Chapter 20
CHAPTER 20
RYDER
T he Nightshade Pack’s meeting hall is cold and echoing, the stone walls and high ceilings lending a sense of gravity to the gathering. The Elders sit in a semicircle, their expressions a mixture of skepticism and unease. I have called the pack together to meet in the great hall and not the Elders’ council chamber. They’ve always been slow to change—centuries of tradition will do that to a group—but tonight feels different. Tonight, they’re staring down the edge of extinction, and I’m telling them we are going to take a leap of faith.
The room hums with tension, the Elders and the rest of the pack murmuring amongst themselves. Bella sits at the far end of the hall, her posture stiff but proud. I can feel her eyes on me, burning with defiance and something deeper. She won’t beg for acceptance, but the stakes are written all over her face. She needs this—needs them to see her the way I do.
Lucas speaks up from where he leans casually against the wall, his arms crossed. “You’re all so caught up in the past you can’t see the future staring you in the face. Bella’s exactly what we need right now. She’s smart, brave, and she may have information about the Crimson Claw that might give us the edge we’ve been missing. Don’t let your pride blind you.”
Elder Cal clears his throat, his pale eyes narrowing. “And what happens when her human side gets in the way? When she falters because she doesn’t understand what it means to be fully wolf?”
“You hypocrite,” I growl, the sound vibrating through the hall. “Bella is more wolf than your mate was when you claimed her. Your mate was purebred human with no wolf DNA at all. Once I claim Bella, she’ll be as much wolf as anyone. You didn’t see her in that cabin. She fought as hard as both Lucas and I, and she didn’t have the advantage of being able to shift. She didn’t have to be there. She could have remained here. If that’s not good enough for you, I will give you time to leave. Bella will be mistress of this pack.”
Tannis folds her hands, her gaze sharp as it moves between me and Bella. “It’s not her courage we question, Ryder. It’s the consequences of bringing her into the fold. A union between those who are not wolf-shifters should be frowned upon.”
“Frown all you like, I don’t give a damn.”
Marlow speaks up, “What if it weakens the pack further?”
“What if it strengthens us?” I counter. “We’ve been shrinking for decades, clinging to traditions that no longer serve us. It’s time to adapt. To grow. Bella’s part of that.”
The silence that follows is heavy, everyone in the room measuring my words like stones in their hands.
Finally, Marlow speaks again, his tone resigned but resolute. “We will bless this union…”
“That’s nice, but I don’t need, nor am I asking for your blessing.”
The meeting disperses slowly, the Elders muttering among themselves as they leave. Bella rises and joins me. As the warriors of the pack move past, each stops, takes Bella’s hand in his and rubs his cheek along the back of her hand—an ancient show of respect and acceptance. The other members of the pack stop to introduce themselves to Bella, who gracefully accepts their welcome.
Her eyes meet mine, and I see the storm brewing there—anger, relief, fear. “The Elders will never really accept me, will they?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I say firmly. “But given time, I believe they will, or they will find themselves without a pack.”
She exhales sharply, shaking her head. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be enough for them.”
I reach for her hand, bring it to my lips as I kiss her fingers. “I don’t care. You’re already more than enough for me.”
We make our way outside where the moon hangs low in the sky by the time we reach the edge of the forest. Bella walks beside me, silent and lost in thought. The events of the past few days have taken their toll—on both of us. I lead her to a secluded clearing, the soft rustle of the trees and the distant call of an owl the only sounds.
She sits on a fallen log, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. I stand in front of her, watching the way the moonlight catches in her hair, the way it illuminates the tension in her posture.
“You’re thinking too much,” I say, stepping closer.
She looks up at me, her lips curving into a faint, humorless smile. “I have a lot to think about.”
I kneel in front of her, my hands resting lightly on her knees. “You’re trying to make sense of something that doesn’t fit into neat little boxes. You’re not just human anymore, Bella. You never really were, but either way, it wouldn’t matter. I love you.”
“You do?” she asks, so incredulously that it makes me laugh.
“I do, and the traditional response when your mate tells you he loves you isn’t to question that but to tell him you love him, too.”
Her eyes soften, and I can feel her acceptance and belief that we are fated mates. “I love you, too, but is it enough? I can’t shift, Ryder. I can’t even control the flashes of power I do have. How am I supposed to be part of your pack like this?”
“Our pack, and you already are,” I say, my voice steady. “You don’t have to prove anything to me—or anyone else.”
Her gaze softens, and for a moment, the weight on her shoulders seems to lift. Then her lips part, her voice barely above a whisper. “What if I never shift? What if I’m stuck like this forever?”
I lean closer, my forehead almost touching hers. “Then you will still be mine. My mate. My equal—well, almost my equal.” I say the last with a teasing note. Lucas is right, I’m starting to lose my brooding demeanor, and I find I’m rather enjoying it.
Bella closes her eyes, leaning into my touch. For a moment, the world fades away, leaving only the two of us, bound by something neither of us fully understands but can’t deny.
The moon’s light filters through the canopy of pines, casting silver shadows over the forest floor. The air feels alive, charged with something ancient and powerful, as if the woods themselves are holding their breath. The clearing in which we stand is surrounded by old growth timber. A clearing where the moon has always shone directly down, spotlighting any who stand there.
This is the spot—the is where everything changes.
She stands beside me, her eyes reflecting the moonlight, her expression a mixture of anticipation and fear. I can feel the tension radiating off her, but there’s also something else—a quiet resolve that tells me she’s ready.
“Are you sure about this?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. “What happens if it doesn’t work? If I can’t...”
“It will,” I interrupt, my tone firm. “Because it’s who you are. This isn’t about proving anything to anyone. It’s about claiming what’s already yours.”
She nods slowly, taking a deep breath. “Then let’s do it.”
The words send a surge of emotion through me—pride, longing, something deeper that I can’t quite name. I reach for her, my hands settling on her hips as I pull her closer. The heat between us is immediate, the magnetic pull that’s always been there sparking to life.
“This is a ritual as old as the pack itself,” I say, my voice low. “It’s a bond that can’t be undone, Bella. Once we do this, you’re mine. And I’m yours.”
Her breath hitches, but she doesn’t look away. “I already am.”
The words ignite something primal in me, and I capture her mouth with mine, the kiss fierce and claiming. She responds with equal fervor, her hands tangling in my hair as our bodies press together. The world around us fades, leaving only the sound of our breath and the pounding of my heart.
I back her against the trunk of the oldest tree. The moonlight paints her skin in silver, her beauty otherworldly in this moment. I trail kisses down her neck, to her collarbone, until I reach the hollow just to the right of her throat. My wolf stirs, the ancient instincts roaring to the surface.
I lower my head, my teeth grazing her skin. The moment is charged, the power of the ritual thrumming in the air. I bite down, the sharpness of my teeth piercing her flesh as she gasps. The taste of her fills me, wild and electric, and the bond surges to life between us, an unbreakable thread tying her to me and me to her.
The moment she cries out, a howl erupts from her throat, raw and wild. Her body arches against mine, and I feel the change ripple through her. With her blood carrying the wolf DNA of her grandmother, the transition should be almost instantaneous. I can feel the power of her wolf surging through her.
“What’s happening,” she asks as I move away.
“Picture your she-wolf in your mind’s eye. Call her forward and let her lead you.”
The swirling mist comes up from the ground, surrounding her in color and lightning, thunder and power. Her form shifts, seamlessly transitioning her from woman to wolf as her wolf emerges for the first time. It’s a sight that steals my breath—a sleek, powerful wolf with fur the color of twilight, her eyes glowing with a light that speaks of her grandmother’s lineage, her rightful place among us.
She stands on unsteady legs, shaking out her fur as she looks at me with a mixture of wonder and determination. I shift as well, the familiar rush of power coursing through me as I take my wolf form. Together, we face the moonlit forest, the bond between us pulsing like a heartbeat.
I nudge her shoulder with my muzzle, a silent invitation. She hesitates for only a moment before breaking into a gallop, her movements fluid and instinctive. I follow, the joy of the run coursing through me as we weave through the trees, our breath mingling with the cool night air.
When we reach a ridge overlooking the valley, I throw my head back and howl, the sound carrying over the forest. Bella joins me, her howl a perfect harmony to mine. The sound is answered by others, distant at first but growing closer—a chorus of voices that belongs to our pack.
One by one, they emerge from the shadows, their forms shimmering in the moonlight. They approach cautiously, their eyes fixed on Bella. But as they take in her transformation, the tension shifts. There’s awe in their expressions, a ripple of hope that moves through the gathered wolves like a wave.
Even Tanis, in her wolf form, steps forward, her eyes meeting mine before flicking to Bella. There’s no hostility in her gaze, only acceptance. She howls, a signal that the pack echoes in unison. It’s a moment I never thought I’d see—the pack embracing change, embracing her.
Bella turns to me, her glowing eyes filled with emotion. I press my muzzle to hers, a silent promise that this is just the beginning. Together, we’ll face whatever comes next.
The howl dies down, leaving a quiet that feels like the calm before the storm. But for now, we run as one, our pack united under the light of the moon.