Nolan's Point of View
The moment I first saw her, I knew my life would never be the same.
Elara.
Even her name sounded like something the Moon Goddess whispered into the wind.
There was strength in her stillness, sorrow in her smile, and mystery in every heartbeat she tried to hide.
For days after that first meeting, I couldn't shake her scent.
It clung to my skin—wildflowers and rain, pure and fragile. My wolf, Rydan, was restless.
"She's our mate," he growled every night. "Why aren't we claiming her?"
Because she was scared.
Because she was broken.
And because the pain behind those blue eyes told me her past wasn't something easily forgotten.
I had waited seven years for my mate. The Moon Goddess made me wait for a reason. Maybe it was to learn patience, or maybe… to learn gentleness.
---
I started seeing her around the pack more often.
She worked quietly with the pups—teaching them stories, helping the omegas cook, fixing torn clothes. She never demanded attention, but she had a quiet dignity that made people look twice.
One afternoon, I passed by the training grounds and stopped.
Elara stood there, correcting a young pup's stance with surprising precision.
"Your footing is wrong," she said softly, guiding the boy's hand. "Don't swing too hard. Feel your balance first."
When the boy successfully parried a hit, she smiled—and for the first time, I saw it. The real her.
Not the lost, trembling girl who had collapsed at our border, but the warrior she must've been before life broke her.
Kael, who was watching beside me, leaned closer. "Told you, Alpha. She's no ordinary stray."
I folded my arms, my gaze fixed on her. "No, she's not."
My wolf hummed in agreement, tail flicking in excitement. "Train her. She needs to remember what she is."
Maybe he was right. Maybe training would bring her back to herself.
---
Elara's Point of View
Every day felt like a quiet test.
The Crescent Moon Pack was different—structured but kind. Beta Kael and Luna Mira treated me like one of their own, but I kept my distance. I couldn't afford to let my heart attach again.
Still, Alpha Nolan's presence was impossible to ignore.
He didn't speak much, but his silence said enough. I could feel his eyes on me sometimes during lunch or when I crossed the courtyard, and every time our gazes met, that faint golden light in his eyes made my wolf stir.
I hated how my pulse reacted to him.
I hated how safe I felt in his territory.
And yet, I couldn't deny it.
The bond was there, alive, breathing between us.
---
That evening, while I was playing with the pups, his voice came from behind me. Deep, smooth, commanding.
"Elara."
I turned, my stomach tightening. "Alpha."
"Come to the training ground tomorrow at dawn," he said, meeting my eyes. "I'll be waiting."
My brows furrowed. "For what?"
His lips curved slightly. "To remind you what you're capable of."
I wanted to refuse. To hide. But something in his tone—steady, sure—made me nod before my mind could protest.
---
The Next Morning
The sun hadn't risen yet. The air was cold, the field covered in mist.
He was already there, shirtless, muscles gleaming with faint morning dew.
I froze.
Every instinct in me screamed to turn around. But Nolan just smirked faintly, tossing me a wooden training sword.
"Don't hold back," he said. "I can take it."
"I don't need to train," I murmured.
"Liar." His voice softened. "Your hands have calluses. Your stance is too sharp for someone who hasn't trained in years. You've fought before. You've led before. Who taught you?"
I swallowed hard. "My father. He's a Beta."
"Was?" he asked quietly.
"Is," I corrected, lowering my gaze. "But I'm not… there anymore."
He nodded once, not pushing further. "Then let's start."
---
He lunged first, fast and controlled. I barely managed to block.
His strikes were precise, testing my limits but never cruel. Every clash of wood against wood sent sparks through my veins, waking something deep within me—something I thought I'd buried the night I was rejected.
My wolf stirred, stretching her claws. "We missed this."
When I countered, our swords locked, faces inches apart. His scent—pine and storm—wrapped around me, dizzying. His eyes burned gold.
"You're stronger than you think," he murmured. "Stop holding back."
I pushed harder, fueled by anger, pain, and something dangerously close to desire. Our movements became faster, more desperate, until I slipped and his arm caught my waist before I hit the ground.
We froze.
His hand was warm against my skin, his breath mingling with mine.
My heart thundered painfully. His eyes softened, flickering with something I didn't dare name.
"Good," he said finally, helping me up. "You're improving."
"Or you're going easy," I muttered.
That made him grin. "I never go easy."
He turned away, giving me space to breathe. But my lungs refused to calm.
---
Nolan's Point of View
Training her became my favorite part of the day.
Every morning she grew sharper, faster. Every night, I found myself thinking of her smile, her determination, the fire that burned in her eyes when she fought.
But I also saw the cracks she tried to hide.
Sometimes, after training, she'd sit alone near the fence, staring at the woods with that same distant pain.
Whoever hurt her… I'd like to meet him.
Just once.
Kael warned me to be patient. "If you push her, she'll run," he said.
And I knew he was right.
But the mate bond didn't care about logic. Every time I looked at her, my wolf clawed at my control, whispering, "She's ours. Protect her."
So I watched from a distance, waiting for her to trust me on her own.
---
Elara's Point of View
Weeks passed.
For the first time in a long while, I felt… alive.
Training with Nolan challenged me, but it also healed me in ways I hadn't expected. The more he pushed, the more I remembered the girl I used to be—the Beta's daughter who dreamed of leading patrols, not the rejected mate who ran away in shame.
One evening, after training, I found him leaning against a fence, arms crossed, watching the sunset.
"You're getting faster," he said. "Another week and you'll beat Kael."
I smiled faintly. "You're exaggerating."
"Maybe," he said, eyes glinting with amusement. "But I'd like to see you try."
I hesitated, then asked softly, "Why are you helping me?"
He turned to face me fully. "Because I see what you're hiding, Elara. You're not meant to live quietly in someone's shadow. You're meant to lead."
His words hit deeper than he realized. My chest tightened. "I don't want to lead. I just want peace."
He stepped closer, his voice low. "You can have both."
Our eyes met, and for a heartbeat, the world went still. His gaze dropped to my lips, and my wolf stirred again, urging me to close the distance.
But I pulled away. "I should go."
He nodded slowly, but his eyes lingered as I walked off.
---
That Night
Sleep didn't come easily. My dreams were filled with flashes of Liam's rejection, of my old pack, and then of Nolan's steady gaze that seemed to pull me back to life.
I sat by the window, moonlight spilling on my face.
"You're falling again," my wolf whispered softly.
I sighed. "No. I can't. Not again."
But deep down, I knew she was right.
Something inside me had already started to heal, and the reason was the same man who promised to take things slow—the Alpha who never demanded, never forced, but simply stayed.
Nolan's Point of View
When I saw her the next morning, she looked different—calmer, lighter.
And when she smiled at me, even for a second, I realized something:
The goddess didn't send me a fragile mate to protect.
She sent me a warrior to stand beside.
I just had to be patient enough for her to realize that too.