207

207
Valencia’s POV
"They'll have it," Logan promised. "We'll make sure of it."
Army surgeon appeared with several other healers. They immediately began working on both Logan and me.
"These wounds are severe," he said. His hands moved quickly. Cleaning. Stitching. "Both of you need immediate treatment."
"The others first," Logan said. "Our warriors. They fought—"
"The others are being treated," surgeon interrupted. "You're both our priorities right now. We can't lose our Alpha and Luna."
I let them work. Let the pain wash over me. Let exhaustion pull at my consciousness.
But I stayed awake. Refused to pass out. Not yet. Not until I knew everyone was safe.
Around us, the battlefield was eerily quiet. Ashwood's surviving forces had fled. Scattered into the countryside. Leaderless. Broken.
Our warriors moved through the carnage. Checking for survivors. Collecting the dead.
So many dead.
"We need to send word to Aldermere," I said. My voice was weak. Thready. "Tell them Ashwood is dead. Tell them the war is over."
"I'll send ravens immediately," Elias said. He knelt beside us. "What should the message say?"
I thought about it. About Aldermere. About the kingdom that had been under Ashwood's tyrannical rule for eighteen years.
"Tell them Winston Ashwood is dead. Tell them the war between our kingdoms ends today. Tell them we seek peace."
"What about leadership?" Elias asked. "Who will rule Aldermere now?"
"I don't know. But that's for the Aldermere people to decide. We're not conquerors. We're not going to occupy their kingdom."
Logan squeezed my hand. "Valencia is right. We'll offer peace. Offer trade. Offer cooperation. But Aldermere must choose its own path."
Elias nodded slowly. "I'll draft the messages. Send them to every major settlement in Aldermere."
He stood and hurried off.
Surgeon continued working on my wounds. The stitching was painful.
They carried us to a makeshift camp set up at the edge of the battlefield. Large tents had been erected. Wounded warriors filled every available space.
Logan and I were placed in a private tent. Side by side on cots.
I reached out. Found his hand. Held it tight.
"We did it," I whispered.
"Yes. We did."
"No more war."
"No more war," he agreed.
I closed my eyes. Let sleep claim me.
Three weeks passed.
The wounds healed. Not completely. Logan still limped slightly.
Aldermere had responded to our messages. Not with violence. Not with more war.
But with relief.
Turns out most of Aldermere had hated Ashwood. Hated his wars. Hated his cruelty.
When they learned he was dead, celebrations erupted across the kingdom.
A new council formed. Made up of Aldermere nobles who'd survived Ashwood's purges. They sent ambassadors to Valdoria. Seeking peace. Seeking trade agreements.
Logan and I met with them. Negotiated. Compromised. Found common ground.
Within two weeks, a peace treaty was drafted. Within three weeks, it was signed by both sides.
The war was officially over.
But there were other changes too.
The remaining Alphas of Valdoria gathered at King's Fang. They held a council to determine the kingdom's future.
And they chose Logan.
Not through violence. Not through conquest. But through respect. Through recognition of his leadership.
Logan became Alpha King of Valdoria.
I became Luna Queen.
We stood in the great hall of King's Fang. Where so much tragedy had occurred.
But now it was filled with hope. With possibility.
Representatives from every pack stood before us. Along with ambassadors from Aldermere.
Logan wore formal robes. Nothing too ornate. He'd insisted on simplicity. On practicality.
I wore a dress of deep purple. The color of my eyes. The color of Ophelia's eyes.
"Today marks a new beginning," Logan's voice rang out across the hall. "Not just for Valdoria. But for our entire continent. For too long, our kingdoms have been at war. For too long, innocent people have suffered."
He paused. Let the words sink in.
"Winston Ashwood started this war. He murdered the Ogden royal family. He tried to conquer all of Vyrmarch. But he failed. And his failure has given us an opportunity. A chance to build something better."
I stepped forward. "Valdoria and Aldermere will no longer be enemies. We will be partners. Allies. We will trade freely. Share resources. Protect each other from external threats."
"The border between our kingdoms will remain open," Logan continued. "People will be free to travel. To visit family. To conduct business. We will build roads. Establish trading posts. Create prosperity for both our peoples."
The hall erupted in applause. Cheering. Relief and joy mixing together.
The Aldermere ambassador, an older man named Lord Caspian, stepped forward.
"On behalf of Aldermere, we accept this peace," he said. His voice was strong despite his age. "We are grateful for the mercy you've shown. For not seeking revenge against our kingdom for Ashwood's crimes."
"Ashwood's crimes were his own," I said. "Not Aldermere's. We hold no grudge against your people."
"Still," Lord Caspian continued. "We must make amends. We must contribute to rebuilding what was destroyed. Aldermere will pay reparations. Will help reconstruct damaged settlements. Will—"
"No," Logan interrupted. "We don't want reparations. We want partnership. Help us rebuild, yes. But as equals. Not as the conquered paying tribute."
Lord Caspian's eyes widened. Then filled with tears. "You are more generous than we deserve."
"We're practical," I corrected gently. "Forced reparations breed resentment. Partnership breeds friendship. We choose friendship."
More applause. Louder this time.
The ceremony continued for hours. Treaties were formally signed. Agreements were ratified. Promises were made.
By the end, I was exhausted. My wounds still ached. Standing for so long had been difficult.
But it was worth it. Every moment. Every pain.
Because we'd actually done it. Ended the war. Created peace.

That evening, Logan and I returned to Cliffwatch Pack. To our home.
We stood on the balcony of our chambers. Watching the sun set over the mountains.
"How does it feel?" I asked. "Being Alpha King?"
Logan was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled slightly. "Heavy. Terrifying. But right. It feels right."
"You'll be a good king. Fair. Just. Strong when needed. Merciful when possible."
"We'll be good rulers," he corrected. "Together. I'm not doing this alone."
I leaned against him. Rested my head on his shoulder.
"What do we do now?" I asked. "The war is over. Ashwood is dead. What comes next?"
"We rebuild. We heal. We create the world we want to live in."
"Sounds exhausting."
He laughed. "Probably. But we'll do it anyway."
I thought about the wooden box in our chambers. The one containing Kai's lock of hair.
"Logan," I said quietly. "Do you think resurrection magic is real?"
He stiffened slightly. "Why do you ask?"
"Because someday, when things are stable, when we have time, I want to try. I want to see if we can bring Kai back. Give him a real choice. A real life."
Logan was quiet for a long time. Then he sighed. "If that's what you want, we'll try. Together. We'll search every corner of the world for answers if we have to."
"Thank you."
"But not yet," he added. "Right now, we focus on the living. On rebuilding. On creating peace."
"Agreed."
We stood in comfortable silence. Watching the sun paint the sky in shades of orange and red.
"Do you think Ophelia is watching?" I asked suddenly. "Do you think she knows we succeeded?"
"I don't know. Maybe. I hope so."
"I want to tell her she was wrong. That I'm not just a weapon. That I chose this path. Not because she designed it. But because it was the right thing to do."
Logan turned to face me. Cupped my face in his hands gently.
"You're not a weapon, Valencia. You're a person. A queen. My mate. My partner. And I'm proud of everything you've become."
Tears formed in my eyes. "I couldn't have done any of this without you."
"Yes, you could have. You're stronger than you think. But I'm glad you didn't have to. I'm glad we did it together."
He kissed me. Soft. Gentle. Full of love and promise.
When we broke apart, the sun had fully set. Stars were beginning to appear in the darkening sky.
I followed him into our chambers. The war was over. Ashwood was dead. The kingdoms were at peace.
And for the first time in my entire life, I felt truly free.
Free to choose my own path. To make my own decisions. To build my own future.
Not as Ophelia's weapon. Not as anyone's tool.
But as Valencia. Luna Queen. Dragon shifter. And above all, as myself.
The end.



Dear Readers,

First and foremost, I owe you all a sincere apology. I know the irregular updates and delays throughout this journey affected your reading experience, and for that, I'm truly sorry. Your patience and understanding during those difficult writing periods meant the world to me.

But more than anything, I want to say THANK YOU. Thank you for sticking with Valencia and Logan through every twist, every battle, every heartbreak and triumph. Thank you for your comments, your encouragement, and your unwavering support. Writing this story has been an incredible journey, and knowing that you were there with me every step of the way made all the difference.

This isn't goodbye—it's just the end of one chapter. I have more stories brewing, and I can't wait to share them with you!

Please follow me on Facebook: Xena Kessler (look for the profile picture with a cute Abyssinian cat 🐱). I'll be posting updates about my new works, sharing bonus chapters, behind-the-scenes content, and maybe even some sneak peeks of what's coming next!

Thank you again for being the best readers an author could ask for. Your support means everything.

With gratitude and love,
Xena Kessler ❤️