Chapter 58
Julian's POV
After a grueling morning of training, I dragged my exhausted body into the Wolf House hall. The clamor of voices flooded my ears—warriors queuing for their meals, the air thick with the aroma of roasted meat and wheat porridge. My stomach twisted with a dull ache, reminding me it had been far too long since I'd eaten a proper meal.
I moved slowly through the crowd, my gaze drifting across the hall. Father Walter stood in the distance, his figure unmistakable among the masses. Our eyes met across the space, and he offered me a gentle smile—one filled with the warmth I knew well, but also something deeper I couldn't quite decipher.
Then he turned and walked slowly toward the platform at the center of the hall.
The noise gradually subsided. Everyone stopped what they were doing, their attention following Father's movements. I stood toward the back, feeling the atmosphere grow suddenly heavy.
Father stood on the platform, his gaze sweeping over every person present. His voice was steady and powerful, echoing through the hall: "I remember forty years ago, when I was just a young warrior, fighting alongside my father on the ice plains against the Blood River wolves. Back then, Silver Moon was weak—our territory spanned barely a hundred miles, our people numbered less than a thousand."
He paused, a glimmer of memory in his eyes. "But we never gave up. What sustained us? Not elemental power, not noble bloodlines—but the determination in every Silver Moon warrior's heart to protect our home. That determination allowed us to survive countless desperate situations, to grow from a weak pack into the powerful force that now rules the North."
The hall fell so silent you could hear only breathing.
I watched Father, his silhouette slightly hunched in the firelight, his white hair particularly striking under the lamps.
"Now, I am old," Father's voice carried a trace of weariness. "These years, I've been thinking—what kind of leader can guide Silver Moon to an even more glorious future? Someone like me, who relies on experience and caution? Or someone like you, filled with courage and spirit from the younger generation?"
He turned, his gaze settling on me. "My son Julian has proven the answer to me during our recent crisis. He willingly bore the seal's suffering to protect our people; even after losing his power, he still stands on the training grounds, fighting alongside you. This is what a true leader is—not someone who commands from on high, but someone who lives and dies with his people."
My heart lurched. Eyes turned toward me from all directions—surprised, questioning, expectant.
"Therefore, I have decided—" Father's voice grew solemn. "From this day forward, Julian will assume the position of Alpha of the Silver Moon pack. And I, along with the elders of this generation, will retire completely, entrusting the future to you young ones."
The hall erupted in commotion. I stood frozen, my mind blank.
Father extended his hand toward me, gesturing for me to come up. I took a deep breath and stepped forward. Each step felt like walking on cotton, unreal and dizzying.
The moment I stepped onto the platform, I saw the sea of faces below—some filled with anticipation, some with doubt, others simply numb and waiting.
I opened my mouth but found I didn't know what to say.
"I..." My voice trembled. "I know you've all seen it—I've lost Sage, lost the ice element. Right now, I can't even shift into wolf form."
The murmuring below grew louder. I saw people furrowing their brows, whispering to each other.
"The Blood River wolves are about to descend upon us. We face the most severe crisis in Silver Moon's history," I continued, a note of self-mockery in my voice. "And your new leader is someone who can't even maintain wolf form. Perhaps... perhaps what Silver Moon needs right now is an Alpha who can stand at the very front of the battlefield, personally leading the charge."
As my words fell, the discussion grew even louder. I saw Father frown, saw worry flash in Mother Jenna's eyes.
My gaze searched through the crowd and finally landed on Kane. He stood in a corner of the hall, his expression cold as he watched all this, as if the ceremony had nothing to do with him.
Our eyes met. He frowned.
Then, to everyone's shock, he began walking toward the platform.
Samuel immediately moved to block him, but Kane drove him back with a single look. Step by step, he climbed the stairs and stood facing me.
The air seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the conflict about to erupt.
Kane stared at me, complex emotions flickering in his eyes. Then he spoke in a low voice, audible only to the two of us: "Don't think that just because you took that seal for me, you can play the coward."
I froze.
The next second, Kane slowly dropped to one knee. He raised his head, his ice-blue eyes looking directly into mine, his voice clear and firm: "I, Kane Argyle, volunteer to serve as vanguard, to resist the Blood River wolves' invasion!"
He paused, his lips curling into a mocking smile. "My Alpha."
The hall fell into dead silence first, then erupted in deafening cheers.
"Alpha!"
"Alpha!"
The shouts came like waves, each one higher than the last. I stood on the platform, looking at Kane kneeling before me, indescribable emotions surging in my chest.
Father stepped forward, his voice gentle as he asked: "Did you bring the Orta Crown?"
I pulled the crown from inside my coat. It wasn't ornate—just simple silver metal, set with a blue gemstone symbolizing the ice element. At this moment, that gem blazed brilliantly, as if responding to something.
Father took the crown and solemnly placed it on my head.
In that instant, the cheering reached its peak. I saw tears glistening in Mother Jenna's eyes, saw warriors pumping their fists, saw Kane slowly rise to his feet, the mockery gone from his eyes, replaced by something I couldn't read.
I took a deep breath and raised both arms.
"Long live the Silver Moon pack!"
My voice was drowned in an even louder response—
"Long live!"
"Long live!"
"Long live!"
In that moment, I finally understood why Father chose this time to pass on his position. Not because of how strong I was, but because Silver Moon needed someone who could unite everyone's faith.
Even if I'd lost my power, even if the road ahead was full of unknowns, as long as our people's hearts remained together, Silver Moon would never fall.
I looked toward Kane, and he looked back at me. We exchanged no words, yet seemed to reach some kind of understanding.
War was coming.
And we would fight side by side.