Chapter 77 Ripples
Two weeks after rescuing the Riverside sisters, young Sera sat in her first official Luna Queen council meeting.
The meeting room was smaller than the throne room but still impressive. A long table with chairs for the senior pack members. Maps on the walls showing Northern Kingdom territory and the surrounding lands. Windows that let in afternoon sunlight.
Kael sat at the head of the table. Young Sera sat on his right side. Lyra on his left. Garrett, Mora, and several other senior wolves filled the remaining seats.
This was how the pack business was conducted. Weekly meetings to discuss problems and make decisions. Young Sera had been invited to observe before, but today was different. Today she was not just observing. Today she was expected to participate fully.
“First item,” Kael said, reading from his notes. “Border Patrol reports increased rogue activity on the eastern boundary. Three sightings in the past week. No attacks yet, but the rogues are getting bolder.”
“Increase patrols,” Lyra said immediately. “Double the guards on that section. Make it clear we are watching.”
“Agreed,” Garrett added. “But we should also find out why rogues are gathering. Usually, they avoid pack territories. Something is drawing them to our border.”
The discussion continued. Young Sera listened carefully, learning how decisions were made. How different perspectives were considered. How Kael balanced security with resources.
“Second item,” Kael continued. “We have received three requests from other packs asking for Luna Queen Sera’s assistance with omega situations. All three involve suspected abuse cases similar to the Riverside sisters.”
The room went quiet. Everyone turned to look at young Sera.
“Three requests?” young Sera asked. “In two weeks?”
“News of what you did at Riverside spread quickly,” Mora said. “Other omegas heard that a Luna Queen went personally to rescue abused girls. They are reaching out. Asking for help.”
Young Sera felt the weight of those requests settle on her shoulders. Three more packs. Three more situations where omegas needed saving. Three more Alphas who might fight to keep their power over vulnerable wolves.
“We cannot help all of them,” Lyra said bluntly. “We do not have the resources. We cannot send warriors to three different territories at once.”
“We also cannot ignore them,” young Sera countered. “If we only help some omegas, we are saying the others do not matter as much. That is wrong.”
“It is not about what matters,” Garrett said gently. “It is about what is possible. We have limited warriors. Limited resources. We need to prioritise.”
“How do we prioritise between three omega girls being beaten and four omega women being sold? How do we decide which victims deserve rescue and which ones have to wait?”
No one had a good answer.
Kael spoke carefully. “We do what we can. We help those we can. We cannot save everyone, but we can save someone. That has to be enough.”
“It is not enough,” young Sera said. “Not when we know there are more victims out there.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Lyra asked, not unkindly. “You are Luna Queen. This is your area of responsibility. What is your solution?”
Young Sera thought hard. There had to be a better way than just choosing which victims to help and which to abandon.
“We need a system,” young Sera said slowly, the idea forming as she spoke. “Not just me going personally to rescue omegas. That does not scale. We need something bigger. Something that can handle multiple situations at once.”
“Like what?” Mora asked.
“An omega protection network. Safe houses in different territories where abused omegas can go for help. Trained teams who can respond to emergencies. Legal support for omegas who want to bring charges against their abusers. We build an organisation that exists beyond just the Northern Kingdom.”
The room was silent as everyone considered this.
“That would take enormous resources,” Garrett said finally. “Money, people, political capital. We would need support from multiple packs. It would take years to build.”
“Then we start building today. We cannot wait until everything is perfect. We start with what we have and grow from there.”
Kael looked at young Sera with an expression she could not quite read. Pride maybe. Or concern. “This is exactly the kind of thing your grandmother would have proposed. She had the same instinct to build systems instead of just responding to individual crises.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“Good. But also complicated. Building an omega protection network means getting involved in politics across multiple territories. Making alliances. Convincing other Alphas to support reforms they might see as threats to their authority. Are you ready for that level of complexity?”
Young Sera thought about the three requests sitting on the table. Three groups of omegas are asking for help. Three situations where she could make a difference if she were willing to do the work.
“I am ready to try. Even if I fail, trying is better than doing nothing.”
“That settles it then,” Kael said. “Young Sera will begin developing the omega protection network. Garrett, work with her on the logistics. Mora, identify healers and counsellors who might want to participate. Lyra, assess our security capabilities and what we can spare for this project.”
Everyone nodded, accepting their assignments.
“Third item,” Kael continued, moving through the agenda. “We have received a formal request from Alpha Thomas Reed. He wants to visit the Northern Kingdom. Says he has important business to discuss.”
Young Sera felt her stomach clench. Thomas Reed. The unmated Alpha who had been obsessed with her. Who had voted against Kael at the summit? Who had looked at young Sera like she was something to be claimed.
“Denied,” young Sera said immediately.
“We cannot deny him without reason,” Kael said. “He is an Alpha. He has the right to request meetings.”
“He makes me uncomfortable. That is reason enough.”
“Not legally. Not in a way that would hold up if he complained to the Council.”
“Then I will meet him in public. In the throne room. With all of you present. But I will not be alone with him. And I will not pretend to be happy about this visit.”
Kael nodded. “Fair enough. We will schedule the meeting for next week. Public setting. Full security present. You do not have to be alone with him.”
The meeting continued for another hour. Discussions about trade agreements and territory boundaries and the pack finances. Young Sera contributed where she could, but mostly she listened and learned.
When the meeting finally ended, she felt exhausted. Being Luna Queen meant sitting through long discussions about complicated topics. It meant making decisions that affected hundreds of lives. It meant carrying responsibility she still felt too young to carry.
But she was doing it anyway. Because someone had to. Because the omegas asking for help needed someone to fight for them.
Kai found her in the garden after the meeting. He sat beside her on the stone bench without saying anything. Just present. Just there.
“That was overwhelming,” young Sera admitted.
“Looked it. You handled it well though. The omega protection network is a good idea.”
“It is a huge idea. Maybe too huge. I do not know if I can actually make it work.”
“Your grandmother started with one pack and built protections that became a model for other territories. You are starting with one pack and trying to build a network. You are doing what she did, just bigger. That is not too huge. That is ambitious.”
Young Sera leaned against Kai, drawing comfort from his solid presence. He was right. Her grandmother had started small too. Had built something meaningful one decision at a time.
Young Sera could do the same.
“Thomas Reed is coming next week,” young Sera said.
“I heard. Do you want me there when you meet him?”
“Kael will be there. Lyra. Garrett. I will be surrounded by protection.”
“That is not what I asked. Do you want me there?”
Young Sera thought about it. Kai was not a warrior. Not someone who could physically protect her if Thomas tried something. But he was her anchor. Her reminder of who she was beneath all the titles and responsibilities.
“Yes. I want you there.”
“Then I will be there.”
They sat in the garden as the sun set, painting everything in shades of orange and gold. The Northern Kingdom was peaceful around them. Safe. Stable.
But young Sera knew that peace was fragile. That new threats were always emerging. That being Luna Queen meant facing challenges constantly.
Thomas Reed’s visit would be one such challenge. The omega protection network would be another. And somewhere out there, three groups of abused omegas were waiting for help that young Sera did not know how to provide yet.
It was too much. Too big. Too complicated.
But she would figure it out. One step at a time. One decision at a time. The same way her grandmother had.
“Tell me something normal,” young Sera said to Kai. “Something that has nothing to do with politics or omega protection or being Luna Queen. Just something normal and boring.”
Kai thought for a moment. “I got into an argument with Maya yesterday about whether pineapple belongs on pizza. She says yes. I say absolutely not. It was very heated. We almost came to blows.”
Young Sera laughed. Actually laughed. The image of Kai and Maya having a serious argument about pizza toppings was ridiculous and perfect.
“Who won?”
“Neither. We agreed to disagree. But I am right and she is wrong and deep down she knows it.”
“I think pineapple on pizza is good.”
Kai looked at her with mock horror. “You are my Luna Queen and I respect you greatly. But you are wrong about this. Deeply, fundamentally wrong.”
They argued about pizza toppings as the stars came out. A silly, meaningless conversation that had nothing to do with pack politics or omega rights or any of the heavy things young Sera spent most of her time thinking about.
It was perfect.
Normal and boring and exactly what she needed.
Later that night, alone in her room, young Sera looked at the three requests for help that sat on her desk. Three files. Three stories of omegas who needed saving.
She could not save all of them right now. Did not have the resources or the authority or the experience.
But she could start. Could respond to one. Could begin building the network that would eventually help all of them.
She opened the first file and began reading. Learning the details. Understanding what she was walking into.
Tomorrow she would start planning. Would begin figuring out how to help. Would take the first steps toward building something bigger than just individual rescues.
Tonight she would prepare. Would study. Would become the Luna Queen these omegas needed.
Because that was her job. Her responsibility. Her choice.
And she was not backing down.
Not now. Not ever.
The work of being Luna Queen had truly begun. And young Sera was ready.
Scared, uncertain, still healing from her own trauma.
But ready.