Silence filled the room after Alder's words.
Some of them will want you dead.
No one spoke for a moment.
Marcus slowly rubbed his face.
"…okay."
Rowan sighed.
"I miss when our biggest problem was one giant Alpha."
Lena crossed her arms.
"And now we have many."
Marcus pointed at Aria.
"Because she's secretly a legendary wolf queen."
Aria threw a pillow at him.
"Stop saying that."
Rowan laughed.
"Too late. It's your brand now."
But Kael wasn't laughing.
His gaze was still fixed on Aria.
Thoughtful.
Serious.
Alder noticed.
The old wolf spoke quietly.
"There is another problem."
Marcus groaned loudly.
"Of course there is."
Rowan nodded.
"There's always another problem."
Aria leaned forward slightly.
"What now?"
Alder looked between her and Kael.
"The power of a True Luna becomes stronger when bonded to an Alpha."
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
Marcus blinked.
"…bonded?"
Rowan slowly turned toward Kael.
"Oh."
Lena sighed softly.
"Oh no."
Aria looked confused.
"Why are you all reacting like that?"
Marcus raised his hand.
"Quick question."
Aria glared at him.
"What?"
Marcus gestured between her and Kael.
"You two… are not mates, right?"
Aria froze.
Kael remained completely still.
Rowan whispered,
"…that silence is suspicious."
Aria quickly answered.
"No."
Kael spoke at the same time.
"No."
They both stopped.
Then looked at each other.
Marcus leaned toward Rowan.
"This is getting interesting."
Rowan nodded.
"Very interesting."
Alder spoke again.
"If a True Luna forms a mate bond with a strong Alpha…"
He paused slightly.
"…their combined power can unite entire regions."
Varkos frowned slightly.
"That kind of bond would change the balance of power."
Marcus blinked.
"…like wolf politics?"
Rowan nodded.
"Exactly like wolf politics."
Aria stood up slowly.
Her injured leg protested, but she ignored it.
"So let me get this straight."
Everyone looked at her.
"I'm some rare Luna."
Alder nodded.
"Yes."
"And if I bond with an Alpha…"
"Yes."
"…we become ridiculously powerful."
Marcus gave a thumbs up.
"That's the summary."
Aria sighed.
"That sounds like a terrible idea."
Rowan laughed.
"Too late."
Kael finally spoke.
His voice calm.
"Mate bonds are not choices."
Aria looked at him.
"I know."
The room fell quiet again.
Because every wolf understood something about mate bonds.
They couldn't be forced.
They couldn't be planned.
They simply happened.
Or they didn't.
Marcus scratched his head.
"So… what if she doesn't have a mate?"
Alder answered.
"Every wolf has one."
Marcus looked relieved.
"Okay good."
Then he paused.
"…wait."
He slowly turned toward Kael.
Then toward Aria.
Rowan's eyes widened.
"Oh."
Lena muttered quietly,
"That would be complicated."
Aria frowned.
"What?"
Marcus pointed dramatically between them.
"Are you sure you two don't feel anything?"
Aria crossed her arms.
"Marcus."
"Yes?"
"Stop talking."
Rowan chuckled.
But Varkos suddenly spoke.
"There may already be a connection."
Everyone turned toward him.
Aria blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Varkos looked at Kael.
"You felt it too."
Kael didn't answer immediately.
That alone made the room tense again.
Marcus whispered,
"…oh my god."
Rowan leaned forward.
"Kael?"
Kael finally spoke.
"Yes."
Aria's eyes widened slightly.
"Yes what?"
Kael looked at her calmly.
"There is a bond forming."
The room exploded with reactions.
Marcus jumped up.
"I KNEW IT!"
Rowan pointed.
"Called it!"
Lena covered her face.
"Oh this is going to be messy."
Aria stared at Kael.
"You're joking."
"I'm not."
She shook her head.
"That's impossible."
Kael didn't look convinced.
"Is it?"
Aria's wolf stirred faintly inside her chest.
A strange warmth spreading through her body.
The same feeling she had noticed before.
When he was close.
She swallowed slightly.
"…that doesn't mean anything."
Marcus whispered loudly,
"It definitely means something."
Rowan nodded.
"Definitely."
Alder watched the two of them carefully.
His expression thoughtful.
"If the bond completes…"
Varkos finished the sentence.
"…they will become extremely powerful."
Marcus grinned.
"That sounds awesome."
Lena looked at him.
"It also makes them a bigger target."
Marcus's smile faded.
"…right."
Aria ran a hand through her hair.
"This is insane."
Kael stood up slowly.
Walking closer to her.
The strange tension between them grew stronger.
He stopped only a few feet away.
"You felt it too."
Aria tried to deny it.
But her wolf shifted uneasily inside her.
"…maybe."
Marcus whispered,
"She felt it."
Rowan nodded.
"She felt it."
Kael's voice lowered slightly.
"The bond has already started."
Aria opened her mouth to argue—
But suddenly—
A powerful howl echoed from the mountains again.
Everyone froze.
Marcus groaned.
"Not him again."
But Varkos shook his head slowly.
"That's not Darius."
Rowan frowned.
"…then who?"
Another howl answered the first.
Then another.
And another.
Multiple voices.
Multiple Alphas.
Alder's expression darkened.
"Too late."
Aria turned toward him.
"What?"
Alder's silver eyes were serious.
"The others have heard about you."
Outside—
Wolves across the forest began howling in response.
And suddenly the territory no longer felt safe.
Because several powerful Alphas…
Were now coming for the True Luna. 🐺