Crowned in Blood

The earth still bled.

Cassian’s body lay broken in the center of the circle, his white fur stained crimson, his throat a torn ruin. The metallic tang of blood clung to the air, heavy and suffocating, making every breath burn. Wolves ringed the clearing, their golden eyes fixed on the victor.

Kade stood over the corpse.

His chest heaved with ragged breaths, his flank torn and dripping. Blood slicked his fur, matting it to his ribs, and his left leg trembled under his weight. But his eyes—those eyes burned molten gold, untamed, unbroken. He threw back his head and loosed one final howl, a call that split the sky in two.

The pack answered as one, the sound a tidal wave of loyalty and awe. The Blackwood Alpha had not just survived—he had conquered.

Lena’s knees threatened to give out. The howl reverberated inside her, pulling at her marrow, tearing at her skin. Her wolf clawed and writhed, desperate to leap into the chorus. The bond flared, raw and consuming, until she swore she could taste the blood in her own mouth, feel the ache of Kade’s wounds in her bones.

Her body moved before her mind caught up.

She stepped into the circle.

The wolves fell silent as she crossed the blood-soaked ground. Their eyes followed her—some wide with suspicion, others sharp with resentment, but none dared move against her. The pull of the bond was visible, undeniable, a thread of fire that tied her to their Alpha.

Kade’s massive wolf form turned toward her. His muzzle was dark with Cassian’s blood, his chest rising and falling in harsh bursts. For a breath she faltered, staring at the beast before her—not man, not entirely wolf, but something larger, more terrible, more divine.

Her wolf pressed forward. Ours.

Lena’s steps quickened until she stood before him. Tentative, trembling, she lifted a hand. His fur was hot under her palm, sticky with blood, the muscle beneath quivering with exhaustion. Kade’s head lowered, pressing his muzzle against her shoulder, his weight grounding her, claiming her before them all.

A murmur rippled through the pack.

The elder stepped forward, his voice booming. “The challenge is ended. The blood has spoken. Kade Wilder stands Alpha—unbroken.” His gaze shifted, sharp as steel, to Lena. “And the mate’s bond is sealed before the moon.”

Lena’s heart lurched. Every eye turned to her. Wolves bowed their heads—not to her, not yet, but to what she represented. To them.

And for the first time, she wasn’t just an intruder. She was bound in blood to their Alpha.

She was Blackwood.

The night wind swept through the clearing, cold against the sweat and heat of battle. For a long moment, no one moved. Then, with a slow shudder that cracked bone and tore sinew, Kade’s wolf began to shift.

His body convulsed, fur sinking back into skin, claws retracting into hands. Blood streaked across his flesh as his human form emerged—broad, scarred, and trembling from the violence he had endured. He straightened, his chest heaving, his jaw clenched tight against the pain.

And still, he stood tall.

Naked, bloodied, crowned in victory.

Lena’s breath caught. The sight of him—broken and unbowed—was more terrifying and beautiful than anything she had ever witnessed. Her wolf howled inside her chest, a sound she swallowed down with difficulty.

Kade’s gaze sought hers at once.

“Come here,” he rasped.

She obeyed, her legs unsteady as she crossed the circle. When she reached him, his hand curled around the back of her neck, pulling her close. His lips brushed her temple, his voice low but meant for all to hear.

“She is mine.”

The words cracked like thunder.

The pack stirred. Some lowered their heads in submission, acknowledging what the bond had already made undeniable. Others shifted uneasily, their eyes narrowing on Lena, still human, still outsider, still not one of them.

A low growl rumbled from Kade’s chest, silencing dissent before it could rise. He bared his teeth, blood still dripping down his side. “Any who doubt her, doubt me. And those who doubt me will join Cassian in the ground.”

The silence that followed was total.

Lena’s heart hammered against her ribs. She could feel their eyes, their judgment, their curiosity. But beneath it all, she felt the bond thrumming, steady and fierce. It held her up when her knees wanted to buckle, burned in her veins when fear tried to swallow her.

The elder wolf lowered his head, and one by one, the rest followed.

Not a bow to her. Not yet. But recognition. Acceptance—for now.

Kade’s grip softened on her neck, his thumb brushing against her jaw. His voice dropped to a whisper only she could hear. “It begins now, Lena. No more hiding. You’re mine before them all.”

Her throat tightened. She should have been afraid, but all she could feel was the fire in her blood and the steady beat of his claim.

The moon above bore witness. The pack bowed. Cassian’s corpse cooled at their feet.

And Lena Carter realized that she had crossed a threshold from which there was no return.

She was no longer an outsider.

No longer a trespasser.

She was the Alpha’s mate.

Crowned in blood.