Devotion
Kieran POV
The heavy oak doors of the council chamber closed behind Silas and me with a definitive thud, finally sealing away the politics of the realm.
I rolled my shoulders, letting out a long, exhausted breath as my Beta and I fell into step beside each other, navigating the stone corridors of the castle towards our wing.
When we pushed through the arched entrance of the sub-pack’s common room, the tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a blade.
Mara was pacing a trench into the heavy woven rug in front of the hearth, her dark eyes flashing with lingering, violent energy. The moment she saw us, she stopped dead, her hands dropping to her hips.
“Well?” she demanded, her voice tight with fiercely protective anger. “What did the council have to say? Please tell me you let Torrance rip Thorne’s throat out for what he said to our Luna earlier today.”
I let out a low, tired chuckle, walking over to lean against the edge of the heavy wooden dining table.
“Torrance didn’t have to. Lukan did it for him with words. The entire council turned on the old man. His political influence is completely dead. They were all in absolute awe of what Aurora did out there.”
Mara’s rigid posture relaxed just a fraction, a dark, vindictive smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. “Good. Though I still want to break his jaw. For good measure. A reminder to mind his manners.”
“A formal banishment from the capital entirely would be a far more permanent and appropriate solution,” Eilan spoke up from his seat by the fire.
The entire room paused, turning to look at the Royal Quartermaster.
Eilan was a former merchant, a male who usually relied on his sharp intellect and calculated diplomacy rather than brute force.
He had become the calm to Mara’s chaos. But right now, his eyes were cold, and his tone carried a sharp, unapologetic hostility that genuinely surprised me.
“The man is a rotting parasite on the council,” Eilan continued, meeting my gaze without flinching. “He disrespects our Luna, disrespects you, attempts to incite division, and offers absolutely zero tactical value. Just get rid of him.”
Silas let out a low whistle of amusement from where he leaned against the doorframe. “Remind me never to shortchange the Quartermaster.”
“Eilan isn’t wrong. I’ve never liked that bitter old bastard,” Kael chimed in, tossing an apple from hand to hand as he leaned against the wall.
“Honestly, I just feel bad for Nolan. The guy has to escort Thorne everywhere as Alpha Vaughn’s Beta and babysit Thorne’s tantrums because Vaughn can’t always be around.”
Kael took a bite of the apple, shaking his head.
“Alpha Vaughn is lucky he has a legitimate excuse.”
“Vaughn has his hands full,” I agreed, defending the current Ashenvale Alpha.
Vaughn may be Thorne’s son, but thankfully, he had inherited none of his father’s arrogance.
“The Nocturne Empire has been shifting troops along the eastern border for the last three months. Vaughn has been very busy at the borders to oversee the defenses. It is the only reason Thorne is still holding that proxy seat.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, bringing the room back to the most pressing matter.
“Also, Garrick brought up the Luna ceremony. The council is in agreement. If Aurora is willing, we are going to perform the rites and formally tie her to the royal Pack Link the day after tomorrow, at the peak of the full moon.”
Lyra, who had been quietly wiping down the kitchen counter, immediately perked up. The sweet, pastel-haired pastry chef practically bounced on her toes, twisting a clean towel in her hands.
“That’s wonderful news, Kai!” Lyra beamed, her eyes bright with hopeful excitement.
“But... since our welcome party got derailed by the dragons, does that mean we can’t celebrate her at all? Could we maybe still do something small tomorrow? Just a brunch, maybe? We haven’t really gotten to introduce ourselves properly, and I already prepped the dough for elderberry tarts!”
“A private brunch sounds lovely,” Elara noted. The sub-pack’s medic stepped out of the adjoining hallway, wiping her hands on a clean cloth. She leveled a serious, assessing look directly at me. “But first, how is she actually doing, Kai? Can I go up and check on her?”
“The royal healers have already looked her over,” I replied. “She refused to shift back into her human form, but her magic healed most of the internal damage. She just needs to sleep off the bruising.”
“I don’t care what the royal healers said,” Elara insisted gently but firmly, already slipping her medical satchel over her shoulder. “I want to check her myself.”
I couldn’t help the fond, exhausted smile that tugged at my mouth. The fierce, immediate loyalty of my inner circle was exactly what Aurora deserved.
“Alright,” I conceded, pushing off the table. “You can come up with Silas and me. But quietly. If she is awake and feeling up to it, I will ask her about tomorrow. If she agrees, Lyra, you can plan your brunch, and I will talk to her about the ceremony.”
“Oh, I’ll get the menu started right now!” Lyra chimed happily, her bright smile returning in full force, while the rest of the Vanguard offered approving nods.
----
Elara POV
I kept my steps light, doing my best to match the long, purposeful strides of Kieran and Silas as we navigated the corridors leading to the royal wing.
I was trying incredibly hard to maintain my professional composure. I was our sub-pack’s assigned medic, after all, and I needed to project absolute calm. But beneath my clinical exterior, my inner wolf was practically vibrating with unfiltered excitement.
Ever since we had first crossed paths with her, I had been utterly fascinated by Aurora.
I replayed the memories constantly in my head: the way she had effortlessly outmaneuvered us in that bog, the sheer scale of the beasts she had been hunting to survive, and the flawless, lethal grace of her combat abilities.
But it wasn’t just her physical prowess that left me in awe.
She seemed to be incredibly intelligent, deeply tactical, and, above all else, I felt that she was fundamentally kind.
It defied all logic. A wolf forged in the ashes of the Forbidden Lands, forced to survive in absolute isolation for eight years, should have been cold, feral, and ruthless.
Yet, just hours ago, she had gotten injured and drained her magic to save Merik, the Stormwatch Beta, and hundreds of civilians she owed absolutely nothing to.
She was everything a Luna was supposed to be.
Kieran paused as we reached the doors of his private chambers. He didn’t knock, but he pushed the heavy handle down with surprising, agonizing care, easing the door open without making a single sound.
Silas and I slipped into the room right behind him.
The royal bedchamber was warm, smelling deeply of cedar, Kieran’s dark pine scent, and the fresh scent of flowers. The heavy velvet curtains had been drawn to block out the afternoon sun, casting the room in a peaceful, quiet twilight.
My eyes immediately tracked to the center of the room.
There, swallowed by the massive expanse of Kieran’s mattress, was our Luna.
She hadn’t shifted back to her human form.
She was curled into a tight, protective ball, a blindingly white, luminescent wolf nestled deep within the heavy, dark furs and thick blankets.
The steady, rhythmic rise and fall of her chest was the only movement in the quiet room.
The contrast of her coat against the bedding was nothing short of breathtaking. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful wolf I had ever laid eyes on.
We stepped closer to the bed. Despite Kieran’s careful silence, Aurora’s survival instincts were still razor-sharp. The moment we approached, her ears twitched, and her eyelids fluttered open, revealing those striking, mismatched eyes.
She lifted her head slightly, her gaze darting from Kieran to Silas, and finally settling on me.
“Pardon the intrusion,” I whispered, keeping my voice soft and my hands visible so as not to startle her.
“I know you have already dealt with the royal healers, but I’m Elara. I’m a medic, and part of Kieran’s inner circle. I would feel much better if I could just check your vitals and your injuries myself. May I?”
Aurora blinked slowly, her gaze studying my face for a brief second. Then, the tension bled out of her shoulders. She let out a soft, warm huff and dipped her snout in a clear, distinctly human nod of permission.
“Thank you,” I breathed, stepping up to the side of the bed.
I set my satchel down and gently began to run my hands over her ribs and flanks. Even beneath her thick coat, I could tell the bruising was extensive and undoubtedly painful, but her lungs sounded perfectly clear and her vitals were completely stable.
As I worked, Kieran sat down on the edge of the mattress. He reached out, his hand gently stroking the soft fur between her ears.
“Lyra is already terrorizing the kitchens downstairs,” Kieran murmured to her, a fond, rumbling warmth in his voice that was entirely reserved for his mate.
“She was devastated that the welcome party was derailed today. She wanted to know if you might be feeling well enough tomorrow to join us for brunch. Just our sub-pack, so you can properly meet everyone.”
Aurora paused, looking up at him. The sheer exhaustion that had clouded her eyes visibly melted away, replaced by a bright, genuine spark of happiness.
A second later, the heavy, rhythmic thump-thump-thump of her tail began to beat happily against the dark bedding.
Silas, who had been leaning quietly near the doorframe, let out a low, amused chuckle. “I think it is safe to say that is a yes.”
“I’ll have Silas tell Lyra to prioritize the elderberry tarts.” Kieran smiled softly, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to her forehead.
I finished my examination, stepping back with a thoroughly relieved smile.
“Your ribs are aligning perfectly, and your breathing and vitals are stable,” I assured her, packing my tools back into my leather satchel.
“All you need is some rest and a proper meal when you wake up. We will see you tomorrow at brunch, Luna.”
Aurora gave my hand a gentle, appreciative nudge with her nose before resting her chin back on her paws, her tail still giving a faint, happy wag against the mattress.
Silas and I shared a brief look before backing away from the bed.
Kieran didn’t follow us. He simply kicked off his boots and climbed onto the mattress, curling his large frame securely around her smaller, luminescent white form.
With our Alpha exactly where he needed to be, Silas and I quietly slipped out of the room, gently pulling the doors shut behind us to leave them in peace.