CHAPTER 128: FINDING CLARITY...

The next morning, Emerald woke with an ache in her chest so heavy it felt as though it had seeped into her bones while she slept.

It wasn’t the kind of weight that could be stretched away or walked off. No, it was deeper. She lay still for a while, staring blankly at the space above her, the events of the past days looping in an endless cycle.

It wasn’t just Rick, or Adrien, or Alia. It was the whole damn weight of what she was supposed to be, what she had promised herself she would become, and the growing fear that she had already fallen short.

By the time she finally threw back the covers, the sun was still low in the pale morning sky. She already knew exactly where her feet were taking her.

The air outside was cold, nipping at her cheeks. She could see her breath as it puffed out into the chilly morning air before disappearing.

She walked down the well-known path without thinking, her boots making a soft crunch on the frost-covered ground. The grove was quiet, with only the gentle rustling of branches overhead.

Her father’s grave was located at the edge of the old grove, where the stone caught the faint sunlight filtering through the trees.

The grass around it had been recently trimmed, and a fresh wreath made of pine and cedar sat at its base, providing a bright green contrast to the dull winter ground.

Emerald stopped in front of it, folding her arms tightly across her chest as if bracing herself against a wind that wasn’t there.

All night she’d turned things over in her head: how far she’d come, the wars she’d survived, the betrayals she’d endured.

And yet, despite all of it, there was still that hollow space inside her, untouched by any victory she’d ever claimed.

When she’d first stepped into the role of Alpha, she’d known exactly what she wanted: to live up to her father’s name. To rise from the ashes Rick had left her in and prove herself worthy of the title she’d inherited.

But somewhere along the way, the clarity of that path had blurred into shadows.

Nothing about this role had been smooth. Power struggles within her own pack, fragile alliances that could break at any moment, four Alpha mates, each with their own personalities—sometimes colliding, sometimes colluding.

And here she was, still standing, yes, but as the only female Alpha of her time, she couldn’t shake the gnawing truth that she hadn’t carried that title in the way she should have.

Too many of her choices had been shaped not by her own voice, but by men’s words.

Her eyes traced the letters carved into the stone.

"I should’ve done better," she murmured. "For you. For me."

The wind moved through the grove, stirring the scent of pine and cold earth. There was no voice to answer her, but in the silence, she could almost hear what he would’ve said.

She closed her eyes and let a memory come: her father kneeling beside her as a child, telling her she never had to wish she’d been born a boy.

That she was exactly who she was meant to be. That was when her mother died, and she became his only heir; he didn’t need another mate, didn’t need a son.

He had raised her to be strong, confident, and somewhere along the line, she had let those parts of herself bend... soften, for Rick.

Her throat tightened. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "What do I do now?"

The grave didn’t answer, but the ache in her chest pulsed like a warning, and she knew the question wasn’t just for him. The whispers in her pack still doubted her capability. Some said Darius was the one really keeping things together.

And the worst part? She wasn’t entirely certain they were wrong.

She stayed a little longer, until the cold began to seep through her coat and into her bones. Finally, she turned back toward the packhouse.

Halfway there, she nearly collided with Darius.

"Where’d you disappear to?" he asked, eyes searching her face.

"I just needed some clarity," she said, brushing past the question.

His gaze lingered on her a moment longer, as if trying to read the things she wasn’t saying. "Well, you’ll have to hold onto it. We’ve got the council meeting in a bit... perfect time to go over the winter solstice festival plans."

Emerald stopped mid-step.

The council.

A table full of men, some older than her father had been. That was how it had always been: a female Alpha sitting among an all-male council, expected to lead while knowing half of them were waiting for her to slip... expected to earn their respect without ever truly being seen as their equal.

And right there, in the middle of the path, the fog inside her mind cleared. The thought was sharp, clean, almost satisfying in its simplicity.

Her lips curved into a slow smile.

Darius’s brow furrowed. "What’s that for?"

She shook her head lightly. "You’ll see."

—

The council meeting was as tedious as usual. They went through the motions: minor border disputes, supply updates, the usual murmured agreements.

The discussion over the winter solstice festival was brief; no one opposed it, and a few looked visibly relieved at the idea of something that might lift spirits.

When the final agenda item was crossed off, Emerald’s gaze swept the table.

"Before we wrap up," she said, her voice cutting through the hum of low conversation, "I have an announcement."

The room stilled, and every head turned toward her. "I will be disbanding the council."

The reaction was immediate. Murmurs rippled through the chamber, sharp intakes of breath, men shifting uneasily in their seats as if she’d dropped a live weapon into the middle of the table.

Beside her, Darius’s eyes widened. He leaned toward her, voice pitched low. "What’s going on?"

Emerald turned just enough for him to see the glint in her eyes. "Trust me."

Then she faced the room again, letting her voice carry with measured certainty. "The council, as it stands, will be dissolved. In its place, I will be forming the Alpha Queen’s Court."