---- Chapter 24 Elara POV: The grand hall of the Moon Palace was alive with light and music. Alphas and Lunas from the oldest, most respected packs in the world had come to pay their respects. They moved through the crowds, their fine silks and jewels glittering under the light of the thousand floating moon-globes that illuminated the ceiling. | stood beside my father and mother, a polite smile fixed on my face as | accepted their blessings. "A true tragedy, what that Bloodstone Alpha did," | overheard one Luna whisper to another, not quite quietly enough. "But a blessing in disguise. A rejected White Wolf princess, already carrying a pure-blooded heir? She's the most valuable mate in a generation. My son would be a perfect match." The White Wolf bloodline was the most ancient and powerful, said to be directly descended from the Moon Goddess herself. A pup from this line was a prize beyond measure, a political asset that could shift the balance of power for centuries. | felt a familiar pang, but it was distant now, like an echo from a life that belonged to someone else. My pregnancy was beginning to show, a gentle curve to my belly that | rested my hand upon protectively. The White Wolf inside me, now fully ---- awake, was a calming presence. It didn't care for gossip or politics. It cared only for the pup | carried and the safety of our pack. My father, Alpha Alaric, must have sensed my discomfort. His hand came to rest on my shoulder, his presence a mountain of strength beside me. Just then, an Elder approached, his face grim. He bowed low before my father, then turned to me. "Princess," he said in a low voice, "there is a wolf at the gate. An Alpha. He calls himself Damien." The name hit the air like a stone dropped into a calm pool. My father's hand tightened on my shoulder. His Alpha power flared, a wave of cold fury that made the nearby guests flinch and bow their heads instinctively. "Throw him out," he growled, his voice a low thunder that promised violence. "Tell the guards if he doesn't leave, | will come down there and tear him apart myself." "My love," my mother, Luna Seraphina, said, placing a calming hand on his arm, but her own eyes were blazing with protective fire. "He has no right to be here. After what he did to our daughter..." They were both ready for war. But | felt... nothing. Just a deep, profound weariness. The bond was broken. The love had curdled into a scar. He was just a name, a memory. But a memory that could still cause trouble. ---- "No," | said, my voice quiet but firm. Both my parents turned to look at me, surprised. "I'll see him," | continued. "If | don't, he'll never stop. He'll become a ghost that haunts our borders forever. | need to face him. | need to make the ending clean." My mother searched my eyes, looking for any sign of lingering pain or love. She found only resolve. "Are you sure, my sweet girl?" "I'm sure," | said, my hand never leaving my belly. "This will be the last time. | promise." My father's jaw was tight, but he nodded, respecting my decision. He was the Alpha of our pack, but | was its future Queen. My word held weight "Fenris," he said to the Elder. "Bring him in. Through the service entrance. | don't want him dirtying my main hall." The Elder bowed and disappeared into the crowd. A knot of apprehension tightened in my stomach, but | pushed it down. This wasn't for him. This was for me. For my pup. This was the final cut.