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The journey to the New Moon Pack had been silent, heavier than any march into battle.
Heiko’s hand never left River’s, their fingers intertwined, a bond that tethered her to the present even as her mind threatened to spiral into the past.
The pack gates loomed, iron and wood gleaming in the sunlight, and soon the familiar scent of pine, earth, and wolves met her senses.
River’s chest tightened—memories tugged, both warm and bitter—but she held her chin high. She was no longer the fragile omega who had once been overlooked within these walls. She was Crown Princess of Nightshade now.
As the gates creaked open, the pack’s highest ranks waited in formation. Luna Cara stood regal and composed, her aura both sharp and maternal. At her side, Alpha Taylor projected steady strength, his
