Darrian's POV
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The great hall still echoed with the voices of celebration, though most of the pack had retreated to their homes. I stood on the balcony outside the Alpha’s quarters, the wind cutting sharp across my skin. Below, the two once-divided packs mingled—some hesitantly, some with forced smiles, others with cautious curiosity. Time would tell whether their loyalty to me was out of respect… or fear.
Behind me, the room Heather once ruled from had already begun changing. Her scent still lingered, sweet and sharp like citrus and pine, but the space now bore my mark. The command. The weight. The solitude.
Ronan appeared beside me without a sound. “You did it,” he said.
“No,” I replied. “We did it.”
He gave me a look. “That’s not what I meant.”
I didn’t answer.
My hands gri
