as he murmured, "I've got you, Olivia. Always."

I lifted my tear-stained face, meeting his gaze. The depth of emotion I saw there nearly took my breath away. "How did you know?" I whispered. "That I needed this?"

He cupped my cheek, his thumb gently wiping away a stray tear. "Because I see you, truly see you. And I know that strength like yours often comes at a cost."

I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes. "I thought I'd dealt with it all. That I was over it."

"Trauma doesn't work like that, Olivia," Elroy said softly. "It's not linear. Sometimes it sneaks up on you when you least expect it."

Opening my eyes, I saw the understanding in his. He was speaking from his own experience, after all.

In that moment, surrounded by the warmth of his embrace and the depth of his understanding, I felt a surge of gratitude so intense it threatened to overwhelm me. Despite everything, despite the pain and loss, I was exactly where I was meant to be.