Chapter Fourteen

Talia’s POV

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‎The manor was quiet now, the blood moon gone, its crimson glow replaced by the soft light of dawn creeping through the windows. The air still held a faint bite of iron, a reminder of the battle, but the pack moved with purpose, repairing walls, tending wounds, rebuilding what the rival wolves had tried to tear apart. I stood in the courtyard, the cloak from Rex loose around my shoulders, my hand resting on my stomach where the flutter of life grew stronger, a quiet promise. My silver-grey wolf stirred inside me, calm but awake, tied to this place, to these people, to him. I wasn’t the cursed daughter anymore—I was Lycan, a mother, a warrior, and this was my home.

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‎Rex stood a few paces away, speaking low to a group of pack members, his red eyes sharp but steady, his broad frame a pillar in the morning light. He hadn’t left my side for long since the fight, his presence a constant, like the bond that pulsed between us, stronger now, undeniable. My cousin, my mate—the truth of it still tangled my heart, but it didn’t scare me anymore. It was part of me, like the child I carried, like the power in my blood.

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‎I walked toward him, my steps soft on the stone, the pack’s eyes following me, no longer filled with fear but something warmer—respect, maybe, or trust. A young wolf, barely more than a boy, nodded to me, his face bruised but proud. “You saved us,” he said, his voice quiet, almost shy. “Thank you.”

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‎I froze, my throat tight. I wasn’t used to this, to being seen, not as a curse but as something more. “I just fought,” I said, my voice soft, “like you did.”

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‎He smiled, small but real, and turned back to his work. I felt Rex’s gaze on me, and when I looked up, his eyes were soft, a flicker of pride in them. He finished with the pack and walked over, his boots crunching on the gravel, his hand brushing mine as he stopped beside me.

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‎“You’re good with them,” he said, his voice low, warm. “They see you now. Not the prophecy, not the Lycan—just you.”

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‎My chest ached, the warmth flaring, not just the bond but something deeper, something I was starting to name. “I’m still figuring out who that is,” I said, my voice steady but honest. “But I’m not running anymore.”

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‎He nodded, his eyes holding mine, raw and open. “I know,” he said, his voice soft. “I see it.”

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‎The air between us was heavy, not with tension but with something unspoken, something we’d both been avoiding. I wanted to ask what we were, what this bond meant, but a shout from the forest edge cut through the moment, sharp and urgent. Rex’s head snapped toward it, his body tensing, and I felt my wolf stir, ready, alert.

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‎A scout stumbled into the courtyard, blood streaking his face, his eyes wide. “Alpha,” he gasped, “they’re back. A smaller group, but they’re desperate. They’re coming for her.”

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‎My heart stopped, my hand tightening on my stomach. Me. The rival pack wasn’t done, not even after the blood moon, not even after we’d broken their numbers. Rex’s eyes met mine, fierce but steady, a promise in them. “They won’t touch you,” he said, his voice a growl. “Not while I’m here.”

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‎I nodded, my jaw tight. “I’m fighting too,” I said, my voice firm. “This is my home now.”

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‎His eyes flashed, pride and worry mixing, but he didn’t argue. “Stay close,” he said, and we moved together, the pack rallying behind us, their weapons glinting in the dawn light. The forest loomed, dark and thick, and I felt the warmth in my chest flare, my wolf eager, ready to protect what was mine.

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‎The rival wolves came fast, fewer than before but fierce, their eyes glowing with a mad hunger. I shifted, my silver-grey fur shimmering, my claws digging into the earth. Rex was beside me, his black wolf massive, his red eyes blazing, and we met the enemy together, our movements sharp, synchronized, like we’d been fighting side by side forever. The bond burned, guiding us, binding us.

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‎I tore through a wolf, my claws slashing its side, blood hot on my fur. Another came, and I dodged, my teeth sinking into its neck, my wolf stronger, fiercer than I’d ever felt. Rex fought like a storm, his snarls echoing, his claws ripping through enemies. The pack moved with us, their howls rising, a chorus of strength, and I felt it—this was my place, my family, my fight.

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‎The battle was short, the rival wolves too few, too broken to last. The last one fell, its body still, and the forest went quiet, the dawn light filtering through the trees. I shifted back, my breath ragged, my body aching but alive. Rex was beside me, human again, blood streaking his arm, his eyes searching mine.

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‎“You’re hurt,” I said, my voice shaking, my hand reaching for his arm. The wound was deep, but he shook his head, his hand covering mine, warm and steady.

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‎“I’m fine,” he said, his voice rough but soft. “You’re the one I’m worried about.”

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‎I looked down, my dress torn, blood smearing my skin, but I was whole, the child still fluttering inside me. “We’re okay,” I said, my voice steady, my hand pressing to my stomach. “All of us.”

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‎His eyes softened, something raw breaking through. He stepped closer, his hand still on mine, and for a moment, the world was just us, the forest silent, the pack watching from a distance. “Talia,” he said, his voice low, “I need you to know… I love you. Not just because of the bond, not because of the prophecy. Because of you.”

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‎My breath caught, tears stinging my eyes. I wanted to push him away, to protect myself from the pain, but his words, his eyes—they were true, and they broke something open in me. “I’m scared,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. “Of this, of us, of what I am.”

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‎He nodded, his thumb brushing my hand, gentle but firm. “I know,” he said. “But you’re not alone. Not anymore.”

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‎I looked up, his red eyes holding mine, and I felt it—the warmth, the bond, the love I’d been afraid to name. I wasn’t the cursed daughter, not the girl who’d been sold or betrayed. I was Talia, Lycan, mother, warrior, and I was his. I stepped closer, my hand tightening in his, and nodded. “Together,” I said, my voice steady, a vow.

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‎The pack approached, their eyes soft, their voices low as they began to clean up, to rebuild. Sage Elara stood nearby, her silver hair glinting, a small smile on her lips. “You’ve chosen,” she said, her voice clear. “The cursed wolf has saved us, and she will lead us.”

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‎I didn’t feel like a leader, not yet, but I felt the weight of her words, the trust of the pack, the strength in my blood. Rex’s hand stayed in mine, his presence a rock, and I knew we’d face whatever came next—rival packs, prophecies, the child I carried. This was my home, my family, and I’d fight for it, always.

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‎As the sun rose higher, the forest waking around us, I stood taller, my heart full. The warmth in my chest was steady now, not just my wolf, not just the bond, but me—whole, strong, ready for whatever lay ahead.