Chapter 5 Moonlit memories (Lucian's POV)

I stand on the edge of the amphitheater's dais long after the Council has dispersed, moonlight gilding the empty seats like silent witnesses. The echo of Raina's rejection still rings in my ears-sharp and unforgiving. I close my eyes and let the cold night air wash over me, but it only deepens the hollowness in my chest.

I step down toward the marble floor, fingertips brushing the carved Wolfhold sigil at my throat. It feels heavier now, a reminder that power without purpose is empty. I choke back a bitter laugh. I could have claimed my Luna tonight, cemented my claim as Alpha, but instead I shattered an ancient covenant-publicly, irrevocably.

Every instinct in me demanded dominance, but my pride froze my tongue. I still taste my own cowardice in the silvered air. I shouldn't have hesitated. I shouldn't have let a single doubt flicker in my heart.

A gust of wind rustles through the pines above, and a memory flares to life, sudden as a strike.

---

Two years ago: I'm teaching her to trace runes in the amphitheater's dust. Raina's fingers hover over the ancient symbols-crescent moons and intertwined wolves. She laughs, breath warm against my skin. "You're too precise," she teases, nudging my shoulder with hers. "Magic isn't art if it isn't wild."

I had frowned with mock offense. "I'm an Alpha, not an artist."

She tilts her head, eyes bright. "Even an Alpha needs a little chaos."

I'd cupped her hand in mine, and for a moment, I'd believed that our bond-our destiny-was an unbreakable truth.

---

The memory fades, and I'm back in the present. I trace the scar on the marble where her chalice struck the ground. There was power in that moment of betrayal-fury so pure it cut through tradition itself. My heart clenches at the thought that I was the architect of her exile.

I push off the dais and walk to the edge of the forest. The underbrush is slick with dew, and each step toward the trees feels like wading through doubt. I inhale, steadying myself. The pack's unity teeters on a knife's edge, and I cannot afford further fracture.

I reach the boundary where the amphitheater light bleeds into forest shadow. A figure steps from the gloom-Damian Reed, eyes wary but unwavering.

"Alpha Cross," he greets, voice low. "Thought I might find you here."

I nod. "I needed air." I swallow, then force the question: "What's the Council saying?"

He hesitates. "They're...divided. Some back your integration plan; more than I expected. But others call it capitulation." He spits the word as if it tastes sour. "They say you've lost your edge."

A wave of heat spikes through me. Lost my edge. My fangs would do little good against the cut of those words. I force calm. "Then I'll show them I haven't."

Damian's gaze flicks to the amphitheater behind us. "Raina's symposium was a hit. Pack members are talking about her more than you."

My jaw tightens. "Good. Let them talk. Better they speak of ideas than threats."

He nods but doesn't move on. "You said you wanted her back." The question hangs heavy.

I stare into the darkness where she vanished. "Not as a trophy. As my partner."

Damian's eyes soften. "She won't return any time soon."

I exhale sharply. "Then I must bring her back on my own terms."

---

The forest hush envelops us as I pace. Every step reels me back to the ceremony-her defiantly raised chin, the flash of silver in the moonlight, the tightening of her jaw. I remember how my hand shook when I reached for the sigil. I remember how, in that instant, my ambition betrayed my heart.

Anger flares-at myself, at the ancient laws that demand submission without question, at the blind pride that nearly cost us everything. I clench my fists until my knuckles whiten.

Damian clears his throat. "I can help you," he offers. "I have access to the campus network. We can monitor her movements. Find out where she's going, who she's talking to."

I pause, meeting his earnest gaze. "No covert hunts," I say firmly. "She must choose to return. But I need leverage." I glance back at the amphitheater, silhouetted against the moon. "I need to show her what she gave up."

He nods slowly. "Understood. I'll compile her human alliances-social ties, academic collaborators. Everyone she's confided in. Then you can appeal to what she's built."

I breathe in, eyes closing. "Thank you, Damian."

He bows his head. "Your vision will restore the pack."

I step past him, heading back to campus. Each footfall echoes resolve: I will rebuild what I tore down. I will prove that our bond transcends ritual. I will earn her forgiveness.

---

Back on the path, my thoughts drift to Orion Vale-the rival Alpha lurking on the fringes, waiting to exploit every fracture. He's already mobilizing his faction, whispering promises of a stronger pack under his command. I cannot allow that. If I cannot reclaim my Luna, then I will lose everything I've fought for.

I quicken my pace, mind racing through possibilities. I'll need to orchestrate a demonstration of my strength-something that shows the pack my leadership is indispensable. Perhaps a joint patrol of the Wolfhold Territory, a display of tactical prowess. Or a plea for cooperation that only I can stage, uniting wolves and humans against a common threat.

As I near campus, the first hints of dawn gild the treetops. I pause at the threshold, an old oak overhead, its branches heavy with new leaves. Moonlight lingers in its knotted bark, a reminder that cycles turn even when I falter.

I press a hand to the wood, drawing grounding energy. "Guide me," I murmur. "Show me the path to redemption."

A single leaf drifts down, landing at my feet. I pick it up-silver-veined, delicate. Symbols of renewal are not lost on me. My pulse steadies.

I tuck the leaf into my coat pocket, conviction hardening in my chest. Tonight, I will begin to mend what I broke. I will craft an offer she cannot refuse. And I will prove, once and for all, that the strength of an Alpha lies not in dominance, but in unity.

With that vow burning in my veins, I stride back toward the academy, ready to face a day that will define my reign-and determine whether Raina Adler will ever return to my side.