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I close my eyes, swallowing hard as the names of my ancestors echo across the clearing. I know every one of them. Their names are etched into the stone foundation of the main house, which has stood for almost two centuries. Their stories are sung around our fires, and they will never be forgotten. Nor will I.

“—protector of the blood, Mate of Alina Sinclair, father of Noah Greenbriar, who shall one day take his place as the tenth of his glorious line. May his reign be long, and his heart be true.”

He steps back, and I step forward.

As the crowd bows their heads, I raise mine to the stars. I feel theweight settle on my shoulders. It’s not a burden, but a birthright. This is what I was made for. What I was meant to be, all along.

I find Alina’s eyes automatically. Her cheeks are wet with tears, but she’s smiling. It’s a slow, quiet smile that carries ten years of pain and healing and love inside it.

Noah is beaming beside her. I know he doesn’t fully understand the weight of this moment yet, but he will. One day soon, he’ll run with us under the full moon. His first shift is coming. I can feel it in his scent, in the way his energy has begun to crackle like static. And when it comes, I’ll be right there with him.

Now, it’s my turn. I am not the only one who will be crowned tonight.

I hold out my hand for Alina’s. I catch the anticipatory intake of breath that she takes before gently stepping away from our son and coming to stand beside me. I turn to face her and take both of her hands in mine.

The gently murmuring crowd falls to a hushed whisper again.

The words are easy enough, a repetition of my father’s declaration, but even if I could not remember what to say, I know that I would be speaking from the heart in this moment.

“I, Rowan Greenbriar, ninth of my line, born under the light of the harvest moon, heir of Ryland, grandson of Calvin, great-grandson of Holt…” I inhale deeply, savoring Alina’s heady lavender scent as her joy pours over into me. Our entwined souls shimmer as one in the night air, and I swear the moonlight bathes us in a silvery glow crafted especially for us. “Hereby crown my Mate, Alina Sinclair, daughter of our beloved fallen Elders, Dane and Ruth Sinclair, as Luna of the Greenbriar pack. Long may she reign.”

Alina beams. “Long may I reign at your side, Rowan Greenbriar.”

I lower my head and press a chaste kiss to her lips to seal the promise, and the gathered throng bursts into raucous cheers. It is done. We are king and queen, Alpha and Luna, bound for eternity in the memory of our pack as devoted leaders of our people.

As the ceremony ends, I step down from the platform with Alina’s hand held tightly in mine, and the wolves part for us. Not because Idemand it, but because they welcome me as their Alpha, their leader. Just as they welcome her as their Luna.

I squeeze Alina’s hand. She leans into me like she’s never going to let go.

“I’ve never been prouder of anything,” she whispers, voice thick. She reaches for Noah, tugging him along between us. “And I’m proud of you, too, Noah Sinclair-Greenbriar, tenth of his line, future heir to the pack.”

I laugh, and Noah immediately grimaces.

“Ugh, Mom. Corny.”

Alina just kisses the top of his head. “Wait until you see your little sibling being born, sweetheart. You’ll really appreciate what we go through.”

Noah blanches. “Do I have to see that?”

“Absolutely,” I say, deadpan. “Alpha training starts early.”

His groan is long and dramatic. Alina and I burst out laughing.

Now is the part where, traditionally, the crowd breaks out of their dutiful stances and begins dancing the night away. There will be bonfires and drums and liquor, and people won’t stop celebrating until the sun comes up.

But all I want to do is spend the rest of the evening with my little family. And my people don’t need me around in order to party. They offer us smiles and pats on the shoulder as we move through the crowd and away from the building, beautiful chaos.

By the time we get home to our lovely cabin tucked into the northern side of the Greenbriar village, which is just a short walk from the main Alpha building, the fireflies are blinking through the trees.

Noah kicks off his shoes and makes a beeline for the kitchen, searching for the last honey cake his grandmother packed up after the ceremony feast earlier.

“Brush your teeth after,” I call after him.

“I know, Dad!” he hollers back.

Alina leans against the doorframe, rubbing her belly with one hand. “Do you think the new one’s going to be as much of a handful?”

“I hope so,” I say, wrapping my arms around her from behind. “I’vegot plenty of energy to keep up now that I’m officially Alpha. Also, I have you, my beautiful Luna.”