Home.
The portal closes behind us with a soft sound like a sigh, the dimensional tear sealing itself as Nyxiana finally releases the magic. She sways on her feet, immediately caught by Lachlan’ssupporting arm. Elysia moves to her other side, steadying her. Nyxiana’s silver-white hair clings to her forehead, dark circles carved beneath her eyes—the cost of maintaining an emergency extraction point through an unpredictable battle.
“Thank you,” I tell her sincerely. “For everything.”
She waves off the gratitude with characteristic dismissal, but I catch the pleased flush that colors her pale cheeks.
Around us, the wolves disperse with quiet efficiency—weapons secured, comm devices deactivated, postures shifting from combat readiness to easy relaxation. Ben clasps forearms with Derek, a wordless acknowledgment of mission success. Rhonan rolls his shoulders with a low groan, cracking his neck as tension bleeds from his frame.
And Callum—Callum turns to me with burnt amber eyes that hold everything we’ve fought for, everything we’ve won, everything we’re about to claim.
“Home,” he says simply.
The word settles into my bones with perfect certainty, warmth spreading through my chest where Callum’s presence burns steady and bright. Not the estate where I was raised, not the healing halls where I trained, not the glittering courts where duty demanded I belong.
Here. Ash Hollow. Pack territory. With him.
Home.
Chapter 42
Lyanna
The first howl begins somewhere in the crowd—relief and triumph rising into the twilight air with a note that shivers through my bones. Then another joins, and another, until the mountain valley rings with their voices—our voices.
Dane stands at the head of the assembled pack, expression controlled but his steel-gray eyes tracking each returning member with careful assessment. I watch him count heads—an Alpha ensuring every wolf came home. When his gaze lands on Callum and me, something eases in his shoulders. He nods once. Well done.
Nova pushes through the crowd first, her violet eyes bright with unshed tears as she reaches for me. “You fought for your choice,” she whispers fiercely against my hair. “You won.”
I cling to her, breathing in the familiar scent of moonflowers and pack. “We all did.”
She pulls back, examining my face with that sharp fae perception. Whatever she sees makes her smile—not the diplomatic mask she wears for outsiders, but something real and warm. “The ceremony preparations are already underway. Kari’s been coordinating like a general planning a siege.”
“Of course she has.” I laugh, the sound startling me. When did laughing become so easy?
Joy burns through my chest, fierce and hungry—we’re back where we can finally complete what was violently interrupted.
Ben nods with quiet satisfaction, mission accomplished against impossible odds. But I notice him positioning himself at the edge of the group, putting distance between himself and the celebrating wolves. His face is carefully blank as Harper approaches the returned warriors, her smile faltering when she catches his deliberate withdrawal. She stops mid-step, something flickering across her features before she smooths it away and redirects toward Serena instead.
The familiar tension between them crackles like static before a storm. I’ve watched this dance a hundred times—Ben’s careful distance, Harper’s carefully hidden hurt. Whatever broke between them happened long before I arrived at Ash Hollow, and it’s not mine to fix. Right now, I have a bonding ceremony to prepare for.
Pack members surround us in waves—Kari’s firm handclasp, Wyatt’s gruff welcome, Mateo’s enthusiastic greeting. The scent of pine and earth and pack envelopes me, so different from the oppressive floral magic of the court. This smells like safety. Like truth.
Serena breaks from the crowd, launching herself at Rhonan with a fierce kiss that makes several pack members whistle and cheer. When they finally break apart, both slightly breathless,they approach us together—Serena’s hand firmly in Rhonan’s, their mated bond evident in every synchronized movement.
“Well fought,” Rhonan says simply, his golden eyes warm with approval.
Serena pulls me into a tight hug before I can respond. “Welcome home,” she whispers against my ear, then turns to embrace Callum with equal enthusiasm.
My throat tightens with an emotion I can barely name—gratitude, relief, belonging. Home.
Dane raises his hand, and the celebration quiets instantly. His Alpha authority cuts through the joyous chaos as he addresses the pack:
“They fought courts and won—they’ve earned their bond. We celebrate tonight.”
The pack erupts in howls and cheers, their voices echoing off the mountain walls. My heart pounds against my ribs as the reality sinks in. Tonight. It’s happening tonight.
Nova steps to the front, her violet eyes bright with satisfaction as she immediately takes charge. “Harper, coordinate food and drink. Ben, get the grove prepared. Everyone else—you know what to do.”
