Page 266 of The Lands Defying
“I heard them murmuring about thanking you for a while now.”
“It is unnecessary,”I tell him, eyeing the others.
“What you have done for these people is more than they ever thought they would be able to get. You saved them.”
My pack comes through the crowd next, and I clear my throat. “I…I’m just glad you are all okay.”
“You made it so, Alpha,” Seb says, smiling at me softly.
“I didn’t do it on my own,” I tell them.
“But without you, we wouldn’t have felt safe,” Deedrie tells me, then, she gets to her knees and bares her neck.
I watch her in shock, but then Mivera goes to her knees next, and then Seb, and then…they are all on their knees. Even Anna.
“I— What?” I stumble over my words, trying to take deep breaths.
“Thank you, Heir of Zahariss for your protection, and bringing back our hope.”
Her words stun me silent, my eyes wide as I look across all the women and children, and my pack.
I spot Josh and Sarah, Taylor, Hudson and Colten. Then I see Katy and Oscar with Jerrod and other members of my packalong with Sybill and Sam. Then I see Leo, Damian, fuck, even Zaide is here, The Elites are here.
My eyes move further back and I spot Kade. My handsome son, pride shining in his eyes as he nods his head at me, and then he also goes to his knees, tilting his head.“Thank you, mom.”
Oh Gods.
The first tear falls and my eyes go to Darius.
He’s still leaning against the tree, a soft, proud smile on his face as he watches me intently.“You are everything, my Vihnarn. To me, to them. You are the hope that was lost.”
“Darius.”
“Accept their loyalty, little wolf.”
“And yours?”
“You will always have my loyalty, in this life and the next.”
I smile, and then I sob, emotions overwhelming me as I go to Deedrie, my knees joining her on the ground.
“We are hope,” I tell her, tell them all as I sniffle and grab her hands in my own. “Without your bravery, hope cannot be there, don’t you see?”
She eyes me curiously, as do the others.
“Do not think you are below me. I may be an Heir, I may be an Alpha, but I’m just a female wanting a simple life with those she loves.” I smile softly, looking at my pack and then peeking at Darius. “I’m sure you all want that too.” They nod, and I stand, holding my hand out. “Let’s spend the time we have in whatever peace we can find.”
Deedrie laughs, nodding her head as she says, “I want to run.” And then she’s a wolf. Then another changes, another and another, until all of a sudden, there are dozens of wolves in front of me.
Runa stands at my back, chest puffed out when she lets out a long howl, her head raising and the others joining in, a song ofhope and peace as they take off, running past me and Runa and into the trees.
My pack nipping at my fingers as they pass, rubbing up against my legs as they follow after them, the Elites not far behind. Kade is last, his blue eyes on mine as he nuzzles into me before he takes off with Sam on his back, her being too young for her own wolf to have come yet.
I turn and watch them go with Runa, and then she moves away from me but I don’t stop staring, hearing them in the distance as they run free for a while.
Is this what the future could be like if I right the wrongs? Could this be our never-ending peace?
A purring sound comes behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see Runa on her back, legs in the air as Darius rubs her belly.
