The Alpha Rejected Me, His Father Claimed Me
He turned instead, and reached for someone's hand.
"Calista Crimson," Valthor said, and his voice found a warmth in it Aeloria had waited years to hear directed at her and never once had, "will stand beside me as this pack's Luna."
The crowd's shock broke a half-second later, a ragged intake of breath rolling down the terraced hillside like something physical. Calista stepped forward into the space Valthor had made for her, white and silver against the red of the banners, her smile the practiced, luminous thing Aeloria had seen aimed at mirrors and rivals alike, and let him lift her hand for the whole pack to see. Somewhere in the crowd, a woman gasped audibly enough to carry; somewhere else