In Her Shadow

The Weight of the Crown

Chapter Six:

Riley’s POV

Twenty-four Earlier

The training field stretched before me, filled with wolves of all ranks honing their skills. The clang of swords and the thud of fists against training dummies filled the air, accompanied by the occasional barked command. From my perch on the Alpha balcony, I could see everything—each sparring match, every mistake, and every triumph.

My arms rested on the railing as I surveyed the scene below. At six foot five, I easily towered over most of my peers, my broad shoulders and muscular build a testament to years of relentless training. Wolves respected size, but that wasn’t why I trained so hard. Strength meant nothing without control, and control was what an Alpha needed most.

I caught sight of Skyler sparring with one of the warriors, his quick movements and calculated strikes a reminder of why he was my Beta-in-training. He was good—fast and clever—but I could already see the gaps in his defense. I made a mental note to point it out during our next session.

Beside me, my father, the Alpha, stood with his arms crossed, his sharp green eyes focused on the field. He hadn’t said much this morning, but that wasn’t unusual. My father’s presence alone spoke volumes, his quiet authority setting the tone for everyone around him.

“Looks good,” he said finally, his voice gruff but approving.

“They’re improving,” I replied, my gaze flicking to a group of younger wolves practicing formations.

“And you?” he asked, turning to me. “How are you feeling about the Moon Festival?”

I straightened, meeting his gaze. “Ready.”

He studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. My father was a man of few words, but when he spoke, you listened.

“You’ll do fine, Riley,” he said, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “But remember, strength isn’t just physical. You’ll need to lean on your Beta, your Luna, your pack. An Alpha isn’t an island.”

His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. The mention of a Luna was a reminder of the one thing I couldn’t avoid forever: finding my mate.

I turned back to the field, watching as Chloe and Gianna sparred together. They were opposites in so many ways—Chloe’s quiet strength and focus contrasting with Gianna’s flair for dramatics—but both were capable, more so than most wolves gave them credit for.

Chloe caught my eye for a moment, her green gaze so much like our father’s that it made my chest ache. She reminded me of him in more ways than one—steady, loyal, and dependable.

Gianna, on the other hand…

I shook my head, pushing the thought away. As Alpha daughters, they had their own set of expectations to meet, but those expectations were nothing compared to mine.

Later, I stood in the woods, away from the noise of the training grounds and the prying eyes of the pack. The scent of pine and damp earth surrounded me, grounding me in a way nothing else could.

I let out a slow breath, my wolf stirring restlessly within me.

“You’re quiet today,” I murmured, feeling the familiar presence of my wolf in the back of my mind.

It’s the festival, he said simply, his voice a low growl.

I nodded. The festival was always a big deal, but this year felt different. I was twenty-one, past the age when most wolves found their mates. Technically, I could take over as Alpha without one, but tradition and instinct said otherwise.

And then there was the secret I carried, the one no one knew—not my father, not Skyler, not even Chloe.

I could sense my mate.

Not just in the abstract way most wolves described—the faint tug of a bond waiting to form. I could feel her presence, her scent like a whisper on the edge of my awareness. I didn’t know her name or her face, but I knew she was out there.

My wolf growled softly, impatient.

You’re stalling, he said.

“I’m not stalling,” I muttered. “I’m preparing.”

You’re afraid.

I clenched my fists, the truth of his words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. I was afraid. Not of my mate, but of what it would mean to love someone that deeply.

I thought of my father, the way he’d fallen apart after losing his first mate—my mother. I barely remembered her, just flashes of her smile and the warmth of her embrace. But I remembered what came after. The grief that hollowed him out, that nearly destroyed him.

It wasn’t until he found his second mate—Chloe and Gianna’s mother—that he started to heal. She’d loved him fiercely, raising me as her own and filling the void my mother left behind.

But the scars were still there, hidden beneath his stoic exterior. And I was terrified of bearing those same scars.

“Riley.”

I turned at the sound of Skyler’s voice, breaking me out of my thoughts. He jogged up to me, his usual grin in place, though there was a hint of tension in his posture.

“Training’s over,” he said, nodding toward the packhouse. “You coming to the debrief?”

“In a minute,” I said.

Skyler frowned, crossing his arms. “You okay?”

“Fine,” I said, giving him a small smile. “Just clearing my head.”

He nodded, though I could tell he didn’t believe me.

As he walked away, I let out a slow breath, my wolf growling softly in the back of my mind.

The festival was coming, and with it, decisions that would shape the future of the pack.

And no matter how much I tried to prepare, I knew there were some things I couldn’t control.

The Moon Festival

The Moon Festival was in full swing, and the pack gathered beneath the glow of the full moon. Wolves mingled in the clearing, their laughter and chatter mixing with the crackle of the bonfire. The air was thick with the earthy scent of pine and damp earth, a grounding reminder of who we were and what we celebrated.

I stood near the edge of the gathering, my eyes scanning the crowd while keeping my thoughts guarded. The Moon Goddess had always been central to our traditions, and tonight was supposed to be about renewal and connection. But my wolf was restless, pacing in my mind, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming.

And then I saw her.

She stepped into the clearing like a shadow breaking through the light, her movements hesitant and guarded. My heart slammed against my ribs as the bond surged to life, an electric pull that nearly brought me to my knees.

Mate.

The word reverberated through my mind, raw and undeniable. My wolf howled in recognition, but I forced him back, suppressing the instinct that clawed at me to claim her then and there.

She wasn’t from our pack. Her scent, though faint, told me that much. Beneath the earthy musk of a rogue was the distinct tang of a Beta’s lineage, but it was muted, hidden under layers of grime and exhaustion. Her clothes were tattered hand-me-downs, hanging loosely on her thin frame. She couldn’t have been more than twenty, but the bruises on her arms and the cuts across her knuckles made her seem older, worn down by a life on the run.

And yet, she was beautiful.

Her hair was a rich chestnut brown, wild and tangled but catching the moonlight like a halo. Her eyes, a piercing gray, darted nervously across the gathering as if she were looking for an escape. She didn’t carry herself like a rogue, though. There was strength in her stance, defiance in squaring her shoulders despite the fear that radiated off her.

I can’t leave her here.

Father, I mind-linked, my voice calm despite the storm inside me. We have a situation.

I felt his presence in my mind immediately, steady and unyielding. What is it, Riley?

A rogue, I said, keeping my tone measured. Female. She’s... she might be important.

There was a pause, then my father’s sharp reply. Where is she?

I shifted my gaze back to her, my heart twisting as I watched her step further into the clearing, her movements hesitant.

Near the west side of the clearing, I replied.

Stay there. I’m sending the Beta.

Moments later, I saw Skyler’s father, the current Beta, approaching from the opposite direction, his posture tense but controlled. My father followed close behind, his green eyes scanning the area with practiced precision.

I quickly masked my scent, suppressing the bond before she could sense it. The effort made my chest ache, but it was necessary. She didn’t need to know—at least, not yet.

As the Beta and my father reached her, I hung back, watching as they spoke to her in low, calm tones. She looked wary, her eyes darting between them and the crowd, but eventually, she nodded, allowing them to guide her away from the clearing.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, my wolf growling softly in frustration.

She’s safe, I told myself, though the ache in my chest didn’t ease.

But the bond was still there, humming faintly beneath the surface. And I knew this wasn’t over.