Chapter 10
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ree years later, I became the High Priestess of the Moon Temple. This position wasn’t given to me by anyone’s charity. It was earned, vote by vote, from every member of the Moon Temple.
I had a new life now. Each day, I presided over the Moon Prayer ceremonies, taught young priestesses, and reviewed aid applications sent in from various packs. The Alphas of every major pack had to suppress their auras and bow their heads to me when they came.
Over those three years, I heard fragments of rumors about Kane. He seemed to be doing poorly. Word had it he’d/ drowned himself in alcohol, made one bad call after another on major decisions. The Blackwood Elder Council still took his orders on the surface, but behind closed doors, they’d begun questioning whether he was fit to lead the pack.
I let those rumors pass in one ear and out the other. I had more important matters to attend to now.
Until the day before Blackwood was set to hold a new Alpha election, I received their formal notice. Along with it came Kane’s request for an audience.
“He wants to see you,” the attendant reported quietly. “He’s already waiting in the outer hall.”
I closed my prayer book. “Bring him to the council chamber.”
This was business, not old sentiment.
When Kane stood there, I almost didn’t recognize him. He was far thinner than three years ago. Dark circles carved deep beneath his eyes, and streaks of gray laced through his black hair. That Alpha aura that once suffocated everyone around him had been worn down to something dull, nothing but a shell of exhaustion.
When he saw me, he froze. Then his gaze landed on the moon branch pinned to my chest, and his throat bobbed hard.
“Evelyn…”
He stepped forward, then stopped dead when I lifted my eyes, as if finally remembering where he was.
“High Priestess.” He dropped to one knee. “I’ve come to ask you to preside over my re-coronation ceremony.”
I didn’t answer right away.
“I don’t mean anything else. I’m not trying to cling to you.” Kane rushed to clarify, like he was afraid I’d misunderstand. “I just want the pack to know the Moon Goddess hasn’t abandoned me.”
I see. He wanted to use my status to salvage his crumbling power.
“The Blackwood Elder Council has applied to hold a new Alpha election. I’ve already approved it.” I walked slowly up the steps and looked down at him. “Once the new Alpha is chosen, I will naturally preside over the coronation ceremony.”
The color drained from Kane’s face bit by bit.
“I know I was wrong.” His voice cracked, nearly splintering, “I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in three years.”
He looked up, his eyes bloodshot. “Every time I close my eyes, I see you standing at the Moonspring gates, the ground covered in blood.”
Kane braced himself on his knees, barely able to stay upright.
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I watched him silently.
dream about that pup too… High Priestess, I’m begging you-”
“This is your sin. It’s yours to bear.”
I cut him off. “The Moon Temple will not vouch for you. Go back and wait for the election results.”
He looked like those words had shattered him completely. He collapsed to the floor.
The guards stepped forward quickly, pulling him up and dragging him out.
Three days later, the name chosen by the Blackwood Elder Council arrived at the Moon Temple.
It wasn’t Kane.
The new Alpha was Rowen.
Word was that Kane had lost it on the spot. He’d torn up the ballots and tried to rally his old followers to overturn the results. But the others had subdued him together. They’d crushed his wolf spirit.
The once-mighty Alpha had been reduced to an Omega who could no longer shift.
When I heard the news, I felt nothing.
A week later, the coronation ceremony for Blackwood’s new Alpha took place at the Moon Temple as scheduled. Rowen knelt on one knee before the moon altar.
I spoke solemnly. “Be loyal and be brave. The Moon Goddess watches over you.”
Rowen lowered his head. “May the Moon Goddess guide me.”
I placed the Alpha moon crown on Rowen’s head.
Everyone below bowed their heads.
Not to the Luna of Blackwood. Not to someone’s mate.
But to Evelyn Wright, High Priestess of the Moon Temple.
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