Chapter 19
CADE
Stepping back into my alpha role feels both foreign and inevitable—like slipping into a coat I haven’t worn in years, one that still fits perfectly despite the weight of everything that’s changed.
My shoulders settle into it, my instincts sharpen, and for the first time in weeks, the world is no longer going on around me. It’s moving with me.
The only thing missing in this very moment is Rowan.
I wanted to keep her by my side, but she doesn’t need more stress. Not right now. The shadows under her eyes were darker this morning, her movements slower than I’m sure she wanted me to notice. Rest is vital, and I’ll make damn sure she gets it.
But first…
“What do you mean you had eyes on him and then he disappeared?” The words rip out of me sharper than I intend.
Dax, acting alpha of the Riverstone pack, doesn’t flinch. He snarls right back, voice rough through the speakerphone on the table. “Exactly what I said. My wolves lost him between a cluster of pines. One moment he was there, the next he wasn’t.”
Sneaky bastard probably has a cloaking spell on him.
“Are they still searching?” I press, which pisses him off further.
“Listen, Cade,” Dax snaps, tone edged with authority. “I know I’m new to this role, but don’t talk to me like I’m a pup who needs to be babysat. I’ve been preparing to become alpha since the day I could walk. If something is wrong in my pack, I’ll handle it. End of story.”
I bite back my own growl. He’s not wrong, and the fire in his voice tells me the Riverstone Pack is in far better hands than it was under the soon-to-be-previous alpha Calder.
My respect for him jumps another notch.
“Fair enough,” I say. “Has your pack decided how long until they’ll make your position final?”
Under normal circumstances, the council would preside over an alpha ascension, but with most of them dead or missing, there’s no point bringing it up.
“As soon as Calder is officially dealt with, I’ll be sworn in,” Dax replies, frustration fading into something steadier. “Preparations are already done. My wolves refuse to stay out of balance any longer. The last few months have already been draining enough thanks to the council’s choices.”
I’m not surprised to hear that. The fracture in the wolf council wasn’t just political—it was spiritual. Packs feel the instability like a heartbeat out of rhythm. And my own absence from Solara hasn’t helped. I know that now.
Elias leans closer to the phone. “Is Bram going to face consequences if he kills Calder?”
Dax lets out a low, rumbling sound—not quite a snarl, but close.
“As much as I’d like answers first,” he says, voice tightening, “I’ve seen enough.
Calder betrayed his pack. He welcomed dark magic into our territory.
He allowed someone—likely Malrik—to plant runes in our homes.
I won’t let him live long enough to infect us further or challenge me once the truth spreads. ”
It’s been made painfully clear that Glacier Crest Pack hasn’t been the only one who suffered.
Dax already let us know that he’d destroyed runes around the pack house that had been hidden in the corners of almost every room. He doesn’t know if they were there to influence people or what, but they’re gone now.
And they were enough to turn the pack against their former leader without question.
No honorable wolf shifter wants dark magic in their home, let alone coursing through their alpha.
Dax blows out a breath. “I’ll update you once we find something. Until then, make sure I’m not the only one who watches the borders. You’re technically the only alpha who wasn’t affected by Malrik. You may not realize it yet, but the wolves are going to be looking to you, Cade.”
“I’m ready for the task,” I say without hesitation. “You just make sure Calder doesn’t find whatever he came back for. He ran back home for a reason, and I’m sure it’s not for sanctuary.”
“Or he’s being pulled there,” Elias mutters.
Dax grunts in agreement. “That wouldn’t surprise me, either. Malrik’s shadow is all over this mess.” There’s a brief pause, heavy with unspoken wariness. “Stay sharp, Cade.”
“You too,” I say, before ending the call.
The silence that follows stretches tight within the small office space.
Elias drags a hand down his face. “You think Calder’s hiding or being moved like a chess piece?”
“Could be both,” I say, jaw flexing. “As we’ve seen with Taren, Malrik formed a connection with each of them. Some stronger than others, but it makes them all a risk.”
“Are we going to have to kill Taren?” The inflection in his voice tells me he wouldn’t want to, but would understand if we didn’t have a choice.
“I have a plan for her, but it involves Rowan, and I’m not ready to ask her to step in yet.”
Elias nods grimly. “She may not have a choice as to when that happens. Especially now that you—”
The door swings open, and Rowan slips inside, brows raised and expression caught somewhere between amusement and mild dread.
“Sooooo.” She drags the word out, stepping deeper into the room, “I’ve been told I should borrow your arm as a bite guard. Apparently, my options are ‘your arm’ or ‘a wooden spoon,’ and no offense, but I trust your bones more for this particular task.”
Elias coughs to hide a laugh.
“And what task would that be?”
She smiles sweetly at me. “The one you arranged, of course. My tattoo.”
Of course, Stephanie went straight to Rowan when I ignored her attempts at contact. “I was going to tell you.”
Rowan shrugs like she’s discussing the weather. “Don’t worry, Stephanie said it very cheerfully. Though that feels more like a red flag now that I’m thinking back.”
I rub a hand across my jaw, hating that there’s no way to protect her from this, but also knowing she’ll need it later.
While I have an issue with others seeing her body, this isn’t just about me.
She needs to be able to protect herself at all times, and if she hesitates in shifting because of her inabilities…
It’s a risk I won’t tolerate.
Elias winces. “She’s not wrong. Witch-branding isn’t pleasant.”
Her eyes narrow. “Not pleasant like, ‘this will sting,’ or not pleasant like, ‘you’ll probably scream until you pass out from the pain’?”
“…somewhere between those.” His apathetic tone isn’t helpful.
She snorts. “Fantastic. Add that to my growing résumé of interesting supernatural experiences.”
I cross to her, sliding a hand along her arm, grounding us both. “I’ll walk you through everything. You won’t be alone. Not even for a second.”
Her smile softens, but there’s steel under it. “I know.”
Elias straightens, clearing his throat. “Before the witch gets here, there’s something else we should handle.”
Rowan looks between us. “What now?”
“Greet the pack,” Elias says. “The ones from Solara who’ve been helping keep NightShade running and safe.”
My wolf rises with a low hum of approval. Yes, they need to see her as we do.
Rowan lifts a brow. “Right now?”
“It’ll help,” I say gently. “They need to understand who you are. Not what the prophecy has written, not the rumors. Just you.”
She draws in a breath, squares her shoulders, and nods once.
“All right then. Let’s do it.”
I offer her my hand, and she takes it.
Elias stays a few steps behind as we move toward the door. I don’t have to ask if he’s already notified the pack. I can feel the faint pull of their anticipation through the bond that ties wolves to their alpha—one I’ve ignored for far too long.
They’re waiting, curious and cautious.
Rowan grimaces, looking down at her attire. “Are alphas and their mates supposed to dress or act a certain way?”
I keep my smile small. “Wolves don’t follow perfection—they follow strength and authenticity.” I brush my knuckles along hers. “Your only job is to be the confident, stunning woman I know you are.”
She snorts, then promptly covers her mouth. “Sorry. Confident and stunning are two words I’ve never been described as, but you’re right. I know who I am now, and that’s nothing they need to fear.”
I lean in, letting my lips graze her ear. “Fear isn’t always a bad thing. Scaring them is half the fun.”
She shivers, then smirks. “I’ll leave that job to you, Alpha Doom-and-Gloom.” She stretches up and kisses my cheek, quick but warm. “I’ll stick with my humor and kindness. So, as long as none of them try to eat Archie or kill me, we’re good.”
“Hmm, I can’t promise that first one.” I glance at the empty spot on her shoulder. “I’m surprised he’s not with you.”
“I left him with Marius.”
I want to ask about how her time with him this morning went, but I don’t get the chance. We’re already at the front door, and Elias stops in front of us.
“You two ready?” He nods toward outside as he grabs the handle. “There are a dozen of them waiting already.”
Rowan inhales, slow and shaky. Her nerves flicker through the bond—bright and buzzing. But then she squares her shoulders and lifts her chin.
She walks toward the sunlight like she was born for this.
And gods help anyone who doubts her.
When she steps outside, they won’t just see the woman the prophecy warned them about.
They’ll see what I see.
The alpha queen.
Elias opens the door, and a rush of cold air brushes against our faces. Winter is setting in fast at NightShade. My beta moves aside, and Rowan steps beside me, standing tall. The faint tremor in her hand is the only sign that she’s nervous.
A dozen wolves wait in the clearing—men and women of Solara Pack—standing in a loose half-circle. Some bow their heads the second they see me. Some just stare, guarded but interested. Others flick uneasy glances at Rowan, unsure of what to make of her.
That is something I intend to fix first.
“This is Rowan,” I say, my voice carrying easily. “My mate and your alpha female, the luna.”
A ripple of whispers moves through them—mostly disbelief, considering I haven’t been any sort of leader to them for far too long, but that’s another thing I’ll fix.
Tensions ease when a few wolves visibly relax, like the world finally makes sense again.
Others remain stiff, clearly unsure how to reconcile the rumors they’ve heard with the woman standing beside me.
I take another step forward, keeping Rowan with me, and let my alpha power settle over the clearing like a steady heartbeat.
“I know you’ve heard Rowan is a curse on our kind, but I can assure you that’s the furthest thing from the truth.
” I watch their faces, thankful everyone seems to at least be listening.
“She’s only known our world for a few weeks, and yet she’s ready to fight it, for all of you.
I only ask that you give her time to show you that herself before you cast final judgments. ”
What I really want to demand is that they fall in line and bow before her, but I know that’s not the way to win them over. I might be their alpha, but I’m not their god, nor do I intend to be.
Being an asshole is going to have to come second to being a leader.
I expect objections or questions, but there are only nods, so I continue. “There’s something else you need to hear. Something that is long overdue.”
The entire group stills.
“I left this pack over ten years ago,” I say plainly. “And I know exactly what that absence has cost you.”
Rowan glances at me, but I keep my eyes on my people.
“I should have stood with you. I should have been the alpha my father raised me to be before everything began to go wrong. But I wasn’t. And I won’t offer you excuses for that because they serve no purpose here.”
A few wolves drop their gazes. Some nod. None walk away.
“What matters is I failed you once,” I say, voice deepening. “But I won’t do so again. So, I ask you to also give me time to show you who I am, who I can be to Solara.”
The tension shifts. Wariness giving way to attention, attention turning into something steadier, stronger.
“My place is with my mate, but also with this pack. And I will protect every one of you with the certainty and strength an alpha should.”
Rowan’s support brushes against my mind, and our bond pulses with warmth, the exact thing I need at this moment.
“If any of you doubt me,” I add, unflinching, “you are free to come talk to me privately or even to seek another pack. I won’t hold you hostage. A Solara wolf deserves a leader they believe in, and I intend to be exactly that, but I can only do so if you let me.”
A quiet, rolling murmur spreads through the group, and not a single wolf steps back.
This might only be a small sliver of our pack, but it’s a start. One I intend to repeat as much as necessary.
Right after I know Malrik is dead.
I feel Rowan’s inhale beside me, then she steps forward and speaks, surprising the hell out of me and several others.
“I just want to add how much I appreciate that you have shown up here to help,” she says, her words gentle.
“As Cade already said, I’m new to this world, and I have plenty to learn, but I assure you I’m doing so with the intention of helping, not destroying.
You might think you know the prophecy, but I encourage you to read it again.
It talks about choice. One I get to make.
” She grips my hand tighter. “I promise to choose right. Not just for all of you, but for my place as your alpha’s mate. ”
That earns a few more nods and loosens her up.
She continues, “I promise I don’t bite unless I’m provoked.
Hell, I’m even house-trained most days, and as long as none of you try to eat my best friend, who also happens to be a ferret, or make an attempt on my life and those I love, then I intend to prove any past mumblings of my existence wrong. ”
A few pack members outright laugh. One actually chokes. Rowan is exactly what we need, and I hope they see that now, too.
A woman in the front—Sadie, I believe her name was—steps forward and bows her head. “Our luna.” Her voice shakes slightly. “Welcome home.”
One by one, the others lower themselves as well—some deep bows, some hesitant dips, some small nods of respect—but all acknowledging what’s true now:
I am their alpha. Rowan is their luna.