Lila’s POV
Peace, I learned, doesn't arrive with applause. It settles in quietly, unnoticed at first, then overwhelming.
The Moonstone’s glow faded, but its weight remained in my chest. Around me, murmurs rose like mist: questions, orders, plans. The decision was made: unity. But no one told me that choosing unity could feel just as isolating.
Elara kept Aria occupied as Tobias spoke to the assembled Alphas. Kian’s arm rested around my back, but even his warmth couldn’t stop the restlessness inside me because while the others focused on treaties and borders, I felt something else growing inside me steady, undeniable.
A life.
I hadn’t told Kian. Not yet.
Not after everything. Not while we were still figuring out who we were to each other. Not while I was still carrying the remnants of
