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It isn't until Wednesday after classes that Elara hears from Denzel. Her phone rings and she picks up, her nerves shot after having been left wondering if the massacre had anything to do with the war with shifters for the past two days. Not to mention the irritatingly exciting moment with Kade…
"Denzel. Is everything okay?"
“You're safe for now, but there's something you should know,” he says, his tone grave. “My betas and I have been looking into what's going on with the massacre. We think it’s linked to everything, but there's more than that to worry about. We've found evidence werewolf packs are streaming into the area in and around Mercy City, where they don't belong.”
Elara paces the floor of her dorm, twirling her hair absentmindedly with her finger. "Wouldn't that be a good thing, since we're in a war here? I mean, more troops or whatever?" Urgh, she feels silly for putting it that way. Truthfully, she still has no idea what she’s dealing with and feels like an idiot because of it.
"If they were invited, sure, but wolves mark their territory, especially packs. Shadowgrace won't tolerate others just showing up and behaving like they belong here. And they've been breaking accords. Not just because of coming into the territory. We've gotten word of some rumors they've been doing awful things."
Elara gasps. It hadn't occurred to her that shifters might not be behind some of the horrible things that have happened, like the massacre in the woods, but that wolves, who are supposed to be the good guys, could be doing it too.
If there are so many enemies, how are they supposed to fight or even know who to fight?
"What could the wolves be doing? Are they responsible for the massacre?"
"I don't think so," Denzel says, "but we can't rule it out yet. We’ve heard the packs are experimenting on wolves to evolve them. That's not going to go down well with other packs. It could create a war, which is the last thing we need right now."
Elara wonders if it’s a distraction but is afraid to speak out of turn for fear of offending her future alpha. Right now, fitting in and playing by the rules is more important.
"What should I do?" she asks.
"Just be careful. I don't think you and Laith have anything to fear in our territory, but just be aware of your surroundings and keep training. We're calling a Council of Packs. I’m going to demand those who don't belong here leave the city peacefully."
Elara grits her teeth, unable to see how that’s going to be peaceful. Surely, the new wolf packs know the territory is spoken for and came anyway, risking aggression. But she has to hope for the best.
Her life can't just be a series of anxieties and worries that she'll land herself in danger in a supernatural war. She still has friends and college to worry about.
"Okay, I'll be safe. I'll stick with my friends and watch over Laith."
"Thanks, Elara. I'll let you know when we know more. Unless I say otherwise, we can still meet for training this weekend."
Denzel hangs up and Elara sinks down into her bed, accidentally landing on the clothes she had set out for herself because she's supposed to be meeting up with Kira and Jordyn to catch a movie.
She doesn't exactly feel up to it now, but she can't just forsake her friends and her life every time she gets worrying news.
She pulls up Laith’s number and sends him a text.
Have you heard from Denzel yet?
He sent me a message about the wolf packs.
Okay, please be safe.
Will do, staying inside tonight.
Elara feels guilty for a moment, knowing about Laith’s loneliness, but at least he’s safe. She’s not sure where he and Kira stand, so right now, keeping things simple is the best thing to do. She hears Kade’s voice in her mind, urging her to stay with him, but she won’t let Kade control her life either.
She gets up and forces herself to get ready, pulling her hair into a bun and putting on some jeans and an orange crop top with tiny straps. She swipes a little eyeliner on and some mascara before heading out to meet with her two best friends, trying to promise herself she won't dwell on anything to do with wolves tonight. She needs a dose of normalcy.
Before Elara even approaches her friends outside the dorms, she can tell there’s tension in Kira’s shoulders. The girls turn around to face each other, and Elara’s stomach churns. What could the problem be now? She doesn’t want to think about anything bad, just be with her friends, but her life isn’t that simple anymore. “Hey,” Elara says, reaching them.
“Hey.” Kira shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “We were just talking about that massacre in the woods.”
Elara nods. What will her friends’ take on it be? Kira’s mother is into the occult and crystals so it wouldn’t be off base for her and Kira to have a more spiritual take on things, but neither of her friends know the true extent of what might be going on.
“From what I know, there aren’t any leads…” Elara trails off, unsure how much she should share about what she knows. She’s part of Shadowgrace now, and that information is probably privileged. “I’m a little worried the wolves have something to do with it.” There. Vague enough.
Kira bites her lip. “My mother, she’s more attuned to the supernatural.” She leans in, nearly whispering now. She glances sideways at Jordyn, who shifts her bag. She’s already heard this. Whatever it is. “When she heard about it, she quipped it released powerful energy and was part of some spell.”
