Page 31

Rowan

The sky is clear over Greenbriar territory tonight.

Not a single cloud is in sight. The sky is just stars, sharp and bright, scattered across the black velvet above the mountains. The air smells like wood-smoke and pine, like tradition and something new blooming beneath it.

I stand at the top of the stone steps outside the main house, heart thudding in my chest, and try not to show how profoundly this moment is affecting me.

The clearing is full. Every wolf in our territory has gathered, shoulder to shoulder, forming a silent and reverent crowd. The Whiterose delegation is here, too, standing proudly near the front. Zahra is among them, tall and fierce and currently shooting a conspiratorial grin in Alina’s direction.

Alina is close by, luminous and proud. One hand rests protectively over the curve of her stomach, our unborn child nestled safely beneath her heartbeat.

Her other arm is draped around Noah, who’s standing up straighter than usual, trying to look older than his almost-eleven years.

It’s not working—his shoelaces are untied, and there’s a smudge of dirt on his cheek—but he’s trying. I love him for that.

I love them for everything.

Behind me, my father steps forward and places his hand on my shoulder.

“You’re ready,” he says. His voice is calm and certain.

I meet his gaze. The lines on his face have deepened since the battle that ended the Blackburn threat, but his eyes are steady and strong. He’s still the Alpha in spirit, even if he won’t be in name much longer.

“You sure you don’t want to drag this out a little longer?” I ask lightly, keeping my voice quiet enough to not be overheard. “You could milk it for a few more years?”

He huffs. “One of us has earned their rest. The other is about to learn what it really means to never sleep again.”

The crowd hears that and laughs gently, but then silence falls again as my father raises his hand.

“In the name of the bloodline,” he begins, his voice ringing out clear and proud. “In the name of the pack, in the name of the old gods and the earth beneath our paws, I hereby step down as Alpha of the mighty Greenbriars.”

A murmur ripples through the gathered wolves, old and young alike, but no one breaks the solemnity.

“I pass this mantle,” he continues. “To my son. To Rowan Greenbriar, ninth of his line, born under the light of the harvest moon, heir of Ryland, grandson of Calvin, great-grandson of Holt…”

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 the weight 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 I demand 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’ve got plenty of energy to keep up now that I’m officially Alpha. Also, I have you, my beautiful Luna.”

She snorts. “Says the man who fell asleep during patrol duty last week.”

“One time.”

“Twice.”

We stand there for a long while, listening to the quiet clatter of Noah rummaging through the pantry. My hand rests over hers on her belly, feeling the warmth of the life growing inside her.

Everything we lost and everything we feared…it’s behind us now.

We have a future. A family. A home.

I press a kiss to Alina’s temple, then her cheek, then her lips.

“I love you,” I murmur.

She smiles into the kiss. “I know. I’ve always known. Deep down.”

Noah barrels back into the room, crumbs on his face and zero guilt in his eyes. “I want to shift. When can I do it?”

“Soon,” I promise, laughing. “You’re still young.”

“Ugh,” he groans, flopping onto the couch. “Why does puberty take forever?”

Alina and I exchange a look. She shrugs.

“You can give him that speech,” she says under her breath. “That’s your fatherly duty.”

I just smile.

I’ll give him every speech. I’ll be there for every scraped knee, every shift, every full moon and fight and triumph.

Because this is the life I chose. The life we’re choosing to rebuild together.

And it’s everything I ever could have hoped for.

PS: If you liked Lycan Prince's fated Queen, I think you'll also like The Alpha's Silent Hunger ! Go to the next page for a sneak peek...