Chapter 81
Ella's POV
The laughter and cheer of the bonfire celebration faded behind me as I walked alone toward the secluded cemetery at the edge of the estate.
This place was nothing like the memorial grounds where warrior souls rested—that solemn space lined with stone monuments, each grave marker etched with the honor of the pack. Ruby's resting place was a simple burial mound, no elaborate carvings, no lengthy epitaphs, only the rare flowers I'd painstakingly gathered from the forest, bundle after bundle piled upon the earthen rise.
Those blossoms glowed faintly in the moonlight—silverbell grass, nightglow roses, and Ruby's favorite violets.
I knelt before the grave, my fingers brushing gently over the soft petals.
"Ruby," I said quietly, "you know what? I'm a hero now. A savior."
The words felt absurd even as I spoke them.
Not long ago, I'd been nothing but a lowly Omega servant in the West Wing, imprisoned by Kane, humiliated by Victoria, my wolf spirit sealed inside me, unable to awaken.
Now the entire Silver Moon Pack cheered for me, calling me "Fire Goddess," "Silver Moon's Salvation."
"Crazy, right?" I continued with a bitter smile. "Sometimes I can't believe it myself. I just... I just wanted to survive. But now they want me to be Luna, to stand beside Julian and lead the whole pack."
The night wind stirred, flower petals trembling as if answering my words.
"I don't know what to do, Ruby." My voice began to shake. "Julian's good to me, really good. He never treats me like a slave, never uses the Command to force me. He says he loves me, says he'll wait until I'm ready. But..."
I paused, tears blurring my vision.
"But I'm scared." The confession finally broke free. "I'm scared to trust again, to depend again, to give my heart away again. Kane taught me one thing—in this world, love is the most unreliable thing there is. He was gentle with me once too, made promises to me too, and then what? He killed our child with his own hands, used me as a pawn for power."
"That was Kane, not Sage," Ignis said softly in the depths of my consciousness. "Our mate is different."
"How do you know?" I shot back in my mind. "What if someday he has to choose between me and power too?"
"Then he'll choose you." Ignis's voice was so certain it hurt. "Sage isn't Blaze. He won't betray us."
I didn't respond, just sat silently before the grave, letting tears fall.
"Ruby, if only you were still here," I choked out. "You'd know what to do. You were always smarter than me, always saw things clearly. You'd tell me whether to stay or go, wouldn't you?"
Just then, a small bird flew down from the night sky, carrying a slender twig in its beak. It circled the grave once, then landed on the pile of flowers and began building a nest with the twig and petals.
I froze, watching the bird's busy movements.
Its feathers shimmered pale blue in the moonlight, its motions light and focused, as if this grave were the home it had always dreamed of.
"Ruby... is that you?" I whispered, fresh tears spilling over.
The bird paused, tilting its head to look at me, then gave a soft chirp and flew to my shoulder. Its claws gripped my clothes, warm body heat seeping through the fabric to my skin.
"So... you think I should leave too?" I asked it, voice trembling.
"That bird isn't a local species." A gentle voice came from behind me.
I spun around to see Brian standing nearby, moonlight casting kind shadows across his weathered face. He walked slowly closer, his gaze settling on the small bird.
"It comes from farther north," Brian continued, "where winters are colder than here, food more scarce. It flew a long way, saw many places, encountered many packs. Some places were prosperous, some barren; some packs kind, some cruel."
He sat down beside me, also watching the bird.
"But in the end, it stopped here." Brian's voice carried deeper meaning. "Before this grave, in this garden full of love. Do you know why?"
I shook my head, not daring to believe my own guess.
"Because it felt love." Brian said softly. "A cemetery built by a devoted girl for her departed friend, every flower a testament to remembrance, every visit a continuation of love. It felt warmth here, so it paused, lingered, decided to make this home."
I watched the bird as it returned to the flowers, continuing its nest. Its movements were so determined, as if it had found where it belonged.
"So," Brian said slowly, "what truly determines whether to stay isn't external glory or duty, but whether you feel love here."
His words were like a key, unlocking the door I'd kept sealed in my heart.
I thought of Julian kneeling before the bonfire, the sincerity in his eyes when he said "you are my salvation"; I thought of him taking a fatal blow for me on the battlefield, of him gently waking me in the spirit realm; I thought of the patience in his "I can wait," of his respect in never forcing me, never using the Command to control me.
"You felt it, didn't you?" Ignis asked softly. "Sage's love for us."
I closed my eyes, letting tears fall.
Yes, I felt it. In Julian's every glance, every word, every touch.
It was something I'd never received from Kane—not possession, not control, but true love and respect.
"But I'm still afraid," I told Brian, voice small.
"Fear is natural." Brian patted my shoulder. "You've endured too much betrayal and hurt. But if fear makes you refuse all love, you'll never truly live."
He stood, preparing to leave.
"Your friend Ruby," he looked back at me, "she wants you happy. That little bird has given you the answer—wherever there's love, that's home."
Brian's figure disappeared into the night, leaving only me and the bird.
I sat there a long time, watching it build its nest bit by bit. When it finally finished, settling contentedly inside, I suddenly smiled.
"Thank you, Ruby." I said to the grave. "I think I know what to do now."
I stood, taking one last look at the bird. It groomed its feathers peacefully in the nest, as if it had found its forever home.