Chapter thirteen

Serena

I n the aftermath of the chaos, I watched the Stormvale wolves with new eyes.

Maybe they watched me that way, too. From the high window where I’d retreated to breathe, I saw Tristan below, surrounded by his pack in the courtyard gathering up the broken celestial stones.

The compound seemed to throb with new energy, like a beating heart.

Pack members moved across the grounds, glancing at me.

Maybe unsure, maybe curious. Tristan stood in the center, his presence impossible to ignore, and I watched the change in him, the shift from cold dominance to something warmer.

My fingers traced the changed birthmark on my wrist, wondering if I could feel at home here.

Would their pack even accept me, or simply tolerate me out of necessity?

The courtyard was filled with the low hum of voices as Tristan addressed the pack.

The mountain energy was different now, no longer oppressive but more like a comforting touch.

It didn’t hum with dominance anymore. It breathed.

Slow, quiet, alive. And I could swear it was breathing in sync with me.

I leaned against the window, feeling the faint thrum of it even from where I stood.

Pack members moved cautiously at first, but some gathered close to Tristan, hanging on his every word.

The lines on his face softened as he spoke, and I noticed the way he gestured for others to join him—something he’d never done before.

I was seeing him become the alpha he was always meant to be.

I wondered if that made me the mate I was supposed to be.

I watched how the Stormvale wolves interacted, catching snatches of conversation.

Some spoke of the energy they felt, others about the uncertainty of their future.

But no one seemed panicked or upset. They were different, just like Tristan was different.

I touched the glass of the window, trying to understand what it all meant.

My mark seemed to glow and pulse whenever I looked at Tristan.

He stood in the courtyard, powerful and unyielding but also inviting, surrounded by wolves who looked to him for guidance.

The mountain no longer held them in a grip, but it was still there, its energy flowing through them in new ways. And through me.

A knock on the door startled me, and a young pack member stepped in hesitantly.

She was no older than fifteen, her eyes darting from me to the floor as she offered me a small wooden wolf pendant.

Her cheeks flushed when she mumbled something about acceptance and left.

The pendant was rough but thoughtful, and it rested heavy in my palm.

She didn’t look old enough to shift, but she’d crossed the whole damn compound to bring this to me.

That meant something. Maybe everything. My fingers closed around the pendant like it was a lifeline.

Was this what being claimed by a pack felt like?

Not by blood. By choice. Could I really belong here?

The rhythm of the compound was slow and new, like a heartbeat I hadn’t known was mine.

I clutched the pendant and felt the mountain’s pulse answer back

Tristan's laughter reached me through the window, unexpected and light.

I pressed my fingers to the glass, my moon and star glowing where it touched.

Below, wolves moved among the buildings, some casting wary glances at me, others with curiosity.

I felt like an outsider but also something more. Something hopeful.

I turned the pendant over in my hands, feeling its weight. The wolf was roughly carved but beautiful in its own way. Just like my place here. I watched the compound, the way everything seemed to move in a rhythm I was only just beginning to hear.

Tristan's voice rose again, strong and steady, and I felt the change in him like an ache. I wanted to be down there with him, but I was scared of what it would mean. I traced the birthmark on my wrist, watched it glow faintly.

The Stormvale wolves were different now, and maybe I was, too.

I closed my eyes, feeling the mountain's energy wrap around me. Was it acceptance or uncertainty? Hope or fear? I wasn't sure, but I looped the pendant around my neck and held it close, feeling its warmth. I didn’t know if I belonged here. But maybe that wasn’t the right question anymore. Maybe it was enough that I wanted to.

Later that night, I found myself wandering the compound, contemplating my future.

Moonlight sparkled across the blooms growing at the base of the Stormvale mountain, illuminating the courtyard with an ethereal glow.

The garden felt alive in a way I couldn’t explain.

New blooms curled up from the soil like second chances.

Maybe I could do the same. Maybe I already was.

Each step crushed wild mountain herbs beneath my feet, releasing sharp scents that blended with the night air.

I sank into a secluded corner, holding the wooden pendant like it might tell me what to do.

Silver Ridge was my past, full of ghosts and memories that still hurt.

Here was my unknown, my chance to belong.

But would they accept me? I closed my eyes, trying to drown out the noise in my head.

Every choice felt impossible. Every choice felt right.

The clutched the pendant that hung around my neck tightly. My father’s voice echoed like a scar. A curse. A lost cause. Would Stormvale see me the same? I ran a finger over the wolf carving and wondered if Tristan's pack would see me that way too.

Memories of Silver Ridge haunted me. My father keeping his distance.

My former pack, treating me like a burden.

I’d tried so hard to fit in, but nothing worked.

Tristan had changed everything, or maybe it was just my hope.

I held the pendant tight, feeling the weight of decisions I didn’t know how to make.

Tristan’s scent wrapped around me before I even saw him. Cedar and wild rain. I kept my eyes closed, not ready to face him yet. I could feel him watching me, waiting for me to open up.

I felt him sit beside me, close enough to touch.

“You’re a million miles away,” he said, his voice gentle.

I opened my eyes and found him studying me, his face full of questions.

We sat in silence for a while, both waiting for the other to speak first. I wanted to tell him everything, but I didn’t know where to start.

He reached for my hand, and the birthmark on my wrist glowed where his fingers brushed it. “The mountain feels different, doesn’t it?” he asked, looking at me intently. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. His touch was warm and steady, like he knew exactly what I needed.

We talked about the Stormvale compound and how the wolves were adjusting.

I could hear the worry in his voice when he spoke about the challenges they’d face, but there was excitement, too.

I realized then how much he wanted me to be part of it.

I pulled my hand away, feeling guilty for my hesitation.

“Do you regret breaking the curse?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

His eyes flashed, like he couldn’t believe I’d asked.

“Not for a second,” he said. “What about you?” I looked at the pendant again, feeling torn.

In Silver Ridge, I ran. From fear. From the weight of a fate I didn’t choose.

But here, I wasn’t running. I was choosing. Finally.

My silence must have worried him because he leaned closer, almost desperate. “What are you going to do?”

I met his gaze and finally spoke the words I’d been too afraid to say.

“I’m staying,” I said—not just for Tristan. For me. For the version of myself I wasn’t afraid of anymore.

Relief flooded his face, and his eyes darkened with something else, something I felt deep inside. His hand found mine again, and the world seemed to settle around us.

Our marks pulsed in unison, a shared heartbeat.

I felt his longing, the hunger he tried to hide.

He kissed me, slow at first, then with more urgency.

His lips trailed down my neck, leaving a path of fire.

He pulled away suddenly, breathing hard.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice rough.

I nodded, pulling him back to me. “Then let’s go,” he said, taking my hand.

The quiet between us vibrated with tension as Tristan led me through the halls of the Stormvale compound. My fingers were tangled with his, our shared mark pulsing like a tether drawing us together. My heart pounded, not from fear—but from the certainty of what I’d just chosen.

Him.

He didn’t let go of my hand until we reached his chamber.

The door to his room creaked open, revealing the wild and intimate space.

A fire burned low in the hearth, casting amber light across plush furs laid in front the stone fireplace.

Moonlight spilled through a skylight cut directly into the mountainside ceiling, pooling silver across the blankets on his bed.

Crystal windows refracted faint glimmers of starlight against the walls, like the faint magic that still lingered here, like it was watching us.

He shut the door behind us, the lock clicking into place. Then he turned to me, eyes molten.

I expected him to tear into me, raw and wild, but he watched me like he wanted to memorize every breath, every move. When he pulled me close, his fingers dug into my back, his other hand buried in my hair. He kissed me like a promise. I was afraid I’d unravel if I didn’t hold him just as tightly.

The mountain air was thick with anticipation, every beat of my heart resonating against the rocky expanse. Tristan's voice, low and rough like the distant rumble of a coming storm, wrapped around me as he spoke.