Page 62 of Rebel for Claws
He's favoring his left side. Old injury, maybe.
Thorne overextended himself lunging for Vivian's throat, exposing his vulnerable flank for a split second. Alaric capitalized instantly, his powerful jaws clamping down on Thorne's neck with bone-crushing force.
The ancient tyrant's struggles grew weaker, then ceased entirely.
It's over. Finally, it's over.
They shifted back to human form, breathing hard as they stared down at Thorne's lifeless body. Four centuries of oppression, manipulation, and genocide had finally ended.
Alaric's phone buzzed. He put Lena on speaker, his arm wrapping around Vivian's waist.
"The silver resistance awakened in every shifter across the territories," Lena's voice crackled with excitement. "The human operatives never stood a chance once our people realized their weapons were useless. We've won, Alaric. The war is over."
Vivian leaned into her mate's strength, feeling the magnitude of their victory settling over her. But victory was only the beginning.
"We need to dismantle the High Council completely," she said, her strategic mind already moving toward the future. "Establish something new—a Lunar Council that represents all our people equally. Pack leaders, rebellion leaders, hybrids, and humans working together."
Alaric's eyes met hers with fierce admiration. "That sounds like the key to fulfilling the Lunar Prophecy. True harmony between our worlds."
Together, we're going to build something beautiful from the ashes of Thorne's corruption.
VIVIAN
The December morning air carried the crisp promise of snow as Vivian stepped out of their black SUV at Moon Hollow, her breath forming delicate clouds in the winter chill. The sacred valley looked exactly the same as it had a year ago, yet everything felt fundamentally different. Where once the ancient trees had whispered of corruption and fear, now they seemed to celebrate the harmony that finally flourished in the Pacific Northwest Cascade territory.
We actually did it. We fulfilled the Lunar Prophecy and changed everything.
Alaric emerged from the driver's side, his commanding presence immediately drawing her gaze. Even after a full year as his mate, the sight of him still made her pulse quicken. Today he wore black dress pants and a crisp white shirt that emphasized his powerful shoulders, his dark hair catching silver highlights in the winter sunlight. The small scar on his jaw had faded but remained visible—a permanent reminder of Thorne's cruelty and their victory over it.
"Ready for another quarterly meeting, Councilor Silvercrest?" Alaric's voice carried that familiar note of Alpha authority mixed with intimate warmth reserved only for her.
Her new last name still sent thrills through her system. They'd married six months ago in a ceremony that celebrated both ancient shapeshifter traditions and modern equality—the first mating ceremony in three centuries to be attended by humans, hybrids, and shifters together.
"More than ready," she replied, adjusting the elegant emerald dress she'd chosen for today's formal session. The rich fabric complemented her violet eyes while allowing for the freedom of movement her tactical training demanded. "Though I admit these meetings are significantly more enjoyable when we're not planning wars or exposing genocidal tyrants."
Alaric's grey eyes sparked with gold as his gaze traveled appreciatively over her form. "You look stunning, as always. But then again, everything about our life together is stunning now."
Even after all this time, he still looks at me like I'm the most precious thing in his world.
They walked hand in hand toward the open-air pavilion where the Lunar Council conducted their quarterly meetings. The stone structure remained unchanged, but the atmosphere crackled with positive energy rather than the oppressive weight of Thorne's corruption. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of ancient evergreens, casting dancing patterns across the stone floor where thirteen chairs now formed a perfect circle—no elevated tables, no hierarchical seating arrangements, just equals working together for the good of their unified territory.
"Maya's already here," Vivian observed, spotting the familiar copper-red hair of her fellow prophecy fulfiller. Maya Silvercrest sat reviewing what appeared to be her latest research on hybrid genetics, her green eyes bright with intellectual curiosity. "And there's Lena."
"Damon arrived fifteen minutes ago," Alaric added, his enhanced senses tracking movement throughout the pavilion."He's been conducting perimeter sweeps out of habit, even though we haven't had a security threat in months."
Old habits from a former Beta who spent too many years expecting attacks.
As they approached the meeting area, Vivian marveled at the diverse group of leaders already gathering. The Lunar Council represented every faction that had once been at war—pack leaders like Elder Callum who had helped expose Thorne's corruption, rebellion leaders like Cade who had spent decades fighting for change, hybrids like Elena Walsh whose tactical brilliance had helped win their final battle, and humans like Dr. Sarah Chen who brought scientific expertise to their legislative reforms.
"Vivian, Alaric," Maya called out, rising from her chair with a warm smile. "Perfect timing. We were just discussing the implementation status of the new integration protocols."
"And how our reformed educational system is performing," added Lena, her violet eyes bright with satisfaction. "The magical training programs are exceeding all expectations."
Children learning ancient shapeshifter magic alongside modern pack traditions. Humans and hybrids studying together with full-blooded shifters. It's everything we dreamed of.
Alaric guided Vivian to their designated seats with a possessive hand on her back—a gesture that still sent heat flooding through her system despite being completely proper for their public roles.
"Before we begin official proceedings," Elder Callum announced, his voice carrying across the pavilion with practiced authority, "I'd like to acknowledge our first anniversary of the Lunar Council's establishment. One year ago, this valley witnessed the destruction of centuries-old corruption. Today, we gather in celebration of unity, progress, and peace."
