Chapter 28
The dust was still settling, the echoes of the battle slowly fading away, but it felt like the world had shifted forever. We had defeated Viktor, but the victory was bittersweet. The cost of the battle had been high, and the wounds left behind weren’t just physical. We had lost pack members, friends, and part of ourselves.
But amidst the wreckage, I felt something stronger than grief—relief. Relief that Viktor’s reign of terror had come to an end, and that the pack was finally free from the fear that had gripped us for so long.
Ian stood beside me, his arm around my waist, his presence a comforting weight as we walked through the battlefield, surveying the damage. There were bodies to mourn, faces to remember, but also a new sense of unity in the air. The packs that had fought together were now bound by more than just a common enemy. They were united in the aftermath of the battle.
“Are you okay?” Ian asked, his voice soft as he looked down at me.
I nodded, even though the truth was more complicated. “I don’t know yet. It doesn’t feel real, you know? We’ve been fighting for so long, and now… now what?”
He squeezed my shoulder, his eyes searching mine for the answer I didn’t have. “We rebuild. We honor the fallen. We make sure this never happens again.”
And that was all we could do—move forward. We had to heal, to take what we’d lost and use it to strengthen what remained.
The next few days were a blur of endless meetings, planning, and the quiet mourning of the pack members we had lost. The Silverfangs and Thunderclaws, though reluctant to show it, were struggling with their own losses. But they had honored their word, stood with us when we needed them, and now we had to honor the fragile bonds we’d forged in the fire of battle.
I found myself retreating into the quiet spaces of the pack, needing time to think. Time to process everything that had happened, everything I’d learned about myself and the world I was now a part of. I didn’t want to be seen, not yet. I needed to be Ava again, not the omega warrior who had fought on the front lines.
One afternoon, I found myself walking along the river that bordered our territory, the sound of the rushing water offering a strange sense of calm. I could feel the weight of Ian’s presence behind me, but he didn’t try to pull me back into the world yet. He knew I needed this time alone.
“I was hoping to find you here,” Ian said quietly, his voice the only thing breaking the silence between us.
I turned to him, meeting his gaze, the storm of emotions in my chest settling into something more manageable. “I needed to think. To breathe.”
“I understand,” he said, stepping closer. “But I want you to know something, Ava. Whatever happens, I’m here. You’re not alone. I know we’ve been through a lot, but I’m not going anywhere.”
I swallowed, feeling a lump form in my throat. There was so much I hadn’t said, so much I wasn’t sure how to express. But in that moment, his words meant more than I could have ever imagined.
“I don’t know what the future holds,” I said, my voice shaking just a little. “But I’m willing to figure it out. With you.”
His eyes softened as he stepped forward, closing the distance between us until I could feel the heat of his body. “We’ll figure it out together. One step at a time.”
Weeks passed, and slowly, the pack began to rebuild. The work was grueling, but there was a new energy in the air. We were stronger now—not just because we’d defeated Viktor, but because we had fought together. We had learned to trust each other in ways we never had before.
As for Ian and me, we found ourselves growing closer, our bond becoming something unbreakable. We talked about the future, about what it would mean to lead the pack together, and even though the responsibility seemed daunting at times, I knew we could handle it. We had to.
There were still challenges ahead. The world was far from perfect, and not everyone had forgotten the horrors Viktor had left behind. But for the first time in a long time, there was hope.
And hope, as I had learned, was a powerful thing.