Chapter 171

Aria

Our wedding was never meant to spark even more of a revolution, but somehow, it had. Over the following days, the videos Alfira had captured and shared with the world had gone viral.

“Ten million views and counting,” Alfira said one morning as we were going over our plans for the upcoming march.

I nearly choked on my coffee. “Ten million?”

Darren leaned over my shoulder to look at Alfira’s phone screen as she slid it across the counter. Indeed, the videos had somehow amassed all those views within mere days. Apparently, holding a wedding—a night of peace and joy, mourning and togetherness—in the wake of such a brutal attack was gathering quite a lot of attention.

Reports from every major news outlet showed growing crowds of humans gathering in cities across the country, holding signs with messages like “COEXISTENCE IS POSSIBLE” and “HUMAN-WOLF PEACE NOW.”

The wedding had become a symbol—a tangible example that werewolves weren’t the monsters they’d been portrayed as.

But the battle had only just begun. We still had a march to plan, and it was going to be risky. Incredibly risky.

Darren didn’t want me to go. He kept telling me to stay behind in the pack lands with Wendy and Bella, where it was safe, but I refused. It was terrifying, marching into a city filled with human authorities who might shoot us on sight, but I knew I needed to be there.

We were the Alpha King and Luna Queen now. It was our duty to stand at the forefront of the march, alongside our people.

Eventually, he stopped trying to force me to stay behind. But he rarely left my side over those days, and we spent each moment of downtime we had together, spending tender moments in solitude or with Lucas.

Finally, the morning of our departure arrived. Today we would leave—hundreds of werewolves and human refugees marching together toward the human city. The risks were great, but so was the hope that was driving us forward.

The main road leading from the village gates was filled with people preparing for departure. Werewolves in human form packed supplies while human allies adjusted banners and signs.

“Remember,” Darren addressed the gathered crowd, “this is a peaceful demonstration. No matter what happens, no matter what provocation we might face, we do not respond with violence. That’s exactly what they expect from us. That’s what they want to see.”

“Let’s not give them the satisfaction of being the monsters they think we are,” I added.

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.

“Stay with your assigned groups. Keep your communication devices charged. Follow the designated route.” Liam continued with the practical instructions we’d been reviewing for days.

Those who would remain behind—the elderly, the injured, those with young children, and those who simply refused to participate—moved through the crowd, offering encouragement and assistance with last-minute preparations.

Just as I was helping a human adjust her backpack for the long hike back to the human city, Bella approached me. Her face had been set in an almost permanent frown over the past few days, even since Wendy, Darren, myself, and especially Liam had forbidden her coming with us.

“I should be going with you,” she said for the millionth time over the past days.

“Absolutely not.” I turned to my friend and instantly pulled her into a hug. “You’re carrying precious cargo, after all.”

She huffed against my shoulder. “Being pregnant doesn’t make me fragile.”

“No, but it does make you responsible for more than just yourself for once.” I pulled back to look at her. “Besides, someone needs to keep things running smoothly here while we’re gone.”

“Fine.” She scowled, but then softened ever so slightly. “But you’d better come back in one piece.”

“I will. Don’t worry.” I turned away, but she grabbed me by both shoulders, forcing me to look at her.

“Promise me.” Her big brown eyes were perhaps more serious than I’d ever seen them. “You’d better come back, Aria Avarise. My baby needs a godmother.”

The words stole my breath for a moment. “Godmother?”

“Who else would I ask?” She rolled her eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “So you see why you have to come back safe.”

Nodding, I hugged her again, tighter this time. “I promise.”

Wendy approached next, her arms filled with flowers—wildflowers gathered from the meadows surrounding the village.

“An old pack tradition,” she explained, placing a stem in my hand. “Carrying a piece of home with you for protection.”

The flower was simple but beautiful—tiny white petals surrounding a golden center. I tucked it carefully into my jacket pocket so the head was sticking out against my jacket.

“Thank you, Wendy.”

“Take care of each other,” she said, including Darren in her gaze as he approached. “Both of you.”

“We will,” Darren assured her, accepting his own flower.

Wendy pulled me into a warm embrace. “You’ve changed everything, you know. Whatever happens today, whatever comes next, you’ve already changed everything.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “We all did.”

Around us, similar scenes played out as flowers were distributed to every protester. Small rituals of farewell, promises to return, words of encouragement and hope.

Once the final preparations were complete a little over an hour later, we finally began to assemble at the village gate. Darren and I would lead, with pack leaders and human representatives forming the front line. Behind us, rows of werewolves and humans would walk together, carrying banners and signs declaring our message of peace and coexistence.

But first, it was going to be a very long trek back to the human city. It was still early, just barely past sunrise, but we wouldn’t reach the portal to Lunar Labs until midday. Normally, it would take Darren and I less than a couple of hours to make our way along the familiar path in our wolf forms, but with so many humans amongst us, we would be moving a lot more slowly.

Just as we were gathering at the gate, a small voice rang through the air.

“Daddy! Mommy!”

Darren and I turned, and my breath hitched when I saw Lucas breaking free from Wendy and racing toward us. Darren crouched, and Lucas practically launched himself into his arms, tears streaming down his little face.

“Take me with you,” he mumbled into Darren’s chest.

Darren’s eyes flitted up to me over Lucas’s shoulder. I dropped down, wrapping my arms around them both, and allowed myself one last brief moment to inhale Lucas’s familiar scent.

“You can’t come, buddy,” Darren said gently, pulling back just enough to look at him. “Adults only. Besides, you’re the leader of our pack while I’m gone. I need you to make sure no one gets hurt.”

Lucas’s little face hardened, the look in his eyes battling between the pain of being left behind and the childlike seriousness of such a responsibility. Of course, there were plenty of other adults here, like Darren’s father, Wendy, and the elders, who would really be handling the pack in our absence. But Lucas didn’t need to know that now.

Finally, Lucas sighed and nodded. “Okay. I’ll make sure everyone is really good.”

Darren smiled and ruffled his chestnut hair. “That’s my boy. We’ll be back soon, okay?”

“Promise?”

I held my pinky out, and Darren did the same. “Promise,” we said in tandem. Lucas hesitated for a moment before he firmly hooked his pinkies through ours, sealing the oath. Finally, he leaned up on his tiptoes and kissed my cheek. I blushed slightly and held him close one last time before we sent him back to Wendy.

Darren and I watched Lucas run back to his great-grandmother, who scooped him up and held him against her hip. They waved from afar, Bella by their side, as we made our way down to the front gate where all of the other protesters were waiting.

The gates swung open then, revealing the rugged wilderness beyond and the well-worn path that would lead us back to the human lands.

“Ready?” Darren asked, reaching for my hand.

There was a lump in my throat, but I nodded and laced my fingers through his. “Ready.”