CHAPTER 14

No!! Elijah concluded. He would have to keep this a secret from everyone else. A burden he would bear to keep those closest to him safe.

Elijah started methodically deleting his research with a heavy heart but unwavering determination. He carefully replaced the old journals exactly as he would found them, shredded papers, and erased files. When he was finished, there was no sign of his discovery.

Elijah finally stood, his body rigid from hours of sitting, as the first rays of dawn peeped through the tall windows of the archives. He took one last glance to make sure everything was where it should be.

"I apologize, Amelia," he muttered to the vacant space. "Hopefully, you will comprehend one day. For you, I am doing this."

He then locked the archives door behind him and departed. Elijah braced himself for the upcoming day as he strolled through the peaceful hallways of the pack house. He would carry out his tasks as usual, look Amelia in the eye, and conceal the turmoil he was feeling inside.

Even though it would be the hardest thing he had ever done, he would persevere. In honor of his daughter. regarding his pack. For the future that each of them merited.

---

Later that morning, as the pack began to stir and the day's activities commenced, Elijah found himself in the main hall with Bruce and Amelia. They were discussing plans for the upcoming full moon celebration, Amelia's eyes shining with excitement as she detailed her ideas for involving the pack's human allies in the festivities.

Elijah watched her, seeing her in a new light. The curve of her smile was so like her mother's. The determined set of her jaw, a mirror of his own. How had he never noticed before?

"What do you think, Elijah?" Amelia's voice broke through his reverie. "Do you think the humans would enjoy a bonfire ceremony, or is that too much?"

Elijah blinked, forcing himself to focus. "I think it's a wonderful idea," he said, managing a smile. "It's inclusive without revealing too much. Well thought out, as always."

Amelia beamed at the praise, and Elijah felt his heart constrict. He'd missed so much and had been robbed of the joy of watching her grow into this remarkable woman. But he pushed the pain aside, reminding himself that his sacrifice now would ensure her happiness and safety.

As the discussion continued, Elijah noticed Bruce watching him with a slight frown. His Alpha's keen senses had always made him perceptive to the moods of his pack members, especially those closest to him.

"Everything alright, old friend?" Bruce asked quietly as Amelia excused herself to fetch some documents. "You seem... distracted this morning."

Elijah forced a chuckle, clapping Bruce on the shoulder. "Just a late night pouring over those old records," he said lightly. "You know how I can get lost in the past sometimes."

Bruce nodded, though his eyes remained concerned. "Find anything interesting?"

For a heartbeat, Elijah hesitated. The weight of his secret pressed down on him, urging him to unburden himself to his oldest friend and Alpha.

But then Amelia returned, her arms full of papers and her face alight with enthusiasm. As she began explaining her latest idea, Elijah saw Bruce's expression soften, love and pride evident in every line of his face.

In that moment, Elijah's resolve solidified. He would protect this happiness, this love, at all costs.

"Nothing of importance," he told Bruce, his voice steady. "Just old tales and faded glories. Nothing that changes anything for us now."

Bruce held his gaze for a moment longer before nodding and turning his attention back to Amelia. Elijah released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, silently reaffirming his vow to take this secret to his grave.

As the morning wore on and the pack house came fully to life, Elijah excused himself, needing a moment alone to gather his thoughts. He made his way to a quiet corner of the grounds, a small garden that offered solitude and a view of the surrounding forest.

Leaning against an old oak tree, Elijah closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the sounds and scents of the pack lands wash over him. This was his home, his family. He had dedicated his life to serving and protecting them. Now, that duty extended to protecting them from a truth that could tear them apart.

But he noticed a new smell as he stood there, centering himself and fortifying his resolve. His nostrils flared as he attempted to recognize it, and his eyes snapped open.

Though unfamiliar, it held notes that made his memory tingle. It spoke of deep forests and hidden powers, wild and ancient. Beneath it all, there was a hint of something that unnerved his wolf.

Threat. Danger.

Elijah's body stiffened as he peered over the edge of the trees, his keen senses straining to detect any movement. There were several extended moments of silence.

Then he saw it, just as he was about to write it off as the figment of his hyperactive imagination. A burst of motion through the forest's shadows. A set of eyes that shone with an unusual brightness focused on him.

The eyes disappeared before Elijah could move to chase after this intruder or make a sound of warning. As if it had never existed, the peculiar smell vanished into the breeze.

Elijah stood motionless, his thoughts racing. What had he just seen? Their pack was being watched by who or what? And why did he feel so strongly that it had something to do with the secrets he had discovered?

One thought kept repeating in his head as he turned to run back to the pack house to warn Bruce of this possible threat, giving him a feeling of dread he had never experienced before:

Had he chosen to keep Amelia's true identity a secret, putting them all in danger? This was something he could not fathom. But he could hope that he would be ready to face whatever darkness that came there way.