The east wing of the stronghold felt different from the rest of the ancient structure. Where the main halls carried the weight of centuries and the training areas hummed with purpose, this section seemed to breathe with a gentler energy. Elarose found herself walking these corridors in the early hours before dawn, when sleep had become impossible and her thoughts churned like storm clouds.
Three days had passed since Ravena's visit to the training platform, and the memory of her words played on repeat in Elarose's mind. "You have choices. You don't have to accept the first training method you're offered." The phrase had burrowed under her skin like a splinter, impossible to ignore.
Her bare feet made no sound on the smooth stone as she wandered, pulled by something she couldn't name. The sconces along the walls burned lower here, casting dancing shadows that seemed to welcome rather than threaten. It was in this quiet sanctuary that she found herself standing outside a door she somehow knew belonged to Ravena.
Before she could lose her nerve, she knocked softly.
"Come in, sweetheart. I was wondering when you'd find me."
Ravena's voice carried through the heavy wood like warm honey, and Elarose felt some of the knots in her chest begin to loosen. She pushed open the door to find a space that was nothing like she'd expected.
Where Draven's quarters were all dark stone and minimalist functionality, Ravena's rooms felt like a sanctuary. Soft fabrics in deep jewel tones draped from the ceiling and walls, creating intimate spaces within the larger room. Candles flickered from every surface, filling the air with the scent of jasmine and vanilla. Books were scattered everywhere—on tables, chairs, even stacked on the floor beside a reading nook filled with cushions.
"It's beautiful," Elarose whispered, stepping into the warmth.
"A woman needs softness in a world made of stone and steel," Ravena said, looking up from where she sat curled in the reading nook, a steaming mug cradled in her hands. She was wearing a simple silk robe the color of midnight, her black hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders. Without the formal presence she'd carried on the training platform, she looked younger, more approachable. More real.
"I couldn't sleep," Elarose admitted, hovering near the doorway like she might flee at any moment.
"I know, honey. Sit." Ravena patted the cushions beside her. "Tea?"
The invitation was so simple, so normal, that Elarose felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. When was the last time someone had offered her tea? When was the last time anyone had created a space specifically for comfort, for peace?
She settled into the cushions, accepting the warm mug Ravena pressed into her hands. The tea tasted of chamomile and something else—something that reminded her of moonlight and dreams.
"Talk to me," Ravena said softly. "What's keeping you awake?"
And suddenly, like a dam bursting, it all came pouring out. The frustration with her training, the overwhelming pressure of everyone's expectations, the loneliness that seemed to follow her even in a stronghold full of people. The confusion about the mate bond, about what she was supposed to feel versus what she actually felt.
"I don't know how to be what they need," Elarose said, her voice cracking. "Everyone keeps telling me I'm supposed to be this powerful Luna, this savior, but I can't even make rocks glow without getting exhausted. And Draven..." She trailed off, not sure how to voice the ache in her chest.
"What about Draven?" Ravena's voice was gentle, encouraging.
"He won't let me in. He treats me like I'm made of glass one moment and like I'm a stranger the next. I feel this... this pull toward him, this connection that's supposed to mean something, but he acts like touching me might burn him." The words tumbled out faster now, months of confusion and hurt spilling into the candlelit space. "Sometimes I catch him looking at me, and there's something in his eyes that makes my heart race. But then he turns away, goes back to being the cold Alpha who can barely stand to be in the same room as me."
Ravena was quiet for a long moment, her blue eyes reflecting the candlelight as she studied Elarose's face. When she finally spoke, her voice carried the weight of understanding and old pain.
"Oh, sweetheart. You're trying to love a man who's forgotten how to be loved."
The simple truth of it hit Elarose like a physical blow. She set down her mug with shaking hands, afraid she might drop it.
"Draven has carried the weight of his pack's survival for over a thousand years," Ravena continued, her fingers absently stroking Elarose's hair in a gesture so maternal it made her chest ache. "He's had to make impossible choices, lose people he cared about, watch his people suffer while he remained powerless to help them. Men like that... they build walls so high that even they forget what's behind them."
"But I'm supposed to be his mate. Isn't the bond supposed to change things?"
"The bond creates connection, not understanding. It can make you feel drawn to each other, but it doesn't automatically teach you how to love or be loved." Ravena's voice grew softer, more intimate. "I should know. I loved him once, before you came along."
Elarose's breath caught. She'd suspected there had been something between them, but hearing it confirmed sent a spike of something uncomfortable through her chest. "You were together?"
"For almost fifty years." There was no bitterness in Ravena's voice, only a kind of peaceful sadness. "I thought I could break through those walls, thought my love would be enough to heal whatever was broken inside him. But you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved, honey. And Draven... he's so afraid of losing the people he cares about that he pushes them away before they can leave."
"Is that what he's doing to me?"
Ravena shifted to face her fully, taking Elarose's hands in hers. Her skin was warm, comforting, and her touch grounded Elarose in a way that made her feel less alone.
"I think he's terrified of you," Ravena said honestly. "You represent everything he's wanted but been afraid to hope for. The end of his curse, the salvation of his pack, a chance at real happiness. That's a lot of pressure to put on one person, and Draven has never been good at handling things he can't control."
The words settled into Elarose's heart like puzzle pieces finally finding their place. It didn't excuse Draven's coldness, but it helped her understand it. He wasn't rejecting her—he was protecting himself from the possibility of losing her.
"What should I do?" she asked quietly.
"Be patient with him, but not at the expense of yourself." Ravena's grip on her hands tightened slightly. "You're not responsible for fixing a thousand years of damage, Elarose. You're allowed to need things from your mate—comfort, affection, honesty. Don't let anyone convince you that settling for scraps of attention is enough."
Something warm and fierce bloomed in Elarose's chest at those words. She'd spent her whole life accepting whatever crumbs of kindness people were willing to give her, grateful for any attention that wasn't actively cruel. The idea that she deserved more, that she was allowed to want more, felt revolutionary.
"How do I know what I deserve?" she asked.