Three years of waiting. Three years of enduring the pack politics that would demand he attend mating balls. Three years of proving over and over again that she was the only one he wanted.
But he would do it. For her. For the love that had taken root so fiercely in his heart that he knew nothing could uproot it. He would prove every day that his devotion was unshakable. He would choose her every time.
He would show her that he could be the kind of man-and wolf-worthy of not only her love, but of being the father to her pup.
The car slowed to a halt in front of the Silverblade pack house, its towering structure as imposing as he remembered. Darius took a deep breath, his chest tightening as memories surfaced.
Meeting the people who had hurt Elaine-the pack that had failed to protect her, failed to value her-while maintaining civility was no small feat. As an Alpha, he wasn’t here for himself alone. He represented the Crescent Moon Pack. His composure had to reflect his people’s strength and dignity.
But as Darius, the man, the wolf? Oh, how he longed to have just one private moment with Michael. One fight. One chance to bare his teeth and show him what it meant to break the heart of the woman he now cherished.
“Alpha Darius, welcome back to Silverblade,” Alpha Efrein greeted warmly as he stepped forward. He was flanked by his beta and his Luna, both of whom dipped their heads respectfully.
“Thank you, Alpha Efrein. Luna Beatrice,” Darius replied with a polite bow of his head.
“Alpha, thank you for coming,” Luna Beatrice said, her voice steady, though her eyes flickered briefly as if measuring him. “The omega will guide you to your quarters so you may rest.”
“Thank you, Luna,” he responded smoothly, his tone neutral. Still, his wolf bristled inside him.
Rest. The word felt foreign in this place.
“Alpha Efrein,” Darius said after a brief pause, “would it be acceptable if my wolves and I stretched our legs around your territory? The flight here has left them uneasy, confined, and they are eager for a run.”
The request was true enough, but underneath it pulsed another motive.
He wanted-no, needed-to see the waterfall. The place where he first met Elaine. Even though their meeting had not been under the best of circumstances, the memory was etched into his soul. That waterfall wasn’t just a landmark anymore. It was a sacred place.
A reminder of the moment fate had placed Elaine into his life.
“Of course, Alpha,” Efrein said with a nod. “I understand the needs of your wolves. You are welcome to roam the territory freely. If you require guidance, the omegas are available to show you the safe paths. They have already been informed of your presence.”
Darius gave a small, courteous smile. “There’s no need. I still remember the old running trails from my last visit. Thank you, Alpha.”
With that, he inclined his head once more before turning to follow the omega who had stepped forward, ready to escort him to his quarters. His stride was even, steady, the perfect picture of control.
But inside, his wolf paced restlessly, eager to break free, eager to find the waterfall, eager to feel close again to the woman who owned his heart.
Once the omega had shown him to the guest quarters, Darius dismissed him with a curt nod. He barely spared the room a glance; a bed, a dresser, a window overlooking the eastern trees -nothing that mattered.
His wolf was already clawing at his skin, restless, demanding release.
With practiced ease, he shed his clothes and shifted, bones cracking, fur erupting across his body. In moments, the Alpha wolf stood in place of the man, shaking out his thick coat as a low growl rumbled from his chest.
The walls felt suffocating, the scent of this place all wrong, tainted with memories that weren’t his but lingered like stale smoke.
He bolted out the back door, paws hitting the earth with force. The wind rushed past him, cool and sharp, carrying the mingled scents of the Silverblade territory. His wolf snarled at them, but Darius forced his instincts down. They weren’t here to fight, not tonight. Tonight, he had a different purpose.
The trees blurred as he ran, his paws finding familiar paths. Every stride carried him closer, and with every bound, the pull in his chest grew stronger. His wolf knew exactly where they were headed.
The waterfall.
Elaine’s place.
He broke through the last line of trees, and there it was-the cascade of water tumbling over the rocks, gleaming silver beneath the moonlight. The roar of it filled his ears, but beneath it, he swore he could still hear her laughter. Not the laughter she gave everyone else, but the soft, shy one she had given him when she finally started to trust him.
His wolf slowed, padding toward the pool at the base of the falls. He lowered his head, drinking deeply from the cool water, but his mind wasn’t on the taste. It was on her. The memory of her standing there, fragile yet defiant, when they first crossed paths. The haunted look in her eyes when she told him her story.
The courage it took for her to let him in at all.
Darius shifted back into his human form, sitting on a smooth rock near the edge of the water. The spray misted across his face, and for a moment, he closed his eyes, letting it wash over him. He imagined her here beside him, her hand in his, her voice teasing him for looking so serious.
“I’ll wait for you, Elaine,” he murmured softly into the night, his voice swallowed by the rush of the falls. “Three years, thirty years… it doesn’t matter. You are worth every second.”
His wolf stirred within, both restless and soothed. Being here was like being close to her, like he had found a way to bridge the distance between them.
Still, the thought of facing Michael tomorrow brought a flash of heat through his veins. His fists clenched around the rock at his side.
Not tonight. Tonight was for her. Tonight was for remembering why he was fighting so hard to keep her heart safe.
The day of the ceremony arrived with a crisp breeze carrying the faint scent of pine and bonfire smoke, the air thick with the hum of voices. The Silverblade pack’s courtyard was decorated with silver banners and fresh blooms, a stage set for an occasion that carried both prestige and weight among the allied packs.
Darius stood among the gathered Alphas and Lunas, a tall and commanding figure with his Beta Marcus at his side. He could hear the soft buzz of conversations all around them- compliments about Luna Kathy’s gown, the sharp cut of Alpha Michael’s ceremonial suit, and remarks about how well the two looked together as they stepped into their new roles.
“But why is she wearing a choker necklace? It obscures her bite mark,” one Luna whispered just a little too loudly to her companion.
Darius’s eyes followed the comment, narrowing slightly as he looked at Kathy. Indeed, the necklace sat high on her throat, a band of jeweled silver that nearly concealed the telltale mark every Luna usually displayed with pride.
His wolf stirred, assessing, listening.
“Do you think she’s covering it?” Marcus’s voice slipped through the mind link, his tone edged with curiosity. He had heard the comment too.
“Probably,” Darius answered silently, his eyes still on the new Luna. “After what Elaine told them-that her mark is a reminder of her miscarriage. I wouldn’t be surprised if she wants to hide it. Some wounds aren’t for display, not even at a ceremony like this.”
Marcus gave a faint nod, his jaw tightening. They both knew how cruel whispers could be, how quickly scars-seen or unseen-became fodder for gossip in their world.
The murmur of the crowd quieted as Councilman Lucius, a tall, silver-haired elder, stepped forward. His voice carried authority and tradition as he officiated the ascension of Michael and Kathy to their titles of Alpha and Luna. The ritual words, steeped in centuries of honor and expectation, resonated in the night air,
At the close of the vows, Michael addressed the gathered packs, his voice strong, carrying a subtle mix of pride and humility. “Everyone, allies and friends, thank you for coming and celebrating this milestone of the Silverblade pack. My Luna and I pray to the Goddess for our continued alliance and friendship for the betterment and protection of all our packs.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.