Chapter 104
Rhianna stood at the edge of the palace grounds, the night air cool against her skin. The wedding gown was gone—replaced with simple dark trousers, boots, and a cloak Hardin had stolen from the stables. She had left the veil, the crown, the pearls behind. She had left Aurora behind.
Hardin stood beside her, still weak from the flogging. His back was bandaged under his shirt, but he moved without complaint. Garrick, Theo, and Jax waited a few steps away—three loyal wolves who had slipped out of the palace gates with them when the chaos erupted. They had shifted already, three large wolves in the shadows: gray, brown, white. Ready to run.
Rhianna looked at Hardin. “You’re hurt. You can’t carry me.”
Hardin gave her a small, stubborn smile. “I carried you when you were dying. I can carry you now.”
She opened her mouth to argue.
He shifted.
Bones cracked softly. Black fur rippled over his body. In seconds he was wolf—massive, powerful, eyes glowing gold. He lowered himself to the ground, waiting.
Rhianna hesitated only a second.
Then she climbed onto his back.
She settled between his shoulders, fingers sinking into thick fur. She felt his heartbeat under her thighs—strong, steady, alive. She leaned forward, pressed her cheek to his neck.
“I’m ready,” she whispered.
Hardin huffed once—almost a laugh—then surged forward.
The pack followed.
They ran.
The palace fell away behind them. The lights dimmed. The sounds of celebration faded. The woods swallowed them whole.
Rhianna closed her eyes at first. The wind stung. The speed thrilled. Hardin’s muscles moved beneath her like a living wave—powerful, sure, unstoppable. She felt every stride, every breath he took. She felt safe.
For the first time in months—maybe years—she felt truly safe.
Garrick ran on her left, Theo on her right, Jax bringing up the rear. They moved as one unit, weaving through trees, leaping streams, avoiding roads. No one spoke. No one needed to. The only sounds were paws on earth, wind in fur, Rhianna’s quiet breathing against Hardin’s neck.
Hours passed.
The moon climbed higher.
The forest changed—denser, wilder, familiar in a way that made her chest ache. She opened her eyes. The trees looked different now. Older. Taller. She knew these woods.
She remembered.
Flashes came again.
Running here as a child, Hardin beside her, laughing.
Hiding in hollow logs when they played.
Stealing apples from the orchard.
Lying on her back under stars while he told her stories about the moon goddess and how she paired souls.
She pressed her face into his fur. Tears came—quiet, hot, healing.
Hardin felt them. He slowed just enough to glance back at her. Gold eyes soft. Reassuring.
She whispered, “I remember more.”
He huffed gently—acknowledgment.
They kept running.
Dawn broke.
Pink light filtered through the trees. The air smelled different—home. Pack territory. Pine, earth, wolf musk.
Rhianna sat up straighter.
She knew this path.
The river crossing. The old oak with the claw marks. The ridge where the pack always howled at the full moon.
Hardin slowed to a trot.
The pack gathered around them.
They shifted human one by one.
Garrick said, “We’re close. The sentries will see us soon.”
Theo said, “They’ll be shocked.”
Jax said, “They’ll think they’re seeing ghosts.”
Rhianna slid off Hardin’s back.
He shifted human. Winced as the bandages pulled. She touched his arm.
“You okay?”
He smiled. “Better now.”
They walked the last mile.
The pack border came into view—marked by tall stones carved with the Blackwood sigil. Sentries appeared—two wolves shifting human, eyes wide.
One shouted, “Alpha! It’s… it’s Rhianna!”
The other ran ahead, howling the alert.
Word spread like wildfire.
By the time they reached the main clearing, the pack had gathered.
Hundreds of wolves—men, women, children—stood in stunned silence.
Mothers clutched pups. Elders leaned on canes. Warriors lowered weapons.
Rhianna walked beside Hardin. Garrick, Theo, and Jax flanked them.
The crowd parted.
Rhianna saw them.
Sebastian.
Brittany.
And a tiny bundle in Brittany’s arms.
The newborn.
Sebastian looked older. Tired. Eyes hollow. The Alpha title gone from his shoulder. He stood like a man carrying invisible chains.
Brittany held the baby close. Protective. Defiant. Her eyes locked on Rhianna—shock, fear, hatred all mixed.
The baby cried softly.
Rhianna stopped.
She had loved Sebastian once—as a mate, as duty. That bond was dead. Broken by his choice.
She had feared Brittany once. The woman who sent men to kill her. The woman who framed Hardin. The woman who took everything.
But now?
Now she felt nothing.
She looked at the baby. Innocent. New. Not part of the pain.
She looked back at Sebastian and Brittany.
They stared.
They saw her.
They saw Rhianna.
Not Aurora.
Not a lost girl.
Rhianna.
Alive.
Returned.
But they saw nothing else.
No warmth. No welcome. No forgiveness.
Rhianna turned her head away.
She looked at Hardin.
He was swaying. Eyes glassy. Breath shallow. The run, the wounds, the blood loss—it had taken everything.
He smiled weakly. “We’re home.”
Then his legs gave out.
He collapsed.
Garrick caught him before he hit the ground.
Rhianna cried out. “Hardin!”
The pack surged forward.
Healers pushed through. Alden—the old pack healer—ran ahead. Gray hair. Steady hands. Eyes wide with shock.
“Get him to my chamber! Now!”
Warriors lifted Hardin carefully. Carried him toward the healer’s hut.
Rhianna ran after them.
The crowd parted again.
She followed the stretcher into Alden’s chamber.
The room smelled of herbs and clean linen. A low bed waited. Candles burned. Shelves full of jars and bottles.
They laid Hardin face-down.
Alden worked fast. Cut away the bandages. Cleaned the torn skin. Applied thick green salve. Wrapped fresh linen.
Hardin groaned once. Passed out.
Alden looked up. Saw Rhianna.
His old eyes filled with tears.
“Rhianna…”
He stepped around the bed. Pulled her into a hug.
“You’re alive,” he whispered. “Goddess be praised. You’re alive.”
Rhianna hugged him back. Tears fell.
“I remember you,” she said. “You tried to heal me. Before the river. You said my heart was dying. My wolf was fading.”
Alden nodded. “I did. I thought we’d lost you. Everyone did.”
The door burst open.
Tia ran in.
Tia—her best friend since childhood. Short dark hair. Freckles. Eyes wide with disbelief.
“Rhianna?”
Rhianna turned.
Tia stopped.
Then she ran.
Threw herself into Rhianna’s arms.
They collided. Hugged hard.
Tia sobbed. Loud. Broken. Joyful.
“You’re here. You’re really here. I thought you were dead. I thought we lost you forever.”
Rhianna cried too. Held Tia tight.
“I’m here. I remember. I remember you. All of it.”
Tia pulled back. Looked at her face. Touched her cheeks.
“You’re beautiful. You’re alive. You’re home.”
Rhianna said, “I am.”
Tia looked at Hardin on the bed.
“He brought you back.”
Rhianna said, “Yes.”
Tia said, “He never gave up. He searched every day. He left the pack. He gave up everything. For you.”
Rhianna looked at Hardin.
He slept. Breathing shallow. But alive.
She walked to the bed. Sat on the edge. Took his hand.
His fingers curled around hers. Weak. But there.
She whispered, “I’m here.”
Alden worked quietly. Cleaning. Salving. Bandaging.
Tia stood beside her. Held her other hand.
The room was full of quiet love. Quiet relief. Quiet healing.
Outside, the pack whispered.
Rhianna had returned.
Hardin had brought her home.
Sebastian and Brittany had seen her.
But Rhianna had not spoken to them.
She had looked.
They had looked.
And nothing had passed between them.
No words.
No forgiveness.
No hate.Just eyes meeting.
Then looking away. Rhianna stayed by Hardin’s side.
She did not leave. Not for food. Not for rest. Not for anything.
She held his hand. She waited.
She remembered. And she chose.
Home was not the pack house.
Home was not the palace.
Home was him.
And she was finally back.