Chapter 109 Chapter 109

Chapter 109 Chapter 109
"The council will have questions," Margaret warned, though her tone had softened. "Many questions."
"Then we'll answer them," I replied, my hand finding Lucious's and squeezing briefly. "Together."
Brent moved closer, his amber eyes warm with pride as he looked at my brother. "You know, for someone raised by our enemies, you turned out pretty decent."
Lucious snorted, the sound so unexpectedly normal that it made me smile. "High praise from one of my sister's mates."
"Don't let it go to your head," Brent shot back, but he was grinning.
The tension in the room had shifted, the political maneuvering giving way to something more genuine. We still had challenges ahead: the council, the remaining Northern Alliance facilities, the mysterious ancient one Marcus had mentioned, but in this moment, surrounded by family and allies, I felt hope.
"There's something else we should discuss," Liam said, his scholarly tone drawing everyone's attention. "The matter of formally reestablishing the Shadowmoon pack. If Seraphina is to be recognised as Alpha, there are ceremonies to be performed, traditions to be honoured."
The Priestess nodded approvingly. "The young Maxwell speaks wisely. A proper succession ceremony would legitimise Luna Blackthorne-Maxwell's claim in the eyes of traditional packs. It would also provide an opportunity to formally rename the pack, whether to retain Blackthorne or restore the original Shadowmoon designation."
I hadn't even considered the question of the pack's name. Blackthorne was what I'd grown up knowing, the name I'd only recently claimed as my own. But Shadowmoon held deeper significance, the original name, given to honour both aspects of the goddess.
"What do you think?" I asked Lucious, valuing his input. This was his heritage, too.
My brother considered the question carefully before answering. "Shadowmoon feels right. It honours our true history, the balance our bloodline was meant to represent." He paused, glancing at me with a small smile. "Besides, it might help distance us from the 'Blackthorne situation' everyone keeps mentioning."
A few chuckles rippled through the room at that.
"Shadowmoon it is, then," I agreed. "When should the ceremony take place?"
"After the council meeting," Alpha Maxwell suggested. "Let them see first that you pose no threat. Once political tensions have eased, a succession ceremony would be better received."
"And it would give us time to properly prepare," the Priestess added. "Such ceremonies require specific preparations, particularly for an heir of your... unique circumstances."
I nodded, accepting the wisdom of their counsel. There was no need to rush; the pack lands weren't going anywhere, and we had more immediate concerns to address.
A knock at the door interrupted our discussion. One of the pack's messengers entered, her expression urgent.
"Forgive the interruption, Alpha, Luna," she said with a quick bow. "There's been a development at the main gate. Survivors, approximately twenty of them, have arrived seeking sanctuary. They're asking for the Silver Luna specifically."
I exchanged glances with my mates, unease prickling at my skin. "Survivors? From where?"
"They claim to have escaped from a Northern Alliance facility in Wyoming, ma'am. They say they felt it when you freed the wolves at the Montana facility, and it gave them the courage to run."
The weight of that statement settled over the room. More survivors. More victims of the organisation that had stolen my brother and murdered my parents.
"We should meet them," I said, already rising from my seat.
Alpha Maxwell nodded. "Agreed. Let's adjourn this meeting for now. Margaret, Richard, we can reconvene once we know more about what we're dealing with."
The gathered dignitaries murmured their assent, Margaret and Richard exchanging meaningful glances as they moved toward the guest quarters they'd been assigned. My mates, Lucious, and I followed Alpha Maxwell toward the main hall where the survivors had been brought.
The sight that greeted us made my heart clench. Roughly twenty individuals huddled together, their clothes torn and dirty, their faces gaunt with exhaustion and fear. Among them, I spotted several children clinging to adults who might or might not have been their parents. Pack members were already moving among them, offering water and blankets.
A woman at the front of the group stepped forward when she saw me enter, her eyes widening with recognition. She was thin, her dark hair streaked with premature grey despite looking no older than her late twenties, but her eyes held a fierce intelligence that captivity hadn't dimmed.
"You're her," she breathed. "The Silver Luna. The one who freed the wolves at the Montana facility." Tears began streaming down her face. "We felt it, all of us felt it when you broke their hold. The guards, they became confused, disorganized. We saw our chance, and we ran."
I moved toward her slowly, aware of Kane's protective presence at my back. "You're safe now," I assured her gently. "What's your name?"
"Peta," she replied, her voice cracking with emotion. "Peta Thornton. I was taken from the Silver Creek pack twelve years ago, when I was sixteen."
"Silver Creek?" Alpha Maxwell frowned, moving to stand beside me. "They reported you dead. Said rogues had attacked during a border patrol."
Bitterness flickered across Peta's face. "That's what the Northern Alliance wanted everyone to believe. Easier to take wolves if no one comes looking for them."
I reached out and took her trembling hands in mine. "You're not alone anymore, Peta. None of you are. We're going to help you, all of you."
A small boy, perhaps seven or eight, peeked out from behind one of the adults. His eyes were too old for his young face as he stared at me with wonder. "Are you really the Silver Luna? The one who sets wolves free?"
I knelt to meet his gaze, my heart aching at the hope in his expression. "I'm just Seraphina," I said gently. "And I promise, you're safe now."
"Let's get them settled," Alpha Maxwell directed, signalling to the pack members standing by. "Food, medical attention, comfortable rooms. They've been through enough."