CHAPTER 135: DAY ONE...

The soft morning light streamed in through Emerald’s balcony doors, casting a warm glow on the edges of her curtains. She sat at her dressing table, her hair half-pinned up and a ribbon hanging loosely between her fingers.

The estate was alive with activity as everyone got ready for the festival. You could hear laughter, the sound of glasses clinking, and the rush of footsteps in the hallways.

She should have been thinking about the day ahead. About her speech, the celebrations, and the merchants arriving from half a dozen territories. Instead, her mind kept circling back to one man.

Ares.

His voice still lingered in her head from the night before. ’I’d die before hurting you.’

She’d wanted to take it as comfort. But then he’d followed it with the kind of silence that made her blood run cold. The kind of silence that told her there were entire Chapters of this "curse" story she hadn’t been given.

And that last part, the part about the ritual... about her potentially dying... he’d dropped that like it was an afterthought, then left without explanation.

He had also mentioned the Moonstone... the same one that got missing from their archives and was supposed to be in Pierce’s possession when he died, but wasn’t.

She recalled how Darius reacted when he discovered it was gone: his jaw was tense, his words were short, and you could feel the tension in the air. It was clear that this was something that really mattered.

Which meant someone had it. And that someone probably wasn’t planning to hand it back.

She pulled her mind back to the present. The first day of the Winter Solstice Festival would be here whether she was ready or not.

—

By midmorning, the estate was alive with colour and sound. Frost still clung to the tiled roofs, but the air buzzed with anticipation. Lanterns strung between the square’s lampposts swayed gently in the crisp breeze.

Lucien was already there, dressed in a deep navy coat that highlighted his strong jawline. He nodded in greeting as she walked up to the staging platform.

"Alpha," he said warmly.

Beside him, Kieran stood with his hands in his pockets, the faintest smirk on his lips. "You look... amazing."

Emerald arched a brow. "Coming from you, I’ll take that as high praise."

Rooms had been prepared for both of them within the estate, where they’d be staying for the festival’s duration. Which meant three days of navigating conversations, mate bonds... and whatever plans they come up with.

Ares would appear, she was sure, exactly when he pleased and vanish the same way.

She stepped up to the dais as the bell tolled, signalling the start of the day’s events. The square quieted.

"Today," she began, her voice carrying across the crowd, "marks the first day of what will become a tradition for our pack. The Winter Solstice Festival is a celebration of light and hope, even in the darkest times."

She let her gaze sweep over the faces before her: young, old, strangers, and kin. "This is our promise to one another. That no matter the hardships we face, we will find joy together. We will endure."

A murmur of approval rippled through the crowd. She took a steadying breath.

"There is another matter," she continued in a firm voice. "The old council is hereby disbanded. In its place, I announce the formation of the Queen’s Court: a council chosen for wisdom, merit, and devotion to our people.

"This court will stand as a symbol that leadership is not bound by the past, but shaped by the future."

The cheer that erupted was loud enough to rattle the frost from the eaves. Emerald smiled, feeling a rare warmth in her chest. She wasn’t just filling her father’s shadow anymore. She was building something of her own.

—

The festival kicked off with a lively performance of cultural dances, featuring dancers moving in sync like wolves while drums played in the background. Merchants shouted from their stalls, selling spiced meats, colourful embroidered cloaks, and beautiful glass charms.

Lucien found her again near the edge of the market. "That Queen’s Court idea was... interesting," he said.

Kieran nodded. "You’re giving real power to voices that normally get ignored."

"That was the point," Emerald replied.

Lucien glanced at Kieran. "Makes you wonder if we’ve been doing it wrong all this time."

"I’ve been thinking about something similar," Kieran admitted. "Women in leadership aren’t a bad thing. They see angles we miss."

Emerald smirked. "Are you saying you’d follow my example?"

"Maybe," Kieran said.

Lucien gave a faint smile. "It’s worth considering."

She felt a flicker of pride. "Then I’m honoured."

They wandered the square together, stopping to admire an ice sculpture of a running wolf.

Lucien was the first to break the quiet. "So he’s really not coming."

He didn’t need to mention names for Emerald and Kieran to know who the ’he’ is in this context.

Emerald kept her tone neutral. "He made his choice."

Kieran frowned. "Feels weird, though."

Lucien nodded. "I agree with you."

Emerald gave them a sidelong glance. "When exactly did you two become best friends? A few months ago, you were ready to rip each other’s throats out over me."

They exchanged a look but said nothing.

Her brow arched. "Thought so."

Whatever their suspicions, they kept them to themselves.

It was then that a familiar energy brushed against her senses... warm, heady, and unmistakable.

Ares.

He appeared from the crowd as if the space had simply parted for him, dark coat open, eyes fixed on her like nothing else in the square existed.

Lucien stiffened beside her. Kieran’s jaw ticked.

Ares barely spared them a glance. His gaze roamed over her dress, lingering in a way that made heat creep up her neck.

"You look..." His lips curved slightly. "Perfect."

He leaned in, his lips brushing her cheek.

She tilted her head, studying him. "And what made you decide to come?"

"You seem to always get in trouble when these two are around," he said easily. "I’m here to make sure you stay in one piece."

Kieran crossed his arms. "We can protect her just fine."

Ares’ smirk didn’t falter. "I’m sure you try."

Lucien’s voice was cool. "She doesn’t need you shadowing her."

"Funny," Ares said, "I thought that’s exactly what she did need."

The three of them quickly settled into their typical routine of barbed words disguised as friendly chit-chat.

"You know," Kieran said, "some of us don’t have to appear in a puff of smoke to be relevant."

"I’d rather be relevant when it matters," Ares replied.

Lucien’s tone sharpened. "And when is that, exactly? When you can make an entrance?"

Emerald should have been annoyed. Normally, she would have been. But something about the quiet tension between them, the way their voices edged just short of threat, was... different today.

Viola stirred in the back of her mind, speaking in a low and amused voice. "Oh, you’re enjoying this."

’I am not,’ Emerald thought, though her pulse betrayed her.

"Three Alphas, circling like wolves over the same prey..." Viola’s chuckle was dark silk. "Tell me you haven’t wondered what it would be like if they stopped arguing and started..."

Emerald’s breath caught, heat curling in her stomach at the uninvited images her wolf just conjured in her mind.

Suddenly, Ares’ head snapped toward her so fast it startled her. His eyes narrowed slightly, his nostrils flaring as he spoke. "You’re in heat."