Chapter 4

Maison moved to my side, his warm presence steadying me as the pendant's magic continued to flow through me. "What's happening to him?" he asked quietly.

"Justice," I replied, watching dispassionately as Viktor's transformations became more erratic. "The pendant is severing his false claim."

Dean tried to edge toward the door, taking advantage of the distraction. Luna Mara intercepted him with deadly grace, her claws at his throat before he could take three steps.

"Where do you think you're going, traitor?" she asked sweetly, though her eyes promised violence.

Viktor collapsed to the floor, his body finally settling into human form—but changed. The vitality and power that had made him so dangerous was gone, leaving him looking withered and decades older than his true age.

"What have you done to me?" he gasped, his voice barely more than a rasp.

I approached him, the pendant's light dimming now that its work was complete. "The price of a false claim is steep, Viktor. You tried to steal what couldn’t be taken the night that you killed my family, and now the Goddess has taken your wolf, the side of yourself that you forced to do your bidding, to the point where you even killed your own fated mate to ensure his cooperation.”

Viktor's face contorted with rage and disbelief. "You lie! I had no mate!"

"Didn't you?" Uncle Mateo limped forward, his eyes hard with old knowledge. "Thomas Blackwell. Your father's Beta's son. The one who mysteriously disappeared the night before you challenged your father."

Viktor's face drained of what little colour remained. "How could you possibly—"

"He came to us," Uncle Mateo continued relentlessly. "Seeking asylum. He told us everything—how your wolf recognised him, how you rejected the bond, how you planned to kill your father and seize control." His voice softened with genuine regret. "We tried to protect him, but he vanished from our safe house. We found his body three days later."

I felt sick at this revelation. "You killed your own mate?"

"He was weak," Viktor spat, though his voice trembled. "He would have held me back. The mate bond is a chain—I refused to be bound."

"And now you're truly free of it," I said quietly. "Free of your wolf entirely."

The room fell silent as the magnitude of Viktor's punishment sank in. To a werewolf, losing one's wolf was worse than death—a half-existence cut off from pack bonds, the moon's call, and the primal connection that defined our very nature.

Maison moved closer to me, his warmth steadying as the pendant's magic finally subsided completely. "What happens now?" he asked, his voice pitched for my ears alone.

Before I could answer, Alpha Logan stepped forward. "Viktor Bloodmoon, for crimes against the Graystone pack, for the murder of Alpha Matthew, Luna Elena, and Alpha Kenneth Graystone, for attempted usurpation of territorial rights, and for treason against the Council of Alphas, I claim the right of judgment."

Viktor looked up, hollow-eyed but still defiant. "You have no authority over me, Logan. I'm no longer part of your precious hierarchy."

"No," Alpha Logan agreed coldly. "You're less than a wolf now. But pack law still applies to the crimes you committed while carrying your wolf."

I touched Alpha Logan's arm. "The right of judgment belongs to me," I said quietly. "As the last Graystone."

Alpha Logan studied me for a long moment before inclining his head. "The right is yours."

All eyes turned to me as I approached Viktor's huddled form. Star's presence in my mind was strong, but our reunion was still new and exhilarating despite the grim circumstances.

*He deserves death,* she growled. *For our family. For Uncle Mateo's suffering. For all of it.*

I couldn't disagree, but something else—perhaps my human side, perhaps the years spent living among those who didn't solve problems with tooth and claw—made me hesitate.

"Viktor Bloodmoon," I said formally, "you have been charged with horrendous crimes towards my family, and on top of it all, you killed your own mate because you didn’t want to be what the gay Alpha, how do you plead?”

Viktor's face contorted with rage. "I plead that you're a fool, little princess. Death would be a mercy—one I'd never grant you. Do your worst."

The room fell silent, all eyes on me. I felt the weight of my family's legacy, the burden of being the last Graystone. My pendant had cooled against my skin, its magic dormant but still present, waiting for my decision.

"Death would be too simple," I agreed, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside me. "Too quick for what you've done."

I circled him slowly, noting how his eyes followed me with hatred and something else—fear, perhaps, or the desperate calculation of a cornered animal.

"You will live, Viktor Bloodmoon," I declared. "Live as less than wolf, less than man. You will be imprisoned in the ancient holding cells beneath the Council headquarters, where no moon will reach you, where no pack bond can form." I leaned closer, letting him see the steel in my gaze. "You will live a very long time with nothing but memories of what you once were."

Viktor lunged at me with unexpected speed, his human nails reaching for my throat like claws that were no longer there. Maison moved faster, catching Viktor's wrist and twisting until bones cracked.

"Try that again," Maison growled, "and I'll forget her mercy."

Alpha Logan barked orders, and two guards stepped forward to restrain Viktor. "Take him to the cells. Maximum security until the Council can arrange transfer."

As they dragged Viktor away, his eyes never left mine. "This isn't over, Marabelle," he called. "My followers will come for you. They'll finish what I started!"

When the door closed behind them, I felt my knees buckle slightly, the adrenaline finally ebbing. Maison caught me before I could fall, his touch sending a current of awareness through my skin.

"You did well," he murmured, his voice carrying a respect I'd never heard from him before.

Uncle Mateo approached, his injuries now being tended by Luna Mara. "Your parents would be proud, little star."

The words brought unexpected tears to my eyes. "I still don't understand everything. The pendant, the suppressants, why you never told me the truth about Viktor..."

"There will be time for explanations," Alpha Logan interjected. "But first, we need to secure the compound and round up the remaining rogues."

Jackson had been helped to his feet, his arm now in a makeshift sling. Despite his injuries, he managed a lopsided grin in my direction. "Nice shift, by the way. Impressive for someone who supposedly couldn't access her wolf."

I felt a blush warm my cheeks. "Star was never really gone. Just... waiting."

"And what about Dean?" Maison asked, his voice hardening as he turned toward his former Beta, still held firmly by Luna Mara.

“He was…your friend Maison and Jackson, the son of your father’s Beta and his heir. It isn’t my place; the same goes for your Delta and Gamma. It is for you and Jackson to decide.” I said, backing over to a seat in the corner of the room. I needed to sit down now, and the room started spinning.

The world tilted sideways as exhaustion claimed me. I heard concerned voices calling my name, felt strong arms catch me before I hit the floor, then darkness swept in.

When I opened my eyes, I was in an unfamiliar room, lying on a comfortable bed draped with soft furs. Sunlight streamed through partially open curtains, casting warm patterns across the floor. The scent told me immediately where I was – the Diamond pack house, specifically the east wing where honoured guests stayed.

"Welcome back," said a quiet voice.

I turned my head to find Uncle Mateo sitting in a chair beside the bed, his arm now properly bandaged and in a sling. His face looked less pale than it had in the war room, though deep fatigue lined his features.

"How long was I out?" I asked, my voice raspy with sleep.

"Almost two days." Uncle Mateo leaned forward, offering a glass of water that I gratefully accepted. "Your body needed time to recover from the shift after so many years of suppression."

I drank deeply, then set the glass aside. "Star?"

*Here,* came the immediate response, my wolf's presence warm and alert in my mind. *We are whole again.*

The relief was overwhelming. After years of muffled whispers and disconnection, Star's voice rang clear in my consciousness – not a separate entity fighting for control, but my other half, finally restored.

"She's with you now," Uncle Mateo observed, noting the change in my expression. "The bond has reestablished."

"It never truly broke," I said softly. "Not completely."

Uncle Mateo's eyes crinkled with a tired smile. "Your mother always said you were too stubborn to be fully suppressed. Even as a pup, you had the strongest connection to your wolf she'd ever seen."

The mention of my mother stirred a familiar ache, but it was less raw now, tempered by time and the knowledge that I was finally reclaiming my heritage.

"Viktor?" I asked, the events in the war room rushing back.

"Secured in the underground cells. Alpha Logan has called an emergency meeting of the Council of Alphas. They'll arrive tomorrow to determine his final fate." Uncle Mateo shifted in his seat, wincing slightly as the movement jostled his injured arm. "Though I doubt they'll overturn your judgment. It was... fitting."

I pushed myself up to a sitting position, taking inventory of my body. I felt different—stronger, more balanced, as if pieces of myself that had been adrift for years had finally locked back into place.

"And Dean? The others who betrayed the pack?"

Uncle Mateo's expression darkened. "Jackson insisted on handling that personally, despite his injuries. Pack law is clear on the punishment for betrayal."

I nodded, not needing elaboration. Betrayal of one's Alpha was punishable by death in most packs. There were no prisons for werewolves who betrayed their own kind for personal advantage.

“And I guess Maison has gone back to avoiding me?” I asked as I closed my eyes with hurt. I thought the person I would have seen was him after I woke up, not as much as my Uncle, the man who was once my father’s Beta.

Uncle Mateo's lips quirked in a half-smile. "Actually, he's hardly left your side. I practically had to order him to shower and eat something an hour ago."

A warmth that had nothing to do with Star's presence spread through my chest. "Really?"

"Really," came a voice from the doorway.

I looked up to find Maison standing there, his hair damp from a recent shower. He wore a simple black T-shirt and jeans instead of his usual tactical gear. Something in his expression had changed—the cold mask he'd worn for years was completely gone, replaced by open concern and something deeper I was still afraid to name.

"I'll give you two some privacy," Uncle Mateo said, rising with a grunt of effort. He squeezed my hand once before limping toward the door.

They exchanged a look I couldn't quite interpret as he passed Maison. Uncle Mateo nodded once, then slipped out, closing the door behind him.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Maison remained by the door, as if uncertain of his welcome, while I sat up straighter against the pillows, suddenly self-conscious about my appearance after two days unconscious.

"You look better," he finally said, taking a tentative step forward.

"Better than what?" I asked, unable to help the small smile tugging at my lips.

"Better than when you were collapsed in my arms after facing down a psychopath who's hunted you for a decade," he replied dryly, some of his usual sharpness returning—but without the coldness that had always accompanied it before.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, coming to stand at the foot of the bed.

"Whole," I answered honestly. "For the first time in years. Star is... she's fully with me now."

*Tell him,* Star urged. *Tell him what we feel.*

I ignored her nudging, not yet ready for that conversation. "What happened with Dean and the others?"

Maison's expression hardened briefly. "Jackson handled it. It's done."

The finality in his tone told me everything I needed to know. The traitors had paid the ultimate price for their betrayal—not just of the pack, but of the trust and brotherhood Maison and Jackson had extended to them.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "They were your friends once."

"No," Maison shook his head. "They were never truly friends. Just wolves wearing masks." He hesitated, then added, "Like I was."

I frowned, confused by his meaning. "What do you mean?"

Maison took a deep breath, then moved to sit in the chair Uncle Mateo had vacated. Close enough that I could catch his scent—pine, leather, and something uniquely him that made Star stir with interest.

"I've worn a mask for years," he admitted, his voice low. "Since the day I first walked into that burger joint and caught your scent, and my wolf recognised you as our mate. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness.” With his last words, he looked down at his hand as if saying them cost his ego greatly.

I studied his face, seeing vulnerability that I'd never witnessed before. The proud, cold Alpha heir was gone, replaced by a man struggling with emotions he'd kept buried for years.

"Forgiveness for what?" I asked quietly. "For protecting me? For fighting against a connection neither of us understood?"

Maison's eyes met mine, surprise evident in their depths. "I was cruel to you. Deliberately cold. I thought distance was the only way to keep you safe."

"From Viktor?"

"From me," he admitted, his voice barely audible. "From what I wanted. From the risk of claiming you before you knew who you truly were."

Star pushed forward in my mind, her presence warm and insistent. *Our mate. He suffered for us.*

The realisation of what he'd endured—fighting his wolf's instincts day after day, year after year—hit me with unexpected force. The constant battle between duty and desire, between protecting me and claiming me.

"Your wolf knew from the beginning," I said, not a question but a confirmation.

Maison nodded, a rueful smile touching his lips. "From the moment I caught your scent. It nearly drove me insane that first day—I had to leave before I shifted right there in front of everyone." His smile faded. "But you were supposed to be dead. Your identity is hidden for your protection. I couldn't risk exposing you, not even to acknowledge what my wolf knew instinctively."

"So you pushed me away instead," I concluded. "Made me think you hated me."

"It seemed safer than the alternative." He ran a hand through his damp hair, a gesture of frustration I was beginning to recognise. "If Viktor had any spies watching—which he did, as we now know—they couldn't report that the Diamond heir had any special interest in some random human waitress."

The logic was sound, even if the execution had been painful for both of us. I reached out hesitantly, placing my hand over his. The contact sent a jolt of awareness through me, Star humming with approval in my mind.

"I understand why you did it," I said softly. "But where do we go from here?"

Maison turned his hand, his fingers intertwining with mine. "That depends on you. On what you want."

"What do I want?" The question caught me off guard. After a decade of living in hiding, of having my choices made for me in the name of protection, the concept of deciding my own fate seemed almost foreign.

"Yes," Maison said simply. “Your wolf is awake. Your identity is known. Viktor is neutralised, at least for now. You can claim your birthright as Alpha of the Graystone lands and rebuild your pack. Or..." he hesitated, "you could stay here."

"With you," I finished for him.

The vulnerability in his eyes took my breath away. "With me," he confirmed. "If that's what you want."

Star's presence surged, trying to push me closer to Maison. I wasn’t sure what to do. He called to me on levels I never knew I had, but on the other hand, he hurt me deeply regardless of the reason. I felt conflicted. I wanted him, oh Goddess, yes, but I was unsure.

I pulled my hand away, needing space to think. The conflicting emotions swirling through me were overwhelming—desire and hesitation, hope and fear.

"I need time," I said finally. "Everything's happened so fast. Two days ago, I was Daisy Thompson, hiding my true nature, believing my wolf was barely alive. Now I'm reclaiming a heritage I barely remember, with territories and responsibilities I know nothing about."

Disappointment flickered across Maison's face, but he nodded. "Of course. I shouldn't have pushed."

"You're not pushing," I assured him. "It's just... I've been living someone else's life for so long. I need to figure out who Marabelle Graystone really is before I can decide what she wants."

"I understand." He stood, maintaining a respectful distance. "Take all the time you need."

As he turned to leave, Star growled in frustration. *Don't let him go. He is ours. *

I bit my lip, torn between caution and the primal certainty my wolf felt. "Maison, wait."

He paused at the door, looking back with carefully controlled hope.

"I'm not saying no," I clarified. "Just... not yet."

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "I've waited years already, Marabelle. I can wait a little longer."

After he left, I flopped back against the pillows, overwhelmed by the complexity of my new reality. Star huffed in my mind, clearly displeased with my hesitation.

*He is our mate. Why wait? *

"Because the human part of me needs time," I explained aloud. "We've been hurt, Star. Deceived, even if for good reasons."

*Not by him, * she countered. *He protected us as best he could. *

"By being cruel? By making me feel unwanted?"

*By fighting his own nature every day to keep us safe. Do you think that was easy for him? *

I had no answer for that. A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts before I could delve deeper into the internal debate.

"Come in," I called, expecting Uncle Mateo or perhaps Luna Mara.

Instead, Jackson sauntered in, his broken arm in a proper cast now but his cocky grin firmly in place despite the bruises still evident on his face.

"Well, well. Sleeping Beauty finally wakes," he teased, dropping into the chair his brother had vacated. "And already breaking my brother's heart, I see."

I narrowed my eyes. "Were you eavesdropping?"

"Didn't need to. His face said it all when he passed me in the hallway." Jackson leaned back, studying me with surprising intensity. "You know, for someone who just reclaimed her birthright, defeated a psychopath, and found her mate, you look remarkably glum."

"I'm not— I'm not glum," I protested, though the defensive tone in my voice betrayed me. "I'm overwhelmed."

Jackson raised an eyebrow, wincing slightly as the movement pulled at a healing cut above his eye. "Understandable. But you're also overthinking."

"You don't know what I'm thinking," I countered.

"Don't I?" He leaned forward, suddenly serious. "You're thinking that everything's happening too fast. That you need time to process who you really are before you can commit to anything—or anyone. That, after years of deception, how can you trust your own instincts?" His lips quirked. "Am I close?"

I stared at him, unsettled by his accuracy. "How did you—"

"Because I know my brother," Jackson interrupted gently. "And the mate bond goes both ways. He's spent years fighting it, suffering for it. Now you're doing the same thing, just with better reasons."

"It's not that simple," I said, looking away.

"Actually, it is." Jackson shifted, grimacing as he adjusted his position to accommodate his injuries. "Your human side is complicating things that your wolf sees clearly. Star knows Maison is your mate—your true mate. The rest is... details."

"Details?" I echoed incredulously. "My entire life has been upended. I'm supposedly the Alpha of a pack that doesn't exist anymore, heir to territories I've never even seen, and you're telling me these are just details?"

Jackson's expression softened. "I'm not saying your concerns aren't valid. But ask yourself this: when you were facing Viktor, when everything was falling apart, who did you want beside you?"

The answer came instantly, unbidden: Maison.

Star rumbled with satisfaction in my mind. *See? We already know. *

"It's not fair," I whispered, more to myself than to Jackson. "Why does it have to be now? When everything is so uncertain?"

"Because that's when it matters most." Jackson stood, his usual playfulness replaced by a wisdom I hadn't expected from him. "The mate bond isn't just about attraction or compatibility. It's about balance—finding the person who completes you and strengthens you when you're weakest."

I absorbed his words, feeling their truth resonate within me. "When did you get so insightful about relationships?"

Jackson's trademark grin returned. "I've had my share of... experiences. Just because I haven't found my mate doesn't mean I don't understand how it works." He moved toward the door. "Besides, watching my brother pine for you for years has been quite educational."

Before he left, he turned back with one final thought. "You know, rebuilding the Graystone pack and being with Maison aren't mutually exclusive. You could have both."

After he was gone, I sat silently, letting his words sink in. Star pushed gently at my consciousness. I quickly realised that both Jackson and Star were right, I was already falling in love with Maison, but how do you love someone else when you barely know and love yourself?

Meanwhile, Maison walked out into the pack garden behind the pack house, into one of the deepest parts; his emotions were still all over the place as he flopped onto the ground against a tree.

---

Lying against the massive oak tree that his great-grandfather had planted when the pack house was first built, Maison stared up at the patches of sky visible through the branches. The garden had always been his refuge when emotions threatened to overwhelm him, but today even the familiar scents of earth and blooming flowers couldn't calm the storm inside him.

"I thought I'd find you here," Luna Mara's voice came from behind him. She approached with the grace that had made her a formidable Luna in her own right, not just as Alpha Logan's mate.

Maison didn't look at her. "I'm not in the mood for company, Mother."

She ignored his protest, settling beside him on the ground with a soft rustle of fabric. "You've always come here when you're troubled. Even as a pup."

"I'm not troubled," he lied. "I'm giving her space. It's what she asked for."

Luna Mara's knowing smile was audible in her voice. "And that's why you're out here looking like someone stole your favourite chew toy?"

Despite himself, Maison felt a reluctant smile tug at his lips. "I'm not a pup anymore."

"No," his mother agreed, her voice softening. "You're a man who's found his mate after years of believing you couldn't have her. That's enough to unsettle anyone."

Maison finally turned to look at her, surprised by her insight. Luna Mara had always been perceptive, but she'd never spoken so directly about the mate bond before.

"Did you know?" he asked. "All this time, did you know who she really was?"

Luna Mara's eyes—the same amber shade he'd inherited—held a mixture of regret and compassion. "I suspected. Her scent was... familiar, even through the suppressants. It reminded me of Elena." She reached out to touch his hand. "But it wasn't my place to tell you."

"Father knew," Maison said flatly. "He knew and he kept me in the dark."

"Your father did what he thought was necessary to protect her. To protect you both." Luna Mara sighed. "The mate bond between an Alpha heir and the last Graystone would have been too significant to hide if acknowledged. Viktor had spies everywhere, looking for any sign of her."

Maison picked up a fallen leaf, crushing it between his fingers. "So instead, I spent years fighting my own nature, making her think I despised her, all to keep her safe." The bitterness in his voice was impossible to disguise. "And now she needs time. She needs space."

"Of course she does," Luna Mara said gently. "Her entire identity has been restored to her in the span of days. The girl she thought she was no longer exists."

"I know that," Maison snapped, then immediately regretted his tone. "I'm sorry. I just— don’t deserve her as my mate, pushing her away could have allowed Viktor to get his way, the three people I thought were my best friends, were not only working for the man that killed her family they even tried to kill her so that I couldn’t be with the woman that I love even though I’ve pushed her away for five years. How do I even come back from that?”

Luna Mara placed a gentle hand on her son's cheek, turning his face toward hers. "By loving her, Maison. Not from a distance, not through protection, but by truly seeing her for who she is now—not just the mate your wolf recognises, but the woman she's becoming."

Maison leaned into his mother's touch, a vulnerability he rarely showed flickering across his features. "What if she chooses her pack over me? The Graystone territories need an Alpha."

"Then you support her decision," Luna Mara said simply. "That's what true mates do—they strengthen each other's choices, not limit them."

The sound of approaching footsteps made them both look up. Jackson appeared on the garden path, his good arm holding a tray with three steaming mugs.

"Tea party in the garden? And no one invited me?" He set the tray down on a nearby stone bench. "I'm wounded. Metaphorically speaking, of course. I'm already wounded enough literally."

Maison rolled his eyes, but the tension in his shoulders eased slightly at his twin's arrival. "Don't you have somewhere else to be? Bothering someone else?"

"Nope. Annoying you is a full-time occupation." Jackson handed a mug to Luna Mara before offering one to Maison. "Besides, I come bearing gossip."

Luna Mara smiled as she accepted her tea. "Jackson, you shouldn't be carrying trays with that arm."

"Worth it to see the look on big brother's face when I tell him what our little Alpha-in-waiting is up to." Jackson's eyes gleamed with mischief.

Maison sat up straighter. "What do you mean? Is she alright?"

"Better than alright. She's in our father's study, poring over the old territory maps with Uncle Mateo. Asking very specific questions about pack treaties and boundary lines." Jackson sipped his tea with exaggerated nonchalance. "Particularly the borders where Graystone lands meet Diamond territory."

Luna Mara's eyes lit with understanding. "The Convergence Valley."

The Convergence Valley had been a shared hunting ground between the packs for generations—neutral territory where Graystone’s and Diamonds had trained together, celebrated moon festivals, and strengthened their alliance. It was also, Maison realised with a jolt, the perfect place to unite two packs under shared leadership.

"She wouldn't be asking about that unless..." Maison trailed off, afraid to voice the hope suddenly blooming in his chest.

"Unless she's considering options that don't involve choosing between her heritage and her mate," Luna Mara finished for him, a smile spreading across her face.

Jackson nodded. "She's also asked for the old alliance scrolls—the ones that detail how packs can formally unite." He leaned closer to Maison. You know, the kind that are typically invoked when an official mating occurs. Afterwards, I think from what Uncle Mateo told me, she was headed to the rose garden, the one with red and yellow blooms, with a sketch pad similar to the one at her family’s, something she stopped doing the day she met Viktor.”

Maison stood abruptly, nearly spilling his tea. The rose garden—their rose garden. A similar place where Viktor had first seen Marabelle as a child. The same place where Maison had first scented her years ago, before he even knew who she was.

"Go," Luna Mara urged softly. "But remember what I said. See her for who she is now, not just who your wolf recognises."

Jackson stepped aside with a theatrical bow. "By all means, brother. Don't let us keep you from your destiny."

Maison hesitated only momentarily before striding down the garden path, his heart hammering against his ribs. He moved with purpose but not haste, giving himself time to gather his thoughts. What would he say to her? What could he possibly offer that would make up for years of cold distance?

The rose garden lay at the eastern edge of the compound, partially secluded by a grove of ancient willows. As he approached, Maison caught her scent on the breeze—stronger now that the suppressants were fading from her system. The true essence of her wolf blended with her human scent in a combination that made his wolf stir with recognition.

He paused at the garden's entrance, momentarily struck by the sight before him. Marabelle sat on a stone bench, her dark hair loose around her shoulders, a sketchbook balanced on her knees. Sunlight filtered through the willow branches, casting dappled patterns across her face as she worked, her expression one of deep concentration.

She was sketching the roses—not just any roses, but the rare dual-coloured blooms that had been a gift from her mother to his, planted to symbolise the alliance between their packs. The red and gold petals represented both bloodlines intertwined.

She must have sensed his presence because she looked up suddenly, her amber eyes finding his. For a moment, neither spoke.

"I used to sketch these exact flowers," she finally said, breaking the silence. "In my parents' garden. I'd forgotten until today."

Maison took a tentative step forward. "My mother told me your mother gave her the original cuttings. As a symbol of friendship between our families."

Marabelle nodded, closing her sketchbook. "Uncle Mateo told me the same thing. He's been filling in a lot of blanks about my past." She patted the space beside her on the bench. "Join me?"

The invitation sent a surge of hope through Maison's chest. He crossed the remaining distance and sat beside her, carefully maintaining a respectful space between them.

"I thought you needed time," he said quietly.

"I did. I do." She looked down at her sketchbook, then back to him with newfound determination. "But Jackson said something that made me realise I was falling into old patterns."

"Jackson?" Maison couldn't keep the surprise from his voice. "Since when have you taken advice from my brother?"

“Honestly, at first I wasn’t trying to, but he gave it to me anyway. He made me realise that I was trying to hide again because I’m scared of what I might find after so long in hiding from that sicko that I meet only once before. I was drawing in our rose garden behind my parents' old pack house; I didn’t notice him at first. I was too fixated on drawing the spider's web with the spider walking across it. He scared me so much that I stopped drawing completely. My brother immediately noticed that’s what broke his friendship with Viktor.”

Maison's face darkened at the mention of Viktor. "He was always obsessed with possessions—territories, power, things that weren't his to claim."

"Including me," I said softly, running my fingers over the sketch. "I think that's why I stopped drawing. It was something I loved, and he tainted it."

Maison's hand moved toward mine, hesitating just short of touching. "And now?"

I turned my palm upward, an invitation he immediately accepted, his warm fingers intertwining with mine. The contact sent a ripple of awareness through me, Star purring with contentment in my mind.

"Now I'm reclaiming pieces of myself," I said. "Drawing again. Learning about my heritage. Considering my future." I met his gaze directly. "Our future, perhaps."

The hope that bloomed in his eyes made my heart stutter. "Our future?" he repeated carefully, as if afraid to assume too much.

"I've been studying the old maps," I explained. "The alliance treaties between our packs. The Convergence Valley."

Understanding dawned on his face. "The shared territory."

I nodded. "Traditionally neutral ground, but what if it became something more? The foundation for a new beginning?"

"A new pack," Maison breathed, the concept taking shape between us. "Neither purely Graystone nor Diamond, but something forged from both."

"It would honour my family's legacy while creating something new," I said, my excitement building as I voiced the idea that had been forming since my conversation with Jackson. "I could rebuild the Graystone pack, but with the protection and alliance of the Diamonds."

Maison's thumb traced gentle circles on my palm. "And us? Where do we fit in this vision?"

I took a deep breath, finding courage in Star's steady presence. "At its centre. If... if that's what you want."

"If that's what I want," he echoed incredulously. "Marabelle, I've wanted you since the moment I first caught your scent. Even when I was pushing you away, even when I thought it was impossible—I've never wanted anything else."

The raw honesty in his voice broke through the last of my hesitation. I leaned forward, closing the distance between us until our foreheads touched. His breath caught, his free hand rising to cup my cheek with exquisite gentleness.

"I should have told you,” He whispered. "From the beginning. Found another way to keep you safe without hurting you."

"And I should have trusted my instincts," I replied. "Even through the suppressants, Star knew. She always knew you were ours."

*Yes, * Star agreed smugly. *Our mate. Finally. *

Maison's lips curved into a smile I'd never seen before—open, unguarded, transforming his usually stern features into something breathtaking. "Your wolf is quite vocal about this, isn’t she? I can see her looking back at me. Hello, beautiful. And this is something I should have done from the beginning as well.”

He lifted my face slightly, bringing his lips to mine. Before our lips could meet, a throat cleared loudly from the garden entrance.