Chapter 28 - Caleb
Everything narrows to the taste of blood in my mouth and the involuntary tremor running through Dawson’s body beneath my weight. His pulse is frantic under my jaws, panting as he lies there, waiting for the killing blow.
As easily as I could tear and rip, finishing the job, I don’t kill him.
I hold him there long enough for every wolf watching to understand exactly who won, and what a finished man looks like before mercy is given. The low growl continues to reverberate in my chest as I force his surrender, and I feel as the others start to slowly back away.
When I finally release him, Dawson collapses onto his side as he pulls in deeper breaths, scrambling back while he waits for his natural healing to kick in. With some trouble, he eventually stands, keeping his head bowed in submission.
Even if he could try again, he doesn’t challenge me again, and he doesn’t even look at my pack behind me.
Good.
Standing taller than before, my chest heaves as blood trickles from the various tears in my flank, and my muscles shake subtly with the last threads of adrenaline. Exhaustion wraps around every bone, but I force myself to stay where I am.
Around us, the Wraith Peak wolves pull back into the trees, slow at first until they see that Dawson no longer has the strength or authority to command anything.
Some of them yip and howl, leaving a chill of uncertainty in the air.
They split off, likely already communicating among themselves about what this means.
I may have spared him as a warning, but that doesn’t mean his pack will be merciful to him in the face of his weakened state. That fate is in their hands now, not mine.
Perhaps that’s the greatest karma of all—being torn apart by the very chaos nurtured throughout his reign.
One by one, their scents fade off in the wind, and despite still being in their territory, the forest starts to feel normal again, and less oppressive than it had been. The threat is still there, lingering in the background, but it’s subdued for now.
As I turn around to face the others, I’m met with pure submission and respect as they subtly bow their heads. For a long moment, seeing my pack ready to follow me eases the pain coursing through me. While the guys don’t bow, they nod, and that’s enough for me.
More importantly, Lila stands in the middle of the group, eyes still wide with a mixture of concern, relief, and awe.
She’s all I focus on, well aware of how the bond hums between us, stronger and healthier than it ever has been.
Everyone can head home now… we won’t be long.
I send through the pack-wide connection as my attention stays on Lila and the way she looks at me like I’ve finally proven myself. My dedication.
When the others disband, heading south in their wolf forms, I initiate my shift, feeling the pain hit me differently now. It throbs all over as I change back, kicking my healing into the next gear to close my wounds up.
Dirt and dried blood cling to my skin, but as I rake a hand through my hair, my breathing steadies, and I start to feel more like myself again. It’s a slow recovery, but manageable.
I won… but in a way, it doesn’t feel like a complete victory. Not while Lila stands there, still pale and shaking, surely exhausted from using whatever leftover magic she had in her.
When it’s just the two of us, her eyes search mine as if she’s afraid of what I’ll say, or what I’ll think—what I’ll do now that the fight is over.
I’m approaching her before I can come up with the answers myself, and her breath catches before she averts her gaze, seemingly expecting me to be angry.
Maybe I should be. Magic use is forbidden here. It’s dangerous, unpredictable, and it undermines the Alpha’s authority. It has been seen as a stain in our lines for as far back as they go, thanks to crossbreeding.
That’s what I’ve been told my entire life, and once, I believed it completely.
But Dawson fought dirty, even before the fight began. He was willing to put his entire pack at risk just to take my mate and child from me, and given the way he talked about Astrid’s magic, he would’ve used it to his advantage. I know for a fact he would’ve killed me with it if he had the chance.
And despite knowing the risks of exposing magic, Lila used it to save my life. To save both Astrid and herself.
Even if a small part of me still twitches with an old instinct that tells me to keep it hidden, the memory of that burst of strength feels nothing like corruption or something evil. It didn’t feel like a curse.
It just felt like Lila. A natural part of her that she never had any say in, and something she can’t change. The same goes for Astrid.
“Caleb…” she murmurs, seemingly not knowing where to start after everything, and letting that guilt hold her back. “I’m sorry… I’ve never done that before. It could’ve hurt you, or thrown you off, but I couldn’t just stand by—”
“You didn’t,” I say directly, voice rougher than anticipated as I reach for her, putting a gentle hand against her cheek even as my body aches. “You helped me win, just like any strong Luna would.”
Lila’s eyes meet mine, swimming in subtle confusion and disbelief.
Pulling in a breath, I carefully brush my thumb along her skin, finally settling on the fact that she’s right here. Right in front of me and in my grasp.
“Whatever you did, I’m here because of it. I felt you, and I felt all of it,” I murmur, taking in her features and just how pale her skin looks. “It took a lot out of you.”
“It was nothing compared to what you did,” Lila says, still holding onto the edges of her concern. “But it was worth it.”
“It didn’t feel like what I’ve always been told magic feels like,” I admit softly, reaching for her hand with my free one, gently stroking her inner wrist to feel the way she shivers. “It wasn’t cold, or wrong.”
She blinks up at me, still somewhat cautious despite how hope breaks through her fear.
“It felt like strength. Yours and mine together,” I add, holding her gaze while our connection burns at this proximity. “It felt like love.”
Lila’s eyes soften, and despite herself, she can’t form the right words.
I reach for her waist, being mindful as I carefully draw her closer until we’re skin to skin, and my heart slows to a steadier beat, even if I’m subtly leaning my weight against her to stay standing. After everything, being this close feels like coming home after being gone for far too long.
“I’m not angry,” I murmur, wrapping my arms around her as I press my face into her neck and hair. “Not at this, or at you.”
Her pulse spikes, and she releases a relieved breath as she returns the embrace, fingers pressed against my back as she hugs me fiercely.
“I’m just glad you’re both alive, and that this is over.”
Lila trembles faintly in my arms, nodding and clinging to me.
Then, as if reminded, she pulls back, eyes wide with concern again. “Astrid…”
“Is safe,” I say without hesitation, gently brushing her hair back. When I glance past her and into the tree line, I smile subtly. “Speaking of…”
Resting a hand on Lila’s hip as she turns around, shielding me, Dominic approaches while holding Astrid’s hand, guiding her along through the clearing before he lets go, letting her run forward.
“Mama!”
Utter relief cloaks Lila as our daughter bounds forward, catching her in a tight hug. At the same time, Dominic gives me a grin and tosses a pair of sweats in my direction.
“Thank you… And thanks for keeping her safe,” I say to him as I slip the pants on, feeling a bit more put together.
He nods, arms crossed. “No problem, boss. It’s a shame I didn’t get to watch you kick ass, though.”
Boss. I huff at that, well aware of his teasing undertones. “Maybe next time.”
“No next time,” Lila interjects, throwing a glare in my direction while she holds Astrid close.
At that, I give her a sheepish smile, putting my hands up in defense. “Right… no next time.”
She eyes me still, but looks mostly satisfied by the response. Dominic just chuckles and claps a hand against my shoulder before heading back. “I’ll leave you to it. Shout if you need anything.”
I nod, watching as he goes for another beat before I face Lila and Astrid, and something in my chest immediately twists at the sight of them.
My mate and my child.
My daughter.
For too long, I watched this little girl thinking she was a piece of Lila and someone else, and that I only wanted to protect her because she mattered to Lila. I dismissed all the instincts I had to hold her, to make her laugh, and to care for her like she was my own.
I thought it was empathy and harmless affection. But all along, it was natural, and because she really is my blood.
Now, I know she’s mine, and everything hits me so much harder. That primal pull in my rubs when I look at her doesn’t need to be dismissed. And when she glances at me with that almost shy, bright stare, it lands differently now.
I give her a soft smile. “How are you holding up?”
She clutches Lila’s shirt a bit tighter, but doesn’t look away. “Good… are you hurt?”
The question is so honest and innocent, and it makes my chest ache even more, given how the bruises along my body are clear enough for her to see.
“A little,” I admit, hoping that some optimism will be enough reassurance. “But nothing that won’t heal soon enough.”
Astrid looks at me for a long while, then, completely unprompted, she reaches for me, and it dislodges something in my chest.
Lila smiles as she hands her over, letting me collect the little one in my arms. Her expression is still a little sad and worn out, but there’s something warm and tentative just beneath the surface, seeming more like hope.
While in my hold, Astrid examines me closely. “Are you really my dad?”
Her voice is so small and fragile, and the question catches me off guard. I didn’t think Lila had said anything to her yet. But as I glance at her, she nods once, like permission and an apology twisted together.
Then I focus on Astrid again, bringing my opposite hand up to gently nudge her chin.
“Yeah,” I murmur, trying harder than anticipated to stay composed. “I’m your dad.”
She stays like that for a short moment, then she gives me a small smile before closing her eyes and pressing her forehead against mine. Her arms wrap around my neck, holding onto me like it’s as easy as anything.
“I wanted you to be,” she whispers back, sweet and far too gentle for my own good.
That small gesture is enough to break me entirely, throat closing. But I pull her even closer, breathing in her familiar scent as I close my eyes and soak it all in.
Then, Lila’s arms wrap around both of us, leaning into my side like she’s drawn to us both. I reach for her, pulling her in without hesitation.
For a long while, everything shrinks to this moment. To the three of us, pressed together and surrounded by a tenderness I’ve been longing for since before I can remember.
It’s everything I’ve ever needed, and with their faith completely in me, safe and sound, I know every struggle and sacrifice was worth it to get us here.
After a long, quiet stretch, the brush of the cool nighttime breeze reminds me that we’re still in Wraith Peak, and still in the woods. I pull back enough to look at them both.
“I’m taking you two home now… let’s get out of here.”
Not needing to be told twice, Lila nods, and I keep a hand on both of them as we steadily make our way back through the forest. We move slowly while I heal little by little, but there’s no rush.
Every step feels new, like I’m walking towards something solid and real. A life that’s finally mine to fight for, and one I’m welcoming freely.
Lila keeps pace despite her exhaustion, and even with her tired posture, she keeps her chin high. She helped take down enough wolves to change the outcome for her and Astrid, and she wielded that magic to give me the strength I needed to see it all through.
She saved herself, our daughter, and me, too.
She isn’t the timid girl I walked away from years ago. She’s a fierce protector, a mother, and my mate.
For the first time in a while, I feel it all so clearly.
I’m on the right path, with a daughter far stronger than she might ever know, and a mate who would do anything in her power to protect what matters most.
And I’m not going to waste another second pretending this isn’t exactly what I need.