Rebirth - To love or Hate the Alpha

Ronan's POV

My pack. My responsibility. But tonight, it didn't feel like mine. Not anymore. Not with Elian here.

I stood on the edge of the clearing, my eyes scanning the dark shadows between the trees. I could feel the pack's bitter complaints, and hear the low murmurs as they exchanged glances. I had made a choice that they didn't agree with. And I could already feel the ripple of unease that was spreading through the ranks.

"What's he doing here, Ronan?"

Kael's voice broke through my thoughts, sharp and filled with contempt. His gaze flickered over to where Elian was standing, a few paces behind me, his figure small and fragile in the moonlight. I could feel the waves of hostility emanating from Kael, could see the muscles in his jaw tighten as he glared at Elian.

"He's with me," I said, my tone firm. It was all I needed to say. But the pack didn't understand. They didn't know what Elian had meant to me. They didn't know what I was willing to risk to keep him safe.

Kael's expression darkened. "You can't just bring him in here, Ronan. He's a stranger—"

"I'm not a stranger," a soft voice interrupted, and I turned to see Elian step forward, his gaze steady but uncertain. His hands fidgeted nervously at his sides, but his resolve was clear. He didn't want to be seen as an outsider. And I wasn't about to let them treat him like one.

"Elian—" I started, but he cut me off with a shake of his head.

"I don't want to cause any trouble," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze flickered nervously around the clearing, but he didn't retreat. He stood his ground.

The pack was silent for a moment, watching him closely. I could sense their suspicion, their judgment, but I refused to back down. They had no idea what Elian had gone through, what I had gone through. What we had shared. They didn't understand that there was no turning back for me. Not now. Not after everything.

Before anyone could say anything else, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from the edge of the clearing. I turned, my body instinctively tensing, expecting a threat, but instead, it was a familiar face—Lyra.

Her eyes locked onto mine, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. She was my sister, the one person who knew me better than anyone else, and I could already feel the shift in her mood as she approached.

"Ronan," she said, her voice laced with a quiet intensity. "What have you done?"

Her gaze flickered to Elian, and I saw the confusion in her eyes. I knew this wasn't what she'd expected. Hell, it wasn't what I had expected either. But here we were.

"I did what I had to do, Lyra," I replied, my voice steady but worn. "He's not a threat. He's—"

"I didn't say he was a threat." Lyra cut me off, her voice sharp. "But bringing him here, after everything that's happened? What were you thinking? You know the pack won't just accept him. They won't—"

"I don't care," I snapped, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "I don't care what they think. He's staying, and that's final."

Lyra's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. She looked between me and Elian, her gaze lingering on him for a moment too long. Her frustration was palpable, but beneath it, I could see the flicker of concern.

"You don't even know him," she muttered, her voice quieter now but filled with disbelief. "How can you just—?"

"I know enough," I said, my voice steady as I took a step toward her. "And that's all that matters."

She opened her mouth to argue, but before she could speak, Elian stepped forward again, his soft voice cutting through the tension.

"I don't want to cause problems. I don't want to be here if I'm just a burden," he said, his words almost too quiet to hear. But his sincerity rang out, clear and true.

I saw Lyra's face soften for the briefest of moments, and for a second, I thought she might relent. But she didn't.

"This isn't about you, Elian," she said, her voice still laced with frustration. "This is about the pack. About our survival. We can't just—"

"We will survive," I said, my voice firm, cutting through her words. I stepped between them, blocking the view of Elian from the rest of the pack. "If you don't understand that, then I'll make you understand."

Lyra looked at me, her face unreadable. The weight of her gaze lingered for a long moment before she sighed, her shoulders slumping in resignation.

"Fine," she muttered, her voice tinged with defeat. "But I'm not the one who'll be dealing with the fallout."

I glanced over at the rest of the pack. The air was thick with tension, but there was no turning back. I had made my decision. Elian was staying. And they were going to have to accept that. Whether they liked it or not.

I could feel Elian's gaze on me as I turned back to face him. His expression was a mixture of gratitude and fear, like he didn't fully understand what was happening, but he trusted me all the same.

I met his gaze, and for a moment, the world seemed to fall away. The pack, the tension, the anger—it didn't matter. Not with Elian standing there, looking at me like I was the only thing that mattered.

"Thank you," he whispered, so quietly that I almost didn't hear it.

I reached out, my hand brushing his arm in a gesture that I hoped conveyed everything I couldn't say. Everything I was still trying to figure out.

"You don't need to thank me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Just stay with me."

 For a moment, I let myself believe everything could be okay. That Elian could find a place here with me. But as I looked at him, I knew the truth. The pack was already angry, already questioning everything. The loyalty that had kept us together was beginning to fade, and I wasn't sure how long I could keep things from falling apart.

Elian's eyes met mine, full of trust. Quiet trust. And in that moment, I felt a warmth spread through me. But I couldn't let it show. Not here. Not with the pack watching. I couldn't let my feelings for him come to light. I had to keep my walls up. I had to stay strong.

I crossed my arms, my jaw clenching. It was easier this way—distant, in control, showing no emotion. They couldn't see how much Elian meant to me. They couldn't see how much I wanted to just let go and pull him close, make him feel safe with me.

But instead, I said, "I won't let them hurt you," the words coming out sharp and cold, as if it didn't matter. It did matter. It mattered more than I could admit. But I couldn't show that now. Not in front of them. Not in front of him.

Elian looked at me, his eyes softening. I could see the relief in them, but also something else. A kind of vulnerability that made me want to reach out to him, to tell him everything would be okay. But I didn't. I couldn't.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, his voice barely audible, but it was there. A quiet promise. And I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that we could make this work, that I could protect him. But everything felt like it was slipping away, piece by piece.

I turned away, trying to keep my feelings hidden. "I know," I muttered, not trusting my voice to say anything more. It wasn't much, but it was all I could give him at that moment. The promise that I'd protect him. I had to.

I couldn't let the pack see my weakness. I couldn't let them know how much Elian was affecting me. I had to stay strong, no matter how hard it was. I couldn't let him in. Not completely.

The pack was still watching. They didn't understand. But I couldn't let them see how much I cared. Not now. Not yet.

"I won't let you go," I whispered to myself as I walked back into the heart of the pack. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep that promise, but I knew one thing for sure. I wasn't going to let him slip away. I had feelings for him, feelings I didn't want to admit.