Elora’s POV
I watched Varek from the corner of my eye, clocking how closely he tracked every word Garrett said.
Whatever poison ran between those two, Varek clearly trusted his judgment.
It was obvious the captain’s title mattered to him—otherwise neither Garrett nor I would’ve been anywhere near that table.
I stayed quiet as they talked on.
Every word, every strategy sounded so tangled that it started to convince me I really wasn’t built for this.
The healing came easy.
But the second it was time to actually use my brain, I froze.
My spiraling got cut off by a small blue card Garrett slid across the table.
I picked it up.
Night Pass.
A card to get past the gates after curfew.
“We meet at the gate at midnight,” Varek decided.
“Don’t be late.”
He wasn’t looking at the group when he said it.
He was looking dead at me.
I gave a nod, even if I didn’t understand why he’d assume I’d be the one running late.
If I had to bet, I’d put a million on being the first one there.
“So, Garrett,” Declan said as the conversation wound down, “I hear you found your mate?”
Surprised, I stared at my brother.
I’d had no idea.
He hadn’t breathed a word to me—though, then again, we’d barely spoken since I arrived.
Garrett chuckled, and his eyes held a warmth I hadn’t seen in years.
“I did,” he said.
“But that’s not important right now.”
That warm look was the same one I’d caught on everyone who found their mate.
As a kid, I used to dream about being on the receiving end of it.
Now, glancing at the monster seated beside me, all I wanted was to jab my thumbs into his eyes.
That warmth… it didn’t exist with Varek.
It never would.
Was I lusting after him?
Yes.
Fine.
He was hot, and I wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.
If I could’ve climbed on top of him right there, I probably would have—Elysia or no Elysia.
Well.
I was still a virgin.
But if I hadn’t been, I absolutely would have.
What was I even thinking?
I shook the thought loose and tried to focus.
The chair shrieked as Varek shoved it back and stood.
“One small backpack,” he said.
“Don’t make it heavy, and don’t bring anything you can’t carry yourself.”
Varek walked off, and Declan rose right after.
On his way past he reached over and ruffled my hair again—apparently his signature move.
“See you tonight, beautiful,” he grinned, then trailed after him.
My lips tugged into a smile.
I wasn’t exactly riding a high, but there was something about Declan that just salvaged the day.
The smile didn’t last.
I looked ahead—straight into Garrett’s eyes.
He fired off one of his standard cold glares, leaving me to wonder what I’d done this time.
“You shouldn’t get too close to them,” Garrett warned.
“They’re dangerous.
A different hierarchy.”
I laughed to myself and shook my head.
If only he knew.
“Oh, you’ve got nothing to worry about,” I said, and meant every syllable.
Declan was Declan.
And Varek—I wasn’t about to even open that door.
Garrett’s face didn’t thaw.
All I earned was a sigh and an eye roll as he pushed up from the table to go.
Except he didn’t go.
He just stood there, staring at me.
I frowned, thrown, wondering what his problem was.
“I’m proud of you, kid,” Garrett said quietly—so soft that one wrong breath and I’d have missed it.
“Keep it up.”
My mouth fell open, no idea how to answer, and before I could get a word out he’d already walked away.
What?
Garrett had never said anything like that to me.
Words like that didn’t exist in the Thornhart Pack.
And they sure as hell didn’t exist in his vocabulary.
It made no sense.
Maybe he hadn’t vouched for me because I was a healer at all—maybe just to keep me close, so he’d have a front-row seat to laugh when I failed.