So I did. For the third time in as many weeks, I told my story, growing up in Silverwood, the rejection, the awakening of my powers, the escape, Victor's hunt. I told him about Helena, about Marcus, about everything that had brought me to his doorstep.
Ezra listened without interrupting, his green eyes never leaving my face. When I finished, he was quiet for a long moment.
"Victor Strand," he said finally, and there was ice in his voice. "That man is a plague on our kind. I've been trying to gather evidence of his crimes for years, but he's careful. He covers his tracks well."
"He admitted to the massacre when I saw him," I said. "He bragged about it."
"Your testimony would help, but it wouldn't be enough. He'll claim you were lying to save yourself." Ezra stood and paced to the window. "But that's a problem for another day. Right now, the question is what to do with you."
My stomach dropped. "Are you going to turn me away?"
"No," he said immediately, turning to face me. "The alliance my father made with your family still stands. You're welcome here, Nessa. But I need you to understand what offering you sanctuary means. Victor will come looking for you. When he discovers you're under my protection, he may try to attack my pack. I need to know you're worth the risk."
The blunt assessment should have hurt, but I appreciated his honesty. "What do you want to know?"
"Your powers. How strong are they? Can you control them? Will you be an asset to this pack, or a liability?"
I stood up and held out my hand, calling the silver light. It came easily now, swirling around my fingers like liquid moonlight. "I'm still learning, but I'm getting stronger every day. I can fight. I can defend myself. And I can help defend others if you'll teach me."
Ezra watched the light with fascination. "Show me more."
So I demonstrated what I could do, the partial shift, the light barriers, the enhanced speed. I explained what I've learned from my mother's journal about Silver Moon abilities and their limits.
When I finished, Ezra had a small smile on his face. "You're untrained, but the raw potential is impressive. Very impressive." He extended his hand. "Welcome to The Nightshade Pack, Nessa Gray. You'll have sanctuary here for as long as you need it."
I shook his hand, and again I felt that strange jolt of energy. This time it was stronger, more pronounced. Ezra's eyes widened, and I knew he felt it too.
"That's... unusual," he said, releasing my hand quickly.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. "But we'll figure it out." He moved back to his desk and pulled out a key. "First, let's get you settled. You'll have your own room in the pack house, all unmated pack members live here until they find their mates and choose to move out. You'll have meals with the pack, and tomorrow we'll start your training."
"Training?" I repeated.
"If you're going to stay here, you need to learn to fight properly. Not just use your powers, but actual combat skills. My Beta, Drake, runs combat training for all pack members. You'll join the sessions." He stood and led me toward the door. "Also, I'm assigning you a guide for your first few days. Someone to show you around, explain how things work here."
We walked through the pack house to the residential wing. Ezra stopped at a door and unlocked it, revealing a small but comfortable room. It had a real bed with clean sheets, a dresser, a desk, and even a private bathroom.
I stared at it in shock. After years of living in a basement closet, this looked like luxury.
"Is this... all mine?" I asked.
"All yours," Ezra confirmed. "We'll get you some proper clothes tomorrow. For now, rest. You've had a long journey." He paused at the door. "One more thing. I'd prefer if you didn't advertise what you are just yet. Word will spread eventually, but the fewer people who know about the Silver Moon connection, the better. At least until we assess the situation with Victor."
"I understand," I said.
After Ezra left, I stood in the center of my new room and tried to process everything. I've made it. I've reached Nightshade. I had sanctuary.
I sat on the bed, which was soft and comfortable, and pulled out my mother's journal. I found the entry about Ezra's father and read it again. My mother had trusted the Blackwood family. Now I needed to do the same.
There was a soft knock on my door. I opened it to find a young woman with auburn hair and warm brown eyes standing there with a tray of food.
"Hi," she said with a friendly smile. "I'm Emma. Alpha Ezra asked me to bring you dinner and show you around tomorrow. I thought you might be hungry after your journey."
The smell of real food, hot stew, fresh bread, vegetables, made my stomach growl loudly. Emma laughed.
"I'll take that as a yes. Can I come in?"
I stepped aside and she set the tray on the desk. "Eat up. There's plenty more where that came from. Here at The Nightshade, we make sure everyone eats well, regardless of rank."
"Regardless of rank?" I repeated, picking up the bowl of stew.
"Yeah. Alpha Ezra doesn't believe in the old hierarchy system where omegas get scraps and high-ranking wolves get the best of everything. Everyone gets the same quality food, same housing options, same respect." She sat on the edge of my bed. "It's different from a lot of packs, but it's one of the reasons people want to join The Nightshade."
I ate while Emma chatted about the pack, who was who, what the routines were, what I should expect. She was easy to talk to, reminding me of Cassidy. The thought of my friend made my chest ache. Was she okay? Has anyone punished her for helping me?
"You okay?" Emma asked, noticing my expression.
"Just thinking about someone I left behind," I said quietly.
"At your old pack? Do you want to talk about it?"
I shook my head. "Not yet. Maybe someday."
Emma nodded understandingly. "Well, whenever you're ready, I'm here. That's what a pack is for, supporting each other." She stood up. "I'll let you rest. Tomorrow I'll give you the full tour and introduce you to some people. Try to get some sleep."
After she left, I finished eating, then took a long hot shower in my private bathroom. It was the first real shower I'd had since leaving Silverwood, and it felt incredible.
I put on the clean clothes I've been given, simple but comfortable, and climbed into the bed. The sheets were soft, the mattress supportive, and for the first time in weeks, I felt safe enough to truly relax.
As I drifted off to sleep, I thought about everything that had changed. Two weeks ago, I was the pack's lowest omega, rejected and broken. Now I was in a new pack, with a room of my own, food in my stomach, and an Alpha who'd welcomed me despite the risks.
It almost felt too good to be true. And I've learned long ago that things that seemed too good to be true usually were.
But for tonight, I'd let myself hope. Let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, I'd finally found somewhere I could belong.