EPILOGUE

"You don't have to do this, Luna. I can do that too." offers me Nick again.

"Yes, I have to. It's my job." I repeat the answer I gave him the last few times.

Then I turn around and direct my gaze to the others present in the small one.

"Are you sure you want to come with me?" I ask the youngest of the three.

"It's your job and one day it will be mine. I have to do this, even if it hurts." replies the black-haired one.

I nod to Nero to show him that I accept his decision, even if I don't like it. After all, he's still a kid.

Kate also makes a disapproving face. She had decided not to come. The sight of him would hurt her too much. Just standing here in the anteroom cost her a lot of strength. Tired, she leaned against her mate, who had put a protective arm around her.

Pike would certainly have liked to see the sentencing, but out of love for Kate he would not attend and would stay with her.

Only Nero would step onto the podium with me. He didn't necessarily want to be there, but he knew that the wolves would give him credit for his presence.

At first it had been difficult for him to be accepted as a half-wolf, but that changed quickly when it turned out that he could transform after all.

At the latest when Pike accepted him as his son, all doubts were gone. The story of how he managed to give Pike the Balrin and thus save the Luna lasted all the longer.

It had won him recognition and fame. Now Nero was part of the pack, just like me. And yet we were both more. I was Luna. Leader and Queen of the Wolves and when my time is up Nero will take my place as the Alpha of the Wolves.

It is up to the Luna and the Alpha to choose a worthy successor. Normally the children of the two. But Cyrian is gone and so we will never be able to bring successors into the world. So I chose Nero.

Maybe as a half-wolf he will be the bridge between humans and wolves and even manage to make the last hatred of the two peoples disappear.

With a nod, I motioned for the guards to open the door. Together with the future alpha, I entered the great hall and followed the corridor. The members of my pack sat to my right and left and watched my every step with interest.

The black tunic was the most festive thing I wore to events like this. Clothes were too foreign to me and I didn't feel comfortable. The black jeans and the black, flat shoes also showed that I had hardly changed at all. I still didn't really like the feminine.

The fact that I only wore black didn't seem to help there. But it felt wrong to wear anything else. Because bright and cheerful colors did not exist in my life anymore.

I had lost him. The love of my life, my mate. Everything was dark and cold.

But I still couldn't follow him. I still had something to do. I had to prepare Nero for his task and guide the wolves through this difficult time.

Most of the people had been acquitted and now lived in an area not far from here. They had their own quarter and there they were left alone. So far this has seemed to work fine.

All other people were now free too. The slaves and workers as well as the fighters in the arenas.

All these changes and planning had taken time and energy. That's why it took almost a year to get here.

Almost a year without him. A year of pain and nightmares.

But also a year full of peace between humans and wolves. They get closer and closer to each other.

But one last thing I have to do to finally start a new life and leave Hellsbrook behind.

The indictment was read and the exact details of the crimes repeated. Now only my judgment was missing.

I briefly looked behind me and looked at Nero, who looked back at me sadly but also determined. He had already lost his half brother and yet he was so strong.

"You brought hate, pain and death upon us. As a leader, you are responsible for your own actions and those of your subordinates. As Luna and Queen of the Wolves, it is my right to make your judgement. I condemn you, Thomas Cleeves, Mystic , Ben Cooper and Mike the only surviving leaders to death."

Alternative Epilogue

The burning smell of alcohol is heavy in the air and causes an unpleasant burning sensation in my nose.

If I looked out the large window to my right, I could see the orange evening sun just setting.

But I don't look to the right.

My eyes are on the person lying in the bed fighting for their life. Cyrian.

At the moment he is lying there calm and peaceful, but I knew that this could change at any minute. After all, it had happened four times now that he suddenly started to squirm and scream. With every single scream my heart seemed to break again.

Nobody is quite sure whether he will survive or not. The last few days since the fight just seemed to pass me by. I just feel this emptiness inside because I know if I allowed myself to feel anything else, the pain, fear and sadness would destroy me.

The whole pack suffers with me. I hear her soft howling and whimpering. Still, I don't want anyone here. Only the pack doctors are allowed to see me and Cyrian, I don't want to see anyone else. Except Kate.

She saved him. She too had recognized what was stuck to the arrow and while I was still talking to Cyrian, she ran to the labs as quickly as possible.

Every plant in nature has 2 effects, one good and one bad:

"The bark of the grom tree causes wolves to heal faster, but the leaves are like poison to them. A drop of its orange essence and the wolf has only a few minutes left." my brother once said.

I've never been so happy to see a piece of bark.

Kate had rubbed it in her hands and fed it to him with the help of water. But now the question is whether it was still in time.

I've never been a very patient person, but the last few days have been worse than anything I've experienced before. And I had seen a lot in my short life.

A soft cough brought me back to the here and now. I looked into Cyrian's sleeping face with expectations of another seizure.

But it didn't sleep anymore. He looked me straight in the eye, tired and confused.

"You're awake." my voice was just a faint breath. Cyrian still didn't seem to fully understand what was happening here.

"You're alive" I declare with tears in my eyes. The memories seem to be slowly returning to his head. I can tell from the way he tilts his head and smiles faintly at me that he's trying to organize his thoughts. I give him the time he needs.

He slowly stretches out his hand to me and without hesitation I take it. It is strange to see him so weak and yet the sight makes me incredibly happy.

"You live," I repeat, simply because I need to say and hear it again.

"I won't leave you alone." he assures me in a raspy voice.

I shake my head a little amused. Not too long ago he said something else entirely.

He still looks extremely pale for a wolf and his beautiful silver eyes have lost their luster. However, they are the most beautiful eyes in the world simply because they look at me in a way that makes me smile instantly.

"Go back to sleep." I murmur, although I would have loved to have spoken to him. "The doctor said once you're awake, the danger is over."

He shakes his head almost indignantly, but then winces with a pained face. The movement was probably too hasty to begin with.

"No. I'll stay awake. I'll stay with you." he murmurs, although he's already being drawn into dreamland again.

Careful not to touch his shoulder or any other battle injury, I lean over him and kiss his dry lips lightly.

"We've got the rest of our lives. Sleep now. I'll be there when you wake up."

"Promised?"

"Promised."