Chapter 30
After everything, the night finally came to an end–or so I thought. Word had come swiftly: Vlanche had been sent to an asylum for broken werewolves with pups, her screams and protests fading into nothingness as the doors closed behind her. Alpha Theron? Dead. My father’s hand showed no mercy, and the Stormhood name stood resolute once again.
So much had unfolded–all because of Lucian. A single name that once meant nothing had upended my title, my trust, my future. But I wouldn’t let him disturb my peace again. Not this time.
For now, the silence lingered. No word had come of him.
“Finally, Freya Stormhood,” Mother murmured beside me, “you shall become
the Alpha female of this pack. No one will dare to betray you again.”
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Chapter 30
“Of course, Mother,” I replied, my voice firm, though my chest felt heavy under the weight of her expectations. “No one.”
Today would be the day. The
announcement. I would officially claim the title of Alpha female, not just as a placeholder but as the true leader of my pack. A Luna without a mate—again—but this time, it was different. This time, I was leading on my own terms.
The ceremonial hall brimmed with pack members, their whispers blending with the soft rustle of the wind. The grand staircase loomed ahead of me, the moonlight bathing the polished steps in a silvery glow. The weight of the crescent moon pendant around my neck–a relic passed down from the Alpha line–felt heavier than ever tonight, carrying the burdens of betrayal, triumph, and the future I would forge.
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“Freya, Mother whispered, nudging me. forward. “The pack is waiting.”
I nodded, inhaling deeply as I squared my
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shoulders and began my descent. The crowd parted before me, their eyes gleaming with loyalty, respect, and
something else—fear, perhaps? I couldn’t tell anymore.
Father raised his hands, silencing the murmurs. His voice echoed through the hall, strong and resolute. “Freya Stormhood, do you vow to protect this pack with your life, to uphold its laws, and to lead with strength and wisdom?”
“I do,” I replied, my voice steady despite the rapid thunder of my heart.
And then I saw him.
Alpha Darian stood in the crowd, his presence magnetic, his gaze warm yet commanding. My heart tightened. There was something unspoken between us, a bond that defied logic but felt as real as the ground beneath my feet.
He had given me his bloodline‘ s promise ring, a symbol of his vow to make me his
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Luna. My parents approved; they saw him as the perfect Alpha to stand beside me. But tonight, this moment wasn’t about him. It was mine alone.
As Father placed the ceremonial crown of the Alpha female upon my head, the crowd erupted into a chorus of howls. Their voices rose to the heavens, a cacophony of unity and loyalty.
But then, amidst the celebration, I felt it.
A prickle at the edge of my senses. A familiar, dark presence that sent a chill down my spine.
I scanned the crowd, my stomach twisting into knots. It couldn‘ t be. Lucian
wouldn’t dare…
Would he?
The howls around me faded as my gaze drifted to the edge of the forest. My breath caught in my throat as a shadow moved, lingering just beyond the boundary of the pack‘ s territory. Even cloaked in
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darkness, I knew who it was.
Lucian.
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His silhouette was unmistakable, his stare a silent challenge–a promise that he wasn’t done with me yet.
The wind carried his scent, faint but unmistakable, unraveling the fragile peace I had claimed just moments before.
The night had crowned me Alpha female, but his presence was a stark reminder: my battle wasn’t over.
As the crowd cheered around me, oblivious to the storm brewing at the forest‘ s edge, I stood frozen, my gaze locked on his.
This wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.
And as his piercing eyes met mine, a single truth whispered through my soul:
Lucian had returned.
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