Page 49 of A Reign of Malice (Wolves of Lunara #3)

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

SLOANE

T he sun is up, gilding the sky in soft gold and pale blue—a new day in a new kingdom, no longer blanketed by fire or fear. The smoke that clung to the horizon like a final curse has lifted, revealing the charred stone of what used to be the Venaris castle. Blackened. Broken. Hollow.

No one has gone near it, and no one plans to. There’s nothing left to salvage. Nothing worth remembering.

And honestly? None of us want to.

It’s been barely twelve hours since the flames reduced centuries of cruelty to ash.

Elyn may have told us to “enjoy” our honeymoon, but there’s been little time for anything but rebuilding.

Even so, the heat of Julian’s gaze has nearly ignited my clothes more than once.

The man can make a promise with a look, and that promise is coming the moment we have a spare breath.

For now, we breathe in other ways.

We’ve set up a temporary camp just beyond the tree line, where the forest thins into a wide meadow dotted with wildflowers and thick grass.

The earth here is untouched. It’s the first time I’ve seen true beauty in this land.

Not the kind painted over lies, but real, thriving beauty.

Something that doesn’t owe itself to bloodlines or treaties. Something that simply is.

Julian stands a few feet away, speaking with Noen and Clara about how to organize the remaining wolves. His shirt is stained with dried blood as we haven’t had time to find new clothes. His ribs are still bound per my demand and he’s upright. Alive and growing stronger by the second.

My mate. My Alpha King.

Across the field, Estee kneels beside a small group of injured wolves, her movements fluid, patient, calming.

The way she changes bandages and whispers encouragement makes her glow like she was born to heal.

She and Theo will be leaving tonight, but they’ve been nothing short of extraordinary since the moment the battle ended.

Isla and Asher will leave tomorrow. I find myself watching them often—the way Isla’s sharp, strategic nature blends with Asher’s unwavering presence.

They’ve taken it upon themselves to lead the arrangements for the fallen.

Without being asked, they’ve organized funerals, tended to the bodies, and ensured each wolf will be honored.

It’s more than I could’ve asked for. More than I could’ve handled.

I’ll never be able to thank them enough for taking on what might’ve broken me.

A sigh escapes me, not of sadness but weariness.

The ache of too much in too little time.

I know I’m not ready to say goodbye to any of them yet.

But I won’t have to, not truly. This is no longer a fractured realm.

Last night, long after the fires died and our wounds were wrapped, we shared a meal under the stars and made a vow.

There will be no more divided kingdoms.

Each of us remains Alpha of our own pack, yes.

But our wolves? They’re no longer bound by invisible chains or outdated laws.

They can move freely, cross borders, visit the friends they’ve made through war and loss.

There will still be order—we need that. But not control or fear, and certainly not threats of exile just for wanting something different.

We were created to lead. That won’t change. But we won’t do so with iron hands. Not when we’ve seen what happens to wolves who are shackled rather than guided.

Not when we’ve bled to make something better.

Between the remnants of the Venaris pack and my wolves from Alcaris, about sixty chose to leave, seeking new beginnings in the other kingdoms. They’ll board the boats tonight and tomorrow with their respective alphas, carrying pieces of our story with them to wherever they now belong.

And then…Julian and I will begin to rebuild.

As if summoned by the very thought, Julian steps up beside me, sliding an arm around my waist. His grin is crooked, knowing, and absolutely lethal.

“Noen and Clara have everything handled for the rest of the day, and I’ve also asked Noen to be my primary advisor.

Apparently, he was one of Asher’s, and the king had only good things to say about him. ”

My heart swells at the ease with which Julian slips into this role—the confidence and warmth behind his decisions.

“That’s perfect,” I breathe.

He kisses the side of my temple. “So it looks like everything’s taken care of for the time being. Nothing left for us to do but prepare to head to your castle in a few days.”

Gods, the sound of that makes me so damn happy, but he’s not exactly right.

“ Our castle,” I correct gently, brushing my fingers over the bandages still wrapped around his ribs. “How are you feeling? ”

“Like I’m about to rip this damn wrap off and throw it in the ocean,” he grumbles then smirks down at me. “But I’m trying to be a good mate, so I’ve left it alone. For now.”

I laugh, the sound brighter than it’s been in days. “How about we go to one of the cabins the others moved out of? I can give you a proper inspection myself.”

His eyes darken in a flash. I hear the change in his breathing just before he scoops me up and throws me over his shoulder like I weigh nothing at all. His hands are firm on my thighs, possessive in a way that makes my core pulse.

He doesn’t say a word, just moves through the camp like a wolf on a mission.

“Julian!” I object, swatting at his back. “Put me down. You might break something!”

“The only thing I plan to break is the first bed we find,” he growls, voice low and full of delicious promise.

Heat races up my spine and spreads across my skin. The way he says it with that unshakable authority and need makes my thoughts dissolve into steam. I cling to him, breath catching, my body already anticipating his.

He starts to run, long strides swallowing the distance with terrifying ease. I bounce with every step, laughing and shouting in protest even though I don’t want him to stop.

“Have fun,” Clara calls, her voice filled with mirth even through my thoughts.

Of course she’s witnessing this. Everyone is probably watching Julian haul me across the field like some barbaric Alpha claiming his prize.

But I don’t care.

I’ve waited too long for this moment. So has Julian.

The bond between us might have been blessed by the gods, might pulse with divine strength, but this? This is ours. This claiming and the heat combined with joy and freedom. It’s all ours.

And I’ll revel in every second of it.

Julian barrels through the trees with me still draped over his shoulder, his stride purposeful, his breathing steady despite all he went through last night.

I half expect him to slow or set me down gently, but he doesn’t.

He charges forward like nothing will stop him from getting what he wants. What we want.

We reach a small, empty cabin tucked near the edge of the meadow. The door creaks open under his foot as he kicks it inward, the hinges protesting before the space falls into quiet.

The moment we’re inside, Julian lowers me, slowly this time, until my feet brush the ground, but even then, he doesn’t let me go. He wraps an arm around my waist and cradles my jaw, brushing his thumb gently across my bottom lip.

“You’re really okay?” I whisper, searching his face for any sign of lingering pain.

“I am now,” he says, voice rough but honest. “You pulled me back from the edge the moment you appeared in that cave.”

I lean into him, arms sliding around his neck, fingers threading into his dark hair. “You pulled me back too.”

Our powerful stares speak volumes as we consume each other, knowing there’s no more need for words.

He kisses me, but it’s not urgent like it was before the battle. It’s full of need and want like he’s pouring all the pieces of his soul into my mouth with every breath and every touch.

I run my hands over his chest, removing his shirt and unbinding the wrap. “Let me see you,” I murmur against his lips.

He lets me strip the cloth away, baring bruised but healing skin. I trace the edge of each scar, each line earned in the name of survival, of us.

Julian leans his forehead against mine. “You don’t have to be gentle.”

“I want to be,” I breathe. “For now.”

He lifts me again, slowly this time. I expect him to take me to bed, but instead, we end up in the bathroom. The space is barely big enough for the both of us, but that doesn’t seem to matter as he sets me back down.

Without needing to speak, I know this moment is more than just being together. It’s about cleansing the both of us from the hell we’ve been through.

His fingers deftly work at getting my leathers off and his palm slides over the soft skin above my ribs, warming me from the outside in. Our eyes lock as he reaches past me to turn on the water.

We undress each other piece by piece, slowly and filled with wonder. Like we’re taking back all the time that was stolen from us. The heat builds—slow and dizzying—learning each other for the first time and remembering everything we already know.

I step under the warm spray of water and Julian follows close behind me, his touch never leaving me for more than a second.

Together, we let the grime and memory of battle wash away, easily losing ourselves within one another until touch is no longer enough. I need to feel all of him, for us to be one, and there to be no barriers.

Julian reaches for a towel and we quickly dry off, our urgency returning only long enough for him to guide me toward the bed, tucked against the far wall of the cabin. The sheets are rough, the small space plain and worn, but it might as well be a palace because we’re here. Together.

By the time he’s above me, skin against skin, hearts pressed close, our bond is pulsing between us with a golden fire.

“You’re mine,” he says against my mouth, a promise not a question.

I hold tighter to him, breathless and aching. “And you’re mine.”

He thrusts forward, making my back arch and my mouth drop open. Gods, nothing has ever felt more right than this moment.

His touch and taste and love. It’s all I’ll ever need.

He swallows my moans like they’re the air he needs to survive and rocks above me with steady movements.

I wrap my ankles around his thighs, somehow needing him closer, until I can no longer tell where he begins and I end.

Our bond thrums with an unleashed intensity, pulsing with power and strength, renewing every cell within our bodies. Our connection glows brighter with every movement, every cry of pleasure and love until we collapse together—sated, tangled, and utterly whole.

“Is it too soon to say I can’t wait to do that again?” he murmurs against my neck, sending gooseflesh across my heated skin.

“I was already thinking the same thing.”

Julian holds me like he never intends to let go again, and I know he won’t.

Because there’s nothing left between us but forever.