DARIUSš±š±š±Two moons. Two whole moons had passed since the Gathering, and sometimes it felt like two lifetimes. The initial, fragile peace had deepened, settled into something more substantial, more real. The estate, once a fortress humming with frantic anxiety, now resonated with the sounds of life. Most importantly, it resonated with the sound of Valen.And he moved, too. Crawling. He was everywhere, a small, determined tornado of baby energy, trying to claw his way towards everything he wasnāt supposed to touch. The decorative carvings on the coffee table, the flickering flames in the hearth, the stack of important, very breakable, parchments in my study ā nothing was safe. He gripped with a strength that was frankly unsettling for a baby his age, his tiny fingers latching on with an iron vise. He was more advanced, faster, stronger than any baby Iād ever seen. It was fascinating, terrifying, and deeply, profoundly prideful, all at once.One morning, the proof arrived, a little
EMMELINEš®š®š®š®I stepped into our room, my arms full of folded cloths Iād just collected from the nursery. My eyes, almost instinctively, darted to the crib. It was empty. My heart gave a familiar, sickening lurch, a quick, sharp stab of panic that always seemed to accompany Valenās absence. It was an instinct now, this immediate fear, a reflex born from weeks of terror.Then, Callisās voice echoed down the hall from a neighboring room. āHeās with me. Relax, Luna.āA breath I hadnāt realized I was holding shuddered out of me. āThank the goddess,ā I muttered, leaning against the doorframe for a moment, letting the wave of adrenaline subside. I set the folded clothes onto a nearby chest, my hands trembling just a little. My bones ached less these days, the deep, pervasive soreness from the birth and the aftermath of the attack slowly receding. But the feeling, that lingering vulnerability, hadnāt left my body entirely. Neither had the fear.I was just reaching for my robe, intending
DARIUSš±š±š±The estate, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, was finally quiet. Not the oppressive silence of dread, but the quiet hum of a world settling, breathing out a collective sigh of relief. The Gathering had passed, the last of the allied Alphas had departed, their promises of future support still fresh in my mind. Even the damned council, for once, had gone quiet. It was an unnerving calm, like the eye of a storm, but Iād take it. By the goddess, Iād take anything that wasnāt another bloody fight.I stood on the western wall, arms crossed over my chest, the fresh scars on my ribs still a dull ache beneath my shirt. My gaze swept across the familiar landscape, watching the patrols change shifts below. Their movements were crisp, efficient, a testament to the renewed discipline and purpose that had settled over my packānot fear or desperation.A familiar shuffling sound behind me, followed by a slight shift in the air, told me Sylas had climbed the stairs to joi
DARIUSš±š±š±The air in the great hall was thick and heavy with too many Alphas, too much tension, and the lingering echoes of heated arguments. By nightfall, the meeting had stretched on for what felt like an eternity, longer than any I could remember. My muscles ached from standing, from the sheer effort of holding my posture, of projecting calm authority even as my insides twisted with anxiety. But the tide, finally, had turned.I watched them, these Alphas, some old and grizzled, their faces carved with years of battles and burdens, others young and eager, their eyes still holding the spark of untamed ambition. For hours, it had been a slow, agonizing process, peeling back layers of distrust, fear, and ingrained tradition. Convincing them to see beyond their own territories, beyond their ancient beliefs, beyond their fear of the unknown. But now, I could feel it. The shift. A tangible release of the pressure that had been building for far too long. Small alliances, whispers firs
DARIUSš±š±š±The great hall was silent. Not the respectful silence of a loyal pack, but the heavy, judgmental silence of a jury. I stood before a semicircle of the most powerful Alphas on the continent, every seat filled. Some leaned back in their carved chairs, their faces guarded, unreadable masks. Others didnāt bother to hide their hostility. They glared at me openly, their arms crossed, practically daring me to fail, likely hoping Iād crack under the sheer, suffocating pressure of their collective doubt.This was it. The whole damn gamble.Sylas stood off to my right, a silent, deadly statue. Beside him stood Nara, her arms crossed, her expression a perfect blend of boredom and contempt for the proceedings. Behind them, a quiet wall of her Rivenborn warriors lined the hall, their presence a subtle but unmistakable message: we were not alone.I let my gaze sweep over each Alpha, meeting every stare, refusing to look away. I cleared my throat, the sound echoing in the stillness.āI
DARIUSš±š±š±The estate had never been this full. Not even during the war. Now, it was bursting at the seams with a different kind of tension, a political powder keg waiting for a spark. Representatives from nearly every pack on the continent were arriving. Proud mountain packs with their thick furs and gruff manners, nomadic border tribes with eyes that missed nothing, and opulent desert clans draped in silks, their faces unreadable. It was a goddamn menagerie of shifting allegiances and ancient grudges.I stood in the front court with Sylas and Dawson, a united front of leadership. The three of us hadn't stopped moving since dawn, our eyes constantly sweeping the horizon, the crowds, the shadows. Every new arrival was a potential threat, every friendly smile a potential mask.āAny movement from the Councilās known allies?ā I asked, my voice a low rumble that wouldnāt carry to the nearest group of arriving delegates.Sylas, answered without turning his head. āNone directly. Theyāre