The Sacred Hollow was still, the embers of battle lingering in the air like ghost fire. Though the crowd had long since dispersed, the echo of Olivia's victory remained—etched into the stones, whispered through the trees, and felt in the soul of the pack.
She had won.
But the war for her place had only just begun.
---
The next morning, Olivia stood before the Council of Elders, dressed in silver ceremonial robes, her crescent moon pendant resting above her heart. Her bruises had not yet faded, and the ache in her ribs reminded her of every blow, every moment she'd nearly fallen—but she stood tall.
Elder Malric stepped forward. "By ancient rite, and under the full witness of the Moon Goddess, we acknowledge Olivia Rivers as the rightful Luna of the Northern Pack."
He turned to her and bowed.
And so did the rest.
Warriors. Healers. Omegas. Even those who had doubted her just days before. One by one, heads lowered in respect. It felt surreal—like a dream built from fire and pain. But it was real.
She had earned her place.
Alex stood beside her, expression unreadable but proud. When his hand gently brushed hers, it was not a gesture of dominance, but of equality.
Together, they faced their future.
---
The Luna's chambers were unlike anything Olivia had ever known.
Set high in the cliffs overlooking Moonlight Forest, they were carved from polished stone, with wide open windows that flooded the space with light. Shelves lined with ancient scrolls and maps filled the walls. A great oak table stood in the center, ready for strategy meetings. A balcony overlooked the entire valley below.
It was beautiful.
And it felt… lonely.
She didn't say it aloud, but Alex noticed. "You don't have to sleep here unless you want to," he said one night, leaning against the doorframe.
Olivia smiled faintly. "It's not the room. It's what it represents. Power always feels lonely at first."
He stepped in. "Then let's not be alone."
His hand found hers again, grounding her.
And in that moment, for the first time since the bond, she didn't feel like an outsider. She felt like Luna.
---
But peace never lasts in the wilds.
Three days later, a messenger arrived at dawn, bloodied and panting.
"They're back," he choked. "The Shadowfangs."
Alex froze. "Where?"
"South border. Near the ravine. They raided one of the outposts."
The room chilled.
The Shadowfangs were a rogue pack, banished decades ago for practicing dark magic and bloodbinding. Thought long gone, they were myth and warning—until now.
"We need to mobilize," Alex said, already issuing commands. "Send scouts. Protect the villages. I want the Luna guarded—"
"No," Olivia interrupted. "I want to help."
He paused. "Olivia…"
"I'm not just the Luna in title. I fought for this role. Let me lead beside you. Let the pack see that I can protect them as fiercely as I protected myself."
Their eyes locked.
Finally, Alex nodded. "Then prepare. We leave at first light."
---
Later that evening, as the pack readied for the march, Olivia stood outside the healer's den, helping apply poultices and wrapping wounds. Even though she was now Luna, she hadn't forgotten her roots—and neither had the others.
"She fought with the Alpha—and now she tends the sick," one elder whispered. "Maybe the Moon chose right after all."
But from the shadows, a different voice lingered.
"She's not ready."
Eunice stood at the edge of the den, arms crossed, her wounds nearly healed.
"You're still watching me?" Olivia asked softly.
"I'm watching the pack," Eunice replied. "They're mine, even if the moon doesn't agree."
There was no venom in her voice now—just something more dangerous. Resentment buried beneath calm.
"I didn't want to humiliate you," Olivia said.
"You didn't. You surprised me. That's worse."
Olivia studied her. "Then stand with us. Use your strength for the pack, not against it."
Eunice didn't answer. She simply walked away, leaving Olivia with a chill that had nothing to do with the wind.
---
That night, Olivia stood on the balcony, looking over the trees. In the distance, wolves howled—a call, a warning, a promise.
Alex joined her, arms sliding around her waist.
"You were born for this," he said.
"No," she whispered. "I was fated for it. And I intend to make fate proud."
But as the wind carried the howl of the Shadowfangs through the mountains, a deeper voice echoed in the dark corners of her mind.
> "The moon chose you, girl... but the shadows were watching too."
And far, far away—in a den of bones and runes—a figure cloaked in ash opened glowing red eyes.
---