---- Chapter 5 No.5 Elara POV: That evening, | returned to my shack to find them waiting for me. My mother, my father, my sister Lyra, and Kaelen. They stood inside the cramped space, their presence making the small room feel even more suffocating. My mother spoke first, her voice sharp and cutting in the Old Tongue. "You have caused enough trouble, Elara. Your selfishness has pushed poor Seraphina to the brink." | ignored her, my eyes fixed on Kaelen. My father, the pack Beta, cleared his throat, taking on the official tone he used for pack business. "Seraphina's mental state is... precarious," he said, choosing his words carefully. "The healers say any more emotional distress could do permanent damage to her heart. Therefore, for her well-being, we have made a decision on your behalf. You will consent to Kaelen's ceremony with her." It wasn't a request. It was an order. My family had "made a decision" for me. The irony was so thick | could have choked on it. | kept my gaze locked on Kaelen, my voice dangerously calm. "Is this your decision, Alpha?" ---- He had the decency to look uncomfortable. He took a step forward, his eyes pleading for understanding. "Elara, it's just a ceremony. A formality to calm her down. | will not mark her. | swear it. My bond is with you. It will always be with you. This changes nothing between us." Nothing between us. The words echoed in the hollow space where my heart used to be. | wanted to scream, to rage, to tell him that everything had already been changed, that he had shattered us years ago. Instead, a cold, chilling calm settled over me. "As you wish," | said, my voice a mere whisper. "You are the Alpha. Your family's wishes are my command." Seraphina, who had apparently been lurking outside, chose that moment to make her entrance. She glided into the room, her face pale and drawn. "Oh, no," she breathed, clutching her chest. "If sister is unwilling, then we must not proceed. | couldn't bear to be the cause of her unhappiness." As she spoke, | saw her dig the nails of her other hand into her own arm, breaking the skin. A thin line of red welled up, a perfect piece of self-inflicted evidence for her supposed fragility. Lyra saw the blood and immediately rounded on me. "Look what you've done!" she snarled, her hand flying to her dagger. "You're always so selfish! Can't you think of anyone but yourself? You're tearing this family apart! You're torturing our Alpha!" ---- The accusation was so absurd, so twisted, that something inside me finally snapped. All the years of being forced to give up everything for Seraphina-my hunting kills, my place at the Sanctum, my very freedom-flashed before my eyes. | remembered my mother, on her knees, begging me to take the blame for Seraphina's crime, weeping that Seraphina was too delicate for the dungeon. A strange, cruel smile played on my lips. | looked at Lyra, at my parents, at the entire miserable tableau. "Fine," | said, my voice ringing with a strength that surprised even me. "You want my blessing? Then earn it. Kneel. All of you. Kneel and beg me for it, and then | will gladly wish them a happy life together." The room fell into a shocked silence. They stared at me as if | had grown a second head Later that night, long after they had left in a storm of outrage, Kaelen's voice entered my mind, a desperate whisper through the mind-link. 'Elara, please understand. | have to do this. | owe her my life.' The last thread of my patience frayed and broke. 'You owe her nothing,' | sent back, my mental voice sharp with a pain | could no longer contain. 'She saved me,' he insisted. 'She took the silver arrow for me.' ---- 'No, Kaelen,' | replied, the words tasting like poison. 'She didn't. | did. The one who saved you was me.' There was a long pause on his end. When his voice returned, it was laced with a cold, devastating disappointment. 'Seven years in that dungeon has taught you how to lie. | never thought you would sink so low, Elara. I'm... disappointed in you." The link went silent. And in that silence, | felt the last, lingering embers of my love for him turn to ice. In "A Relationship Kept in The Dark" by CrushReel, the storyline unfolds as renowned photographer Jane finds herself drawn to the charismatic rookie model, Hector. Little does she know that Hector harbors a secret—he is actually the heir to a powerful business empire. As their romance blossoms, Hector grapples with concealing his true identity to capture Jane's heart. However, their love story takes a tumultuous turn when jealousy rears its ugly head, threatening to unravel the delicate balance they've built. This modern romance novel delves into themes of hidden identities, unexpected love, and the complexities of maintaining a relationship shrouded in secrecy. 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