The Alpha Who Chose The Outcast

Chapter Six — The Alpha's Promise

Three weeks later, the Silver Moon Pack had changed.

The elder was imprisoned.

The rogue attacks had stopped.

My father had returned to the pack.

And I was no longer the girl everyone whispered about.

They called me Queen now.

I hated it.

"I still think it's ridiculous."

Kael smiled.

"You'll get used to it."

We stood on the hill overlooking the territory.

Below us, wolves ran through the valley.

"Your father wants you to become Alpha," Kael said.

"I don't want to rule."

"Neither did I."

I looked at him.

"You were supposed to become Alpha."

"Supposed to."

He shrugged.

"Things changed."

I smiled.

"You gave up the throne?"

"No."

He looked at me.

"I gave up the idea that a throne was the most important thing in my life."

My heart skipped.

Before I could respond, a horn sounded from the village.

Once.

Twice.

Kael's expression immediately changed.

"What is it?"

He looked toward the horizon.

"Visitors."

We walked down the hill.

A group of warriors stood at the border.

Their armor was completely black.

At their center was a man with silver eyes.

He stepped forward.

"I've come for the Blood Moon Queen."

I stepped beside Kael.

"I'm here."

The stranger smiled.

"I'm Prince Darius."

Kael moved in front of me.

"What do you want?"

"Peace."

Kael laughed.

"People don't arrive with an army when they want peace."

Darius's smile faded.

"You misunderstand."

He looked at me.

"My kingdom has been waiting for your return for eighteen years."

"Why?"

"Because your mother promised my father that the Blood Moon would unite the divided kingdoms."

I frowned.

"My mother made that promise?"

"Yes."

"And what happens if I refuse?"

Darius looked toward the dark forest.

"Then the kingdoms will go to war."

Kael's hand tightened around mine.

I looked at the pack behind me.

Eighteen years ago, I had been a girl with no wolf.

A girl everyone considered worthless.

Now kingdoms were waiting for my decision.

I finally understood what my mother had meant.

The Blood Moon wasn't about power.

It was about choice.

I stepped forward.

"I'll meet your king."

Kael looked at me.

"You don't have to do this alone."

I smiled.

"I know."

Darius bowed.

"Then we leave at sunrise."

He turned away.

Kael looked at me.

"You're really going?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm coming."

"You don't have to."

"I know."

He smiled.

"But I'm still coming."

We stood together as the sun disappeared behind the mountains.

I looked at the silver moon rising above us.

For eighteen years, I had believed I was cursed because I had no wolf.

I had been wrong.

My wolf had been waiting.

My blood had been waiting.

And somewhere beyond the mountains, an enemy was waiting too.

I wasn't afraid anymore.

Because I had finally discovered who I was.

I was Lyra Vale.

The last Blood Moon Queen.

And beside me stood the Alpha who had chosen me when the entire world had turned against me.

Our story was only beginning.