Page 107 of Wolf's Reckoning
“Quiet, everyone!” I commanded. I looked for the female who had spoken. “It seems she is,” I admitted, the words feeling like lead. “I only suspected it…recently; her heat came upon her earlier today, and the mate bond is in place.” I didn’t add that she hated it, or me. I didn’t add she hadn’t accepted it nor had we sealed it. They didn’t need to knowallthe details of my life.
“Praise be to Luna,” I heard several say as they thanked the Goddess. I kept my thoughts on that to myself. Personally, I wanted to have a very long conversation with theGoddess and ask her what I ever did to piss her off so much.
“Mate bond aside,” I said as I crossed my arms, bringing their attention back to me, “you want to question my right to be here? That’s your prerogative. It’s like I already told you when you thought I was your pack leader. I didn’t take this title from anyone. I was given it by Malric, who knew exactly who and what I was. And now that I have it, I will defend this land, this pack, and every shifter in it with my life.” I hesitated and saw Killian’s subtle nod. “As your alpha, and I am sorry that I kept that from you.”
I stepped forward, slow and deliberate.
“I don’t need blind loyalty. I don’t need you to even like me. I just need you to follow when it counts. And if you can’t do that?” I let the quiet stretch. “Then I’ll make the same offer I made before: you’ve got until sundown tomorrow to leave the Hollow.”
Silence.
Then Lewis stepped forward and gave a short nod. “You’re not Malric. And…I get why you kept your true nature of who you are secret from us, though you shouldn’t have.” I could see by the look in his eye that he had a good idea that Rowen was involved in the why, but he didn’t voice it. “But you’re here, and Malric was happy”—he paused as a flicker of pain passed over his face—“really happy when he named you his heir.” Lewis met my gaze. “We’ll see what you do with it.”
The druid stepped out of the shadows, and I saw Killian glaring at them. He obviously had no idea they were here either.
Their robes whispered over the floor as they walkedtowards me, ash-stained and heavy with the scent of sage and pine needles. A hush swept through the pack like wind through dry leaves. Even the pups at the back stilled.
“I would speak,” the druid said, voice carrying with no effort.
Permission wasn’t asked. It never was, with them. They turned, slowly, to face the gathered wolves. Their one pale eye caught the dying light.
“Many of you wonder how this happened. How the Hollow now bows to an alpha who returned without fanfare, who stood beside you not as a conqueror but as a wolf among wolves.”
The tension built. I said nothing. Let them speak.
“I knew,” the druid continued. “As did your late alpha, Malric. Wolfe speaks the truth, Alpha Malric knew exactly who he was leaving his beloved pack with. The Goddess does not always announce her plans with thunder and flame. Sometimes, she moves quietly. Through bloodlines. Through loyalty. Through pain.”
They paused, letting that settle.
“We have long followed tradition,” the druid said, eyes sweeping across them all. “But even tradition must bend when the winds change. Wolfe did not steal this title. He did not posture, or challenge, or burn his way into this pack. He did not return to this territory with this intent.”
They turned, eyes locking on mine.
“He was chosen.”
A murmur rolled through the crowd like the distant rumble of a storm.
“I have walked this land for generations. I have marked alphas in blood and bone. And I tell you now—this onecarries the weight of leadership. The Hollow will not fall under his watch.”
They turned again, voice rising.
“But it is not just he who must rise. It is you.Allof you. The pack must rise with its alpha—or risk losing the legacy we have bled to preserve.” A pause. Then, they raised one hand, fingers curled in a symbol only the oldest among them recognized. “This is not the end of the old ways,” they said. “This is their evolution.”
They lowered their hand.
“The Goddess watches.”
Then they turned their back on the crowd, signaling that the words had been spoken—and the judgment was final.
That was enough. For now.
“Alright, I think we’ve had enough excitement,” I said to the pack and was pleased I heard a few light laughs. “Now, I have a mate to calm down and hopefully keep my head while doing it.” That got even more laughs. It had been a long time since Blueridge Hollow had a mated pair leading them. “You can always ask me anything,” I added. “I will utilize Malric’s rooms in this hall as my office, but my home is my home,” I said with a little more firmness.
“How do you plan to run both packs?” someone asked at the very back.
I let out a sigh and answered with the truth. “I haven’t quite figured that out yet.” I looked to the door where the pull to Rowen was tugging me. “But don’t worry,” I added with a wink. “I know exactly who’s going to offer me advice.”
I gestured to Killian. “Killian is my beta, my second. In both packs. Brand is another beta, and I have one more atStonefang, Diesel, who is leading in my absence. The other two here right now are Axel and Cody. I want both packs to get to know each other, but if you want to wait for that, I understand.” I walked to the door. “This is your home, your pack, but I am alpha of this territory…remember that.”
