THE WINTER HOWL
204 Words
The Winter Howl was more than a celebration—it was a promise.
For the first time in decades, the wolves of Blackfang howled not in mourning or fear, but in triumph. The great hall overflowed with food, music, and dancing. Wolves shifted freely beneath moonlight, their coats flashing silver as laughter rippled through the estate.
Elysia stood at the edge of the courtyard, watching Kael speak with the new council. His presence radiated quiet power, but when he looked at her—it softened into something more.
She smiled, her hand brushing the new life forming in her belly.
“I never imagined peace could feel this strange,” she murmured.
“Because we’ve only known war,” said Mira, stepping beside her. “But you changed that.”
Elysia turned. “We changed it. Together.”
From across the gathering, Kael raised a goblet. The wolves hushed.
“To the ones we lost,” he began. “To the blood we spilled. And to the future we now protect.”
His gaze landed on Elysia. “May the Moon guide it always.”
Howls rose like music into the night sky.
And for the first time in years, Elysia let herself rest.
- Writer
