Elara pov.
Elara awoke to an overwhelming sense of profound peace. It wasn't just the residual coolness of the golden salve or the soft silk sheets; it was the intense, grounding presence of her mate.
She was still in the East Wing, but the room felt different, no longer a gilded cage, but a sanctuary.
Roland sat in the large armchair by the fireplace, no longer wearing his military attire, but simple black trousers.
His combat shirt was discarded on the floor, revealing the muscular landscape of his back, cross-hatched with minor scratches and deep purple bruising from the lightning and ice of the Coven attack.
He was focused intently on a small leather bag he held, his brow furrowed in concentration.
The scent of ozone and smoke still clung to him, mingling with the powerful, comforting scent of his wolf.
As if sensing her attention, Roland turned. His eyes, usually granite, were softened by an unguarded tenderness that stunned her. The Alpha mask was gone.
"You're awake," he said, his voice low and roughened by exhaustion.
"How do you feel?"
"Strong," Elara whispered, the word tasting true. The terrifying weakness left by the Witch's Bane had been purged by the surge of power and the raw adrenaline of their shared fight.
"And healed. Why?"
Roland walked to the bedside, his movements still favoring his left side, where the ice shards had struck.
He sat on the edge of the bed, a massive, comforting weight. He didn't hesitate; he reached out and took her hand, intertwining their fingers.
"The Bane suppressed your spirit, Elara, but the Moonfall fire never died. When you called on the elements, you forced the magic to burn out the poison.
But the true healing," he paused, his gaze dropping to their linked hands, "is the bond. It's an electrical current, mate.
It's been trying to knit you back together since the moment Richard handed you over."
He looked up, and the raw sincerity in his golden eyes felt like a formal oath. "I lied to you.
I am sorry.
Every action I took the coldness, the cruelty was a defense against Richard, against the Council, against the witches.
The lie was the only way to convince the world you were still weak enough to be ignored.
I will never lie to you again, Luna."
Elara squeezed his hand, a rush of love and forgiveness overwhelming her. "I know now.
And I understand the timing of the lie. But that feeling in the cellar… that energy… I need to understand it, Roland. I need to control it."
Roland nodded, his face hardening with Alpha resolve. "You will. But first, we deal with the consequences of breaking the seal."
Alpha Roland pov.
Later that day, Roland and Elara moved to the private strategy bunker. Cassian and Gideon were already there, surrounded by maps and comms equipment.
The atmosphere was focused, the lingering euphoria of survival replaced by the cold reality of war.
"Thane is secured, Alpha," Cassian reported, his tone formal, his eyes respectfully avoiding Elara.
"He confessed Richard was planning to reclaim the Luna once the Coven was distracted, using her as a weapon to destabilize both our territories.
He's been in contact with a high-ranking witch named Hecate."
Roland ground his teeth. "Hecate. A powerful name. So Richard was a puppet, trading his soul for a kingdom."
He turned to Elara, pulling her to the map table. "The Moonfall Pack was founded on a secret union between the first Shifters and the first Earth Witches.
That union forged the Nexus of Power at the heart of our land. The Nexus is the center of the elemental energy that feeds the entire region."
Roland pointed to four distinct geological markers on the map: a volcanic vent, a hidden spring, an ancient forest grove, and a high, windswept mountain peak.
"There are four seals placed on the Nexus," Roland explained.
"Your ancestors placed them there to ensure balance. Each seal is attuned to an element.
Your pendant is the Moonfall Key, and you, Elara, are the Moonfall Lock."
"In the attack, you used fire and water/ice," Cassian interjected, pointing to two of the markers. "You didn't just fight the Coven; you used the Key to break two of the four Nexus Seals."
Elara paled. "What does that mean?"
Roland placed his hand over hers on the map, his voice grave. "It means the magic in the region is now unstable and growing chaotic.
And it means the Coven knows you can break the remaining two seals.Earth and Air and grant them catastrophic power.
They won't send scouts next time. They will send a legion."
"And Richard?"
Elara asked.
"He is a liability, Elara, and a threat to your life," Roland said, his eyes blazing with determination.
"He is in breach of the treaty and plotting treason. We hit him immediately, before he can inform Hecate of your location and before the magical imbalance can be exploited by the Coven."
Roland looked from Cassian to Gideon, his voice taking on the full, terrifying authority of the Shadowlands Alpha. "Gideon, mobilize the tactical unit.
You will lead the assault on Northwood. Take Thane with you; let Richard see his Beta's betrayal.
I want Richard brought back alive, but his leadership structure must be permanently dismantled."
He looked back at Elara, his gaze intense. "And you, Luna, you will be my public strength.
The lie is done.
To stabilize the Nexus and to secure our claim on this pack and on you we must be seen as an unbreakable unit. Tonight, we will perform the Claiming Ritual before the pack."
He touched the pendant hidden beneath her clothes. "Your training begins in earnest tomorrow.
But first, you must publicly take your place at my side. You need the strength of the pack, and they need the truth of their Luna."
Roland has decided to launch a surprise attack on Alpha Richard's pack and immediately formalize their mate bond with a Claiming Ritual to stabilize Elara's power and secure his political position.