Chapter 20
602words
A chill ran down my spine at his words, but Derek's warmth through our bond steadied me. Whatever threats still lurked out there, we would face them together.
The council session continued late into the night. Derek was formally reaffirmed as Alpha, while I was recognized as his Mate and Luna—the female Alpha of the pack. Victor was sentenced to imprisonment until a formal trial could be arranged with representatives from other packs as witnesses.
When it was finally over, Derek and I slipped away from the celebrations that had erupted throughout the mansion. We found ourselves in the gardens, beneath the same full moon that had witnessed our bond.
"It's really over," I said softly, still hardly believing it. "After three years..."
Derek pulled me close, his arms encircling me. Through our bond, I felt his pride, his relief, and his overwhelming love. "Justice for our fathers," he murmured against my hair. "And a new beginning for us."
I looked up at him, my heart full. "I never imagined this when I came here seeking revenge. I never thought I'd find..."
"Your other half?" he suggested, his eyes soft in the moonlight.
"Yes." I reached up to touch his face. "I can feel everything you feel," I whispered in wonder. "Your strength, your kindness, even your fears."
"And I can feel yours," he replied. "Your pain, your fears, and..." he smiled, "your love for me."
Tears filled my eyes. "I never thought anyone would know me so completely and still want me."
Derek wiped away a tear with his thumb. "I don't just want you, Lena. I need you. You're part of me now, as I am part of you."
Under the silver moon, we sealed our bond with a kiss that felt like a promise—a vow that whatever came next, we would face it as one. The silver light of our connection enveloped us, visible proof of what we both felt in our hearts.
We were Mates, bound by blood and choice and love. And in that moment, beneath the moon that had blessed us, nothing else mattered.
But as we walked back toward the mansion, hand in hand, a distant howl echoed from beyond the territory borders—a sound that sent an inexplicable chill through our bond. Derek's grip tightened on mine.
"What was that?" I asked, though part of me didn't want to know.
Derek's eyes scanned the dark forest edge. "I don't know. But Victor's words..."
*There are others who know the truth about silver wolves—what they're really for. They'll come for you.*
Through our bond, we shared the same thought: our battle for justice might be over, but a new challenge was just beginning.
---
That distant howl haunted my dreams for days. Each night, I'd wake with a start, my heart pounding, only to find Derek already awake beside me, his amber eyes gleaming in the darkness.
"I feel it too," he would whisper, pulling me closer.
A week after our confrontation with Victor, Derek had called an emergency meeting with the pack elders. As we left the meeting room, Kayla appeared in the hallway, her eyes red-rimmed.
"Derek," she called, her voice breaking. "Please, I need to speak with you."
Derek's arm tightened around my waist. "Anything you have to say can be said in front of Lena."
Kayla's eyes flicked to me, then back to Derek. "I know things—about my father's contacts outside the pack. People who were interested in his research."
