Kieran howls, the sound carrying pure alpha power. The pack responds instantly, our bonds strengthening instead of breaking. The fae’s magic slides off us like water off glass.
“Impossible,” the lieutenant snarls, her perfect features twisting with rage. “The bargains—the madness?—”
“Don’t work anymore,” I finish for her, shifting back to human form. Cold iron daggers appear in my hands as I advance, courtesy of a little witch charm Dana purchased from a coven that owes her a favor. “Your tricks only have power if we let them. If we stay divided and afraid instead of united and unwilling to bend our necks to you.”
To prove my point, I nod to our allies. Pack Amethyst’s warriors emerge from the east, while Pack Sapphire’s forces attack from the west. The fae find themselves suddenly surrounded.
“This is what real strength looks like,” Kieran says, shifting to stand beside me. Our bond hums with shared purpose and power. “Not bargains or tricks, but trust. Unity.”
The lieutenant’s crystalline skin fractures as she realizes her mistake. She barks orders in the fae tongue, trying to get the low fae to obey, but it’s too late. Their forces are already retreating, melting back into shadows or fleeing through hastily opened portals.
“This isn’t over,” she snarls at us.
“No,” I agree, letting my fangs show. “But when you come back, you’ll find us waiting. Together.”
As the last fae disappears, a howl of triumph goes up from our gathered forces. The victory isn’t just about defeating this attack—it’s proof that our new way works. That we’re stronger together than apart.
Kieran pulls me close, not caring about the blood, dirt, and ichor staining my skin. Through our bond, I feel his pride and love wash over me. “You were magnificent,” he murmurs against my hair.
“We all were,” I correct him, looking around at our celebrating pack members. Dana is already organizing cleanupcrews, while others tend to the wounded. Everyone working together, no divisions between exiles and loyal members, no prejudice about who can fight and who can’t.
This is what we’ve been working toward. Not just survival, but true strength. The kind that comes from acceptance rather than fear.
“Alpha Kieran!” A young warrior rushes up, practically vibrating with excitement. “Pack Emerald’s representatives are here. They say after hearing about the battle, they want to join the alliance.”
Kieran and I share a satisfied look. “Told you they’d come around,” I say with a smirk.
He laughs, pulling me closer. “Never doubted it. Not with you leading the way.”
Looking around at what we’ve built together, I feel a deep sense of rightness settle over me. This is where I belong—not just as Kieran’s mate or even as a leader, but as myself. The last of Pack Onyx, both venomous wolf and cold iron warrior.
The pack bonds hum with renewed strength as we begin the work of cleaning up after the battle. Warriors from different packs work side by side, sharing stories and techniques. There’s a sense of camaraderie that transcends traditional pack boundaries.
“You know they’ll be back,” Dana says as she joins us, wiping ichor off her blade. “Probably with reinforcements next time.”
“Let them come,” Kieran responds, his voice firm and steady. “We’ll be ready.”
And we will be. Because we’re not just defending territory anymore—we’re protecting a new way of life. One where we all have a place to belong.
Through our bond, I feel Kieran’s unwavering certainty. We’ve come so far from that day in the amphitheater when herejected me. Both of us have grown, learned, changed. Become stronger by accepting who we truly are.
The fae may not understand what makes us strong. They see our differences as weaknesses to exploit, our connections as chains to break. But they’re wrong.
Real strength isn’t about power or control. It’s about having the courage to be vulnerable, to trust, to grow. To stand together even when everything seems dark, to fight against impossible odds.
And that’s exactly what we’ll keep doing, no matter what comes next.
Chapter 47
Kieran
The mating bond pulses between us like a lifeline as I watch Aurora move through our new quarters, moonlight turning her ash blonde hair silver. Even doing something as mundane as organizing her collection of cold iron weapons, she takes my breath away. My wolf rumbles contentedly inside me, finally at peace now that we’ve properly claimed our mate.
Through our completed bond, I can feel her satisfaction with the day’s work—she spent hours training younger pack members in fae lore and combat techniques, passing on everything she learned from Dana and Gran. Her quiet pride mingles with lingering muscle fatigue and a spark of arousal that flares whenever she catches me watching her.
“You’re doing it again,” she says without turning around, but I can feel her smile through our connection. “Staring at me like I’m some kind of miracle.”
“You are.” Moving behind her, I wrap my arms around her waist, breathing in her intoxicating scent of lilac and honey. “My miracle. My mate.”
