Chapter 93

Zeena's POV

People like to say normal is boring.

That a quiet life lacks spark, that peace is overrated, that danger is what makes you feel alive.

I promise you–whoever started that saying has never lived in the werewolf world.

Because here, normal meant survival. Normal was a gift. Normal meant you lived. It meant you didn’t have eyes on you, weighing you, waiting for you to crack. It meant you could exist without every breath being questioned.

Right now, I would have taken boring in a heartbeat.

Because standing on Stormfang’s borders with the council watching me like I was something they hadn’t decided how to name yet, normal felt very far away. What I was met with wasn’t curiosity. It was suspicion. Plain, obvious suspicion.

“What are you, Luna?”

The question came just as relief was starting to creep in. Frederick’s voice was mild, almost lazy, but I felt it like a hook sinking under my ribs.

For a second, my mind stalled.

What was I?

My heart picked up speed, loud enough that I swore they could hear it. Heat gathered at the base of my back, sweat prickling under my clothes, and I forced myself not to react. Panic would only make things worse. I had to think. I had to get out of this. What was I?

I lifted my head and held Frederick’s gaze.

Well. I was many things and this was one of them.

“I am the Luna of Stormfang,” I said instead, keeping my voice steady. “Why? Do you doubt my place or my authority?”

Before Frederick could respond, Laura spoke.

“Is that standard council procedure?” she asked calmly. “Interrogating a Luna on her own borders?”

I almost smiled.

Bless you, Laura.

I didn’t look away from Frederick, even as I muttered a silent warning to Celeste in my head to please, please not show up now. My nerves were already stretched thin enough.

Warren exhaled sharply.

“Enough,” he said. “This discussion continues with the alpha present. And there had better be no story the next time we come.”

Before I could form a response, he and Frederick shifted without another word, bodies snapping into motion before tearing off into the forest.

As soon as they were out of sight, Laura turned back toward the pack, already moving. I followed, the ground pounding under our feet as we ran.

“You seem to have a knack for coming up with things on the spot,” I said once the burning in my chest reduced.

Laura chuckled. “You should learn it.”

“What if things had gone south?” The words spilled out of me now that the danger had passed. “What if they demanded to see Ryder? Or insisted on going through the grounds? What if they smelled me?”

“That’s a lot of what-ifs, Zeena. What would’ve been better?” she shot back. “Telling them Ryder fought Elliot and nearly died? That you killed him? Would that have helped?”

I sighed, rubbing at my face. She had a point.

“Besides you’re learning,” she said. “You didn’t actually tell them what you were,” Laura added.

“I am the Luna, or ain't I?”

She smirked. “Exactly.”

When we reached the pack house, I broke away immediately and went straight to Ryder.

He hadn’t moved.

The sight of him still like that made my chest ache in ways I didn’t have words for.

“Ryder,” I whispered, stepping closer, holding his fingers in mine. “What are we supposed to do now?”

The knock that came almost immediately startled me.

I straightened and opened it to find Andre standing there, looking uncomfortable, like he wasn’t sure he belonged in the doorway.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” I replied.

We stood there in silence for a moment.

“Laura told me about the council,” he said eventually.

“It went better than expected,” I answered. “Thanks to her.”

He rubbed the back of his head. “I’m…sorry about earlier. But if Ryder were to take that fight again, it would still end the same way.”

I raised my brows. Did he come here to add salt to injury? “Why?”

“Because you don’t step into an alpha’s fight, Zeena,” he said tiredly. “It’s law. No one interferes unless they’re challenging. An alpha’s fight ends when someone wins or loses.”

I swallowed.

“But I interrupted,” I said quietly.

“Yes,” Andre said, dragging a hand down his face. “You did.”

“What does that mean for me then?”

He hesitated.

“It means anyone can challenge you now, Zeena. Hopefully the council doesn’t notice the power shift.”

“They won’t,” I said quickly. “Right? I didn’t want to take over. I just wanted to help him. He would’ve died, Andre. Would that have been better? Having Elliot rule the pack?”

Andre sighed. “I didn’t make the rules.”

What stupid rules?!

“You’ll need to address the pack before the end of the day,” he added, turning to leave. Then he paused. “For what it’s worth, Stormfang would have broken today. But it didn’t. Just don’t underestimate how fast they’ll test you.”

When he left, I sat back down beside Ryder, my head bowed.

How had I ended up here? But then, would I have done it differently? Let Ryder die because of a rule I didn’t believe in?

And just as quickly, the answer came,

No. I'd have done it a thousand times again. Regardless.

I squeezed his arm gently. “Please be fine,” I murmured. “Come back to your people. They need you.”

And apparently I do too, perhaps even more.

I stepped outside and headed for the pack house. The whole courtyard was empty. On the stairs, I caught a passing wolf and told him to help call Beta Laura and Gamma Andre to the alpha’s office.

I walked to my room, bathed quickly, scrubbing away the remaining dried blood and exhaustion. I tied my hair into a neat bun, staring at my reflection.

If I was going to face them, I might as well look reasonable.

By the time I reached Ryder’s office, Laura and Andre were already there.

“Andre said he briefed you,” Laura said.

I nodded.

“Are you ready for this?”

I let out a slow breath. “Do I have a choice?”

Laura’s gaze sharpened. “You know someone’s going to step up, right?”

Andre nodded once. “The question is who.”