Over the next few hours, Ezra called an emergency pack meeting. He explained the situation to everyone, about Victor, about the Creek Stone attack, about the threat facing Nightshade. I stood beside him, expecting pack members to be angry that I brought danger to their doorstep.
Instead, they rallied.
"We fight," Jake said immediately. "We don't let some rogue Alpha dictate how we live."
"Agreed," said one of the senior warriors. "This pack has survived threats before. We'll survive this too."
Others chimed in with similar sentiments. They weren't angry at me. They were angry at Victor for what he had done and what he represented, the old ways of ruling through fear and violence.
"Then we prepare," Ezra said. "Drake, organize training sessions for everyone who can fight. I want all warriors combat-ready. Emma, make sure the medical center is stocked and prepared for casualties. We'll also need to reach out to allied packs for support."
"I'll contact Alpha Kris at Blue Moon," Drake said. "He owes us a favor."
"And I'll reach out to the western territories," Ezra continued. "The more allies we have, the better our chances."
After the meeting, I found Sarah and Thomas recovering in the pack house. They looked better, cleaned up, fed, bandaged. But the trauma of what they'd witnessed still showed in their eyes.
"I'm so sorry," I said, sitting with them. "If I had known traveling with you would put your pack in danger…"
"Stop," Sarah interrupted. "This isn't your fault. Victor Strand is a monster who would have found some excuse to attack eventually. You just happened to be his current obsession."
"She's right," Thomas added, though his voice was heavy. "We've heard stories about him for years. He destroys packs he sees as weak or different. Creek Stone tried to stay neutral, to avoid pack politics. It made us a target."
"What will you do now?" I asked.
Sarah and Thomas exchanged glances. "Alpha Ezra offered us permanent sanctuary here," Sarah said. "If we want it. He said any Creek Stone survivors are welcome to join The Nightshade."
"Will you accept?"
"I think so," Sarah said softly. "We have nowhere else to go. And after seeing how this pack rallied to protect you, how everyone works together… this seems like a good place to rebuild our lives."
That night, I couldn't sleep. I lay in bed thinking about everything, about Creek Stone destroyed, about Victor getting closer, about Nightshade preparing for war because of me.
I got up and went to the window, staring out at the forest under moonlight. My powers were growing stronger every day. I've been training, learning, and preparing. But was it enough? Could I really face Victor and his army?
A soft knock on my door startled me. "Come in," I called softly.
Ezra entered, looking tired but alert. "Couldn't sleep either?" he asked.
"Too much on my mind."
He crossed to the window and stood beside me, both of us looking out at the night. "I've been thinking about the recognition bond," he said. "About what it means that our destinies are intertwined."
"And?"
"And I think this is it. This battle with Victor, we're meant to face it together. That's what the bond has been preparing us for."
I turned to look at him. "You really believe that? That fate or destiny or whatever brought us together for this?"
"I believe the Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes," Ezra said. "You ended up here for a reason. I felt drawn to help you for a reason. And Victor's hunt leading to my doorstep? That's not a coincidence."
"It feels like a lot of responsibility," I admitted. "Like if I fail, if I'm not strong enough, everyone will suffer for it."
"You won't fail." Ezra's voice was confident. "I've watched you train. I've seen how much you've grown in just a few weeks. You're powerful, Nessa. More powerful than you realize. You just need to believe in yourself."
"I'm trying to."
"I know." He was quiet for a moment. "When I lost my father, I didn't think I was ready to be Alpha. I was young, inexperienced, scared. But I had wolves depending on me, so I had to figure it out. I had to trust that I'll grow into the role." He met my eyes. "You're doing the same thing. Growing into who you're meant to be. And you're doing it remarkably well."
His faith in me was overwhelming. "What if I let everyone down?"
"You won't. But even if things don't go perfectly, we'll face it together. That's what pack means. What the recognition bond means. We're stronger together than apart."
He was right. I've been thinking about this as my burden, my responsibility. But I wasn't alone anymore. I had a pack backing me, an Alpha standing beside me, friends who'll fight with me.
"Thank you," I said softly. "For believing in me. For not giving up on me."
"Never," Ezra said firmly. Then, almost hesitantly, he reached out and took my hand. The recognition bond flared between us, warm and reassuring. "We're going to win this, Nessa. And when we do, you'll be free to live the life you deserve."
I squeezed his hand, drawing strength from his certainty. "I hope you're right."
"I am." He smiled slightly. "I'm the Alpha. I'm always right."
I laughed despite the heavy mood. "That's not how it works."
"It is in my pack," he said with mock seriousness. Then his expression sobered. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we start preparing in earnest. It's going to be intense."
After he left, I felt more settled. The fear was still there, but it was balanced by determination. Victor had taken everything from my family. He destroyed Creek Stone. He terrorized innocent wolves for twenty years.
It was time someone stopped him.
And maybe, just maybe, I was strong enough to be that someone.
I pulled out my mother's journal and flipped to a page I read a dozen times. It was her entry about facing fears.
"Courage isn't the absence of fear," she writes. "It's acting despite the fear. Every warrior feels afraid before battle. The difference is, warriors use that fear as fuel rather than letting it paralyze them. Channel your fear into focus, your doubt into determination. And remember, you carry the blood of survivors. You are stronger than you know."
I traced her handwriting with my finger, wishing I could have known her. Wishing she could see who I was becoming.
"I'll make you proud," I whispered to the memory of parents I've never known. "I promise."
Outside my window, the moon shone bright and full, casting silver light across the forest. Somewhere out there, Victor was hunting. Planning. Coming for me.
Let him come.
I wasn't the helpless omega he expected. I wasn't the broken girl who'd fled Silverwood in fear.
I was Nessa Gray, daughter of the Silver Moon bloodline, member of the Nightshade Pack, and I was done running.
The real fight is about to begin.