Chapter 235: A New Beginning
(Celeste’s POV)
We walked in comfortable silence until we reached the territorial boundaries. The modest house I’d purchased for the Sterling family came into view–a simple structure nestled among silver birch trees.
As we approached, I noticed several figures moving about frantically in the front yard. Daniel and Sarah Sterling stood among piles of wooden crates, their expressions bewildered.
“What on earth?” Nina murmured beside me.
I quickened my pace, curious about the commotion. As I drew closer, I realized what had caused their confusion. The crates contained the moon–blessed silver coins and jewelry I’d sent ahead–my grandmother’s legacy to me, now distributed to Matthew’s family.
Daniel noticed me first, his weathered face breaking into a smile. “Miss Winters! You’re here!”
Both he and Sarah hurried toward me, their movements anxious yet welcoming. Sarah’s kind face was creased with concern.
“Miss Winters, what is all this?” She gestured toward the crates. “There must be a mistake. We can’t possibly accept-”
“Please don’t call me Miss Winters anymore,” I interrupted gently. “Just Celeste is fine.”
Daniel’s brow furrowed. “But you’re the daughter of―”
“I’ve severed pack ties with the Winter Pack,” I explained, forcing a smile despite the accompanied those words. “I’m no longer affiliated with them.”
pang
that
Their shocked expressions made me uncomfortable. I hadn’t expected this much surprise.
“But why?” a sharp voice demanded.
I looked past Daniel and Sarah to see Emma, Matthew’s younger sister, watching me with suspicious eyes. She stood at a distance, arms crossed defensively.
“Why would you sever pack ties so soon after your grandmother’s passing?” she pressed.
The directness of her question caught me off guard. Before I could respond, Daniel stepped forward, his face darkening with concern.
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“Did they mistreat you?” he asked quietly, protectiveness evident in his tone. “Is that why you left?”
The sincere worry in his voice touched something deep within me. This wasn’t the formal concern of a pack member to an Alpha’s daughter. This was genuine care for me as a person.
I swallowed hard. “Yes,” I admitted. “They did.”
Sarah gasped softly, reaching for my hand. Her fingers were warm, gentle, so unlike the cold formality I’d grown accustomed to at the Winter Pack house.
“I have nowhere else to go,” I continued, hating how vulnerable I sounded. “I was hoping… I
could stay here for a while?”
The words felt strange on my tongue. I, who had once been the cherished daughter of the
Winter Pack Alpha, was now essentially homeless.
Sarah’s grip on my hand tightened. “What are you saying? This house is already yours! You
purchased it for us, remember? There’s no need to speak of ‘taking you in.”
Her eyes widened suddenly, and she turned my hand over in hers, examining it with dismay.
“Your hands are so thin! Haven’t they been feeding you at the Winter Pack house?”
I hadn’t realized how much weight I’d lost since Grandmother’s illness began. Between the
hunger strike and my grief–induced lack of appetite, my body had suffered.
Before I could explain, Daniel’s voice rose with indignation. “That’s it! I’ll go to the market right
now and buy the freshest deer meat. Sarah, you’ll make your bone broth, won’t you? The one
with moon–blessed herbs?”
Sarah nodded vigorously, still holding my hand. “Of course! Look at her–she’s practically
wasting away! Even Emma has more meat on her bones, and she’s always been the skinny
one in our family!”
Emma’s indignant “Mother!” made me smile despite myself.
“I’m fine, really,” I tried to assure them. “I just haven’t had much appetite lately.”
“Nonsense,” Sarah declared. “You need proper nourishment. No wonder you look so pale.
Those Winters wolves–not even feeding you properly!”
The genuine outrage in her voice for my sake caused unexpected tears to well up in my eyes, I
blinked rapidly, trying to hide them.
“Speaking of proper care,” I said quickly, changing the subject. “Where is Matthew? I expected
him to be here.”
You
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The sudden silence that greeted my question sent a chill down my spine. Daniel and Sarah exchanged glances, while Emma’s face grew solemn.
“What?” I asked, my silver–scarred wolf stirring anxiously beneath my skin. “Where is he?”
Sarah sighed, her warm eyes now troubled. “He’s been dispatched to Northern Ridge territory.”
“On a mission,” Daniel added. “Alexander Steele sent him to suppress a pack of rogue wolves that’s been causing trouble.”
My heart plummeted. Northern Ridge was notorious for its danger–silver mines dotted the landscape, and human settlements hostile to our kind controlled much of the territory. Worse, it was known for harboring violent rogue wolves who’d been exiled from their packs.
“When did he leave?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“About a week ago,” Sarah replied. “There was a m******e—a small pack settlement
completely destroyed. The Alpha King ordered immediate action.”
A m******e? My thoughts immediately went to Jason Moore. The cruel grandson of Senior
Council Member Moore had threatened Matthew and his family before. Could he be behind
this?
“These rogues,” I said carefully, “are they from the silver mining region of Northern Ridge?”
Daniel nodded, his expression grim. “Yes, that’s what we heard. Vicious individuals,
apparently. Been causing trouble for months.”
My blood ran cold. Jason had connections to Northern Ridge–I’d overheard him boasting
about it during one of his threats. This couldn’t be coincidence.
Sarah must have noticed my expression, because she quickly added, “Don’t worry about
Matthew. He’s an experienced fighter–one of Alexander’s best. He’s faced down the Alpha
King’s enemies before and returned victorious.”
“Absolutely,” Daniel agreed, his voice firm with fatherly pride. “My son knows how to handle himself in battle. He’ll be back in about a month, safe and sound.”
I nodded, clinging to their reassurances despite my growing dread. Matthew was strong. He
was skilled. He would return–he had to.
“Now,” Sarah said, taking my arm and guiding me toward the house, “let’s get you settled in.
We’ve prepared Emma’s section of the house for you two to share.”
I glanced at Emma, who made no attempt to hide her displeasure at this arrangement. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her arms still crossed defensively.
Chapter 235 A New Beginning
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I didn’t blame her. Our first meeting hadn’t gone well–I’d been cold and distrustful, concerned that Matthew’s family might be using him to access my Winter Pack connections. Now, I was essentially moving into her personal space.
“Thank you,” I said to Sarah, trying to show Emma I appreciated their hospitality.
Sarah led me inside, pointing out the three sections of the modest house–living quarters for Matthew’s parents, for Matthew himself, and for Emma. The space was small compared to my rooms at the Winter Pack house, but it felt warmer, more genuine.
Nina helped bring in my few belongings while Emma stood in the doorway, watching with thinly veiled resentment.
“I’ll fetch some water,” Nina announced, sensing the awkward tension.
As soon as Nina left, Emma entered the room fully, closing the door behind her. Her posture remained defensive, but her expression had shifted from resentment to something else-
concern.
“These rogue wolves in Northern Ridge,” she began, her voice lower than before. “Are they really as dangerous as they say?”
Her question revealed the true source of her hostility–not just resentment toward me, but fear for her brother. Despite our differences, we shared that fear.
“Matthew is strong,” I said, projecting more confidence than I felt. “He’s one of Alexander’s elite
guards. He’ll defeat those rogues and return safely.”
Emma’s expression remained unchanged, her eyes holding a hint of cynicism as she looked at
