Chapter 5 CHAPTER 5

A couple of weeks had passed since Elara began shadowing her parents. Each day blurred into lessons on diplomacy, staffing, and the endless paperwork that kept the pack running. She had learned to soothe tempers, to balance loyalty with discipline, to be the perfect leader behind closed doors. Yet the thought still bothered her, all this training, all this effort, and still, her “mate” would waltz in, untested, and be the face of the pack. She would be cast to the side, her strength hidden in shadows, her voice muffled behind someone else’s authority.

This morning, she sat in the office with her mother, the desk covered in Matchmaker files. There were names, schedules, requests, grievances, everything she needed to know or learn about was here.

Saphira leaned close, her voice soft. “These records are everything. The Matchmaker is the heart of our world. You must know how it runs, how to keep it balanced. Every bond we approve strengthens our packs place in this world.”

Elara nodded. She wanted to believe she mattered in this work, that she wasn’t just preparing to hand it all over to someone else. Her fingers brushed the edge of a file, tracing the inked names of those whose futures were being decided. There is only one difference between these matches and my own upcoming match, they had a choice in the matter.

The door opened suddenly and Raven walked in, her presence warm as always, with Amara close behind her. “Saphira, we need you,” Amara said with urgency.

Saphira rose instantly, gathering the files. Raven paused, turning to Elara with a smile as she pulled her into a hug. “How are your powers coming along?”

Elara’s lips curved faintly. “Good. I feel like I have full control.”

Raven nodded approvingly, her eyes gleaming with pride. “That’s what I like to hear. Control is everything.”

As Saphira stacked the papers, she muttered under her breath, almost to herself, “shame the same can’t be said for shifting.”

The words cut like a blade. Elara’s stomach dropped, her breath catching. She heard it, they all did.

Amara’s head snapped toward Saphira, her eyes narrowing. “That’s unfair. It isn’t her fault.”

Raven’s expression hardened, her voice sharp. “Saphira, you should remember your own past. You couldn’t shift. You didn’t even know you were a dragon until much later. Maybe life has a different path for Elara too.”

Saphira froze, the words striking her like a blow. For a moment, her composure faltered. She looked at Elara, guilt flickering in her eyes. “I… I’m sorry, Elara. That was wrong of me.” She reached out, brushing Elara’s arm lightly, her touch hesitant. “Go get something to eat before the afternoon training session. We’ll continue later.”

With that, Saphira left with Amara and Raven, their voices fading down the corridor.

Elara remained in the office. She stared at the files spread across the desk, her chest heavy, her throat tight. Not broken. Becoming, Maia’s voice whispered faintly in her mind. But the words felt fragile, brittle against the echo of her mother’s slip.

Her hands pressed flat against the desk, knuckles white, jaw clenched. She would not be cast aside. Not by her parents. Not by tradition. Not by anyone.

Elara packed up the last of the files in the office slowly, her hands lingering on the papers as her mother's words swirled in her mind. Shame the same can’t be said for shifting. She couldn’t believe her own mother had said that. If it were her father, she would understand; it would be normal, but she thought, no, she believed her mother was different.

She tucked the papers neatly away, straightened her shoulders, and forced herself to move. It was time for training.

On her way to the clearing, she grabbed a quick bite to eat from the kitchen, barely tasting it as she walked. Each step was heavy, but beneath the heaviness was a spark of defiance. If she couldn’t shift, she would still prove herself. She would show them she wasn’t broken.

The clearing was already alive with movement when she arrived. Jed’s voice carried across the space as usual. Lyra and Ana stood ready in the middle of the clearing, determination etched into their faces. Zafira, her aunt, watched with calm authority, while Asher moved among them with his usual helpfulness. And Nikolas was there too, his presence impossible to ignore. Great, just what I needed today.

Elara joined the line, her heart pounding. She focused, reaching inward, calling for the dragon within. Her nails elongated into sharp claws, her breath caught, her body trembled… but the shift never came. Again.

Jed barked, “Again, Elara. Push harder. Feel it.”

She tried. Gods, she tried. Her chest burned, her muscles strained, but nothing happened. Only the claws. It was the same at every training session; all she could do was extend her claws, while Lyra and Ana could fully shift into their beautiful dragons.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Nikolas watching. His jaw tightened as his eyes narrowed. And then, with a shake of his head, he turned and walked away without a word.

The disappointment hit hard. Elara’s throat tightened, her claws retracting.

Zafira stepped forward. “Elara.” She touched her niece’s shoulder gently. “You are strong, even without shifting. Don’t let anyone make you believe otherwise.”

Elara’s chest ached as she looked at her father's figure disappearing back towards the pack house. “But he doesn’t see that. No one does.”

Jed approached, his expression was one of understanding. “Your aunt is right. Strength isn’t only in shifting. It’s in control, in resilience, in refusing to give up. And you’ve got that. Still…” He gave a small smile. “I’ll keep trying to help. We’ll get there, one way or another.”

Lyra and Ana moved closer. Lyra muttered, “If he can’t see your strength, that’s his blindness, not yours.”

“You’re enough, Elara. You always have been.” Ana added softly.

“Thank you, really. But it still doesn’t change the fact.” Elara swallowed hard.

Not broken. Becoming.