MIA'S POV

The border guards smell me before they even see me.

I watch them tense from my position behind a thick oak tree. Two of them - Marcus and Joel - are wolves I remember. We trained together, laughed together.

They don’t know me now.

“Remember, we’re a stranger. Act like it,” my wolf reminds.

I can do this.

I step out from behind the tree, making sure to stumble weakly. Tired and non threatening.

Both guards instinctively move their hands to their weapons.

“Stop right there.” Marcus orders authoritatively. He takes his job very seriously.

I stop. Raising my hands slowly. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”

“Then why are you here?” Joel moves to flank me. Making sure I have no escape route.

“I’m looking for sanctuary.” I can hear the strangeness in my voice. The Goddess changed more than just my face. “I heard the Silver Eclipse pack sometimes takes in rogues who are willing to work.”

“Sometimes,” Marcus says carefully, studying me. “Depends on the rogue,” he concludes.

I can see him scenting the air. Trying to read me. But the Goddess’s magic masks whatever he’s looking for. I smell like a wolf, but not like anyone he knows. Or any pack he recognizes.

I smell like nothing.

And that makes me strange.

“What’s your name?” Joel asks.

“Raven.” The name still feels foreign in my mouth. “Raven Ashcroft.”

“Where’s your pack, Raven Aschcroft?”

“Dead.” I don’t have to fake the pain that flickers across my face. “Rogue attack six months ago. I’ve been wandering since.”

A common enough story.

Marcus and Joe exchange glances. Joel shrugs slightly.

“Wait here.” Marcus says. “I need to mindlink the Alpha.”

My heart stutters.

Damien. He’s going to mindlink Damien.

“Breathe. He won’t recognize us. No one will.”

But I want to run. Want to shift and get the hell out of this place before -

“Alpha says to bring her in.” Marcus announces. “But you try anything, and we put you down. Understood?”

I nod quickly. “Understood.”

Normally, the Beta handles newcomers or trespassers, but not this time, apparently.

Joel gestures for me to walk ahead of them. Standard procedure. Keep the unknown wolf where you can see them incase they try to be funny.

I start walking toward the pack house.

Every step feels so wrong. I’ve walked this path a thousand times, but never like this.

The forest gradually opens to reveal the pack grounds.

And my chest constricts.

Home.

Before.

The pack house in the Center, training grounds to the left, and gardens to the right - where Maya grows herbs.

All of it exactly as I left it.

Except I didn’t leave it. I died here.

Focus.

We cross the grounds. Wolves are starting to come out for the day. I can see them doing whispering as we pass. A stranger being escorted by guards is big news.

I keep my head down. Non threatening.

We reach the pack house and my feet want to stop. Because beyond those doors is Damien.

My mate.

“You can do this. You have to.”

Marcus opens the door.

The interior is exactly the same. Warm wooden floors, the scent of coffee and bacon from the kitchen. Everything devastatingly familiar all at once.

“Wait in the sitting room.” Marcus instructs. “Alpha will be down shortly.”

They both leave me there. Alone in the room.

I sink into the chair by the window. The same chair Mia used to sit in because it had the best view of the gardens.

Old habits.

I force myself to stand. Move to a different chair. Can’t act like I know this place at all.

Footsteps on the stairs, and my wolf goes still.

It gets closer and closer, until the door opens.

And there he is.

Damien.

My Alpha. My mate. The man I was supposed to spend forever with.

He looks terrible.

Dark circles under his eyes. Grief on every line of his face. His clothes are wrinkled, like he slept in them. The Alpha presence that usually surrounds him is muted.

He’s breaking.

And it’s my fault.

No. It’s whoever killed me’s fault actually.

But watching him hurt like this feels like dying all over again.

“You’re seeking sanctuary.” His voice is rough. Like he’d been screaming or crying. Or both.

“Yes Alpha,” I keep my eyes down. Respectful and submissive.

“Why here?”

“I heard Silver Eclipse is strong. Fair. That you help wolves who need it.” I risk a glance up. “I need help.”

He’s studying me. I can feel his gaze on my face. Searching. Calculating.

Can he see Mia in Raven? Does any part of him recognize -

“What skills do you have?” he asks.

The question surprises me. Not ‘who are you’ or ‘why should I trust you.’ Just straight up practicality.

This is what grief has done to him. Made him mechanical in his judgment. Going through his current leadership role because he has to, not because he wants to.

“I can clean. Cook. I’m good with herbs if you need help in the gardens.” These are actually true. Luna did all of those things. “I’ll do whatever work you want. I just want a place to stay. A pack to belong to again.”

Something flickers across his face. Pain.

Because he can relate to that loneliness. He’s living it now. Even surrounded by his pack, he’s alone. The mate bond is gone and the space is empty.

“We could use another pair of hands in the pack house.” He says finally. “Kitchen and cleaning staff. You’ll take orders from the head of household. Room and board will be provided. Prove yourself useful, and we’ll discuss pack membership after three months.”

Three months. I can work with that.

“Thank you, Alpha.” I bow my head. I won’t disappoint you.”

“See that you don’t.” He moves toward the door and pauses. “What did you say your name was?”

“Raven Ashcroft.”

He nods slowly. “Welcome to Silver Eclipse, Raven Ashcroft.”