"Or what? You'll shut me out like you always do when someone challenges your methods?" Her voice was still light, almost playful, but there was genuine hurt underneath it. "Some things never change, do they, Alpha?"
The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken history. Elarose looked between them, trying to understand what she was witnessing. There was clearly something complicated here, but it felt more like old heartbreak than anything dangerous.
"History?" she asked quietly.
Ravena's attention snapped back to her, and the hurt expression melted into a rueful smile. "Ancient history, darling. Draven and I... we knew each other a long time ago. Before he found his true mate, of course." She glanced at Draven with what looked like genuine fondness mixed with old sadness. "We were close once. Very close. But that's all in the past now."
"Ravena is one of our senior pack members," Varek said carefully, speaking for the first time since the confrontation began. "She's been with the Moonshade Pack for decades and is one of our most respected wolves."
"That's right," Ravena said with a warm smile. "Which is why I'm here. When I heard about Elarose, I thought she might appreciate having another experienced female pack member to talk to. Someone who understands what it's like to find your place in this family."
She looked fondly at Draven. "And maybe someone who can convince this stubborn Alpha to be a little gentler with his mate's training."
She turned back to Elarose, and her expression was nothing but warm concern. "The offer stands, sweetheart. If you want to learn from someone who won't treat your power like a bomb waiting to go off, I'm here. I've helped train several young werewolves over the years - it's something I'm passionate about."
Elarose looked at Draven, hoping for some guidance, some sign of what she should do. But his face was a mask of cold control, revealing nothing. If anything, he looked... jealous? Like he didn't want to share her attention with anyone else.
"Think about it," Ravena said gently. "You don't have to decide right now. But remember - you have options. Sometimes a fresh perspective is exactly what someone needs to reach their full potential."
With that, she stepped gracefully off the platform. "I'll be in the east wing if you want to talk, or just need a friend who understands what you're going through. My quarters are always open."
She paused and looked back at Draven, her expression softening. "Take care of her, Draven. She's special, and she deserves to know how special she is."
There was genuine affection in her voice, the kind that spoke of deep pack bonds and real caring. As a long-time member of the pack, it was clear that Ravena genuinely cared about Draven's happiness and the pack's wellbeing.
She walked away with the same fluid grace she'd arrived with, leaving behind a silence that felt more melancholy than tense.
"Well," Varek said finally. "That was... complicated."
Draven was staring after Ravena, his expression unreadable but not angry. More like... conflicted.
"She always did have a way of cutting straight to the heart of things."
"She seemed really nice," Elarose said carefully. "And she obviously cares about you."
"Ravena is..." Draven paused, searching for words. "She's a strong leader. Powerful in her own right. But her methods are very different from ours."
"Different how?" Elarose asked. "She seemed to understand what I'm going through better than anyone else has."
"She does understand," Draven admitted reluctantly. "Ravena has always been gifted at reading people, at knowing exactly what they need to hear." He finally looked at her, and there was something almost vulnerable in his silver eyes. "That's what makes her so effective. And so dangerous to someone who's feeling lost."
"Then explain it to me!" Elarose said, her frustration finally showing. "Stop keeping me at arm's length and tell me what you're so worried about!"
For a moment, she thought he might actually answer. Something desperate flickered in his eyes, like he wanted to tell her everything. But then his walls went back up.
"Continue with your breathing exercises," he said to Varek, though his voice was gentler now. "And... if she wants to talk to Ravena, that's her choice. Just... be careful."
"Careful of what?" Elarose asked.
"Of getting your hopes up too high," Draven said quietly. "Ravena has a gift for making people believe they can have everything they've ever wanted. Sometimes that's exactly what they need. Sometimes..." He trailed off, then shook his head. "Just be careful."
With that, he walked off the platform, but this time he didn't storm away. He moved slowly, like a man carrying a heavy burden.
"Well," Varek said, watching him go. "That's the most honest I've seen him be in years."
"What did he mean about getting my hopes up?" Elarose asked.
Varek was quiet for a long moment. "Ravena is very powerful and genuinely gifted at helping people reach their potential. She's one of the strongest wolves in the region, and she's helped train many young pack members over the years. But she's also... ambitious. She sees the big picture, the grand possibilities, and sometimes she pushes people toward goals they might not be ready for." He looked at her seriously. "That doesn't make her bad, necessarily. But it does make her intense."
As Elarose settled back into her meditation pose, trying to focus on the breathing exercises that suddenly felt pointless and restrictive, she couldn't stop thinking about Ravena's offer. Someone who would teach her to embrace her power instead of fear it. Someone who understood what it was like to be a female Alpha in a male-dominated world.
Someone who had looked at her like she was worth something.
The glowing pebbles in front of her suddenly flared brighter, responding to her emotional turmoil. But for the first time since beginning her training, Elarose didn't try to dampen the power. She let it flow, let it build, until the stones were blazing like tiny stars.
Maybe it was time to stop being afraid of what she was capable of.