CHAPTER 32: THE SHIFT

Grandma’s eyes widened when she heard my whisper.

She froze... staring at me like she didn’t know whether I was really there or if I was some spirit drifting through the room.

Her lips trembled.

I leaned closer so only she could hear me, letting a soft breath touch her ear.

"Grandma... it’s me. I’ve come back. I’m in another wolf’s body, but I’m alive. I’m not a ghost."

Then I pressed a finger gently to my lips.

"No one can know. This stays between us."

That was all she needed.

Her gaze shook, and then the old sharpness returned the same look she used to give when she saw right through everyone.

Grandma had always sensed lies, hidden feelings, secrets.

She didn’t even need an explanation.

The moment her eyes met mine, she knew.

She knew her Elena was standing right in front of her.

Her hand trembled as tears filled her eyes. They rolled down her cheeks silently, soaking into her wrinkled skin.

She wasn’t crying because she doubted me.

She cried because she believed me completely.

Just then, the door opened and Mrs. Lambert stepped in with a tray of fresh fruit.

She gasped. "Oh no, Old MJames... why are you crying? Are you alright?"

I stepped in smoothly, keeping my voice warm and steady like nothing was wrong.

"She said I remind her of her granddaughter," I said. "I guess I look very much like her."

Mrs. Lambert sighed. "You really do... the resemblance is strong. Anyone would get emotional."

I took a tissue and dabbed Grandma’s cheeks gently.

"It’s alright, Penelope," I whispered, using the name to keep everything calm. "Your granddaughter will be okay. There’s nothing to worry about."

I squeezed her hand lightly, letting her feel the warmth of my skin.

Her eyes stayed on me full, wet, shining.

She couldn’t speak.

But she didn’t have to.

She knew.

"I’ll come back soon," I whispered. "Rest now. Focus on healing."

She blinked slowly, giving me the closest thing to a nod she could manage.

Mrs. Lambert walked me to the door.

"If you have time, Miss, please come again. Old MJames barely speaks to anyone, but seeing you helped her. Truly."

I smiled gently. "I will. I promise."

The moment I stepped out of the room, I let out a long breath. My chest felt lighter.

At least Grandma knew I was alive.

She knew her wolf hadn’t vanished into nothing.

And as for the Morrigan pack and the Hales?

By tonight... everything would shift.

..

I stretched slowly, surprised at how rested I felt. My face even looked brighter no pale cheeks, no dull eyes. Just... life.

Lena was already awake. When she saw me sit up, her whole face lit with joy.

"I didn’t want to wake you," she said softly. "You finally slept through the night. So I made something warm."

She placed a tray beside me steaming porridge and simple sides.

Just the smell made my stomach growl.

I hugged her waist from the bed, resting my head against her like a spoiled pup.

"Thank you, Mom. You’re the sweetest."

She smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Eat before it gets cold."

"Mm." I nodded and ate eagerly.

Every bite felt like it stitched a broken part of me back together.

"Mom," I said, mouth half-full, "come eat too."

"I will." She sat beside me, watching me with soft eyes.

The morning was peaceful no knocks, no tension, no pack members barging in.

Just warmth.

But peace wasn’t my final goal.

I had a path to walk.

A truth to expose.

A revenge to complete.

When I was done eating, I cleaned up and turned to her.

"Mom," I said quietly, "I need to go back to the Hale estate."

Lena looked at me with worry shining clearly in her eyes.

She hesitated, then said softly, "Riley... the Hale territory isn’t a kind place. I know you were angry when you agreed to the mate-bond with Lewis, and I didn’t stop you because I was scared... scared that trying to talk you out of it would only push you further."

She swallowed, her voice trembling.

"But now that you’re back... if you changed your mind, I’ll let go of my pride. I’ll go to their Alpha myself. I’ll do anything to end that bond."

Her tone was gentle, but her words carried strength the quiet strength of a wolf mother trying to protect her young.

It warmed something inside me.

I wrapped my arms around her tightly.

"Thank you, Mom. Thank you for loving me this hard. But I didn’t choose Lewis out of anger."

I pulled back and looked her in the eye.

"Lewis is calm. He’s dependable. And above all... he’s loyal. That alone already puts him above most wolves."

She hesitated. "But his leg..."

"That doesn’t matter to me," I said simply. "Even if he never walks again, I still want to be his mate. If Lewis hadn’t trusted me... if he hadn’t stepped in when he did, no one would’ve ever known how I really died."

My chest tightened at the memory.

"He’s helped me more than once. I owe him. And I want to stand beside him."

Lena studied me for a long moment, then finally exhaled.

"If this is what you want... then I won’t stop you. From what I’ve seen, Mr. Hale isn’t a bad man. Try it. But if anything goes wrong... if you’re ever unhappy, remember I’m still your mother. I’ll always be here."

I kissed her cheek.

"I love you, Mom."

A short while later, I got into the car and headed toward the Hale estate.

No way was I missing what was about to happen today.

Julian was going to face the truth every ugly part of it and while I had no intention of confronting him, I wasn’t going to hide, either.

But I wasn’t here for revenge.

I was here for Lewis.

When I reached the estate, the guards and pack staff recognized me right away and didn’t stop me. But when I reached Lewis’s room, Theo stood in front of the door like a mountain.

"Ms. Ashbourne," he said stiffly, "Alpha Lewis isn’t taking visitors."

I raised a brow.

"Visitor? Theo, I’m his mate. Not a guest."

He blinked once, unsure, then stepped aside.

"...Go in."

I pushed the door open quietly.

The room was dim curtains nearly closed, letting in only a thin strip of morning light.

The scent of alcohol was heavy, sharp. Empty bottles were scattered across the floor. The pack aura inside felt fractured, like his wolf had been fighting itself for hours.

And there he was.

Lewis sat in his wheelchair, head lowered, shadows under his eyes.

He didn’t look like the strong, unshakable Alpha I knew.

He looked... fragile. Broken. As if losing me had torn something vital out of him.

My heart clenched.

I took a step in.

"You..."

Before I could finish, he lifted his head.

His eyes locked onto mine and a spark lit up inside them. His wolf surged to the surface, fierce and alive.

"You’re back?" he whispered, voice rough, strained.

"I’m here," I said softly.

I bent to gather the bottles around his wheels. "Why did you drink so much?"

But I never got the chance to stand up.

Lewis suddenly lurched forward with surprising strength. His weight hit me, knocking me off balance.

"Ah !" I gasped as we fell back onto the floor.

And then he was on top of me not in a way that threatened, but in a way that was desperate.

Like his wolf had finally found something it couldn’t afford to lose again.

His arms wrapped around me tightly, almost painfully.

His face pressed into the place where my neck met my shoulder right where a mate marks his partner.

I felt his breath tremble against my skin.

"Thank the Moon," he whispered, voice cracking.

"Thank the Moon you came back to me."