Page 27 of Bond To The Alpha (Fated Bond #1)

KANE

It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day.

I stand at the edge of Moonlight territory, breathing in the morning air in a new kind of way. It's very quiet now, compared to the chaos battle hours ago. The serenity almost feels surreal, even in the lingering scent of blood and the scattered debris.

I still remember the snarls of the rogues, the cries of the wounded, and the heart-stopping moment when I thought I'd lose Liana and our daughter.

But we prevailed. We're alive, and we're together.

Her warm hand comes on my shoulder, and I see her eyes tired but filled with a quiet strength that never fails to amaze me. I remember seeing her back there, in her shifted form for the very first time, and how she’d managed to keep our daughter safe like she said she would, and I was so proud. I still am proud, and will continue to be.

Without a word, I pull her close and breathe in her scent. We stay like this for a long while, just quiet in each other's arms, until she says against my chest.

“The other alphas are arriving.”

The gathering of alphas is a rare event, usually reserved for times of great crisis or celebration.

Today, it's a bit of both.

We make our way to the clearing where the meeting will take place. Already, I can see the alphas that fought with us approaching the square, with their betas. Twelve in total, including myself. These alphas were once reluctant to involve themselves in our struggle, but now they look to me with more respect.

The Alpha of the Ultimate Creek Pack, a grizzled veteran named Gareth, is the first to speak. His weathered face is solemn as he inclines his head in a gesture of respect.

“You’ve done what many thought impossible.”

I return the bow humbly,

“We all did what was necessary to survive."

One by one, the other alphas begin to speak as well. Some offer gruff congratulations and others apologize for their initial skepticism. I accept each with grace, knowing that unity is more important now than ever.

Marissa, the fiery young Alpha of the Red Rock Pack, turns to Liana.

“We owe you an apology as well. Your warnings went unheeded for too long. If we had acted sooner…”

“What's done is done. The siege is over now, and that's what matters,” Liana smiles.

After the apologies and congratulations are done with, we move on to the next important thing. Maps are spread out on roughly hewn tables and strategies are discussed in low, intense voices. The mysterious figure who escaped, the true leader of the cult, remains a threat, and we're determined to hunt them down.

“We can't let them regroup,” I assert, tracing potential routes on the map. “We need to strike while they're weakened.”

The others agree with me, and we continue to dissect every scrap of new information we have. As much as there’s cooperation, there’s also competition. We’re allies now, but old rivalries and territorial instincts don't disappear overnight.

But since we’ve all faced a common enemy and emerged victorious, we have a chance to forge something new and stronger.

“Let’s formalize this alliance,” Gareth says what I’m thinking.

“Not just for this hunt, but for the future,” he adds.

I agree with him, saying, “The old ways have served us well, but times are changing, and we need to change with them.”

There's a beat of silence as my words sink in. Then, slowly, heads begin to nod. Even the most traditional among us can't deny the truth of it.

Marissa steps forward, almost a bit too excitedly.

“I propose we revive the ancient rite of the Pack Bond.”

The Pack Bond is a legendary ritual, not performed in living memory. It's said to create an unbreakable connection between packs which allows us to share strength and communicate over vast distances.

“Are we ready for such a step?” one of the younger alphas asks.

I meet Liana's eyes, sensing that she might not know what that means, but she seems interested.

“We have to be," I say firmly.

There's a moment of hushed discussion amongst the remaining alphas, then a chorus of agreement. The decision is made. We all move as one to the center of the clearing, forming a circle to perform the ritual, which requires blood and commitment from each participant.

After all, I'm exhausted, but excited because we’ve achieved so much today and laid the groundwork for a new era.

I see Liana approaching from across the clearing, and my heart begins to race. She's not alone, there’s another little hand enclosed in hers.

Liana beams at me and Lina exclaims with joy,

“Kane!”

Liana crouches down to Lina's level, taking her small hands in her own.

Her voice is soft and filled with love as she says,

“No, sweetheart. It's not Kane, it’s Papa.”

Lina's brow furrows in adorable confusion. “Papa?”

I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. My chest feels tight like it might burst with the love I feel for both of them.

“That's right,” I say. “Come here.”

She hesitates for just a few seconds, then breaks into a run and I take her up into my arms.

“Yes, I'm your Papa…your real Papa."

“Really?” she pipes up and turns to look at Liana.

“Really, Mama? My crush is my Papa!”

I feel elated hearing how excited she is to hear I’m her father…or rather, crush-turned-papa. It makes me relieved, because I’ve been worried about how she would take the news, and if she would accept me.

Liana chuckles. “Yes, my darling,” she confirms as her eyes come to meet mine. There's so much we need to say to each other, but for now, this is enough.

I shift Lina to one arm, freeing the other to reach out to Liana.

“Come here,” I say softly.

She steps closer, and I take her hand. Her fingers tremble slightly, and I can see the weight of years of struggles and longing in her eyes.

“I'm so sorry,” she whispers to me.

I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her knuckles.

“No more apologies,” I say against the skin of her hand, before kissing it again.

Then I open my arm, inviting her in, and she doesn't hesitate. She steps into our embrace, and suddenly, I'm holding my whole world in my arms.

My mate. Our child. My family.

We stand there, locked in a tight hug, and I bury my face in Liana's hair. My wolf howls with joy inside me; it’s finally at peace.

This is right and this is how it should have been all along.

The misunderstandings, the hurt, and the years of separation, they’re all behind us now. We can't change the past, but we can learn from it. I silently vow to never let my pride or fear come between us again. I'll spend the rest of my life making up for lost time and being the mate and father they deserve.

Lina squirms in our embrace.

“Are we a family now?”

Liana answers “Yes, baby. We're a family now.”

*****

“Liana,” Dan begins. “On behalf of the Blood Moon Pack, I want to apologize for our past behavior. We judged you unfairly, based on prejudices that had no place in our pack. Not just your bravery in battle, but the truth has shown us the error of our ways.”

I see heads nodding and eyes lowering in shame as I squeeze Liana's hand gently.

“Thank you, I accept your apology. We've all made mistakes; what matters is that we learn from them and move forward. Together.”

Her words seem to lift a weight from the Moonlight Pack members who come forward to offer their own apologies and thanks. I watch Liana as she accepts each apology with grace and forgiveness. This is the woman I love, the one I've always known she could be—a strong, compassionate, and natural leader.

I clear my throat after the last of the apologies have been tendered.

I feel nervous now.

"My fellow pack members, we’ve been through so much together. We've faced trials that would have broken lesser packs and fought battles that seemed impossible to win. But we've emerged stronger and more united than ever before."

I pause to let my first words sink in before continuing,

“And now, as we look to the future, I know that we have the potential to become something truly great. But to achieve that, we need very strong leadership…people who embody the very best of what our pack can be. I can't achieve that alone. I need the one person who makes my heart continue to beat by my side.”

As I say this, I turn to Liana, and there is a buzz of excitement in the crowd now.

"And so," I drop to one knee in front of her.

Gasps echo around us.

Liana covers her face with a hand, to subdue the tears threatening to fall.

“An Alpha never kneels,” someone in the crowd whispers.

“To hell with that,” I respond loud enough for all to hear.

Then I take Liana's hand, feeling it tremble slightly. Tears are already welling up in her eyes as I reach into my pocket to pull out a ring. It's a simple band of diamond, inlaid with moonstone which is a symbol of new beginnings.

“Liana, you’ve been my strength and my light in the darkest times. You've shown me what true courage looks like. Will you stand by my side, not just as my mate, but as my equal….”

“Will you be my Luna?”

Everywhere goes silent again, one could hear a pin drop.

Then Liana lets out a sob and drops to her knees in front of me. She throws her arms around my neck, burying her face in my shoulder.

“Yes,” she cries. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”

The clearing erupts in loud cheers, and I wrap my arms around Liana to hold her tight against me. I can feel her tears soaking through my shirt, mingling with my own that I can no longer hold back.

We stay like that for a long moment, lost in our own world. When we finally pull apart, I slip the ring on her finger, and it fits perfectly.

I help Liana to her feet, keeping her hand firmly in mine as we turn to face our pack—our family, and I'm overwhelmed by the love and support radiating from them. Faces that once looked at Liana with suspicion now beam with joy and acceptance.

It hasn't been an easy journey, but it’s been worth every step.

This is just the beginning of our story.