That evening, Kael called a pack council.
The elders gathered in the lodge's great hall—wolves in human form, old and powerful, their eyes reflecting centuries of experience. They sat in a semi-circle around a central fire, their faces carved with the weight of years.
Lyla sat beside Kael, the twins at her feet, trying not to tremble. She wore a dress one of the pack women had lent her—simple, but fine, made of soft wool that smelled faintly of pine. Her hair was loose, her face bare. She had never felt more exposed.
"You've brought humans into our territory." An ancient wolf with white fur and cold eyes spoke first. His name was Aldric, and Lyla had heard the pack whisper about him—the oldest living wolf in the territory, a survivor of wars and challenges that had shaped pack law for generations. "This violates pack law."
"They're not human," Kael said calmly. "Lyla is a Moon Spirit. The children are hybrids. The first in two hundred years."
Murmurs rippled through the hall. Wolves exchanged glances, some shocked, some skeptical, some hungry.
"Moon Spirits are extinct," Aldric said flatly. "Everyone knows this. It's a legend. A fairy tale."
"Everyone was wrong."
"How do we know you're telling the truth? How do we know she's not just a human you've grown attached to? It happens. Mates can be wrong."
Kael's eyes flickered gold. "My mate is never wrong."
"Prove it."
Kael looked at Lyla. "Show them."
Lyla stood. She was terrified—these were wolves who could kill her without effort, who had lived for centuries and seen things she couldn't imagine. But beneath the fear, her wolf stirred. Protective. Proud.
Show them, her wolf whispered. Show them who you are.
She let the power rise.
Silver light flared from her skin, brighter than before, brighter than she'd ever let it go. Her eyes blazed. The temperature in the room dropped. Frost formed on the windows.
Every wolf there felt it—the ancient authority of the Moon Spirit, dormant no longer. Aldric's eyes widened. His hands shook.
"Moon Spirit," he whispered. "Forgive my doubt."
He dropped to one knee.
One by one, the others followed. Kneeling. Bowing. Accepting.
Lyla let the power fade. Sat down. Took Kael's hand.
"Now," she said quietly, "can we talk about protecting my children?"
The council lasted hours.
They discussed the Crimson Fang threat—their numbers, their tactics, their leader. They discussed pack defenses and patrol routes. They discussed training schedules for the twins and Lyla's continued awakening.
Through it all, Luna fell asleep against Kael's leg, her small body curled into a ball. Leo watched the elders with unsettling focus, his silver eyes recording everything.
When it ended, Kael carried Luna to bed while Lyla tucked in Leo.
"Mommy," Leo said quietly. "The elders are still scared."
"Of the Crimson Fang?"
"Of you. They felt your power. They're worried you'll challenge Kael for Alpha. They think you're stronger than him."
Lyla blinked. "I don't want to be Alpha. I don't want to lead anything."
"It doesn't matter. Power is power. Some of them will try to stop you. They'll try to make you leave."
"Then we'll deal with them. Together."
Leo nodded, satisfied. "Good. Luna and I will help."
"You're four."
"We're powerful four. And we're not scared."
Lyla kissed his forehead. "Go to sleep, powerful four."
Later, Lyla found Kael on the balcony, staring at the moon.
"The elders," she said. "They're afraid of me."
"I know."
"Should they be?"
He turned to her. "Honestly? I don't know. You're more powerful than any wolf alive. What you do with that power is your choice."
"What do you want me to do with it?"
"I want you to stand beside me. As my mate. As Luna of this pack. As the mother of my children." He took her hands. "But I won't force you. If you want to leave, to build your own pack, to rule alone—"
"I don't want to rule anything." She stepped closer. "I want to keep my children safe. I want to figure out what this bond means. I want—" She hesitated. "I want to know if we can be a family. The five of us. You, me, the twins, and whatever comes next."
Kael's breath caught. "Whatever comes next?"
"Leo says the twins want a baby brother. I'm not promising anything, but..." She smiled. "Maybe. Someday."
He pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. "I love you. I know it's fast. I know we have years to catch up on. But I love you, Lyla. I never stopped."
"I know." She held him tight. "I love you too. Even though you left. Even though you're a wolf. Even though this is completely insane."
"Completely insane," he agreed. "But ours."
"Ours."
Below them, the pack ran beneath the moon. Above them, the stars wheeled in their ancient patterns. And in the lodge, two small wolves dreamed of running with their father, finally whole.