EPILOGUE: A New Dawn Astrid's POV The morning sun spilled over the horizon, bathing the Silvermoon Pack in golden light.
It felt like a dream.
Like I had woken up from a nightmare and stepped into something softer, something real.
The wind was cool, crisp, carrying the scent of pine and earth, untouched by war, by fear. Peaceful.
Something I never thought I'd feel again.
But here I was.
And my children-my heart, my soul-were safe.
I looked down at Elara, her tiny fingers curled around mine as we sat on the balcony of the Packhouse. She was staring out at the trees, her expression calm but distant.
"Are you cold?" I asked softly, brushing her hair behind her ear.
She shook her head. "No." She was quiet these days.
Healing.
Like all of us.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtI glanced over my shoulder, where Ryker sat cross-legged on the floor, watching Killian with furrowed brows. "You're doing it wrong," Ryker grumbled as Killian attempted to braid his sister's hair.
Killian gave him a mock glare. "Excuse me? I was an Alpha before you were even born. I think I can handle a simple braid." Ryker snorted. "You're failing, though." Killian muttered a curse under his breath as Elara giggled, the first real laugh I had heard from her since we got her back.
My chest tightened.
That sound-I had almost lost it forever.
I reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She leaned into my touch, her small hand resting on my wrist.
She was still my little girl.
Still Elara.
And though the shadows of what had happened still lingered, I knew we would be okay.
Because we were together.
Killian's POV Astrid thought I wasn't watching her.
She thought she was hiding her pain well.
But I knew her too well.
Knew the way she had been forcing herself to smile, even when the weight of everything was still crushing her.
We had won.
But we had lost pieces of ourselves in the process.
I set the brush down and ran my fingers through Elara's hair, pulling her into my lap.
She didn't protest.
Neither did Astrid when I reached for her, threading my fingers through hers.
I squeezed gently, reminding her that I was here.
That I always would be.
She squeezed back, her eyes meeting mine. Silent understanding passed between us.
We would never let anything take this from us again.
"Alright," Ryder's voice cut through the moment, draggingback to reality.
I turned, raising a brow as he strolled onto the balcony, arms crossed his chest. "You're late," I noted.ever sw Ryder grinned. "I figured you could use sextra twith your family before I gave you more bad news." Astrid sighed. "Should I be worried?" "Not worried," Ryder said. "Just... prepared. The council is demanding a meeting." I bit back a curse. Of course they were.
The world was different now. The Rogue King was dead.
But his destruction left behind a mess that needed cleaning up.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Tell them I'll be there," I said.
Ryder nodded, before turning his alto Elara and Ryker. He
crouched in front of them, his expression softer than usual You two doing okay? Ryker nodded slowly. Elara hesitated, then reached for Ryder's hand.
He blinked, looking down at the small fingers wrapped around his much larger ones. The content is on e novelenglish.net! Then, he smiled.
And like that, I knew we were going to be okay.
Astrid's POV The wind whispered through the trees as Neaned against Killian's et shoulder, watching our children chase each other in the grass "They're strong," I murmured.
QUMS Killian pressed a kiss against my hair. "Like their mother." I huffed a laugh. "Like their father."
He chuckled, wrapping an arm around me. "So we agree they're both perfect, then." I smiled.
For the first tin what felt like forever, it was genuine.
We had been through hell.
But we made it out.
And now- Now, we had a future.
Together.
Forever.