Chapter 83
Luna Aelira POV
The Next Morning
There is a particular stillness in the air after blood has been shed. A hush of mourning, of reverence, and of renewed determination. The dining hall was filled to the brim, yet no one spoke as I rose from the head of the table, my hands gracefully folding before me. Every pair of eyes, warrior, healer, elder and pup, turned toward me. My voice would shape the tone for the days to come, and I would not fail them.
“To the wolves of the Five,” I began, my voice smooth, regal, and steady as stone, “I thank you.”
I let the words hang for a breath, my eyes sweeping the room. “You arrived here for celebration, for connection. To find what the Moon herself has long kept hidden. And instead, you were met with war.”
A ripple of energy ran through the crowd, but I lifted my chin and continued, unwavering.
“You did not falter. You did not break. You rose to protect not only yourselves, but each other, and those who cannot yet protect themselves.” My voice grew stronger and more commanding. “This is the spirit of the pack. The legacy of the wolf. And I am proud beyond
measure.”
Applause broke softly, respectfully, and I raised a single hand to still them.
“I know many of you are wondering, what now? What becomes of our gathering, of the mate search, in the shadow of battle?”
A pause. A breath.
“I will tell you. You stay. You stay if your heart calls you to. You train, you heal, you find each other. There may be no scheduled events for these next few days, but the Moon Ball will still take place three nights from now.”
A low murmur of surprise and cautious hope rolled through the hall. I gave them the smallest smile, one earned through fire.
“Until then, this place is your temporary home. The grounds remain open to you. The training fields are available. The kitchens will remain stocked, and our staff will care for you as they would our own.”
I straightened fully now, letting the queen in me rise.
“Because here, you are our own.”
The applause came louder this time, with hoots and howls and grateful cheers, and I stepped back with grace, letting my people feel their pride again.
I walked with purpose down the aisle of long tables until I reached the center one, where they sat. Elowen and her circle. The hybrids. The marked. The saviors we did not expect, but so desperately need.
Ashrian. Daxon. Lachlan, Rylen. Taya. Jace. Amaris. And at the center of them all…Elowen, radiant even beneath exhaustion.
I placed my hand over my heart and bowed my head slightly to her, and then to the others. “Your courage is changing the tides. May the Moon light your path as you seek our allies. We will keep the fire burning here. And we will await your return.”
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14:37 Thu, Oct 2 M…
Chapter 83
Elowen stood, eyes soft and fierce at once, and inclined her head in return. “Thank you, Luna. We won’t let you down.
“You already haven’t, child,” I whispered with a smile.
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And with that, I turned, my regal robes trailing behind me as I returned to the head of the table. There was much to do, and far more to
come.
The age of hiding was over. Now, we rise.
Taya POV
The sun is too fucking bright for a day like this.
It pours through the windows of the keep like it’s got no damn idea we’re about to walk into a human military base and ask them to side with magical creatures in a war against vampire psychopaths. My boots scuff the stone floor as Rylen and I stand shoulder to shoulder near the main doors, our gear slung over our backs, tension crackling between us like a live wire.
He hasn’t let go of me all morning. Not once. His hand is a constant weight on the small of my back, grounding me. Protecting me. Claiming me. I’m scared shitless. But I won’t say it out loud.
Elowen pulls me into a hug so hard I wheeze. “I still think you should take someone else,” she mutters, burying her face in my shoulder.
I snort. “And miss a sky trip with my own personal Viking? Hell no.”
She rolls her eyes, but there’s that look…like she’s memorizing me in case things go sideways. I get it. I’m doing the same thing to her. “Be safe, T.”
“Always,” I promise, even though we both know that’s a lie in this world.
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14:37 Thu, Oct 2 M
Hunted Hybrid – Aegis War Saga 1
