“I want each of you to think about what unique skills or knowledge you gained during your time away,” I tell them. “We’ll create training sessions, workshops, ways for you to share that knowledge with the pack. Show them your worth instead of telling them.”
“And those who won’t listen?” the younger woman asks.
“Then we show them anyway.” My voice carries the strength of conviction born from years of proving myself. “Every day, every moment, until they can’t deny it anymore. Change doesn’thappen all at once—it happens one mind at a time, one heart at a time.”
As they file out, purpose replacing defeat in their postures, I feel the pack bonds shift and strengthen. It’s a small change, but a real one. The first step toward healing an open wound that’s been festering for a long, long time.
“You’re amazing,” Kieran murmurs, pulling me into his arms once we’re alone. Through our bond, I feel his genuine awe and admiration. “You took their pain and turned it into purpose.”
“Like you did with me,” I remind him, leaning into his warmth. “When you finally saw my strength instead of my weaknesses. And I accepted myself through your eyes, then my own.”
His lips find my mating mark, making me shiver. “I see all of you now. And I fall more in love with you every day.”
The rest of the day passes in a blur of meetings and mediation. I organize training sessions where Dana teaches MMA to interested pack members, watching with pride as former exiles demonstrate their hard-won skills. The sight of traditional warriors learning from those they once looked down on fills me with hope.
But not everyone embraces change so easily.
“This is ridiculous,” I hear one of the older warriors mutter during a demonstration. “Real wolves don’t need human fighting techniques.”
Before I can respond, Dierdre of all people speaks up. “Really? Because I seem to remember Aurora taking down three fae warriors with those ‘human’ techniques while you were cowering behind a tree.”
Through our bond, I feel Kieran’s amusement at the warrior’s shocked expression. Dierdre catches my eye and gives me a small nod—a far cry from the friend she once was, but a step in the right direction.
Later, I find Gran waiting in my office, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Look at you,” she says, pulling me into a fierce hug. “All grown up and leading the pack. Your parents would be so proud.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you,” I tell her, breathing in her familiar scent of herbs and home. “Everything you taught me about the fae, about being strong even when others doubt you… it made me who I am.”
She pulls back to study my face. “No, little one. You did that all on your own. I just gave you the tools—you chose how to use them.”
As if to prove her point, an argument breaks out in the courtyard below. Two wolves—one who stayed, one who returned—snarling and circling each other over some perceived slight. Instead of calling for Kieran, I handle it myself.
“Enough!” My voice carries the authority I’ve earned through years of proving myself. Both wolves pause, looking up at me. “If you have energy to fight each other, you have energy to help rebuild the pack training grounds. Together.”
Through our bond, I feel Kieran’s pride as he watches me take charge. The two wolves, properly chastised, slink off to their assigned task. It’s a small victory, but an important one.
“You’re good at this,” Dana observes, appearing at my side like a shadow. “Leading. Healing the pack’s wounds.”
“I should be.” I give her a wry smile. “I’ve had enough practice healing my own.”
The day continues with more challenges, more small steps forward. I organize hunting parties that mix returned exiles with those who stayed, forcing them to work together. I set up mentoring programs where different skills are valued equally—traditional hunting techniques alongside modern combat training, ancient pack lore beside new ways of thinking.
By sunset, exhaustion settles into my bones, but satisfaction flows through me. Through our bond, I feel Kieran’s matching contentment as he wraps his arms around me from behind.
“You’ve done more in one day than most could do in a month,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my mating mark. “The pack bonds are stronger already. I can feel it.”
“We’ve done more,” I correct him, leaning back into his warmth. “Together.”
And it’s true. Every time old prejudices surface, Kieran stands beside me. Every time someone questions my authority, he supports without overshadowing. We’re truly partners in this, just as we promised.
“Come on,” he says, nuzzling my neck in a way that makes heat pool in my belly. “Time to get some sleep. There will be new changes waiting for us tomorrow, after all.”
As we walk home together, I spot the two wolves from earlier working side by side to repair the training grounds. They’re not friends yet, but they’re talking, finding common ground in shared labor. It’s a start.
That night, curled in Kieran’s arms, I feel the pack bonds singing with renewed strength. There’s still work to be done, still wounds to heal and trust to rebuild. But for the first time, I truly believe it’s possible.
“I can feel you thinking,” Kieran mumbles sleepily, pulling me closer. Through our bond, his love wraps around me like a warm blanket. “Still.”
“I’m just grateful,” I tell him honestly. “For this chance to make things better. To help others feel like they belong the way I never did.”
