CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TEN: LEARNING PEACE

Morning sunlight spilled across Mooncrest Pack.

It’s being months since the alarm bells had been runged.

Instead, the sounds of hammers striking wood and cheerful conversations filled the air. Life was returning.

Aria stood on the balcony outside her chambers, a warm cup of tea resting between her hands. Below, the courtyard was already alive.

Mooncrest warriors trained near the eastern grounds. Lycan craftsmen worked alongside Mooncrest builders repairing damaged storehouses.

Children darted between them, laughing as though the war had been nothing more than a distant nightmare.

“This... is so satisfying.“ Nova sighed contently. A gentle knock sounded behind her.

"Luna?"

"Come in." The door opened, revealing Liana.

Little Caelan held tightly to her hand while balancing a small basket in the other.

"We brought breakfast." Caelan beamed. "Gretta said if you skipped another meal, she'd come herself." Aria laughed.

"I suppose I don't have much choice then."

"You really don't," Liana replied with a smile. Caelan proudly placed the basket on the table.

"I carried it all by myself."

"You did?" He nodded enthusiastically.

"I didn't even eat the honey cakes." Liana raised an eyebrow.

"Because Gretta counted them before we left." Caelan looked disappointed. Aria couldn't help laughing.

"I'll make sure you get an extra one later." His face lit up.

"Really?"

"As long as Gretta agrees." Caelan frowned dramatically.

"So... maybe not." The room filled with laughter. Just then, another knock came.

“Luna." Lois stepped inside. His expression became more serious the moment he closed the door.

"The refugee census is complete." Aria gestured for him to continue. "Mooncrest now houses one hundred and twenty three Lycan refugees. Mostly families and there was no major disputes overnight." Liana smiled proudly.

"The children all slept together in the guest hall. They made friends faster than the adults." Lois nodded.

"It's the adults I'm more concerned about."

"What happened?"

"A few of our warriors still don't trust them. They've kept their distance. They didn’t fight but there's tension." Aria wasn't surprised.

Hatred built over years could not disappear in a single day.

"It will take time." Lois agreed.

Lois replied to Rowan’s message from the mindlink

"Council meeting!" Lois looked toward the window.

"That'll be about reconstruction." Within minutes, the council chamber filled.

Rowan sat at the head of the table. Kael occupied the seat to his right Ethan stood beside him.

Nyssa arrived carrying several rolled maps. Commander Varos entered last. He still looked uncomfortable standing inside another Alpha's council chamber.

Rowan noticed. "This isn't a courtroom. You can take your seat.” Varos hesitated before taking the offered chair.

Nyssa spread the maps across the table. "I've marked every usable road between Mooncrest and the Lycan Kingdom." She pointed toward the western pass. "This bridge survived, but these three crossings collapsed during the war."Ethan leaned forward.

"If we rebuild this bridge first, supply wagons can reach the capital in half the time." Kael nodded.

"Nightfang will send engineers." Lois added,

"Mooncrest has enough lumber for the first phase." Varos stared quietly at the maps.

"So many people working to rebuild a kingdom that isn't theirs." Rowan looked at him.

"It is ours." Varos frowned slightly.

Rowan continued, "The war didn't only threaten the Lycan Kingdom. It threatened every pack and if one kingdom rises again, we all rise with it." Then Aria spoke.

"I'll visit the reconstruction every two weeks." Rowan immediately looked at her.

"You don't have to."

"I know, but that is what I want to do." She looked around the room. "The people need to know they haven't been forgotten." Varos slowly lowered his head.

"They won't."

Just then... a loud crash echoed from outside. Everyone turned toward the open windows. A young Mooncrest warrior burst into the chamber.

"Alpha!"

"What is it?" Rowan asked. The young warrior hesitated.

"It's... nothing dangerous, but the training grounds have become a battlefield." Lois frowned.

"What happened?" The warrior scratched the back of his neck.

"Our younger warriors and the Lycan recruits have challenged each other. They're arguing over which kingdom trains better." Kael smirked.

Ethan folded his arms. "I was wondering how long that would take." Rowan stood.

"Let's go before someone destroys my training yard." Aria smiled as she rose beside him.

Perhaps… Peace didn't mean there would never be conflict again. It simply meant learning how to solve it without drawing blood.

By the time Rowan, Aria, Kael and the others reached the training grounds...

Several dozen wolves had already gathered in a wide circle. In the middle stood two young men.

One wore the blue gray training leathers of Mooncrest. The other wore the battered armor of the former Lycan Guard.

They haven’t draw their swords but from the look on their faces… They were only moments away from it.

"What is going on here?" Rowan's voice rang across the grounds.

The crowd immediately parted. Both young men bowed.

“Alpha."

“Luna." The Mooncrest warrior spoke first.

"It was only an argument." The Lycan soldier quickly answered,

"He called us cowards."

"I said your people hid behind walls while others fought." The Mooncrest warrior frowned.

"And you called us weak."

"I called you stubborn."

"You implied the same thing." Several warriors behind them quietly snickered.

Ethan rubbed a hand across his face. "I've seen children argue with more dignity." A few laughed awkwardly.

The tension eased slightly. Rowan folded his arms.

"So, neither of you threw the first punch?" Both shook their heads.

"No, Alpha." Commander Varos stepped forward.

He looked at the young Lycan soldier. "What is your name?"

"Taren, Commander."

"And yours?" The Mooncrest warrior answered.

"Finn." Varos sighed.

"You've both survived a war and buried friends, and now…. you’re arguing over whose training is better?" Both men lowered their heads.

Kael looked toward Rowan. "I have an idea." Rowan already knew what he was thinking.

"So do I." A faint smile crossed his face. He stepped into the center of the circle.

"If you want to prove whose training is better, then prove it."The two young men looked up.

"But." His voice hardened. "There will be no hatred and do not shift. Just use your skill." The crowd murmured with excitement.

Rowan pointed toward the practice weapons stacked nearby. "Wooden swords."

"First to disarm the other wins and when it's over, there must be no grudges, no matter the result." Both young men nodded immediately.

"Yes, Alpha." Lois tossed each of them a practice sword. They stepped into position.

Nyssa blew a sharp whistle. "Begin!" The first clash echoed across the yard.

Neither man held back. Finn attacked quickly. Taren answered with disciplined footwork learned from years in the Lycan Guard.

Wood struck wood again and again. The watching warriors cheered every exchange.

Aria smiled quietly. "They're good."

Kael nodded. "They are."

After several minutes...

Finn overcommitted to a downward strike. Taren sidestepped smoothly. Twisting his wooden blade beneath Finn's wrist, his sword flew through the air before landing several feet away.

The training yard fell silent.

Then, cheers erupted. The Lycan recruits shouted happily. Several Mooncrest warriors groaned dramatically.

Finn stared at his empty hand. Then looked at Taren.

For a moment... Everyone waited. Would the old resentment return?

Instead...

Finn burst into laughter. "I walked right into that."

Taren smiled. "You almost had me before that."

Finn stepped forward. "You fight well."

"So do you." The two men clasped forearms firmly.

The entire training ground erupted into applause. Rowan looked around at the gathered warriors.

"Remember this, today wasn't about proving one kingdom stronger than another. It was about proving we can stand together." His eyes swept across both groups.

"From this day forward, there will be mixed training squads." Mooncrest warriors exchanged surprised looks with the Lycan soldiers.

Lois smiled. "You'll learn from each other."

Ethan stepped beside Rowan. "Nightfang will do the same." Commander Varos looked at the young men standing together.

A weight seemed to lift from his shoulders.

Perhaps…. His people truly had a future here.

As the crowd slowly dispersed, Aria noticed several Lycan children running toward Audra, Ren and Caelan.

Within moments, the youngsters were laughing together across the field. They didn't care who had once belonged to which kingdom.

To them... They were simply friends.

“The children have already chosen peace.” Nova whispered quietly.

Aria smiled. "I hope the adults learn from them."

Just then, one of Freya's stable hands hurried toward her. He whispered something into her ear.

Freya's expression changed. She immediately walked over to Rowan.

"Alpha."

"What is it?"

"A messenger has just arrived from the reconstruction camp." Rowan frowned.

"So soon?" Freya nodded.

“He says they've discovered something buried beneath the ruins of the Lycan palace." The smiles around them slowly faded.

Rowan looked toward Aria. "It seems our rebuilding has uncovered its first mystery."