Chapter 42

Chapter 42


The Alpha’s Path

Kilian’s body was exhausted, covered in fresh scars and dried mud. But with every step he took toward the castle gates, his gaze grew harder. The blood moon had marked him, but it had not defeated him.

Laykan whispered in his mind.
—Look at them, human. They feel our presence.
—It’s our pack —Kilian replied, clenching his fists—. And it’s time to lead them again.

When he crossed the hill and the warriors saw him appear, a reverent silence fell over all. No one dared move, as if they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

Kilian advanced slowly, with torn clothes, his torso exposed, and the black marks still visible on his skin. The aura of an alpha, his latent strength, poured out like a river held back for too long.

One by one, the wolves lowered their heads. First the youngest, then the veterans, until the entire courtyard knelt before him.

—My king… —a soldier murmured, his voice breaking.

Kilian said nothing. He only watched, and with a slight movement of his hand, he motioned them to rise. His golden eyes shone with the intensity of the moon.

Gabriel was the first to react. The gamma, who had always maintained his composure even in the darkest moments, felt his legs tremble at the sight of his battle brother.

—It can’t be… —he whispered, his throat tight.

He ran to him, forgetting all formality, and embraced him with desperate strength. Kilian’s broad chest shuddered for a moment but returned the hug with equal intensity.

—I thought I had lost you, brother —Gabriel said, his rough voice finally breaking.

Kilian gritted his teeth, closing his eyes for a moment.
—I thought so too. But Laykan held me. And the pack… still needs me.

Ian approached slowly. The beta, always so proper, had red eyes from sleepless nights. He studied him for a few seconds in silence, as if he needed to convince himself it was real.

—Alpha… —he whispered, voice heavy with emotion—. We thought you were dead.

Kilian held his gaze firmly, and then Ian knelt, lowering his head in a solemn gesture.

—Forgive us for doubting. Welcome home, my king.

The gesture was echoed by everyone present. Warriors, servants, women, and elders who had come to the courtyard bowed, paying him respect.

Kilian felt a knot in his throat. It was not just his pack bowing: it was his family, his reason for existing.

—Rise, all of you —he ordered in a grave voice, though broken by emotion—. I come not as a ghost. I have returned, and while I breathe, none of you will feel fear again.

The roar of the pack echoed, filling the air with hope.

Kilian could barely maintain his composure. His whole body longed for one thing: to see her. His kitty. His Luna.

Gabriel read his gaze.
—She’s in her room. She’s been weak, hardly eating or sleeping… but she endured. —His voice lowered to a whisper—. She never stopped waiting for you.

Kilian nodded, jaw tight. Without further delay, he crossed the castle corridors. Each stone, each hallway, returned memories of battles, laughter, nights with Abigail.

His steps quickened with every heartbeat. Instinct guided him, the bond pulled him with an impossible force.

He pushed open the doors to her room without announcing himself.

Dimness filled the space. The curtains were drawn, letting only a thread of light caress Abigail’s sleeping face.

Kilian stood still, motionless, just observing her.

She was thinner, pale, with shadows under her eyes. Yet, to him, she was the most beautiful sight in existence.

He approached slowly, as if fearing to wake her from a fragile dream. He sat beside her on the bed, and with a tenderness he would never show on the battlefield, extended his hand toward her belly.

His palm touched gently the place where their child grew.

The bond vibrated.

Abigail stirred, as if she had felt it even in her dream. Her eyelids slowly opened, revealing eyes clouded with fatigue and sorrow.

For a second, she thought she was still dreaming. But then the unmistakable scent of her alpha enveloped her. That smell of forest, of iron, of home.

She sat up abruptly, and upon seeing him, a harrowing sob escaped her chest.

—Kilian!

She threw herself into his arms, trembling, crying desperately. She hugged him tightly, as if afraid he would vanish into thin air.

—Tell me I’m not dreaming… —she whispered against his neck, soaking it with her tears—. Tell me it’s really you…

Kilian closed his eyes, holding her to his chest, feeling life return to him with that contact.

—You’re not dreaming, kitty. —His voice was hoarse, broken by emotion—. I’m here. I have returned to you.

Abigail’s hands roamed him desperately, touching his face, his arms, as if needing to confirm every fragment of his existence.

—I thought I had lost you… The mark… it was dark… I… —her voice cracked.

Kilian cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.

—I could never leave you. Not even death could separate me from you.

She cried harder, but this time with relief. Her lips sought his, meeting in a desperate kiss, full of pain, absence, and contained love.

Kilian held her tightly, protecting her belly, guarding her as if the entire world wanted to snatch her away again.

—Forgive me for making you suffer so much. —He rested his forehead against hers—. I promise you will never feel alone again.

—Never leave me again —Abigail sobbed, clutching his chest.

—Never again —he vowed.

Ross, who had entered silently at the sounds, stayed by the door, hands to her chest and tears in her eyes. She said nothing. She knew this moment belonged only to them.

Ian and Gabriel, further back in the hall, exchanged looks of relief. Both had feared the worst, had carried the weight of a kingdom on the brink of despair. But now, with the return of their alpha, everything was falling back into place.

Gabriel sighed.
—Our king has returned.

Ian nodded, a gleam of pride in his eyes.
—And with him, our hope.

That night, Kilian did not move from Abigail’s side. He stayed holding her while she finally slept in peace, her face buried in his chest.

He looked toward the ceiling, caressing her belly tenderly.

—Listen well, little one —he murmured softly—. No matter what comes, your father will always protect your mother… and you.

Laykan purred in his mind, satisfied.
—Finally, you understand what it means to be an alpha. It’s not about ruling… it’s about caring.

Kilian closed his eyes, kissing his Luna’s forehead.

And so, in the silence of dawn, the king who had returned from death found his home once again.