He did.
His movements became rougher, more primal. His wolf was close to the surface, wanting to claim his mate completely.
I arched against him, meeting him thrust for thrust. The pleasure built like a wave, higher and higher.
When I came, it was with his name on my lips. The mate bond flared white-hot, and I felt his release a heartbeat after mine.
We collapsed together, breathing hard. Sweat-slicked skin pressed together. Hearts beating in sync.
"That was..." I couldn't find words.
"Perfect," he finished. "You're perfect."
We lay tangled together as our breathing slowed. The mate bond hummed contentedly between us.
Outside, the camp was quiet. Inside our tent, we had our world.
"What happens now?" I asked eventually.
"Now we go home. Back to Black River. Back to Erica." He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "And then we figure out the rest. Together."
"Together," I echoed. "I like the sound of that."
"Get used to it." His arms tightened around me. "You're stuck with me for the next few centuries."
I smiled into the darkness. "I can think of worse fates."
We fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. The mate bond is a warm glow between us.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges. The Cult was still out there. Seraphine would want revenge. There would be consequences for destroying the Moon's Tear.
But tonight, we had peace.
And that was enough.
Chapter 19: Homecoming
The journey back to Black River Pack took three days.
We moved slowly. Marcus was still recovering. I was exhausted. Even Kael seemed worn down, though he'd never admit it.
The Black River warriors who'd rescued us formed a protective circle as we traveled. Garrett led from the front, constantly alert for threats.
But we encountered no enemies. The forest was eerily quiet.
"They're regrouping," Kael said on the second night. "The Cult. They won't give up just because we destroyed their temple."
"You think they'll come after us again?"
"I know they will." His expression was grim. "Seraphine won't forgive this. And Julia..." He trailed off.
"What about Julia?"
"She vanished during the battle. No one's seen her since." He looked at me. "That worries me more than Seraphine. At least the High Priestess is predictable. Julia is desperate. Desperate people do dangerous things."
I thought about my former rival. The woman who'd stolen my husband. The woman who'd helped poison me and Erica.
What was she planning now?
On the afternoon of the third day, we finally saw it. Black River Pack's territory spread across the valley below. Smoke rose from chimneys. Wolves moved through the streets.
Home.
My chest tightened. Erica was down there. Safe. Waiting.
"Come on," Garrett said gently. "Let's not keep your daughter waiting."
We descended into the valley. As we approached the main gates, people began to gather. Word of our return had spread.
They cheered as we entered. Warriors who'd fought beside us. Families who'd lost members to the cult. Even children who barely understood what had happened.
They were celebrating. We'd won. The temple was destroyed. Leighton was captured.
But I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Some nagging sense that we'd missed something important.
"MOMMY!"
The scream cut through the crowd. I turned just in time to see Erica running toward me.
She crashed into my arms with enough force to knock me back a step. I held her tight, breathing in the scent of her hair. She was here. Real. Safe.
"You came back," she sobbed. "You really came back."
"I promised, didn't I?" I pulled back to look at her. "Let me see you."
She'd changed. In just two weeks, she looked older. Stronger. Her eyes held a confidence I'd never seen before.
"You grew," I said, smiling through tears.
"Elder Thea has been training me." Her face lit up. "Mom, I can do things now. Real magic. I can see the energy flows and—" She stopped, noticing Kael for the first time. "Kael! You're okay!"
To my surprise, she threw her arms around him too. Kael looked startled for a moment, then softened. He hugged her back carefully.
"Of course I'm okay," he said. "Your mother kept me safe."
"And he kept me safe," I added. "We're a team."
Erica looked between us, a knowing smile on her face. "You're more than a team."
"We are," Kael confirmed. "If that's okay with you."
She pretended to think about it. "I guess it's okay. You're not terrible."
He laughed. "High praise."
Helena appeared through the crowd, her face showing relief. "Thank the Goddess. When we got Marcus's signal, we thought—" She stopped, pulling me into a hug. "Come. You all need rest. Food. Healing."
"And a very long bath," I added.
That evening, after I'd bathed and eaten and had my wounds properly tended, I sat in my room staring at nothing.
We'd won. Leighton was defeated. The Moon's Tear was destroyed. We were safe.
So why did I still feel that nagging wrongness?
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. "Come in."
Erica entered, looking nervous. "Can we talk?"
"Of course. Come sit."
She climbed onto the bed beside me, tucking her legs under her. For a moment, she looked like the little girl I remembered. Then she spoke, and the illusion shattered.
"Elder Thea says I have a gift. A rare one."
"What kind of gift?"
"I can see magic. Not just feel it like most wolves. Actually see it. Like threads of light." She held out her hand. Silver-blue energy swirled around her fingers. "And I can manipulate it. Shape it. She says, Only one in a thousand wolves can do this."
Pride swelled in my chest. "That's wonderful, sweetheart."
"There's more." She looked at me seriously. "I can see bonds. Mate bonds. Pack bonds. Family bonds. And yours..." She gestured at me. "Yours is different."
"Different how?"
"Most mate bonds are like silver threads. Yours is more like... a river of light. It's huge. Way bigger than normal." She tilted her head. "And there's something else in it. Something that looks like... a crown?"
My heart skipped. A crown? In my bond with Kael?
"What does that mean?" I asked carefully.
"I don't know. Elder Thea got hushed when I told her. Said some bonds carry old magic. Ancient magic." Erica shrugged. "But whatever it is, it's beautiful. And it's strong. Strong enough to last forever."
"Forever," I echoed. "That's a long time."
"Is it true? What did Kael say? That you'll both live for centuries?"
"Yes. True mates who complete the bond live much longer than normal wolves."
"And I won't?" Her voice was small. "I'll get old and die while you stay young?"
The question broke my heart. "Oh, sweetheart—"
"It's okay." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I understand. At least I'll know you'll be okay. After I'm gone."
"Erica, look at me." I took her face in my hands. "You are my daughter. My everything. Whether I live one year or a thousand years, you will always be the most important thing in my life. Always."
"Promise?"
"Promise." I pulled her into a hug. "And who knows? Maybe Elder Thea can teach you to extend your life too. You have rare gifts. Perhaps that's one of them."
She brightened slightly. "You think so?"
"I think anything is possible. Especially for you."
We sat together in comfortable silence. Outside, I could hear the pack settling for the night. Normal sounds. Safe sounds.
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"I'm glad you found Kael. He's good for you. Makes you happy." She paused. "And he's not like Leighton. He actually cares."
"He does," I agreed softly. "He really does."
After Erica left, I found myself drawn to the window. The moon was nearly full, casting silver light over the pack lands.
Somewhere out there, Leighton sat in a cell. Julia was hiding. Seraphine was planning her revenge.
But here, in this moment, we had peace.
A soft knock. Kael's voice. "Can I come in?"
"Please."
He entered, his presence filling the room. The mate bond hummed to life, stronger now after everything we'd been through.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Confused. We won, but it doesn't feel like victory."
"Because it's not over." He sat beside me. "We bought time, not peace. The Cult will regroup. Seraphine will want the Moon's Tear restored—"
"She can't. I destroyed it."
Something flickered in his expression. Too fast for me to read. "Did you?"
"What do you mean? You felt it through the bond. The crystal shattered."
"I felt something shatter. But..." He shook his head. "Never mind. I'm probably just being paranoid."
But the wrongness in my gut intensified. "Kael, if you think something's off, tell me."
"It's just a feeling. The Cult is too quiet. Too calm for an organization that just lost its greatest weapon." He looked at me. "Promise me you'll stay alert. Don't let your guard down."
"I promise."
He pulled me close, his warmth chasing away the chill. "Tomorrow, there's a council representative coming. To formally arrest Leighton and take him for trial."
"Already?"
"Garrett sent word immediately. The Council wants this handled quickly." His jaw tightened. "I'll be there. At the trial."
"Why do I sense you're not looking forward to it?"
"Because the representative is someone I know. Someone from my past." He was quiet for a moment. "Someone who might recognize me."
"Is that bad?"
"It's... complicated. Let's just say I've been avoiding certain people for a very long time."
The mystery of Kael's past. I still knew so little about it. But I trusted him enough not to push.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, we face it together," I said.
"Together," he agreed.
We lay down together, wrapped in each other's arms. The mate bond pulsed softly between us. A lullaby. A promise.
I fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.
And dreamed of crowns made of light.
The next morning came too quickly.
I dressed carefully in formal Luna attire—a deep blue dress that Helena had provided. It felt strange wearing pack regalia again after weeks in travel clothes and armor.
Kael wore all black, as usual. But something about him seemed different. More... formal. His posture is straighter. His expression was more guarded.
"The representative is here," Marcus reported. "In the main hall."
"Let's get this over with," I said.
We walked together to the hall. Garrett was already there, along with Helena and several Elders. And in the center of the room stood—
My breath caught.
The council representative was tall. Aristocratic. His hair was silver despite his relatively young face. His eyes were a striking amber color.
And he was staring at Kael like he'd seen a ghost.
"You," the man breathed. "It can't be—"
"Ambassador Reeve." Kael's voice was perfectly neutral. "It's been a long time."
"Two hundred years." Reeve took a step forward. "We thought you were dead. Everyone thought—" He stopped, seeming to remember where he was. "I mean, I thought you looked familiar. But surely—"
"I'm just a warrior," Kael said smoothly. "You must be thinking of someone else."
"Of course." But Reeve's eyes said he didn't believe it for a second. "My apologies."
The tension in the room was suffocating. What was happening?
"Shall we proceed with the prisoner?" Garrett asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"Yes. Yes, of course." Reeve straightened, becoming professional again. "Bring in Leighton Silvermane."
Guards brought Leighton in. He looked smaller somehow. Diminished. His hands were bound with silver, suppressing his wolf.
When his eyes found mine, they filled with rage. "Sophia. Are you happy? Is this what you wanted?"
"I wanted you to stop trying to kill our daughter," I said coldly. "Everything else was your choice."
"Ambassador Reeve," Garrett said. "The charges against Leighton Silvermane are extensive. Conspiracy with the Blood Moon Cult. Attempted murder of his mate and child. Use of forbidden magic. Betrayal of his pack."
"I did what was necessary!" Leighton snarled. "You don't understand the bigger picture! The Cult promised power! Unity! A new order!"
"Silence," Reeve commanded.