Secrets Beneath the Fur

Chapter 25:- Rebuilding Trust

Emma's Pov:-

The weight of my confession still lingered like a shadow over me, but there was a spark of hope in Evelyn’s words. She was willing to try—for us, for the bond we shared. But I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I had shattered the trust she had in me, and it wasn’t something I could rebuild overnight.

It wasn’t just Evelyn either—the entire pack looked at me with suspicion, distrust, and even disdain. Every step I took around them felt like I was walking on broken glass, careful not to make a wrong move. The air was thick with tension, and I couldn’t blame them. I had betrayed them, brought harm to their home. But now, I was determined to make things right.

My resolve hardened. If there was a way to show them I was on their side, I would find it.

The first opportunity came when I overheard some of the younger wolves discussing patrol schedules. Their regular patrol leader was down due to an injury from the recent attack, and they were scrambling to find someone to take charge.

“Hey,” I said, cautiously stepping toward the group. They turned to look at me, their eyes narrowing with mistrust. I swallowed but pressed on. “I can take over patrol for the evening. I’ve done it before.”

The silence that followed was uncomfortable, and I could feel the weight of their stares. One of them, a young woman named Kara, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at me.

“And why should we trust you?” she asked sharply. “Last time we trusted you, our pack was attacked.”

Her words hit like a punch to the gut, but I took a deep breath and held my ground. “I know I’ve done a lot of damage,” I replied, my voice steady even though my heart raced. “But I’m not that person anymore. I’m trying to prove that to all of you. Let me help. Let me start making up for what I did.”

Kara glanced at the others, who exchanged uncertain looks. Finally, one of the older wolves, Daniel, nodded.

“Fine,” he said gruffly. “But we’ll be watching you.”

I nodded quickly, grateful for the chance. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.”

As I headed toward the patrol routes with the others, I could feel their eyes on me. I knew this was just the first step—one of many—but I had to start somewhere.

The patrols were quiet at first, though the tension between me and the wolves remained thick in the air. I stayed focused, my senses alert as we moved through the forest that surrounded the pack’s territory. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig put me on edge, reminding me of the attack that had almost destroyed everything. But I pushed the memories aside and kept my focus on the task at hand.

At one point, Kara fell into step beside me, her expression still skeptical but less hostile than before.

“Why are you still here?” she asked bluntly. “You could’ve run after everything that happened. Why stick around?”

I glanced at her, trying to gauge her tone. There wasn’t anger in her voice—just genuine curiosity.

“Because I love Evelyn,” I said quietly, not looking at her as I spoke. “And I care about this pack. I know I messed up, but I can’t just walk away. Not after everything.”

Kara was silent for a moment, then she sighed. “Well, for what it’s worth, if Evelyn’s willing to give you a second chance, I guess we can too. Just… don’t expect it to be easy.”

“I don’t,” I replied quickly. “I know it’ll take time.”

As we continued the patrol, I felt a small sense of relief wash over me. It wasn’t much, but it was something. A small crack in the wall of distrust that had surrounded me since the attack.

Back at the packhouse later that evening, I busied myself with helping wherever I could. It started with small things—helping prepare meals in the kitchen, assisting with cleaning up the common areas, and gathering supplies for the pack’s medics. Every little task felt like a step toward redemption, though I knew it would take much more than this to fully regain their trust.

It was during one of these tasks that I found myself alone in the kitchen with Lila, Evelyn’s Beta. She had been one of the most vocal skeptics of my return after the attack, and I knew that gaining her trust would be one of the hardest challenges.

She didn’t acknowledge me at first, focused on chopping vegetables with an intensity that told me she was still wary of me. I decided to break the silence.

“Lila,” I started, keeping my voice calm. “I know you don’t trust me. And I don’t expect you to anytime soon. But I want you to know that I’m not here to hurt Evelyn or the pack. Not anymore.”

She paused, her hands stilling over the cutting board. Slowly, she turned to face me, her sharp green eyes narrowing.

“Words mean nothing to me, Emma,” she said coolly. “What matters are actions. And so far, the only actions I’ve seen from you have caused harm. You’re lucky Evelyn is willing to give you another chance, but I’ll be watching you. If you slip up, if you give me any reason to doubt you, I’ll be the first to make sure you’re out of this pack. Understood?”

I nodded, meeting her gaze without flinching. “Understood.”

Her eyes lingered on mine for a moment longer before she turned back to her task, effectively ending the conversation. I let out a quiet breath and went back to my own work, feeling the weight of her warning settle over me.

As the days passed, I continued my efforts to integrate myself back into the pack. I worked hard, taking on any task that was asked of me without complaint. I spent time with the pack’s younger wolves, sparring and training them. They were the most accepting of me, perhaps because they were less burdened by the weight of the betrayal, or maybe because they simply saw me as someone trying to help.

It was during one of these training sessions that Evelyn appeared, watching from a distance. I could feel her eyes on me, and it sent a surge of warmth through me, even though I knew things were far from fixed between us.

After the session ended, I approached her cautiously, wiping sweat from my brow.

“You’re doing well,” she said quietly, her voice unreadable.

“Thanks,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light. “I’m just… trying to help where I can.”

Evelyn nodded, her gaze shifting to the group of wolves that had just left the training yard. “They seem to be warming up to you.”

I shrugged, though I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of pride. “I hope so. I know it’ll take time, but I’m in this for the long haul.”

She turned her eyes back to me, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I saw a flicker of something softer in her gaze. “I know you are,” she said softly. “It doesn’t make things easier, but… I can see you’re trying.”

Her words hit me like a balm on a wound, soothing the ache in my chest that had been there since the attack. I wasn’t sure if it was forgiveness yet, but it was something. A step toward healing.

“I am,” I replied, my voice thick with emotion. “For you. For us. And for the pack.”

Evelyn nodded, her expression softening just a fraction. “I know,” she whispered before turning to walk away, leaving me standing there, my heart lighter than it had been in days.

Rebuilding trust wasn’t easy, but I knew it was worth it. With every passing day, I felt the walls between me and the pack start to crumble—slowly, piece by piece. It wasn’t just about proving myself to them anymore; it was about proving to myself that I could be better. That I could be worthy of the bond I shared with Evelyn, and of the place I had found among these wolves.

I wasn’t there yet. But I was getting closer. And for the first time in a long while, I felt like I was on the right path.