The late afternoon sun cast long golden streaks across the rooftops of the Moon Swept Pack lands. From the upper path that wound behind the Pack Hall, Jason stood with his arms folded, gazing out over the town that had changed so much in what felt like the blink of an eye.
It had been months now since the battle. Since assuming the full mantle of Alpha. Since finding no, being found by his mate. In that time, his world had shifted, reshaped, and come alive in ways he hadn’t known he’d needed.
Nathan and Mia had remained constants at his side. Loyal, grounded, brilliant. And then there was Aurora, his Luna, his equal, the other half of his soul. With her presence, everything had clicked into place.
He exhaled as he stepped through the construction site of the new kindy. The building was nearly complete fresh timber beams framed wide, sunlit windows, and colourful murals were beginning to be painted on the outer walls. It would be ready in a few weeks.
They crossed the border back into Midnight Pack territory just as the sun began to rise, gold light washing away the last chill of night. Jason leaned on Aurora’s shoulder, still unsteady, but alive. His wounds were raw where the silver had burned into his skin, but his grip on her hand was strong and sure.A line of Midnight Pack warriors waited for them, heads lowered in respect. When they saw Jason supported between Aurora and one of the healers, a collective sigh of relief rippled through them. Howls rose into the air, victory, welcome, relief carried across the valley like a hymn.Aurora’s father stepped forward, eyes bright with pride and worry. He looked Jason up and down, then nodded. “Welcome home, Alpha. You did well, my daughter.”Jason tried to answer, but exhaustion stole his words. Aurora steadied him, murmuring, “Save your strength.”They guided him straight to the healer’s hut, where
The morning air was cool and sharp as Aurora stood on the rise overlooking the Midnight Pack’s central meeting grounds. Banners from every pack in New Zealand rippled in the breeze, vibrant greens, reds, and deep blues, each symbol etched with wolf marks of old alliances.Jason stood at her side, dressed in clean, simple ceremonial clothes. His wounds were healing, but she could still see the faint scars of the silver, a brutal reminder of what had been risked and what had been saved.“Ready?” she asked softly, touching his hand.He squeezed her fingers. “With you, always.”Below them, a sea of wolves had gathered. Betas, elders, warriors, younglings, all drawn by the stories of what had happened, of how Aurora, daughter of the Midnight Pack, had forced an Alpha to kneel and broken silver with a thought. There was awe in their eyes, but also fear.Aurora felt that fear like a needle under her skin. Sam stirred inside h
Night had fully fallen, cloaking the world in deep shadows and streaks of moonlight. Aurora stood at the edge of Kaweka territory, her wolf senses stretched to their furthest reach. Sam was prowling in her mind, coiled and eager for a fight.Behind her, twenty of the Midnight Pack’s best warriors shifted anxiously, claws flexing, their breath steaming in the cold air. They were family, cousins, old allies, wolves who would fight for her without question.Aurora lifted her head, inhaling the scents on the breeze. Sweat. Iron. Wolves. Jason. Her heart stuttered at the faint trace of him, tinged with pain and exhaustion.We are close, Sam growled, hackles raised.Aurora nodded, a single determined movement. “No mercy,” she whispered to the warriors behind her. “But do not kill if you can help it. I want Rawiri alive.”They surged forward, paws silent on the forest floor. The Kaweka sentries didn’t even know what hit
Jason woke with a metallic tang on his tongue and the searing bite of silver shackles burning into his wrists. His head throbbed with a heavy, poisonous fog, the aftereffects of wolfsbane making his wolf sluggish and his mind dull. As his vision steadied, he took in the dim stone chamber around him. Water dripped somewhere, echoing against rough walls darkened by damp.He tried to shift, to call on Jack, but the silver shackles sent shockwaves of agony through every nerve. He gritted his teeth, sweat breaking across his brow. The chains rattled, biting deeper, until he was forced to still himself and breathe shallowly.Footsteps approached, measured, and confident. The scent hit him first, pine, iron, and something sour that set his hackles on edge. Rawiri stepped into view, flanked by two of his warriors. The Kaweka Alpha looked every inch the predator, his grin sharp and cruel.“Good morning, Alpha,” Rawiri sneered. “Or shall I
Morning light poured through the guesthouse window, a warm golden glow that felt almost out of place given the unease brewing around Jason and Aurora.Jason stepped out onto the porch, scanning the village square. Midnight Pack wolves were already gathering in small knots, speaking in low tones. Some nodded politely when they saw him, but others turned away, unwilling to meet his eye.Aurora joined him, her fiery hair catching the sun, Malcolm bundled on her hip. She looked tired, as though her sleep had been haunted by the same dark worries that weighed on Jason.“Something’s changing,” she murmured. “I can feel it.”Jason nodded, jaw tight. “It’s more than fear. There’s anger here, too.”As they moved through the village that day, they tried to settle back into familiar rhythms. Aurora visited with old friends, accepting congratulations for Malcolm and warm embraces from the women who had once
The days that followed Rawiri’s visit were uneasy. The once celebratory feel of Jason and Aurora’s arrival had evaporated, leaving behind an anxious hush that weighed on every conversation.Aurora kept Malcolm close, unwilling to let her son out of her sight, while Jason continued working with her father to strengthen the Midnight Pack’s patrols and reinforce border defenses.At night, Aurora lay awake, listening to Jason breathe beside her, haunted by Rawiri’s words. The vow he demanded had felt like a leash, and her refusal still echoed in the village.On the fifth night after the Kaweka Pack’s visit, the danger finally struck.Jason had been exhausted from a day of working with the border warriors and fell into a deep sleep beside Aurora and Malcolm. The night was quiet, moonlight pouring through the window, the lull of crickets in the distance.Aurora, half dozing, jolted awake to a sudden shift in th