Page 65 of Dark Sold Mate

Elle stared at her, surprised. The image of Silas suffering didn't fit with the narrative she'd built in her head.

“Anyway,” she leaned back. “That's all in the past. What matters is you're here. I have a sister! I've been waiting a long time, you know? It's tough being the only girl in a house with alpha males.”

Elle chuckled softly. “I can imagine.”

For the next hour, they talked about lighter things. Sara told Elle about the Clearwater pack, her friends, and the wolves she'd met. Elle laughed harder than she had in weeks.

As they talked, Elle noticed pack members passing by the café would do a double-take when they saw Elle and Sara together. Some looked surprised, others curious, a few even waved.

Sara waved back enthusiastically every time, making a point to introduce Elle as her sister-in-law.

“What are you doing?” Elle asked after the third introduction.

“Hmm?” Sara said, looking innocent.

“You're making a show of spending time with me.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Sara asked.

“Sara—”

“Look, I know the pack hasn't been friendly to you. I heard some of them have been mean about your presence. But they respect me, and when they see me treating you with respect and kindness, it'll change the way they behave towards you,” Sara explained.

“You're doing this on purpose? To help me.”

“Of course I am. You're my sister now. That means something.” Sara grinned. “Anyone who's mean to you will have to deal with me. I can be pretty fierce when I want to be.”

Elle doubted that. Sara was too cute and soft to be considered fierce. It was the thought that counted, though.

Sara kept her word. Over the next few days, she spent most of her time at Silas's house taking Elle out for activities in the pack territory. They shopped, socialized at the pack hall, and went to a training session where Sara introduced Elle to everyone as her sister-in-law.

Gradually, Elle noticed the pack's attitude changing. The open animosity she'd faced on her day had switched to curiosity. They were watching her with Sara, observing how the favorite Weston was behaving with Elle, and they seemed to be re-thinking their first impressions.

Some wolves even started greeting Elle on the street. Younger pack members asked her about the world, and they were genuinely interested. The cooks in the kitchen started saving her favorite pastry.

It wasn't all perfect. Some still glared at her. Old-fashioned wolves showed their disapproval with hushed conversations that stopped when Elle approached.

It was progress, and it was all thanks to Sara.

One evening, while Elle and Sara were watching a movie in the living room, with Sara painting Elle's nails, she said something that made Elle's heart stop.

“I know I've said this before, but I'm happy you're here,” Sara said as she put another coat of red polish on Elle's toe. “And Silas has been happy too.”

Elle snorted. “I don't think so. I haven't done anything but fight with him since I got here.”

“Maybe. But he seems more alive now than he has in years.” Sara said, moving to the next nail. “When you were banished, Silas was really upset. He tried to hide it. But I knew. I'm his sister after all. He thought it was his fault for how everything turned out.”

Elle frowned. “Why would he think that? He was the one who—” she stopped, swallowing the words she had carried for eight years.

“Who what?” Sara looked up.

“Nothing. Never mind.”

“Elle,” Sara put the nail polish aside and looked at her. “What did you think Silas did?”

Elle bit her lip. “Wasn't he the one who convinced your dad to banish me? Just to get rid of me.”

Sara's eyes widened. “What? No! Elle. Silas fought Dad on that rule. He fought harder than I ever saw before.”