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Valek walks up to the fire pit with Kenya trailing behind. He studies every face down the line. I’d swear he’s memorizing them.

The clan drops to a knee in the grass for him, and tonight even the women kneel. “Alpha Valek,” they rumble together. It’s the last time they’ll ever call him that.

Valek stares into the pit until he trusts himself to talk. “Rise, Ash Clan.”

The dragons push up off their knees. The men slam their fists over their hearts, and the thud carries out to me. I jump even though I knew it was coming.

Valek waits for quiet. “I have stood before you as alpha for a thousand years. I held this clan together through the war, through the curse, and through every winter we spent alone. None of us were ever meant to grow old.” He lifts his chin. “Mother Fate had other plans.” Behind the throne, Claude leans into Tyrion’s side and stares at her brother.

“A thousand years ago, a Stormscale flame burned my mother and father alive while I held my baby sister in my arms.” Valek’s voice cracks, but he keeps going. “Tonight, I hand this clan to a Stormscale. Mother Fate has a sense of humor.”

Some of the dragons chuckle. Valek’s mouth twitches, but I can’t laugh with them. His baby sister was Claude. Tyrion tucks her in closer under his arm.

“He beat me fair,” Valek says. “He has earned this.” Across from him, Ezra puts his fist over his heart.

Valek turns to the fire pit and breathes fire into it. The flames roar up orange and gold, taller than the cabins. The heat hits my face even out here in the trees.

“Ezra of Stormscale,” Valek calls. “Come take the Flame.”

Ezra moves up beside his uncle and breathes his own fire into the pit. Their flames twist around each other. Then Valek closes his mouth and steps back. The orange burns out of the pit a little at a time until every flame in it blazes Stormscale blue, the same color as Ezra’s eyes now.

Valek throws his arm out toward the flames. “Your alpha!”

“Alpha Ezra!” the clan roars.

Valek kneels in front of his nephew. I never thought I’d live to see that. Ezra grabs his uncle by the shoulder and hauls him back up to his feet, and they press their foreheads together.

When they part, Lauren walks toward the throne. She stays their luna until the alpha’s mate takes her place. Before she gets there, she stops and turns to face the trees. Lauren is human and can’t smell me, but she looks straight at my pine and waits.

Ezra doesn’t turn around. He nods to Lauren and steps aside for her. He’s already given up. I did that to him.

My wolf doesn’t stir. This one is all me. I step out of the trees.

Dragons turn to gawk. I hike my gown up past my ankles and keep walking. Their scents get stronger the closer I get. Every one of them reeks of surprise. I don’t stop until I reach the fire.

Ezra spins around. His mouth falls open in the blue firelight. His scent slams into me harder than the heat off the pit. It’s shock, hope, and more love than I can take. My eyes burn.

“Aya,” he breathes.

Lauren laughs and takes my hand. “About time,” she whispers. She sits me down on the throne and lowers her head to me.

I’ve watched Lauren greet the women of the clan all week. I do what she does and smooth her curls. She winks at me and steps back to stand with Sam.

“Ash Clan!” Valek booms. “Your luna!” The men pound their fists over their hearts again.

Ezra comes up beside me. He’s shaking when I lace my fingers through his. His eyes are wet. He blinks hard at the fire to keep it together in front of his clan, but his chin still quivers. My big bad alpha is about to bawl at his own ceremony. I hang on tight.

He brings my fingers to his lips before he walks up to the blue fire. He turns to Valek first.

“This is a big position,” Ezra says. “It’s a great honor to take it from you, Uncle.” He turns to the rest of them. “For a thousand years, Valek gave everything he had to this clan. He fought for us. He grieved with us. He held us together when the curse should have torn us apart, and he never asked for a thing in return.” He glances back at his uncle. “Now it’s his time to rest.”

Behind Valek, Kenya wipes her eyes. “I won’t let you down,” Ezra tells him, and Valek dips his chin.

“I am Ash Clan first,” Ezra promises them. “But Stormscale will always live in me. I know our history. I know what my bloodline did to this clan.” He swallows. “I hope that one day, Ash Clan can truly forgive it.”

No one makes a sound. All I can hear is the fire popping. I dig my nails into the arm of the throne. The men answer him with their fists, and the thud rolls over us again.

Dominic is first in line. He kneels in front of the throne with his fist over his heart and ducks his head. “Luna.”