The clearing fell into a stunned silence as the Bloodfang wolves knelt before Rylan. Moonlight spilled across their bowed heads, turning the moment into something sacred, something ancient — something that felt like the world shifting beneath our feet.
Rylan didn't move.
He stood frozen, chest rising and falling with slow, disbelieving breaths. His eyes flicked from Kade to the wolves kneeling behind him, then to Rowan, then finally to me.
The bond pulsed — warm, fierce, proud.
But beneath it, I felt something else.
Fear.
Not of them.
Of himself.
Kade lifted his head. "Alpha… we thought you were dead."
Rylan's voice was low. "I'm not."
"We thought Lucien had taken you."
"He tried."
"And the girl—"
"Her name is Lyra," Rylan snapped. "And she's under my protection."
Kade nodded slowly. "We see that now."
Rowan stepped forward, arms crossed. "So what exactly are you doing here? Marching thirty wolves into my territory without warning?"
Kade met his gaze without flinching. "We came to find our Alpha."
"And if he wasn't here?"
"Then we would have taken him back."
Rylan growled. "I'm not going anywhere."
Kade hesitated. "Alpha… Lucien said you'd abandoned us. That you'd chosen Moonshadow over Bloodfang."
Rylan's jaw tightened. "Lucien is a liar."
Kade swallowed. "We know that now."
Another Bloodfang wolf stepped forward — a woman with dark braids and sharp eyes. "Alpha… Lucien told us you were corrupted. That the bond had twisted you."
Rylan stiffened. "The bond didn't twist me."
Her gaze flicked to me. "He said she did."
I tensed.
Rylan stepped in front of me instantly. "Lyra has done nothing but survive Lucien's attacks. She is not the enemy."
The woman bowed her head. "We see that now."
Rowan muttered under his breath. "Convenient timing."
Rylan shot him a glare. "Not now."
Rowan raised a brow. "I'm just saying—"
"Not. Now."
Rowan smirked but didn't argue.
Kade stood. "Alpha… what do you want us to do?"
Rylan hesitated.
And in that hesitation, I saw the truth.
He wasn't used to being followed.
He wasn't used to being trusted.
He wasn't used to being believed.
He'd spent so long fighting alone that the idea of having support — real support — shook him.
Finally, he spoke. "We prepare for war."
A ripple of tension went through the Bloodfang wolves.
Kade nodded. "Against Lucien?"
"Yes."
"And the Hollow?"
"Yes."
"And Moonshadow?"
Rylan's voice sharpened. "No."
Kade blinked. "But—"
"Moonshadow is not our enemy," Rylan said. "Lucien is."
Rowan stepped forward. "Glad we agree."
Kade looked between them, confused. "Alpha… you want us to fight alongside Moonshadow?"
"Yes."
Kade hesitated. "That's… unprecedented."
Rylan's eyes hardened. "So is a moon‑marked Alpha with a mate from another pack."
Kade swallowed. "Fair point."
Rylan turned to Rowan. "We need to combine our forces."
Rowan nodded. "Agreed."
Kade frowned. "Alpha… what about the curse?"
Rylan stiffened.
Rowan's eyes narrowed. "What curse?"
Kade looked at me, then at Rylan. "Lucien said the bond would kill her."
Rylan growled. "Lucien says a lot of things."
"But is it true?" Kade pressed.
Rylan didn't answer.
The silence was answer enough.
Kade's expression softened. "Alpha… we don't want to lose you."
Rylan's voice was quiet. "You won't."
"And we don't want to lose her either."
Rylan froze.
Kade continued, voice steady. "If she's your mate… she's Bloodfang too."
My breath caught.
Rylan turned to me slowly, eyes wide, stunned.
I didn't know what to say.
I didn't know what to feel.
But the bond pulsed — warm, steady, grounding.
Rowan cleared his throat. "Before we start merging packs and rewriting history, maybe we should focus on the immediate threat."
Rylan nodded. "Right."
Kade stepped forward. "Alpha… Lucien is gathering the Hollow. He's planning something big."
Rylan's jaw tightened. "What?"
"We don't know," Kade said. "But he's been moving through the northern woods. Recruiting. Corrupting. Building an army."
Rowan cursed. "How many?"
"Dozens," Kade said. "Maybe more."
Rylan's eyes darkened. "He's preparing for a full assault."
"Yes."
Rowan crossed his arms. "On who?"
Kade hesitated. "On both of us."
Rylan growled. "Of course he is."
Rowan looked at me. "Lyra… what did Lucien say to you?"
I swallowed. "He said I'm the key."
Rowan frowned. "To what?"
Rylan answered for me. "To breaking me."
Kade stiffened. "Alpha—"
Rylan shook his head. "Lucien thinks if he takes her, he wins."
Rowan growled. "Over my dead body."
Rylan's voice dropped to a whisper. "Over mine."
The bond pulsed — fierce, protective, overwhelming.
Kade looked between us. "Then we protect her."
Rylan blinked. "What?"
"You heard me," Kade said. "If she's the key, then she's the priority."
I stared at him. "You don't even know me."
Kade shrugged. "You're our Alpha's mate. That's enough."
Rylan looked like he'd been punched.
Rowan muttered, "This is getting ridiculous."
Rylan ignored him. "Kade… thank you."
Kade nodded. "We stand with you, Alpha. All of us."
Rylan swallowed hard. "Then we prepare."
Rowan stepped forward. "We'll move the packs together. Combine our warriors. Strengthen the ridge."
Kade nodded. "We'll follow your lead."
Rylan turned to me.
His voice softened. "Lyra… stay close."
I nodded. "I'm not going anywhere."
The bond pulsed — warm, steady, certain.
For the first time since this nightmare began…
Rylan didn't look cursed.
He looked like hope.