Page 106 of Fated
Lena’s gaze dropped to the ground, nails biting into her palms as she willed herself to focus elsewhere, but she couldn’t help watching Kai’s every step, even as it tore her apart. She followed them as they crossed the circle, unable to look away despite the pain tearing through her chest. Kai ushered Ava toward a seat near Beta Maxim and Magnus, movements slow and careful, ensuring she was comfortable. Then, as though to seal whatever connection persisted between them, he bent and pressed a soft kiss to the crown of her head.
Heat rushed up Lena’s neck, jaw locking as her canines sharpened. The rage formed and crumbled in the same breath, throat closing until her lungs burned, pressure building behind her eyes even as she forced the tears back. She fought to keep her expression neutral, to breathe through the storm raging inside her.
Kai straightened and moved toward his father. He looked unburdened—the proverbial Prince of the Pacific Northwest once more—as if the events of the week hadn’t touched him at all. The torchlight caught on his hair and shoulders, casting him in a warm glow that felt at odds with the cold filter of his alpha-heir façade. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, even as her heart screamed at the injustice of it.
Don’t let your emotions consume you, Lena reminded herself. She might have come here for Kai, but she’d stayed for the wolves of Bloodstone—to honor the lives lost and help guide the pack toward healing. Lena returned her focus to the altar, where the urns glinted softly beneath the moon’s gaze, their presence reminding her of the task at hand.
Whatever turmoil swirled within her would have to wait. Tonight was not about her pain, nor was it about Kai’s choices. It was about the twenty-seven wolves who had given everything for this pack, whose sacrifice had paved the way for Bloodstone’s survival. And it was about the wolf she needed to become—the luna she was destined to be. She owed it to them—and to herself—to stand strong.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
CALEB
Caleb stood at the edge of the gathering on the Bloodstone ritual grounds, watching wolves arrive in somber clusters. They moved together like a tide, heads bowed, movements slow, yet their unity remained unshaken.
“This is strength—grief borne as one.”Fenrir’s voice resonated through Caleb’s bones.“They bleed together, heal together.”
Caleb’s looked toward the she-wolf he had comforted earlier. Her shoulders had been trembling, hands wringing a woven shawl as though it alone could hold her together. He’d murmured quiet words, nothing profound, but she’d gripped his hand with surprising strength, her gaze fierce through her tears.
“Thank you,” she said with trembling sincerity. “For standing with us. Then, and tonight.”
That moment lingered in his mind, a poignant reminder of the connections that transcended pack borders. Crescent Fang had been an island for too long. Tonight, more than ever, he knew that isolation wasn’t the answer.
Caleb’s attention turned toward the center as the murmurs of the gathered wolves hushed. Alpha Darius stepped forward, his imposing frame illuminated by torchlight.
“My pack,” Darius began. His voice was steady, but Caleb noticed the telltale signs of strain in the way his fingers curled into fists, in the pauses between sentences, in how his throat worked before difficult words. “Tonight, we gather to honor the twenty-seven brave wolves who gave their lives to protect Bloodstone. The sacrifice of those we mourn ensured our survival. Their courage, their loyalty, their love for this pack will forever be a part of us.”
Darius scanned the crowd. “Of all the rites an alpha must perform, none are more difficult than this. Saying goodbye to my packmates, my family, is a burden I will carry for the rest of my days. It has been three years since I laid to rest my beloved luna, Althea. I never imagined I would face such a loss again.”
Around him, wolves lowered their heads. An older warrior placed a weathered hand over his heart. A mother pulled her pup closer against her side. Soft whispers of “May Selene guide her” drifted through the gathering like the flutter of fallen leaves caught in a gentle breeze.
Something constricted behind Caleb’s ribcage as Darius’s alpha persona cracked, revealing the raw grief beneath. His words unguarded in a way that made several wolves drop their gazes, unable to witness such naked vulnerability from their alpha. Caleb felt their deep respect for Darius, a respect that had been earned through years of steadfast leadership.
The hard lines around Darius’s mouth smoothed as his eyes found a figure standing near the front of the gathered wolves. “Tonight, I am reminded that even in our darkest moments, Selene provides us with light. Lena, daughter of Alpha Raelen, daughter of Moonshadow, and future Luna of Bloodstone, has carried this pack with a strength and grace that honors both her lineage and her heart. It is in that spirit that I invite her to deliver the Invictus.”
Caleb watched as Lena stepped forward. Fenrir rumbled within him, noticing what Caleb did—the momentary tightening of Lena’s jaw, the deep breath she drew through flared nostrils before squaring her shoulders, straightening her spine as if growing into the mantle of responsibility before their eyes.
She stopped beside Darius, gaze sweeping over the crowd before settling on the altar. Her voice, clear and unwavering, carried through the circle.
“Tonight, we gather to honor twenty-seven brave Bloodstone hearts. From untamed freedom to eternal rest, their stories now silenced. In death, their legacy unites us. The moon, a witness to their lives, watches over their remains. Its gentle light reminding us that life is fleeting, but loyalty endures.” Lena paused, body angling toward the altar. “These urns hold a universe of memories—of laughter, of battles fought and won—but their spirits will soar free as their essence transcends mortal bounds.” She faced the gathering again. “May their sacrifice fortify our hearts. May their memory inspire our unwavering loyalty.”
The crowd seemed to hold its breath, the power of her words resonating deeply. Caleb found himself transfixed by her grace.
“She speaks with the voice of a luna,”Fenrir murmured.“Bloodstone is fortunate to have her.”
Lena stepped back and moved to the left side of the altar. Kai, standing stoically on Darius’s right, crossed the space to take his place opposite her. Together, in perfect synchronization, they litthe ceremonial censers. The blend of sage, bloodroot, and red clover filled the air, its earthy sweetness mingling with the crisp night breeze. Caleb inhaled deeply, the scents grounding him in the moment’s significance.
“Life, death, and rebirth,”Fenrir whispered.“The cycle continues, as it must.”
Darius stepped forward once more to deliver the Blessing, his voice strong and reverent. “Selene, we humbly return these souls to your light. In their strength, they forged our unity. In their legacy, they guide us forward. May their essence merge with the wild, their spirits weaving into our hearts and our pack’s strength. Grant them safe passage, Great Mother, and welcome them into your eternal embrace.”
One by one, the families stepped forward to scatter the remains of their loved ones. Caleb watched as the ashes swirled in the cool night wind, carried through the forest as if guided by the Goddess Herself. He closed his eyes, offering his own silent prayer.
May they find peace, and may their families find the strength to carry on.
Heavy silence fell as the last ashes scattered. Darius broke it with quiet authority.
“Join me in the dining hall,” he said, voice carrying over the crowd. “Tonight, we celebrate the lives of those we have lost as they make their journey back to Selene.”
