Chapter 7: The Seeds of a New World

A year had passed since the day the Dividing River ran clear. The border was no longer a scar but a bridge, and the silence of the Blackwood Ravine had been replaced by the rhythmic sounds of a civilization in bloom. Under my rule, the distinction between the "elite" and the "outcast" had been ground into the dust, replaced by a meritocracy that valued the spirit over the bloodline.

The Silver Crest Manor, once a monument to Alpha arrogance, had been transformed. I had ordered the heavy stone walls torn down, replaced with floor-to-ceiling glass and living wood that Kaelen had coaxed from the earth. It was no longer a fortress; it was a sanctuary.

I sat in the council chamber, the warm morning sun catching the silver-white of my hair. On the table before me sat a bowl of fresh, roasted cashew nuts, harvested from the southern groves near the coast—a new trade established with the neutral packs of the south. Beside them lay a platter of sliced jackfruit, its sweet, tropical scent filling the room. These were the fruits of a land that had been given back its soul.

"The southern shipments have arrived," Thane said, entering the room. He wore a simple tunic of dark wool, his obsidian blade now resting more often in its scabbard than in his hand. He looked younger, the lines of constant vigilance around his eyes softened by peace. He stopped behind my chair, his hand resting naturally on my shoulder. The bond between us had deepened into something steady and unbreakable.

"And the northern elders?" I asked, leaning back into his touch.

"They’ve agreed to the new trade laws," Jace chirped, appearing in the window frame with his usual suddenness. He was tossing a small, polished stone into the air. "They saw the fields of the Silver Crest turning green while their own remained stunted. They realized that a Queen who can take life can also give it back tenfold."

Kaelen joined us, carrying a leather-bound ledger. "The census is complete, Elora. We have over three hundred wolves now living within the unified territory. The birth rates are up, and for the first time in recorded history, the 'Shadow' children are showing signs of unique gifts rather than being labeled as defects."

I looked at my three Mates—the Strength, the Alchemist, and the Ghost. We had moved beyond the pain of the past.

"And what of Fenris and Bella?" I asked quietly.

"Bella remains in the lower village," Kaelen replied, his voice devoid of malice. "She works in the infirmary, cleaning the floors. The scar on her jaw has healed into a jagged reminder, but she is quiet now. She doesn't look at the mirrors anymore."

"And Fenris?"

"He’s a shepherd," Thane said, a small, grim smile playing on his lips. "He spends his days tending to the livestock on the outer ridges. He is a man of the earth now, just as you promised. He sees the prosperity he could never achieve, and he knows it was built on the back of the girl he discarded."

I stood up and walked to the balcony, looking out over my kingdom. The "Deprived" were no longer deprived. We had taken the ashes of a broken system and planted a forest.

The weight of the crown was no longer heavy; it was a part of me, as natural as my breath. I felt the collective heartbeat of my people, a steady, thriving pulse that echoed the rhythm of the land.

"We are ready," I whispered to the wind.

"Ready for what, My Queen?" Thane asked, standing beside me.

"For the rest of the world to see what happens when the shadows finally step into the light."