er

on moc

years of careful planning. My fingers clenched around the crystal tumbler, whiskey burning untouched

z. The pack

the future Luna she was supposed to be. "The Northern and Silver Creek packs ne

knocking, his usual composure shattered. The fury rolling of

lene, his beta authorit

eyes. "I'll leave you two to talk, darling," she purred, touchin

efore Marcus rounded on me. "H

, though the title felt hollow a

istance between us. "You just rejected your mate. Your

words. Somewhere in the territory, Luna was hurting.

," I ground out, knuckles

twenty years searching for my mate. Twenty years, Kier

napped, then immediately

t white wolf... there's old magic there. Power. But more impo

y in one burning gu

. "And you're stronger with her. You know that

to each pack member felt stretched thin, vibrating wi

thern al

raised you to be a politician, but he's gone, Kieran. And you're not just rejec

I turned back to the window, un

you know. When she transformed. The whole pack did. That kind of p

of pain. My wolf surged forward so violently I

listen. That's your mate suffering. And

whispered,

era

an order

ith disappointment. "Your father wanted you to be a strong Alpha. But strength i

behind him. The soft click felt mo

mate pull a physical agony in my chest. My wolf was crying, mourning what we'd

ine. No

thinner with each of her cries. I'd chosen duty over destiny,

ey destroy

bonds, but I couldn't bring myself to move from the floor. Not yet. Not while

Different this time

healers. Her scent carried worry and... fear? "I

ped up. "Wha

is affecting her differently than we expected. Her

how my wolf snarled at the movement a

y're bursting open. And the herbs in her garden... they're growing and dying in cy

w me to witness this phenomenon myself. I dug my

myself for the words. "But don't approa

at the door. "But... she's

wanted to shout. Instead, I straightened

y, their eyes downcast, their submission tinged with uncertainty. They could sense the wr

ndard. "There you are, darling. I was beginning to worry." She reached for my arm, b

ow, Se

ut

ried the Alpha command without

, their faces carved from stone. My father's empty seat at the head of

voice carrying the weight of tradition. "The pack bonds

ery inch the Alpha they needed me to be. Every inc

words tasting like ash. "The alliance with t

ittle as dead leaves. "Look around you, young Al

light filtering through. The moon's usual silver glow had taken on a reddis

sted, but my words sounded

ts across the table. Pack incident reports, their pages still war

etation growing a

able, younger wolves repo

rratically, drawn to areas of

, but the mate pull flared at my

e council chamber doors burst open, an

id, not bothering with titles

as the eye could see, their petals glowing with an inner light. But it wasn't just the flowers. The trees themselves seemed to bend towa

Marcus muttered, low eno

easing a shower of luminescent pollen. "In all my years," she whispered

voice carrying clearly in the night air. "But she brings magic we'd t

sical reaction. I doubled over, claws extending involuntarily. T

r, and my wolf nearly snapped at her.

I managed

bled in response, their glow intensifying. And beneath our feet, I s

out, straightening despite th

sighed. "Because you've just rejected not only your mate, but p

But I couldn't turn away from the mate pull. From the knowledge that with every step Luna took away from

ring chorus of a forest awakening to her power. And somewhere in the darkness, a white wolf