The War Is... Over?

So long as Kade is still out there, this isn’t over. The worst part is behind us, but this is still going to be a long night.

In the aftermath of the battle at Ossory, we scarcely have a moment to breathe and rest, let alone celebrate. The few surviving mercenaries that didn’t fall during the fight quickly surrender to our forces. They are to be exiled by sunrise, and with bullets and loyalties spent, they accept their banishment without protest.

Will and I meet with the three Alphas, and we use one of the grand lecture halls on campus as a conference room of sorts. At one point, the elderly, injured Alpha I saw in the hallway also joins us. While he may not have fought in the battle, it quickly becomes apparent he is the wisest of the gathered Alphas.

Much like the Argent Pack, the four Alphas are initially surprised and weary of Will’s Blackwood lineage. Eventually, our Delta, Jackson, arrives on campus and stands behind Will, making it abundantly apparent that doubts about Will’s leadership have been decisively banished. Jackson also brings several Betas and Deltas from the other packs along with him.

None of them challenge Will as Alpha King, nor my position as his Luna. After all, how could they? Between the mating bond, my father’s legacy, our respective bloodlines, and the fact that we just saved all their asses… our claim to power is pretty much irrefutable.

So, it seems Will and I are officially King and Queen of the Wolves of Wynter City.

The Alphas each pledge their loyalty and their packs to us, but with Kade still out there, it’s all rather rushed and unceremonious. We do away with the formalities and decorum and focus on the matter at hand; frankly, I prefer it this way. Too many people have died for the throne that is now ours. I don’t know if I would have liked some grand coronation.

‘But you still want a grand wedding, right princess?’ Will says to me telepathically, and I feel his teasing like a taunting caress through the bond.

‘Actually, it’s not princess anymore. I’m queen now, remember?’

‘Nonsense,’ he tells me, his voice soft and lilting in my mind as he sneaks a glance toward me. ‘You’ll always be my princess.’

I keep my attention on the gathered council, but I squeeze Will’s hand under the table. I still can’t believe we’re sitting here, having this conversation. Everything has happened so fast, and in many ways, it all feels like a dream. Or a nightmare. Or maybe a bit of both.

Hour trickle by as we go over everything that’s happened and discuss what comes next. Many wolves from every pack across the city arrive at the university, rallying in the wake of our victory.

“I’ll have my scouts patrolling the perimeter around Silver Manor. If Kade tries to make a run for it-” one of the Alphas says, but I cut him off.

“He won’t.”

“All due respect, my queen, but half of his mercenary pack has been banished. He has several soldiers with him at the mansion, but it’s hardly enough to make a stand. By now, he has to know that he’ll never be Alpha King.”

“You’re assuming he’s reasonable,” Will says curtly, and he has a point. Even though Kade held them all hostage, they still don’t understand what he is. Not the way Will and I do.

“That man killed his own family,” I tell them. “And he murdered my parents because there was a chance they would call off our engagement. When he saw me with my mate, he shot at us, and then he slit my aunt’s throat to get her out of the way. He can’t be reasoned with. He won’t run away. He won’t surrender. He will never stop.”

I look at each of the Alphas gathered around the table, letting my words sink in.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go to Silver Manor and take him out right now!” another Alpha demands, slamming his fist onto the table. He’s the one who finished off the mercenary I took down.

I make a mental note to keep an eye on him. I’m not used to meeting people who are more impulsive and short-tempered than I am. I can’t decide whether I’m worried or amused by him.

“It’s not that simple. The sun will be rising soon, and we no longer have the element of surprise on our side.”

“Who needs surprise when you have numbers? Kade has half a pack of mercenaries, and we have five packs of loyal wolves ready to strike on your command.”

That’s true, but something feels off. Even with our victory here, there’s a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I can’t quite shake off. Will glances toward me, either sensing my doubt through the bond or reading it on my face.

“Still no word from our friends in the bunker?” he asks, taking a step toward me.

I shake my head no.

We don’t know what number to call to reach the phone in the bunker. I can’t risk one of the wrong phones in the mansion ringing and tipping off Kade that we’re trying to contact our allies within the manor. Ash knows my cell, and she’s supposed to call me by the end of the night, but I still haven’t heard from her.

“I agree that we cannot wait for Kade strikes back. The longer we wait, the more dangerous he becomes,” I tell them.

“My queen is right,” Will declares, and despite his somber tone, I can’t help but smile at the way he says it.

I will always be his princess, but here, in regard to our pack and among the council of Alphas, I am his queen. Being his Luna means I’m not just his mate but his partner. His equal.

“But we’re not ready for another fight yet, even one with great odds,” Will adds, and I know he’s right.

Even though we have Kade vastly outnumbered, our own forces aren’t exactly at their best. Between the initial attack that swept the city and the battle for the Alphas, the Argent Pack needs time to recover. Three wolves are dead, and several more are seriously injured.

“Perhaps, for now, you have fought enough,” the eldest Alpha says. Now that he’s not wounded and fleeing, he carries himself with an impressive sort of authority and prowess for an old man.

“Let our new Alpha King and Luna Queen stay here with their wolves. Let them bury their dead and tend to their wounded,” he goes on. He addresses the entire council when he speaks, but his eyes remain fixed on mine, loyal and ancient. “A long time ago, I swore fealty to the last Alpha King of Wynter City, Markham Silver. Today, I am alive thanks to his daughter and her mate. Let us finish what they started. I owe a debt to the Argent Pack.”

“We all do,” the short-tempered Alpha adds with determination. He exchanges a look with the eldest Alpha, and after a moment, the latter nods in approval. “Your rangers and my warriors will make quick work of the usurper.”

I sense Will wants to protest, but then the elderly Alpha looks at my mate.

“Please, my king. You fought bravely for us; now let us fight for you,” the old man says.

‘Smart man. I like him,’ I tell Will through the bond, and my mate bites back a smile.

“Very well.”

The other two Alphas will station their packs to protect Ossory and help restore some order across the city. In the meantime, the elderly Alpha and the short-tempered Alpha will lead their packs to Silver Manor.

Once the other wolves have cleared the room, I bury my face in Will’s chest with a sigh. I try to focus on helping our pack recover and heal, pushing down my growing unease. The fight here was brutal and bloody, but even though it’s not entirely over, I can’t shake the feeling that, somehow, this has all been… too easy.