Page 108 of Moon Cursed

Many praised Mara for her commitment to making her clan safe for womenbeforeit benefited her politically. Even Magnus, who was dragged to the forums by the ear because of his mate, was recognized for calling for justice for every metal wolf that was hurt in the mess hall riot—not just the alphas.

But as for Nyx’s father—the forest clan alpha, the nepo baby water clan alpha, the moon alpha, and the wind clan alpha, everyone had a front-row seat to their scoffs, eye rolls, and refusals to change all throughout the forums. So their sudden reversals during the protests and their canned speeches about wanting change, were seen right through.

The public told them flat out either they proved they cared about all of their people by drafting the laws proposed in the forums, or they better barricade themselves in their mansions because from then on, theright of defeatchallenges would never stop coming. All but Nyx’s father agreed and passed the laws.

Two weeks after Teodore Drach held a profanity-laced press conference, shouting about how he wouldn’t be blackmailed into passing nonsense, bullshit laws, he was challenged by his own son... Sol.

Turned out the brothers shared more in common than they thought, which included a hatred of their father who sent their only loving parent away so that he could dominate and destroy their childhoods.

The first thing Sol did when he took over was draft the law ending alpha-only custody in the forest clan. Nyx passed it into law the second it hit his desk.

After that, a flurry of new laws were proposed and passed.

An end to that approved job list bullshit—Passed.

An official independent epsilon-only force to investigate and monitor the police—Passed.

Stronger inheritance laws stating property and monies go to who they’re willed to—period—and if that property is passed on, it must be witnessed by four unrelated witnesses who can attest there was no coercion—Passed.

Command-based murder, rape, and theft resulting in mandatory sentences from ten years to life in prison—Passed.

Complete and total protection for coming children of the new generation stating that no law could ever be passed requiring harm to them or the forced or coerced use of their power—Passed so fast it made my head spin.

And on and on it went as each individual clan formed their own public forums, and told their clan leaders what they wanted directly.

The paperwork was coming in hot and heavy, drowning my fates in more administrative work than they could believe, but they had the time to do it because Corvin Academy was closed.

Not permanently, but after everything that happened, the school needed to clear out while some students went home to recover from the trauma of the riots, and others to be prosecuted and sentenced for leading them.

It made the most sense to close down the school, especially because Headmistress Ash needed time herself to focus on her boys and helping them process the horrors they went through at the hands of a sociopath.

And yes, I said Headmistress Ash. In the end, I stepped aside, and handed the running of the school to a professional. One that more than proved she wasn’t a council rat, and she wasn’t my devoted lackey. She was an independent woman with her own mind and conscience, and stood up for them.

You came to appreciate qualities like that after watching officers hold a weapon to a ten-year-old’s throat just because a worthless pig like Cygnus told them to. I wanted people around me who did the right thing because it was right, not because some despot ordered it.

She was still home with her family, but we’d been emailing back and forth about her plans for the school and making it a fair, safe, and equal place for all students—including amending the charter to state that.

As for me, I hadn’t been idle.

I’d been traveling all over Wolf Nation, meeting with epsilons of all ages. They’d finally been freed from their temples, and even though some wanted to stay, many more wanted to leave and step into the new positions that were begging for them.

It was still their choice to accept them, but positions to be judges, lawyers, police investigators, rape survivor advocates, news reporters, and so many other jobs where they could do true good and make a difference were opening up to them. Positions beyond sitting behind a curtain and doling out advice that was ignored.

They wanted to help all the omegas suddenly relying on them to make sure their voices were heard, and Paxton was right by my side helping me show them how to do that, as the first omega clan leader in Wolf Nation.

That day in the mess hall when all those people pledged to serve a pack led by me, they did something that couldn’t be undone.

It was said. It was out there. It had to be addressed.

They officially turned their backs on Wolf Nation, so if I didn’t accept them into my clan, by law, they were packless. They had no home, no people, and no right to live in Wolf Nation.

I couldn’t let that happen, so I petitioned my mates and boyfriends to allow an eighth clan to join Wolf Nation. Naturally, they agreed.

As soon as they did, the first thing I did was name Paxton as my co-leader. This wasn’t done because of his cute butt and wicked smile. Frankly, after the way he expertly organized the forum, and pulled my head out of my ass when I gave up, he proved that he was excellent at this—a natural-born leader. And a leader that knew better than anyone what it was like to fight and scrounge at the bottom of the pack.

Our clan was small, but growing with epsilons and omegas from all clans—forest, water, sun, moon, fire, metal, wind and the lost clans.

All of it was complete night and day from the oppressive hellscape Wolf Nation survived in before. Things were changing, people were happier, the riots and marches were becoming parties and celebrations of peace and equality.

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