39.Choices and renunciations

Ethan Greenwood

The sun was rising on the horizon, its soft rays filtering through the trees that surrounded our territory. The cold air brought a sense of calm, a peace I rarely felt lately. Mia and Lorenzo were safe here, but the tranquility felt more like an illusion, a prelude to something dark that was to come.

The training with Mia went better than I expected. She was strong; we just needed to refine her skills. As I watched the pack training in the distance, I felt my phone vibrate in the pocket of my jacket. The number was from Nick, always pragmatic and direct. I answered on the second ring, already feeling the weight of concern.

"Alpha," his voice was graver than usual, "we need to talk. Now. I’ll come to you."

An alert ran through my body. "What happened?" I asked, feeling the tension rise.

"Talk on the phone, Beta, I don't have time," Nick paused, which only heightened my anxiety.

"We received a message from the Blackthorn pack. They’re moving against us."

My body immediately stiffened. "The Blackthorn? I thought we had a neutrality agreement."

"It’s no longer just about territory or the potion Mia’s father had," Nick continued, his voice dark. "They made a direct demand. And it involves Amber."

"Amber?" I asked, surprised. "What does that wolf have to do with this?" I raised an eyebrow.

"She’s a cousin of the Blackthorns," Nick replied. "And they’re using that connection to force us to accept a deal. They want you to marry Amber and make her your Luna."

My mind spun with the revelation. Amber, cousin of the Blackthorns? That explained a lot of things, but at the same time, it only made the situation more unbearable. "Why would they do this? What’s their interest in Amber becoming my Luna?"

Nick sighed, his frustration evident. "The Blackthorns are trying to strengthen their political position. If Amber becomes your Luna, they’ll have direct influence over our pack. Plus, they promised to protect Lorenzo and make sure no one discovers the secret of the potion, as long as you accept the marriage."

I felt a rage boiling inside me. "So, they’re basically blackmailing me. They want to use Amber as a pawn and my son as a bargaining chip."

"Exactly, Alpha," Nick said, his tone resigned. "If you refuse, they’ll turn against us. They think that through you, they can control the power Mia inherited."

I blinked, trying to process what that meant. Amber was part of the puzzle all along. She was the connection the Blackthorns needed to solidify their power, and now they were forcing me to choose between protecting my son and my freedom.

"We can’t trust them," I said, tightening my grip on the phone. "And if I accept, what stops them from breaking the deal later?"

"We can't guarantee anything, Ethan," Nick admitted. "But they’re a real threat. And Lorenzo is the main target."

My heart weighed heavy with the decision I knew I would have to make. "Do they really think marrying Amber will make me give in to their demands?"

"Amber has a blood debt with the Blackthorns. They’re using that to pressure her as well. If she marries you, the alliance will be sealed. And you know what that means for the balance of power between the packs."

I looked to the horizon, feeling the crushing weight of responsibility on my shoulders. Amber… Mia… Lorenzo. How could I explain this to Mia? How could I do this without destroying her completely?

"I’ll think about it," I murmured, hanging up the call. There was nothing more to discuss for now. I needed to organize my thoughts.

The silence that followed was overwhelming. The peace of the morning had disappeared, replaced by an imminent storm inside me. I didn’t want to marry Amber.

We had sex sometimes when I needed relief. But it was never more than that. To me, there was always her finger in the story. She always wanted to be my Luna.

Now seeing the disappointed look in Mia’s eyes when I was honest about this possibility, it hurt me. Before she could say anything else, I left the house and, in a few minutes, shifted into my wolf. My wolf, my inner self, always knew how to deal with this anger and frustration better than I did. I felt the strength pulse through me as I began to run through the forest, seeking some form of relief from the chaos forming in my mind.

But even in wolf form, the thoughts wouldn’t stop. I knew I wouldn’t escape the choice I needed to make. I could feel Amber’s presence somewhere in the forest, her familiar scent drawing me like a reminder of the responsibility placed on my shoulders.

When I found her, she was alone. As I approached, she turned and looked at me, her eyes glowing with that victim air she liked to display. My anger exploded. I approached her too quickly, grabbing her neck tightly.

"You knew about this all along, didn’t you?" I growled, my voice echoing across the open field. "You’ve always wanted this. You’ve always wanted to be my Luna."

Amber didn’t resist, letting her body soften under my grip. "I don’t know what you’re talking about, my Alpha."

I released her neck, stepping back. I knew this was what they wanted, to make me lose control. But there was something about Amber that never fully convinced me. She wanted to be Luna, and she would use everything she had to make it happen.

I needed to think clearly, make a choice before the Blackthorns completely destroyed us. I looked at Amber, feeling the weight of what was about to happen. Renunciations and choices. That’s what defined an Alpha, and I knew this would be the hardest one I’d ever make.

I had to protect Lorenzo and Mia…

I needed to get away, feel the cold air against my skin, think. Every step I took pulled me further from the chaos, but the storm inside me didn’t settle. Mia. She knew now about the marriage. The pain in her eyes when I mentioned Amber tore me apart. I knew I had destroyed something between us, something fragile and precious.

But this was bigger than feelings. This was a matter of survival.

Mia was strong, stronger than anyone could imagine. Her blood carried secrets, power, and the Blackthorns knew it. They wanted to force me to accept Amber as Luna to infiltrate our pack and gain control over Mia—over Lorenzo. But I knew, deep down, that the key to solving this situation wasn’t Amber, or even the Blackthorns.

It was in the past. It was in Mia’s father.

That damn Alpha no one knew. A ghost. Mia thought he was dead, but I knew that wasn’t true. The man was still out there, and I’d bet anything he knew more about the potion and the power in her blood than anyone.

If I could find him, figure out what really happened… that might be the only thing capable of undoing the Blackthorn siege. They were obsessed with Mia’s power, but maybe her father knew how to protect that secret better than anyone.

If he was alive—and I’d bet that he was—he would be the key to freeing us from this dirty game.

As I walked through the forest, my wolf, my other half, snarled in my mind, impatient to act. I wanted to run, fight, do something, but brute force wouldn’t save us this time. We needed answers. We needed intelligence.

Finding Mia’s father was my priority now.

I punched a tree, feeling the bark give under my fingers. The physical pain was a temporary relief for the weight I carried. I couldn’t fail Mia and Lorenzo. And, above all, I couldn’t submit to the Blackthorn demands. Marrying Amber? That would never happen.

I had a new mission. Find the man who could save us—or destroy everything.

And I would do it, no matter the cost.