Dawn bled across the Moon Field in shades of gold and silver.
Kade was already there when we arrived.
Alone. No army. No Alpha enforcers. No Council tricks this time. Just him, standing at the center of the field with his hands empty and his head bowed like a wolf submitting to a stronger pack.
He looked different in the morning light. Older. Tired. The golden Alpha arrogance was gone, stripped away by the duel and the truth.
I held Aria close against my chest, wrapped in silver Lycan blankets. Darius stood to my right, hand resting on his sword. Elias stood to my left, small training dagger in hand and eyes locked on Kade like a hawk.
For a long moment, nobody spoke.
Kade finally looked up. His eyes went straight to Aria.
“So it’s true,” he whispered. “Blood moon birth. Silver hair
