"Cowards. All of them," Ethan growled as he snapped the neck of the last loyal warrior to Kenneth. He slung his body to the ground in disgust and rubbed the blood off his hands onto his torn pants.
Ethan's lycans were tending to the injured as quickly as they could to prevent further loss of life. He wanted to see Kenneth's blood spill for what he had done, but Ethan had to be patient. He would make sure to hunt him down like the rabid dog he was.
"Are you hurt, my King?" one of the lycans asked him. "It was reckless for you to step out of cover."
"Nothing that a day's worth of sleep won't fix. What type of Alpha King would I be if I didn't shed my own blood for my people?" Ethan answered.
The decision to engage Kenneth's warriors was not taken lightly, but it was necessary to put an end to the chaos once and for all. Silver bullets, while harmful to lycans, were not as devastating as they were to werewolves, allowing him to minimize the damage.
"How many did we lose in this cluster?" Ethan asked, his voice laced with a mix of anger and concern.
"From the silver bullets, five. From the battle itself, sixty so far, my King. But most are from Blue Creek Pack," one of the Lycans reported.
Ethan's lip curled in frustration. The fighting had been brutal, but it had been a battle that shouldn't have happened in the first place. His voice cut through the somber silence as he made a solemn declaration. "Alpha Kenneth has fled. Due to his cowardice and the crimes he committed against the entire werecommunity, I hereby strip him of his title as Alpha and brand him a rogue to be executed on sight."
Grey Blood Pack, Ash Dawn Pack, and Moon Shine Pack cheered. The remaining members of the Blue Creek pack were forced forward to wait out judgment in front of Ethan. The scent of anger, but mostly fear, wafted from them. "Per our laws, Garrett Hunter is the victor of the challenge. The Blue Creek pack now belongs to him."
Garrett, still seething from the unresolved duel with Kenneth, refocused his fury on the remaining Blue Creek pack members. "I am your Alpha now. Those who wish to remain part of this pack must swear their allegiance to me. Those who refuse must leave immediately, seeking refuge as rogues and hoping another pack will accept you."
The pack members exchanged anxious glances, realizing the gravity of their decision. Some stepped forward, ready to pledge their loyalty to Garrett as they felt the death of Mandy. One by one, they denounced Kenneth as their Alpha. Others refused and were harassed until they were off pack territory to start their lives as rogues.
Ethan, his gaze piercing, reiterated the weight of the situation. "Be grateful that I don't make you all rogues for the role you played in this and for how you allowed Lily Bray to be treated. I will be keeping a close watch on this pack. I expect nothing less than unwavering loyalty to your new Alpha."
With the immediate matters addressed, Garrett anxiously said, "I need to leave. I need to find Lily. I have to make sure she's okay."
"Calm your panties, Garrett. She's right here. You need to have a little more faith in your family," Bethany announced, walking forward with Debra, Kelly, Tiffany, Lily, and Brandy following close behind her.
Lily paused when she saw Garrett. He looked absolutely delicious with his shirt off, his body glistening with sweat and blood. Tiffany noticed and said, "Go claim your mate, Lily." Before Lily could respond, Tiffany released her grip on Lily's hand as she ran off to jump into Adam's arms.
Garrett's heart raced as he spotted Lily. The mate bond between them had grown more potent, and it had been a long time since he'd felt it. Lily felt the same way, as it felt different from her bond with Matthew.
'I can't understand why the Moon Goddess made us go through so much to get to him, but Garrett was always who we were meant to be with,' Dina's voice resonated within Lily.
"Lily..." Garrett started.
"Mate," Lily responded, earning a shocked expression from Garrett but then a smile. He feared that she didn't feel it, but his fear was unwarranted.
As they closed the distance between them, the mate bond's intensity enveloped them. Their eyes locked, and the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them. Garrett held her close and, without hesitation, kissed her deeply.
"I am so sorry. None of this would have happened if I hadn't let my past control me. I will never let that happen again," Garrett apologized.
"Good," Lily said. She chose that moment to bite Garrett's shoulder, marking him as her mate. He responded by reciprocating, marking her in return. Everyone witnessing this exchange erupted into cheers and applause, celebrating the union of their Alpha and Luna.
"Guess there won't be a need for a mating ceremony," Garrett teased.
Lily chuckled, her eyes filled with warmth. "I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice."
Debra, Kelly, and Bethany watched the scene with a blend of pride and relief. Their sacrifices had led to this crucial moment of hope and happiness. Jack approached the Lunas, and Kelly stepped away to speak with Jack, who was clearly upset with her.
"You were reckless," Jack stated.
"I know, I know I should have told you where I was going, but we had to make a move and..." Kelly started to explain to an angry Jack, but Jack cut her off. He kissed her fiercely, causing Kelly to blush.
"You will be punished tonight," Jack warned, his voice husky in her ear, causing Kelly to turn and read.
Bethany watched the exchange and felt a slight twinge of jealousy as she had no mate to go home to. She beat the emotion down. She would lick her wounds and allow herself to grieve, but not now. This was Garrett's moment, and she wasn't going to ruin it.
Bethany walked up to her parents, gagging. "Dear Goddess. Can you not do that in public?"
Ignoring Bethany's childish display, Jack turned his attention to Brandy and asked, "What are we going to do about her?"
"I will take her. I'm sure she would want a change after what has happened," Bethany replied. "She fought to protect Lily. If she hadn't done that, then we wouldn't have made it in time."
"Are you fine with this?" Jack asked Debra.
"My issue was with her mother. She paid with her life. I harbor no ill feelings towards the girl," Debra answered.
"Then, so be it," Jack responded.
Garrett took Lily's hand, their fingers entwined, and addressed their pack. "Today marks the beginning of a new chapter. Together, we will rebuild and strengthen our pack and our community."
He turned to Ethan, acknowledging Ethan's support and guidance. "Alpha King, I thank you for your wisdom and your trust. We won't let you down."
Ethan nodded in return, his expression reflecting confidence. "Garrett, the future of your pack rests in capable hands. I have no doubt that you will lead them with wisdom and streng