"There she is."
"That's the wolfless one."
"I can't believe she showed up."
Leo clutched her hand tighter.
"Mommy, why are they staring?"
She crouched to his level. "Because people are silly sometimes. Ignore them, okay? Today's about Grandpa. Let's go say goodbye."
They moved toward the family section, but her mother looked up, expression tight.
"There's space over there," she said coldly, gesturing to the opposite end of the rows. "With the extended family."
Elena didn't argue.
She just led Leo to the side, her heart already sore enough.
A moment later, Sebastian appeared, taking the seat beside them.
"What are you doing?" Elena asked under her breath.
He looked straight ahead. "Sitting with my son."
Leo smiled brightly and scooted between them. "I want to sit in the middle."
As the Temple Elder stepped forward and began the prayers, Elena sat frozen, Sebastian's shoulder just inches from hers. His presence was a cruel reminder of everything she would never have.
The ceremony continued in silence, broken only by sobs from the front row. Aurora sat beside their mother, face composed, dabbing gently at her eyes with a handkerchief.
Elena stared ahead, unmoved.
Her heart had broken years ago. This was just the burial.
After the ceremony, while mourners began to file out toward the forest for the burial rites, Aurora turned and walked toward Elena.
"Elena. Can I have a word?"
"Not now Aurora."
Aurora reached out, her hand landing on Elena's arm.
"I said not now," Elena repeated, sharper this time.
"Leo," Aurora said sweetly, "go find Grandma. I'll just have a quick word with Mommy."
Leo hesitated.
"It's okay, baby," Elena said. "I'll be right there."
Once he was out of sight, Aurora's smile vanished.
"I'm taking it all back," she said. "Everything."
Elena blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"Sebastian. My place in the pack. What's mine."
Elena laughed softly. "I never had him. So take him. You'll be disappointed, but go ahead."
Aurora leaned in. "He chose me, you know. The only reason he married you was because I left. You were never anything more than a stand-in. The wolfless girl who got lucky."
"And yet here you are," Elena said. Threatening the stand-in. Why? Scared he might not want you back?"
Aurora's eyes narrowed. "Try not to embarrass yourself any further today. If you really loved him, you'd disappear."
Elena smiled, sharp and cold. "You've already made me invisible, Aurora. I'm just here to bury my father."
The burial ground was quiet, surrounded by towering trees and lit by the afternoon sun. Elena stood at the edge of the family circle, watching silently as her father's casket was lowered into the earth.
Leo stood beside her, eyes wide open.
"Are you okay?" she whispered.
He nodded slowly. "I willmiss him."
"Me too."
People began stepping forward, tossing handfuls of soil into the grave. When it was Leo's turn, she helped him, guiding his small hand as he dropped his dirt.
The silence broke suddenly.
They heard a snarl, low and dangerous.
Then came another.
From the treeline, shadows darted out. Wolves. But not theirs.
They were Rogues.
Suddenly, everything exploded into chaos.
All that was heard were shouts and screams. The wolves were already shifting. The crowd scattered as pack warriors leapt into action.
Elena stood there frozen. She had no wolf. No claws. No strength.
She instinctively turned frantically. "Leo?!"
"Mommy!"
He was by the food table. Sebastian's mother grabbed his hand to pull him to safety.
Elena shoved through the chaos. She had to reach him.
A flash of russet fur lunged for her.
She screamed.
A black wolf slammed into the Rogue, sending them both tumbling across the burial ground.
Sebastian. She thought it was him. No, of course not. He wasn't even looking at her.
He was already sprinting toward Aurora, shielding her as another Rogue attacked.
Elena turned, just in time to see a second wolf leaping for her throat.
She didn't have time to run.
Claws tore into her side.
She hit the ground hard, pain exploding across her ribs.
The world tilted, she could feel the sky spun.
Somewhere, she could still hear Leo calling her.
"Mommy!"
She tried to reach for him, but everything suddenly went dark.
The pain dragged her back to consciousness.
Everything was hurting.
Her ribs. Her head, her shoulder. Even breathing felt like a punishment, she blacked out.
Hours later...
The beeping of machines filled the sterile hospital room. Light filtered in through the blinds, but it felt too bright, too harsh. Elena blinked slowly, trying to remember where she was.
Then it hit her. The funeral. The rogues.
And Leo.
Her heart jumped, and she tried to sit up, only to wince and fall back with a cry.
A nurse appeared almost immediately. "Whoa, careful. You're still healing."
"Where's my son?" Elena rasped.
"He's fine. He wasn't hurt. He's with your friend. Let me get the doctor."
"No. Please. I just… I need to see him."
The nurse hesitated, then nodded and left the room.
Elena laid there, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. Images flashed through her mind, the snarling rogues, the pain, the moment she thought she'd die. Then the blur of someone knocking the rogue away. She'd thought it was Sebastian, but he had gone to Aurora. Of course, he had.
The door creaked open again, and a small figure rushed in before the nurse could even announce him.
"Mommy!"
Leo.
Elena's arms opened instinctively, even through the pain. Leo climbed onto the bed gently, hugging her tightly.
"Are you okay?" he asked, tears already in his eyes.
"I'm okay now," she whispered. "You're safe." That's all that matters."
"I was so scared. "There was so much yelling, and I couldn't find you. "Then Grandpa's grave got knocked over," he choked on a sob.
"Shhh. It's okay, baby. It's over now."
He sniffled and wiped his nose on her blanket.
"Was that big black wolf you, Mommy?"
Elena smiled faintly. "No, sweetheart. You know I can't shift."
"Oh. Right."
The words stung more than she expected. Not from Leo, never from Leo. But still.
The nurse stepped in again. "He can stay a little longer, but the doctor wants to check you over soon."
Elena nodded and looked back at Leo. "Can you do something for me?"
He nodded quickly.
"Go tell Sebastian I'm awake."
Leo looked unsure. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. Please."
He nodded again and hopped off the bed. "I'll be back!"
As soon as he left, Elena exhaled slowly, her body aching from the effort.
The door opened again a few minutes later, but it wasn't Sebastian who had entered.
It was Aurora.
She closed the door behind her and walked in like she owned the place. No knock. No hesitation.
Elena's jaw tightened. "What do you want?"