<i>Zephyrine </i>


    ￥23%


    Finished


    The silence that settled between Jurrek Bane and me was enough to tell me something big wasing.


    War, maybe, but then I shrugged. ckwater alone was not enough to call out Ashmere warriors. That would be too foolish. Right?


    “Stone is dangerous, Alpha Zephyrine,” Jurrek said quietly. “And he also has the blessing of the Imperium Council.”


    I swallowed hard at that. The Imperium Council are those who stood above all packs, whosews we were bound to obey.


    I was about to respond when the door opened and Dessyn walked in with Moon. The sight of them lightened my heart instantly.


    “Zephyr,” Dessyn called, and I rushed into her arms, hugging her tight. Only a few days had passed, yet it felt like years since I’dst seen her.


    “Blue told me you followed Princess Mearez to…” I began, but she shoved me back and smacked my shoulder.


    “Ow! What was that for?”


    “How dare you use the sacred Lycan Kingdom as a cover to go alone on a suicide trip?” she demanded, and I sighed.


    I would have to answer that question to Lycannar, but for now, we had to focus on the facts. I took the mirror from Jurrek and held it out to Dessyn.


    She looked at it, then back at me.


    “What?”


    “Look into it. Then you’ll understand why I couldn’t juste back.”


    She searched my eyes with concern before turning back to the mirror. Seconds passed and I watched the fire in her gaze drain away. Dessyn lowered her hand slowly, awe recing every trace of anger.<fn9f23> This update is avable on FιndＮovel</fn9f23>


    “Zephyr….” she whispered.


    Moon, recognizing the relic, stepped forward to take it from his sister. He looked, and there it was, the truth I had seen, the truth he had doubted. His face shifted to awe as well, but I was already watching Jurrek, who sat in silence, thinking deeply.


    “I will get my brother out of ckwater, Jurrek,” I dered firmly. “I don’t care how much hell I must rain down. If I have to call upon my spirit guard to bring destruction, so be it. I will not leave him there.”


    That vow earned me many looks of awe.


    “ckwater?!” Dessyn gasped, but she quickly pped her palm over her mouth. Her hand trembled as she


    whispered, “Zephyr… ckwater?”


    23%–


    Finished


    “I felt it when I stood before Stone, the leader,” I said. “Varyn is there. But he won’t release him to me. He won’t.”


    Jurrek sighed, meeting my gaze.


    “Any ve in ckwater is bought. He has the right to refuse release.”


    “So what do we do? Stand aside while my brother rots?”


    He nodded grimly, swallowing hard.


    “The elders are talking, Zephyr. Even your own rtives whisper. The pack needs an Alpha, but you vanished the night after your ascension. You never held a ceremony to mark it. On top of that, Ash Pack’s supplies are dwindling. We must open trade and seek partnerships. That’s the gossip. And people are beginning to suspect you became Alpha for another reason altogether.”


    His words hit me like a de. I should have known it woulde to this.


    “You are the Alpha. An Ashmere,” he pressed. “It’s your call. If youmand the army to storm ckwater, we will obey. But we must tread carefully. If we alert the wrong people, Varyn could be killed before we even reach him. We still don’t know who betrayed us on the battlefield.”


    I sighed shakily, turning toward the window. He was right. I couldn’t trust anyone openly, not with Varyn’s life. If I acted rashly, I might lose him forever.


    My eyes rested on the massive gates of Ash Pack. Slowly, I exhaled.


    “Perhaps it’s time to open the gates wide for the first time in five years and hold a ceremony.” I turned back to them. “Fine. Let’s have a party. We’ll celebrate my ascension as Alpha. Invitations go out today. Next tomorrow night, under the stars, we feast until dawn.”


    “What’s the n?” Dessyn asked.


    “To silence the gossip.” I sighed again. “And I will need some time to think about it.”


    Jurrek nodded. He rose to his feet and asked,


    “So the Imperium Council gets the first invitation?”


    I paused to think. They had always favored my father. They praised Ashmere victories on every battlefield. By right, they deserved the first honor. But… no.


    “Deliver the first invitation to the Lycan Kingdom. The Blood family is wee here. Address the King with respect and present the scroll yourself, Jurrek, with a bow. The Imperium Council will follow.”


    Jurrek nodded obediently and turned to leave. But at the door, he stopped.


    “How about… Hue Pack?”


    I merely shrugged.


    “Invite them. Send a messenger. A letter will do. We won’t hold grudges. Our focus is justice and rescuing


    Sat, Sep 6


    Varyn.”


    “Understood, Alpha Zephyrine.” He bowed and left, closing the door.


    23%


    Finished


    I stood there, swallowing hard, before turning to Dessyn. She blinked quickly, holding back tears, then sighed shakily when I ced my palm on her shoulder.


    “We will bring him home, Dessyn,” I promised softly. “At all cost.”


    Her eyes searched mine before she nodded, voice breaking.


    “Promise?”


    “With all my heart.” I vowed, squeezing her hand gently. “How about you do what you do best? Host my ceremony, hmm?”


    “Yes. Oh yes.” She breathed out a shakyugh. “That’ll even keep me from brooding.”


    “You know your way around Ash Pack.”


    “You bet,” she said with a smile, then walked out, ready to work. I heard her speaking with Isolde in the hall as the door clicked shut.


    That left only Moon and me. He hadn’t stopped staring since he looked into the mirror and realized I wasn’t mad.


    When our eyes met, his were heavy with regret.


    “Zephyr… I’m sorry,” he said bitterly. “If only I had gone with you, maybe you wouldn’t have been struck by that arrow.”


    I swallowed at his words and nodded.


    “We arerades, Moon. Brothers–in–arms. We watch each other’s backs withoutint, without distrust. When you doubted me, it hurt.”


    “Zephyr…”


    “But I understand. You only worried for me and I appreciate that. Even before your apology, I had already let it go.” I stepped forward, this time embracing him first. “It’s fine, Moon. I’m fine.”


    He hugged me back, his hand warm against my back.


    “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice thick. “Fierce and stubborn…. that’s how you shed open the demon portal back on the battlefield.”


    I chuckled, and heughed with me. Just like that, the past faded, and we reconciled.


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