When Celine and Leon returned to the pack grounds, the sun had just begun to rise, spilling gold across the treetops and setting the clearing aglow. It felt symbolic, somehow—like the world itself was shifting with her.
And this time, when she stepped into the crowd, they didn’t stare in judgment.
They cheered.
The pack surged toward them, a tide of movement and sound. Some clapped her on the back, others bowed their heads in reverence. It was surreal, dizzying, to be at the center of something that once felt so far out of reach.
Helga wrapped her in a warm, breathless hug. “You did it. Moon Goddess, Celine, you actually did it.”
Felix was shouting something about wolf royalty and demanding a new nickname for her. Lucy just grabbed her hand and squeezed, eyes gleaming with pride.
Their joy was real, unfiltered, and for a moment, Celine let herself lean into it—laughing, breathless, glowing.
Then came the others.
Reese approached with a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, guess I was wrong about you,” he said, with the easy charm of someone who still thought he might be forgiven.
“You were,” Celine replied smoothly, already turning her attention elsewhere.
Sasha stood a few paces back, her face carefully arranged into a smile so brittle it might crack if the wind shifted. “Congratulations,” she said, every syllable wrapped in poison. “Truly. You’ve made quite the impression.”
Celine met her gaze head-on. “Funny. So have you.”
Lilith didn’t say anything. Just stared at her with narrowed eyes, lips pressed into a tight line. She didn’t have to speak—her glare said enough. This wasn’t over.
And then, of course, there were her parents.
Her mother approached first, clutching her shawl like a lifeline. “We’re… very proud of you,” she said, with a practiced smile.
Her father nodded stiffly beside her. “You’ve brought great honor to our family.”
It was the first time Celine had heard anything resembling approval from them.
And maybe once, that would’ve mattered.
But standing beside Leon, with her wolf finally alive within her and the bond still humming warm against her skin, she couldn’t summon the energy to be bitter. Not today.
She gave them a small nod. “Thank you.”
And then her eyes found him.
Luke.
He stood at the edge of the gathering, not moving, not speaking. Just watching.
For a split second, Celine remembered the way her heart used to stutter at the sight of him, how the future had once looked like it had his name carved into it.
Now, it felt like a dream she’d half-forgotten.
He didn’t smile, but there was no anger in his expression. Just quiet sadness. Regret, maybe. The ache of what could’ve been.
And Lilith saw it.
She stood just behind him, her face twisting with something sharp and poisonous as she tracked his gaze. Her hand hovered near his arm, but she didn’t touch him.
Because she knew.
Celine didn’t linger.
She turned to Leon, who was waiting for her, unwavering. When their eyes met, something in her chest settled.
She was exactly where she was meant to be.