Chapter 38: The Choice of Lunaris

The cracked bloodstone became the most discussed object in Lycan politics.

Experts argued.

Historians argued.

Council members argued.

PackFeed argued with absolutely no qualifications whatsoever.

Some claimed Rhea and I were destined to rule together.

Others claimed the stone had malfunctioned.

One anonymous account suggested we settle succession through a bikini contest.

Tessa found the account owner and publicly posted his failed training scores.

I pretended not to know.

The Moon Court decided the only lawful solution was to continue recognition trials for both heirs.

Rhea hated the idea.

"So now we're competing."

"Only if we treat it like competition."

"How else do you treat trials with scores?"

"Badly?"

She laughed.

The first trial was historical knowledge.

Rhea destroyed me.

It wasn't close.

She had studied Ancient Lycan History for two years and spent half her childhood memorizing Lunaris material Marcus gave her.

I stared at my score.

"Seventy-eight."

Rhea tried not to smile.

"You did okay."

"You got ninety-seven."

"I study this."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"Currently evaluating."

The second trial was wolf control.

I won.

Rhea's power was enormous but unstable.

When judges increased pressure, her wolf reacted defensively.

I maintained control.

Afterward, she kicked a training post.

"I hate this."

"You still beat me by nineteen points yesterday."

"That's different."

"Because you won?"

"Obviously."

For the first time, our rivalry felt almost healthy.

Then came leadership.

We were given a simulated Pack emergency.

Flooding.

Limited evacuation routes.

Injured wolves.

Conflicting orders.

Rhea focused on efficiency.

I focused on keeping families together.

Both approaches had strengths.

Both had flaws.

The judges gave us identical scores.

"This is ridiculous," Rhea whispered.

"They're doing it on purpose."

"They can't keep tying us forever."

Apparently they could try.

Outside the trials, our relationship changed faster.

Rhea moved into a university residence near mine.

Mom cooked for her constantly.

Rhea pretended to hate it and then ate everything.

Cassian became unbearably protective.

Lyra dragged her shopping.

Tessa taught her how to insult people without sounding homicidal.

Rowan gave her space.

That helped most.

One evening, Rhea found me sitting beside the training field.

"Can I ask something?"

"Sure."

"Why Rowan?"

I smiled.

"That's direct."

"He's a Vale."

"He's Rowan."

"Marcus was Rowan once to someone."

I understood what she meant.

"Maybe."

"Doesn't that scare you?"

"Sometimes."

She sat beside me.

"Then how do you trust him?"

"I don't trust his name."

I looked toward Rowan, who was training with Garrick across the field.

"I trust patterns."

"What patterns?"

"When I say no, he stops."

Rhea went quiet.

"When I'm scared, he doesn't use it to make decisions for me."

I continued.

"When I was angry about his lie, he didn't tell me I was overreacting. When politics made bonding convenient, he didn't rush me. When I eat, he doesn't watch my plate. When I train, he cares whether I'm healthy, not whether I'm thin."

Rhea looked at me.

"That's a low bar."

"Sometimes low bars are important when you've known people who crawl underneath them."

She laughed.

Then became serious.

"Marcus was kind to me sometimes."

"I believe you."

"He remembered my birthday."

"I believe that too."

"He taught me chess."

"Rhea."

She looked down.

"Someone can do kind things and still hurt you."

Her eyes filled.

"That's what makes it confusing."

"Yeah."

I understood that better than she knew.

The final recognition trial was supposed to happen at Lunaris territory.

Both heirs would enter the old Alpha grounds.

The surviving Pack would gather.

The territorial bond would be observed.

No one knew what outcome to expect.

The night before, Knox found me.

Again.

This time, he kept a respectful distance.

"Good luck tomorrow."

"Thanks."

"Rhea seems nice."

"She threatened to stab Rowan."

"So definitely family."

I laughed.

Knox smiled.

Then he looked toward Elodie across the courtyard.

She was speaking with Tessa.

"You were right."

"About?"

"Elodie."

I waited.

"I kept thinking apologizing should fix things."

"It doesn't."

"I know."

He caught himself.

"Sorry. Apparently I still say that too much."

"Definitely."

"She said she might be willing to start over as friends."

"That's good."

"It is."

He looked at me.

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"Are we ever going to be friends?"

I considered it.

"Maybe."

His expression softened.

"Not now."

"Fair."

"And Knox?"

"Yeah?"

"If you ever call another girl fat pig again, I will personally throw you off Lunaris mountain."

He winced.

"Also fair."

The next morning, hundreds gathered at the Lunaris ruins.

Hidden descendants came openly for the first time.

Some carried old family crests.

Some cried when they crossed the border.

Rhea stood beside me.

Nervous.

"So what happens?"

Mireya answered.

"You enter the Alpha courtyard."

"And?"

"The territory decides whether it recognizes you."

"How?"

"We'll know."

Unhelpful.

Rhea and I walked together.

The moment we crossed the broken arch, gold light erupted beneath my feet.

Silver-gold light answered beneath hers.

The ground trembled.

The cedar branches moved despite the still air.

Then wolves began shifting around us.

One by one.

Howling.

The sound shook my bones.

Rhea grabbed my hand.

I grabbed hers.

The two lights moved toward each other.

Everyone watched.

They touched.

Instead of fighting, they merged.

The old ruined crest above the courtyard ignited.

A crescent moon.

Two lines of light.

Mireya began laughing through tears.

Cassian stared.

"What does it mean?" I shouted.

She looked at us.

"It means Lunaris refuses to choose."

Rhea blinked.

"That's allowed?"

Mireya smiled.

"It is now."