Bab 15: Her true colors

Elowen lay beside Theo on the soft bed after a very awkward breakfast.

She had been lost in her thoughts when Theo's small voice broke the silence.

"Are we going to live here?" he asked, his tone hopeful and innocent.

She turned her head to look at him. Gently brushing his hair from his forehead, she shook her head. "No, Theo," she whispered. "We'll leave tomorrow. This place…it's not our home."

Theo frowned, his little eyes reflecting disappointment. "But I really like it here," he said quietly. "Luna is really nice, and Uncle Darius gives me candies. But I don't like that meanie sister, she yelled at me."

Elowen smiled softly at him, though it was tinged with sadness. She didn't want to take away his happiness, especially when he had suffered so much already. But deep down, she knew they couldn't stay here.

This wasn't their world, and she didn't belong here. Cassian had made that painfully clear.

"I know you like it here," she murmured, stroking his cheek. "But…we can't stay, Theo. This isn't our home, and it never will be."

Her voice trailed off as she thought about what lay ahead. She didn't know where they would go, what they would do. She had no money, no place to call their own, but she was certain of one thing—she couldn't live here, not in the same place as Cassian. The pain of his rejection was still fresh, and being around him would only make things harder for her.

She sighed deeply, forcing herself to stay strong for Theo's sake. He looked at her with wide eyes, so trusting, so innocent. She wished she could give him a life full of comfort and happiness, but for now, all she could offer him was the promise that they would keep moving forward, no matter where that led them.

Elowen and Theo stayed in their room all day. She didn't have the energy to face anyone else, especially not Cassian. The events of the morning replayed in her mind over and over, making her feel even more distant from this world of rich Alphas.

When there was a knock at the door, she felt a sinking feeling in her chest. A maid stood there, her expression neutral.

"Luna is calling for you," the maid said softly.

Elowen glanced back at Theo, who was fast asleep, curled up on the soft bed. She bit her lip, conflicted between staying by his side and responding to Luna's call. In the end, she nodded and quietly slipped out of the room, leaving Theo to rest.

When she arrived in the common area, she found Luna discussing security matters with the guards. "The rogues are growing more desperate," Luna said, her tone authoritative. "We need to increase patrols, especially near the southern border."

Elowen hesitated at the door before clearing her throat softly. "Luna, you called for me?"

Luna turned to her but frowned, looking genuinely confused. "No, I didn't."

Elowen was confused. "What? But you called me?"

Luna shook her head. "No dear. Are you sure it wasn't someone else?"

Elowen's heart skipped a beat. "A maid came to my room," she murmured, feeling uneasy. "She said you wanted to see me."

Luna's frown deepened. "That's strange. I didn't send anyone."

"Oh, okay. Then, I should go back," A sudden cold fear gripped Elowen.

Why would the maid lie? She turned and hurried back toward her room, her heart pounding in her chest. Something was wrong, she could feel it. As soon as she reached her room, her worst fear became reality—the bed was empty.

Theo was gone.

"T-Theo?" Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart raced with panic. "Theo?!" She frantically searched the room, looking in every corner, but there was no sign of her little brother. "Theo, where are you?"

Her eyes filled with tears as she stumbled out of the room and ran back to Luna, nearly collapsing into her arms.

"Theo's missing!" she cried, her voice shaking with fear and desperation. "He's gone! I don't know where he is!"

Luna immediately reacted, pulling her close to calm her down. "Don't panic, Elowen," she said firmly but gently. "Theo must be playing nearby. We'll find him."

She quickly ordered the maids and guards to search the house and grounds. Luna's calm demeanor did little to soothe Elowen's rising terror. She couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible had happened.

As the search began, Elowen stood frozen, her heart breaking at the thought of losing Theo. He was all she had left in this world.

Elowen stood on shaky legs, her anxiety growing with every passing second.

The maids returned after combing through the house, their faces pale. "He's not inside," one of them whispered nervously.

Luna's expression darkened with worry. She immediately called for Cassian, who arrived with an air of authority and calm. His gaze briefly landed on Elowen before focusing on Luna.

"Find him," Luna ordered, her tone sharp and commanding. "Search the surrounding area. Find the kid, Cassian. And make sure the kid should be fine."

Cassian gave a curt nod. He was about to leave when Elowen stepped forward, her voice trembling. "I'll come with you. I can't just sit here!"

Cassian turned to her with a cold, sharp glare. "No," he said firmly, his voice laced with warning. "Do you want to be eaten by the rogues lurking out there? You think you can protect yourself in the forest?"

Elowen bit her lip, the sting of his words deepening the fear in her heart. "But he's my brother…I can't just—"

Luna placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, her tone soft but firm. "Cassian is right. It's not safe outside the borders, especially at night. Please, stay here."

Cassian shot Elowen one more glance before turning on his heel and disappearing into the night, a group of guards following behind him. Elowen watched helplessly as they left. She felt like a caged animal, trapped by her fear and worry, unable to do anything to help.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and every minute that passed felt like a lifetime. She tried to calm herself, but the fear gnawed at her until she could no longer sit still. Without thinking, she slipped out of the house.

She headed toward the forest, the dark, looming trees filling her with dread. But she couldn't stop. She wouldn't forgive herself if something happened to Theo.

The deeper she ventured into the woods, the colder the air became. Her heart raced as the eerie silence of the forest wrapped around her. The ground felt uneven beneath her feet, but she kept moving, her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of Theo.

Suddenly, she heard voices up ahead. She crept closer, careful not to make a sound, and peered through the thick bushes. What she saw stole the breath from her lungs and made her world spin.

Elowen froze in place as the scene before her unfolded like a nightmare. Theo was lying still in a pool of his own blood, his small body seemed broken and appeared lifeless. Her heart stopped at the sight of him—his pale skin smeared with dark red, deep wounds gaping across his tiny frame.

It was as if the world around her blurred, only the image of her brother registering in her mind. She couldn't breathe, her chest tightened, and her throat burned as she tried to scream.

But then she saw the white wolf looming over him. Her legs felt like lead, unable to move, unable to comprehend the scene fully. Then, before her eyes, the wolf shifted, its form twisting and contorting until it transformed into Aria. Aria stood there, her chest heaving, a malicious grin tugging at the corners of her lips as she looked at Elowen with cold indifference.

"THEO!!" Elowen's scream pierced the night, her voice hoarse and raw with agony. She staggered forward, collapsing beside Theo, her shaking hands reaching out to him. "Theo, Theo, wake up! Please…please!" Her voice cracked, desperate as she tried to stop the blood, but it seeped through her fingers faster than she could handle.

Aria watched her with an unreadable expression, her lips curling into a mockery of sympathy. "Oh, poor Elowen," she said in a sing-song voice, her eyes gleaming. "He was just a casualty."

Elowen's rage built in her chest, but she was too weak, too panicked to act on it. "You…you monster!" she choked out through sobs, her vision blurring with tears. "Why would you do this? He's just a child!"

Just then, distant voices echoed through the trees. "Find him as soon as possible," Cassian's voice.

Aria's eyes widened, and for a moment, Elowen thought she would flee. But instead, Aria did something unimaginable.

With a sickening calmness, Aria extended her claws, raking them across her own neck. She winced slightly but didn't stop there. She clawed at her face next, leaving deep, bloody gashes. Elowen stared in horror as Aria's once-beautiful features became marred with blood and wounds.

Aria let out a small gasp, the sound pathetic and weak, as she stumbled back, tears suddenly welling in her eyes. "Oh no," she whispered shakily, glancing at Elowen with an expression of practiced fear. "Look at what the rogues did. They attacked me…and your brother."

Elowen's blood ran cold as she realized what Aria was doing. Elowen's voice trembled with fury as she tried to find the words, but all she could do was scream. "Liar! You're lying! You're the one who attacked him!"

Cassian's voice grew closer, and before Elowen could stop her, Aria collapsed to the ground, feigning weakness. "Help! Cassian!" she cried out, tears streaming down her bloodied face.

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KIRIM HADIAH

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