Damon’s POV
The howls had only just begun to fade when reality hit like a blade to the gut.
Hundreds of wolves knelt before her. Not just rogues. Not just Moonclaw. Others too, Alphas who had thought to measure her and ended up bleeding for it. Now they were hers - bound, sworn, but still wolves with teeth and hunger and pride.
And there was no way in hell we could fit them all behind the walls of the rogue city.
Already I could hear the mutter of voices, the scrape of claws, the restless shifting of packs sizing each other up. This was a victory, yes. But it was also tinder waiting for a spark.
Rayna stood tall, the crown still gleaming faintly on her head, her silver eyes catching the last of the firelight. She looked every inch the Queen they’d just sworn to - but exhaustion bled a
