The hideaway

As Nora returned to her old chambers, her mind was locked in an internal argument with Leah, her wolf.  

"He smells different," Nora insisted. "Before I left five years ago, Hunter had smelled like cedarwood with amber—warm and distinctive. But now the amber seems to have faded."  

"You're wrong," Leah countered through their mental link. "He still smells exactly the same to me. You're just irritated by your hatred for him."  

"Whatever," Nora shrugged, deciding to drop the conversation. Obviously, her wolf still had some softness for its mate.  

Her wolf was being stubborn, and she had more pressing concerns.  

The room was exactly as she'd left it. Every detail, every memory, every piece of furniture remained untouched. As her eyes scanned the familiar space, she found herself drifting backward into the past. Memories of happier times threatened to surface.  

She shook her head sharply, dismissing them.  

There was no room for nostalgia now. She needed to refresh and sleep. A run through the pack lands later tonight would do her good. It had been far too long since she'd allowed her wolf to roam free.  

---  

Nora woke to her mother gently shaking her shoulder. She sat up slowly, realizing the wetness on her cheeks. A cold wash ran over her, and she thanked God for the darkness in the room.  

At least her mother couldn't see how miserable she looked.  

Marilyn went to flip the light on, and Nora seized the opportunity to wipe her eyes as she rested her back against the headboard. She had just dreamt about the day her father died.  

And she woke up crying. Again.  

Nora's father, Alpha King Thomas, was a king known for his upright nature and benevolence until the day he was struck by a silver knife laced with wolfsbane at one of the Alpha summits. An omega had rushed to stab Marilyn, and Alpha King Thomas took the hit instead. What was even more shocking was how the omega slit her own throat and died on the spot. The case went cold because there was no lead, with the omega involved dead.  

Everyone said Alpha King Thomas had been having an affair with that omega, and just like that, her father's legacy and good deeds for the kingdom were soiled.  

Her mother, Marilyn, went crazy and almost died of heartbreak.  

Nora had always believed in her father's innocence. There was more to the case, and perhaps that was why the nightmares wouldn't stop coming.  

But she couldn't do anything. She'd had to leave.  

A few days after Nora lost her father, the rumor about him having an affair with an omega took over the kingdom. She tried to fight it but was shut down by another rumor.  

It was said that she had manipulated the whole thing that led to her father's death with her powers. Everyone believed it, and Nora was treated like a demon thirsty for blood.

But now, they wanted that same power to save them!  

Hunter broke Nora the most by sleeping with another female wolf that same week after he took over the throne.

And Nora caught him.

Nora's father had groomed Hunter Murray, the son of his best friend, Kent Murray, into succeeding him with so much love and pride. Only for Hunter to take over the throne, allow Late Alpha King Thomas's name to be soiled, and cheat on his daughter afterward.  

"You've been sleeping for hours now, sweetheart," Marilyn said, placing a plate of snacks arranged with obvious love and care in her hands.  

"Thanks," Nora muttered, taking a bite of the heart-shaped cookie.  

Nora saw Marilyn flash her a half-hearted smile and knew that she wanted to say something.  

"What is it, Mom?" she asked.  

Marilyn hesitated before speaking. "Nora, sweetheart, don't you think you were a bit harsh in the court today?"  

Nora stayed quiet, still munching on her cookie, and Marilyn seized the opportunity to continue.  

"Nora, baby, I would love it so much if you could let go of everything. The bitterness and resentment in your heart is too heavy, and it might affect the task at hand."  

Nora bit down on her lower lip and sighed deeply before tilting her head toward her mother.  

"I don't get it, Mom," she began, shrugging her shoulders in frustration. "Why have you been quiet this entire time? Are you truly okay living here like this, after everything that's happened? How can you be so comfortable accepting everything?"  

Marilyn sighed heavily, her eyes slowly rising to meet her daughter's gaze. "What would you have me do, Nora? Burn the entire kingdom down in rage?"  

"Have you ever imagined what your silence and neutrality could cost?" Nora pressed, biting her lip as she waited for some sign of understanding.  

But she was disappointed.  

"Have you ever imagined what would become of your father's legacy if this kingdom fell?" Marilyn replied quietly. "Your father's presence still echoes through these halls. And I will protect his memory. I will protect what he built."  

"Just let go, okay, honey?" Marilyn pleaded, trying to touch Nora's hand with her shaky ones.  

But Nora jerked away.  

Marilyn sniffled, wiping her tears.  

Nora sighed, feeling how devastated her mother still looked after all these years. She could see that her mother was still grieving. In fact, it was still a hundred percent possible that Marilyn hadn't fully recovered her senses.  

"Don't cry, Marilyn. Snap out of it," Nora said, placing the plate back into her mother's hands as she climbed out of bed.  

She stood and walked toward the door before looking back at her mother.  

"Since you love this kingdom so much, I will help save it for you. That's all you get from me."  

Then she turned and was out of the room. She heard Marilyn whisper, "Kingdom first, every other thing second," and shook her head.  

---  

As Nora stepped out of her chambers, she let Leah take over their form. Her wolf was massively larger than normal, proof that she wasn't an ordinary werewolf. She burst into the forest, grasses shaking from the heavy breeze as Leah raced past towering trees in powerful strides.  

For the first time in years, Nora allowed herself to simply exist as her wolf. She felt alive and free. The therapeutic breeze rushed past her as Leah's speed increased, and she found herself smiling at Leah's enthusiasm.  

"You're very excited about this," Nora chuckled.  

"Absolutely," Leah replied through their link, her joy unmistakable. "We both need it at this moment. Feeling better?"  

"Hell, yeah," Nora chorused in excitement.  

But as they ran, Nora suddenly furrowed her brow when she realized the route Leah was taking.  

"I just want to confirm it's still there," Leah pleaded through their connection.  

Nora sighed, relaxing her mental resistance. She was curious too, if she was being honest.  

When Hunter had been pretending to love her, they had a secret hideaway. A cabin deep in the forest where they could be alone. That was where Leah was heading.  

Nora was also curious to see the place after so long. She bet Hunter's scent would still linger there.  

At one point, Hunter had been there for Nora. He'd helped her through a lot of difficult times. He was like the brother she never had.  

Nora thought they were already in love long before they discovered the Moon Goddess had made them soulmates. At least that’s what Nora thought and felt.

But she thought wrong.  

Hunter proved to be just an actor, silently waiting for the day he'd get a hold of power. And he didn't hesitate to show his real motive.  

"We're leaving as soon as we arrive," Nora announced firmly, though she wasn't entirely happy about the plan.  

She knew exactly why her wolf was heading there. Leah missed Hunter's scent. As long as they remained bonded—no matter how much Nora tried to sever it—the pull would always exist. The mate bond didn't simply disappear because one person chose to walk away.  

But Nora's control was stronger than her wolf's need. She had mastered self-discipline over the years. If she allowed it, Leah would want to sleep at that cabin until daybreak, and Nora couldn't afford that weakness.  

She would simply allow Leah to take a breath of his scent, and then they'd leave.  

However, when they finally arrived at the cabin, they were both met with the shock of their lives.