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She felt Kieran's hand at the small of her back, strong and steady.

"Alpha Alaric is missing because our pack was fractured. Let us honor him by becoming whole again—by showing that Silvercrest wolves can adapt without losing their soul." Her voice cracked with emotion. "I pledge myself to this pack, to this new path forward—where we are stronger together than we ever were apart."

The silence that followed seemed to stretch into eternity. Then, from the back, a single pair of hands began clapping. Another joined, then another. Like a wave, the applause builtuntil it thundered through the clearing, echoing off the ancient stones.

Kieran pulled her against him, his lips brushing her ear. "You're simply magnificent," he growled, his voice rough with pride and desire. "They'd follow you into fire."

Maya leaned into the solid warmth of his chest, hardly believing the response. "I was terrified," she whispered back.

"I could tell," he murmured. "But they couldn't."

The days that followed the ceremony blurred into a whirlwind of meetings and negotiations. Maya watched in amazement as former enemies began tentative collaborations—traditionalists offering their knowledge of pack history while younger rebels contributed fresh perspectives.

"I never thought I'd see Elder Callum sitting at a table with rebellion sympathizers," Malcolm remarked one evening, pouring wine for their small inner circle gathered in Kieran's—now their—quarters.

"This time of emergency creates strange allies," Damon observed, his green eyes missing nothing.

"It's not just this time of emergency," Lena corrected, nodding toward Maya. "Some people just naturally build bridges."

Maya blushed under the attention, but Kieran's arm tightened possessively around her. "My mate," he said with unmistakable pride, "the diplomat who captures hearts by simply being herself."

"Who would have thought," Maya mused, leaning into his warmth, "that a human hybrid with a PhD would end up being the glue for a wolf pack in crisis?"

"I did," Kieran answered, his eyes darkening as he pulled her closer. "The moment I first caught your scent."

The coalition forming around them remained fragile—a delicate balance of old guard traditionalists cautiouslyembracing moderate change while rebels agreed to work within the system, at least temporarily. But for the first time since Alaric's disappearance, there was a current of hope flowing through the Silvercrest territory.

Maya knew the road ahead would be challenging. Alaric remained missing, the rebellion still simmered in other territories, and the full implications of her hybrid nature were yet to be understood. But with Kieran at her side, his strength matching her intellect, she felt ready to face whatever came next.

Together, they were building something new—a bridge between worlds that had been separate for too long.

TWENTY-SIX

MAYA

Maya stood at the edge of the clearing where, three months ago, she had become forever bonded to Kieran under a bright moon. Today, the late afternoon sun filtered through autumn leaves, casting dappled golden light across her simple white dress. Wild roses and mountain asters woven through her copper hair caught the breeze as she took in the circle of friends gathered to witness this more human celebration of their union.

"Nervous?" Lena whispered, adjusting the small bouquet in Maya's hands.

"Oddly, no." Maya's fingers traced the mate mark at her neck, now a silvery scar that tingled whenever Kieran was near. "I faced down crazed scientists, wolf shifter guards, and human hunters. This should be easy."

But her heart raced anyway as she spotted Kieran waiting by the natural stone altar, looking devastatingly attractive in a charcoal suit that emphasized the breadth of his shoulders. His silver-blue eyes locked onto her green ones across the clearing, their piercing intensity making her breath catch. Through theirstrong mate bond, she felt a wave of possession and pride that made her knees weak.

"He still looks at you like he might devour you at any moment," Malcolm commented, appearing at her side to walk her down the improvised aisle. "It's both sweet and slightly disturbing to witness as his brother."

Maya laughed, threading her arm through his. "Says the wolf who spent last week's full moon howling at Damon's cousin."

Malcolm's ears reddened. "Touché, sister of mine."

As they walked forward, Maya marveled at how drastically her life had transformed. Three months ago, she'd been a solitary researcher tracking what she thought were unusual natural wolves. Now she was a wolf herself, mate to an Alpha, and at the center of the most significant social evolution in wolf shifter history.

Elder Callum stood beside Kieran, his weathered face softened with unexpected approval. The patriarch had become their strongest ally in navigating pack politics, though Maya suspected it was less about progressive ideals and more about his deep-rooted belief in the prophecy.

"You look stunning," Kieran murmured when she reached him, his hand sliding possessively around her waist. The naked hunger in his eyes made her wolf stir just beneath her skin.

Elder Callum cleared his throat. "We gather today to honor the human tradition of marriage between Kieran Silvercrest, Acting Alpha of Silvercrest Territory, and Dr. Maya Collins, his fated mate and partner in leadership."

Maya listened to the elder's words about bridges between worlds, and about honoring both her human heritage and their shared wolf nature. As Kieran recited vows that blended traditional wolf shifter promises with human sentiments, she found herself reflecting on how completely her scientific worldview had expanded.