Mira’s POV.

"You really love him. You always did."

"Yes."

"Even when you were here. With me."

"I tried."

"I know." He cut me off gently. "I know you tried. It's not your fault because the mate bond wouldn't let go." Everywhere became quiet. I was almost suffocating.

Finally, Cyrus turned back and assured. "I'll commit Windermere forces to help Kael reclaim Blackridge." Relief crashed through me. "Thank you."

He smiled slightly and remarked. I’m not doing that for you, but for pack law. For doing what's right. Seraphine's coup is illegal, and if we allow it to stand, we set a precedent for any ambitious wolf to seize power when their Alpha is vulnerable."

He walked to his desk, began drafting orders. "But Mira, after this, we're done. No more history between us. You'll be Kael's Luna, and I'll be the Alpha who let you go."

"Cyrus."

"It's better this way so that we have a clean break, which we both deserve." He was right, but it still hurt. Not the loss of what we had, that was already gone. But the loss of what we'd tried to build. The friendship, the partnership, the almost-love that had sustained me through six years.

"You deserved better than almost," I said quietly. "Yeah." He smiled, sad and genuine. "I did. But I don't regret trying." I rode back with a contingent of Windermere warriors, arriving at the coalition camp outside Blackridge two days later.

Kael was already there, along with wolves from three northern packs. Not as many as we'd hoped, but more than nothing. He pulled me into his arms the moment I dismounted. The mate bond sang with relief.

"Cyrus agreed?" he asked against my hair. "Yes. But it costs," I stopped. What it cost wasn't important now. "I know." Kael understood without me explaining. "I'm sorry." "Don't be. I made my choice six years too late, but I made it."

Lyra approached with Raven. Our daughter looked like she'd been training hard; there were new bruises, new confidence in her stance. "The Crescent fighters are ready," she reported. "Fifty-three warriors, all marked, all loyal."

Kael assessed her with Alpha eyes. "You've been training them." "They needed a leader. I provided one." No arrogance, just fact. I felt a surge of pride. This fierce, powerful young woman was mine. Ours.

"Council in ten minutes," Kael announced to the gathered forces. "We plan our approach." But before the council could convene, a young wolf burst from Blackridge's direction, running flat out. We intercepted him at the camp perimeter. He collapsed, gasping.

" We got a message from inside Blackridge. It came from someone loyal to Alpha Kael." Raven brought water. The wolf drank, then continued. "Beta Marcus is alive. Imprisoned in hidden cells beneath the Alpha residence. Others with him, wolves. Seraphine's been disappearing for months."

"Months?" Kael's voice was dangerous. "This has been happening for months?" "She's been removing opposition slowly. Anyone who questioned her, anyone too loyal to you." The messenger looked up. "The young guard who helped me escape said there's proof. Evidence of an Elder conspiracy. Hidden in Elder Theron's quarters."

My blood went cold. "The Elders are involved?" "They've been planning this for years. Since" the messenger looked at me, " since you were rejected, Luna. They feared what a union between you and Alpha Kael would produce. They helped arrange for your daughter to be taken."

Lyra's power flared, visible as silver light. "They took me? The Elders?" "They gave the order. Darius executed it. But they sanctioned it." The implications crashed over all of us. This wasn't just Seraphine's ambition. This was systematic, calculated, years in the making.

Kael's face was stone. "They'll answer for it. All of them." We spent the night planning. The camp was too large for one tent, so we gathered in the open, maps spread on makeshift tables.

"Seraphine will know we're here," Raven said. "She'll have prepared defences." "Then we don't fight our way in." Kael's finger traced Blackridge's perimeter. "We challenge her. Formally. By pack law."

"Single combat?" I hated the idea immediately. "Kael, she's been preparing for this." "So have I. My whole life." He looked around at the gathered leaders. "Alpha challenge is the cleanest way. It prevents pack-wide bloodshed. Winner takes leadership, loser leaves or dies."

Cyrus, who'd arrived with his forces, spoke up. "You're assuming she'll accept. She could refuse. And claim you have no standing to challenge." "Then we show the proof of the Elder conspiracy. Turn her own pack against her." Kael's strategy was sound, but risky.

Lyra leaned over the map. "What if we split her focus? Multiple entry points, creating confusion, while you issue the challenge?" Everyone looked at her. "It's not a bad strategy," Raven admitted. "Force her to divide attention between defending territory and answering the challenge."

We refined the plan for hours. By the time we finished, dawn was breaking. Kael stood, addressing everyone. "We move at noon. Give Blackridge time to wake, to gather, to witness. This ends today."

The coalition dispersed to prepare. I found Kael standing alone, staring at Blackridge's walls. "Second thoughts?" I asked. "Just thinking about everything at stake. Everything I could lose."

"You already lost it. Now you're fighting to get it back." He turned, pulled me close. "If something happens to me."

"It won't."

"Mira."

"It won't." I kissed him, fierce and claiming. "Because you're not fighting alone this time. You have me. You have Lyra. You have an army at your back and the truth on your side."

"Love doesn't win wars."

"No. But it's worth fighting them." I pressed my forehead to his. "And we've already survived the worst of it. Everything after this is just cleanup."

He laughed, short and sharp. "You make war sound simple." "It is simple. Seraphine wants power. We want home. Only one of those is worth dying for."

Lyra joined us. She was silent and observant. "Are you two done being dramatic? Because I'd like to have both parents survive the day." She remarked bitterly.

The three of us stood together, watching our home.