Standing at Shadow Creek''s great hall entrance, I sucked in a breath that felt like


    the first real air I''d tasted in months. Six months ago, they dragged me out of


    here while every face stared at me with suspicion and disappointment.


    Today? Walking back in as a free man.


    The ce was absolutely packed. Every Shadow Creek member who could walk


    was here. ke and Ava sat up front with the other bigwigs. Hell, even Northern


    Lights showed up-their silver robes stuck out like sore thumbs in the crowd.


    My heart was going crazy, but not from fear. From pure anticipation.


    Been waiting for this moment way too damn long.


    "My people." Elder Oliver stood up, his voice cutting through the noise. "We''re not


    just here to judge traitors today. We''re here to set the record straight. Clear an


    innocent man''s name."


    About time. The words hit my chest like a punch of relief.


    Chains nked as Jackson Hayes got dragged in, guards on both sides like


    bookends. His golden-boy looks had gone to hell-hair all over the ce, clothes


    wrinkled, eyes wild like a trapped animal. Behind him, Richard shuffled along


    looking like death warmed over.


    Talk about a fall from grace. William stood tall despite months behind bars, while


    the Hayes men looked ready to copse.


    Lyra stepped forward with some fancy scroll, all sealed up with Northern Lights


    wax. "Honored elders, I''ve got evidence from our border fights with Shadow


    Creek. Her voice carried that priestess authority that made people shut up and


    listen.


    She cracked open the document, purple eyes sweeping the crowd. "Our scouts


    watched Shadow Creek forces-one Alpha, one loyal warrior. The Alpha was


    juiced up on something, way stronger than normal."


    Whispers started rippling through the crowd. Most folks were hearing this stuff for


    the first time.


    "When we surrounded them, Shadow Creek''s Alpha Carter just... dropped. Dead.


    The warrior-William Rivers-kept fighting like hell to protect his fallen leader until


    backup showed up and we had to retreat."


    The whispers got louder. This version painted William as the hero, not the viin.


    Sarah shot up from her seat, hands shaking but voice rock-solid. "I need to add


    something." Every head turned her wa stage. "Three days ago, I heard Jackson


    and Richard talking about their whole conspiracy."


    Jackson''s head snapped up, face going white as a sheet. "She''s lying through her


    teeth!"


    he walked to center


    "Shut it!" Oliver''s voice mmed through the hall like a gavel. "Sarah Rivers


    swore an oath to the Moon Goddess. Keep going, Sarah.


    Sarah''s voice got stronger as she spilled everything she''d heard. The nned


    massacre. Setting William up, Celebrating mass murder disguised as border


    conflict.


    Jacksonpletely lost it. "You people don''t get it!" he screamed, fighting


    against his restraints like a wild thing. "Everything I did was for Shadow


    Creek! Carter was pathetic! We needed real leadership!"


    Richard looked like he''d swallowed poison. His son was torching any chance they


    had left.


    "You sent my patrol into a death trap." William''s voice was quiet, but it carried to


    every corner. ''Good wolves died because you wanted pow


    "They died for something bigger!" Jackson spat, literally foaming at the mouth.


    "You were supposed to die with them! It was perfect until you had to survive


    and screw everything up!"


    The whole hall sucked in air at once. Jackson had just confessed to everything.


    Oliver''s face turned to stone. "Jackson Hayes and Richard Hayes. Treason, mass


    murder, conspiracy against Shadow Creek pack. Death sentence.


    Now."


    Jackson''s tough-guy act crumbled like wet paper. "Wait, no-I can exin-we


    were saving the pack from weak-*


    Nobody was listening anymore. Guards were already moving.


    The execution was quick and clean. Two minutester, the men who''d caused all


    this pain were gone. Justice served cold.


    In the silence that followed, Oliver turned to William. "William Rivers, will you take


    the Alpha position for Shadow Creek pack?"


    William looked out at his people-some ashamed, some hopeful, all waiting. He


    thought about those months in a cell, the pain, watching his daughter fight battles


    that should never have been hers.


    "Yeah, I''ll take it." Simple as that. "But, not for revenge. For rebuilding. For


    healing. For making sure this crap never happens again."


    The cheer nearly blew the roof off.


    William raised his hand. The crowd settled down. His voice rang clear and


    strong-new Alpha energy mixed with hard-earned wisdom.


    "Look, we''ve all screwed up. Some got fooled by lies, others kept quiet when they


    shouldn''t have. But today we choose truth. Today we start


    over."


    He paused, scanning faces. "Working closer with Silverpeak isn''t just politics-it''s


    our future. Two packs united means peace and prosperity.


    "I''m also making changes," William continued, rolling up his sleeves. "Transparent


    council systems where everyone gets heard. More cooperation with human


    Finally, he looked toward the folks who''d backed the Hayes family. "To those who


    got misled-I''m extending my hand. We don''t answer mistakes with hate. We heal


    them with understanding."


    ke stood up, voice carrying across the room. "Silverpeak''s got William Rivers''


    back one hundred percent. Looking forward to working together as real allies."


    After everything wrapped up, William and Ava walked through Shadow Creek''s


    gardens. Sunset painted everything gold, making this familiar ce look brand


    new.


    "Every single day in that cell, I thought about this." He squeezed her shoulder.


    "Not the trial or getting cleared. This-wa in actual sunlight."


    "Dad." Ava''s voice caught. "I''m so sorry you went through all that."


    ith my daughter


    "Don''t you dare apologize." William stopped, turning to face her. "Look at you


    now. When they arrested me, you were just a warrior. Now... He touched the


    golden mark on her neck. "Now you''re about to be Luna of the strongest pack in


    the werewolf world. Your mom and I couldn''t be prouder."


    "You taught me to fight for what''s right," Ava said, kicking at a loose stone.


    "Everything I ames from you."


    "Nah." William shook his head. "Your character-that strength, loyalty, ability to


    love even when you''re hurting-that''s all from here. He tapped her chest


    gently. "That''s one hundred percent you, sweetheart."


    They kept walking, both trying to process how much had just changed. Finally,


    Ava broke thefortable silence,


    <"Luna ceremony''s the day after tomorrow. After everything that just happened,


    you ready for that kind of celebration?"


    William smiled-first genuinely happy smile in months. "Doesn''t matter whose


    Luna you be. You''ll always be my little girl


    Tears spilled down Ava''s cheeks as they hugged, father and daughter, in Shadow


    Creek''s golden garden light. Behind them, pack territory stretched toward


    mountains, peaceful under theing night.