Page 58 of Wishes in the Moonlight (Rocky Mountain Wolves #4)

~Troy~

The field fell silent.

I stood naked under the darkening sky after shifting back to my human form, my breath fogging in the cool evening air.

The sharp scent of blood clung to my skin, mingling with damp grass and the faint acrid tang of sweat.

Somewhere behind me, my father’s body lay motionless, but I didn’t turn.

I wouldn’t give him another second of my time, not even in death.

Instead, I stared ahead, muscles still twitching with the aftershock of the fight, heart thudding low and steady in my chest. For just a moment, I thought I felt a gentle weight at my shoulder, the ghost of a hand, a whisper of warmth.

Mom?

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than the weight disappeared, leaving behind a sense of peace I hadn’t known before.

A Ravenstone warrior stepped forward, pressing a folded bundle of clothes into my hands and I quickly got dressed, the fabric rough against my skin. Every nerve still felt raw and on edge, just like the silence surrounding me.

As I finished pulling the clothes on, two figures approached from opposite ends of the circle. Amanda’s steps were quick and sure, her eyes locked on mine. Alexander walked slower, his shoulders squared but not combative.

I reached for Amanda’s hand, the soft spark of our bond grounding me instantly, before turning to face my half-brother.

“I did what had to be done. It wasn’t about you.”

Those were the first words either of us had said directly to the other since he learned the truth. Before, Alpha Craig had been the focal point; with him gone, we were on our own.

He gave a small nod, jaw clenched tight. “If someone killed my mother, I’d have done the same. But some of the others might question the outcome.”

His gaze flicked to Amanda, making his meaning clear. From a distance, Amanda’s shout could’ve looked like interference, but it hadn’t been the deciding factor. Not really.

“When he had me pinned, the Alpha mind-linked me,” I told them both. “I didn’t even know that was possible outside a pack or mate bond, but I guess blood has its own link.”

“What did he say?” Amanda asked.

My teeth gritted at the memory. “He told me that the day she died, he’d invited my mother to the territory.

Told her to use an unofficial crossing to come and meet him so they could discuss me.

Then he sent his guards to watch the area, knowing they’d kill her for trespassing.

He set her up so she wouldn’t be a problem for him anymore. ”

Amanda stiffened beside me, her fingers tightening around mine. “He really did murder her.”

I nodded once before focusing back on my brother. “That’s what gave me the edge. Not Amanda’s shout, even though it meant everything. It was his arrogance and the lack of remorse, right to the end.”

Alexander cleared his throat. “I believe you. He could be cruel when it suited him. I tried not to see it, and I never thought he’d go so far, but… it’s hard to defend any of this.”

His answer was so mature, so graceful in defeat, that it erased any doubts I might have had about what I intended to do next.

Behind him, the wolves from Battle River stood in a loose half-circle, whispering amongst themselves and watching us carefully.

“Well, I’ll leave the job of convincing the pack about the validity of the challenge to their next Alpha.”

Alexander’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean? You’re the next Alpha.”

I shook my head, looking him dead in the eyes. “I never wanted to lead the Battle River pack. The challenge was the only way I could force him into a fight, but my place is here. I already have an Alpha to serve. This is my home. She’s my home.”

Even without looking at her, I could feel Amanda’s smile.

“In my one and only act as Alpha of the Battle River pack, I give the pack to you. You’re the one trained for it, and you’re one of them. They’ll accept you. It makes sense.”

You’re putting the pack’s needs first, Amanda’s voice whispered in my head. That’s exactly what a true Alpha does.

I happened to agree with her, but I had one more thing to add. “There is one condition, though.”

Alexander stared at me as if he wasn’t sure whether or not to believe any of this. “What’s the condition?”

“That our two packs are now at peace. You can make the reparations as we discussed, this challenge will be recognized, and we can all move on.”

He blinked a few times, looking for a catch, but in the end, he couldn’t find one. “You’re serious?”

“I am.” Holding out my right hand, I let my wolf claws extend from my left hand and scratched a thin line across my palm. “I transfer any claim I have over the Battle River pack to you, Alexander.”

I extended my hand to him, but before taking it, Alexander bowed his head to me in an open sign of respect. His men murmured behind him as he stepped forward to shake my hand.

A surge of electricity passed between us, not like the sparks of the mate bond but something equally deep and primal. For a second, Alexander’s eyes seemed to glow before settling back to their normal colour.

He turned around to face the others, and they all immediately bowed in acknowledgement and acceptance of his authority.

Amanda’s hand found mine again, and I looked down to see her eyes shining as she gazed up at me, her smile full of pride and love.

“You didn’t have to give it away,” she said quietly. “You could’ve been an Alpha in your own right.”

I reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting my thumb brush her cheek. “I don’t need the title. I already have everything I want right here.”

We said our goodbyes to the Battle River men, with Amanda extending an invitation to Alexander to come back for a visit soon so we could get to know each other properly, and hand-in-hand, we headed back towards the pack house.

Most of the pack had already retreated to their homes as night fully set in, but Savannah intercepted us near the steps.

Her braid was falling apart and her clothes were torn, but she grinned at us like she didn’t have a care in the world.

Jasper stood a few feet behind her, arms folded, looking equally tired but content.

“Go to bed,” Savannah ordered, waving us toward the door. “Whatever nightmares the world throws at us next, they can wait until the morning. For now, rest. You both earned it.”

Amanda raised a brow at her. “Are you giving me orders now?”

“Just a very aggressive suggestion,” Savannah quipped. “The kind a Beta and friend gets to make when you’ve been through hell.”

My mate surprised me by letting go of my hand and wrapping her arms around Savannah. I couldn’t recall ever seeing her hug anyone before. The Beta looked equally surprised, but she quickly returned the hug.

“Thank you both for all your help,” Amanda said as she stepped back, giving Jasper a smile too. “We’ll see you in the morning.”

We climbed the stairs in silence, the day’s exhaustion finally settling in. Rather than returning to the room where she had been staying, though, Amanda led me to her own bedroom. To the room that would now be ours, and she turned and leaned against the door as it closed behind us.

“We actually survived,” she said, voice hushed like she was afraid to break the spell. “ You survived.”

I stepped closer, pressing my forehead to hers. “We both did. And now we have time…”

“...to make up for all the time we lost,” she finished for me.

Her hands slid into my hair, and I leaned in to kiss her, slowly, deeply, and reverently. There was no urgency this time, no desperation like before. Just the quiet certainty that we had found each other at last and this time, we wouldn’t let go.

I undressed her carefully, worshipping every inch of her as if memorizing her all over again. And when she pulled me into bed beside her, we moved together without any rush or need to prove anything. We had all the time in the world.

Time to laugh.

Time to heal.

Time to love.

Afterwards, with our legs tangled and her head resting on my chest, I whispered the words I should’ve said years ago.

“I love you. I’m yours. Always. No matter what.”

And just before sleep claimed me, I heard her murmur back, “And I’m yours. Forever.”