Carlisle's brows knit together in confusion as he demanded, "What do you mean you're not the Alpha? Is it Saunders? Why are you stepping down?"

Aiden raised his hand to calm him. "Slow down, Carlisle. Let me explain."

Taking a deep breath, Aiden recounted the prophecy and the events of the previous night at Silver Lake. The room fell silent, every pair of eyes fixed on him.

"You saw the Goddess Selene?" Saunders asked, eyes narrowing in curiosity.

"We all did," Alpha Bryce interjected. "She appeared to us after they returned. It was humbling and surreal."

"The Goddess?" Carlisle whispered, disbelief etched across his face.

Harry nodded vigorously, pausing only to shove another bite of food into his mouth.

"And now you're the King of all Lycan kind, and Elara is Queen?" Carlisle pressed further.

"Yes," Aiden confirmed.

"When do you plan on telling the pack?" Saunders inquired.

"We should announce it today, along with the other packs," Aiden replied.

"Okay, this is a lot to process. Now, about this stone—" Saunders continued, his voice trailing off. "It broke when Queen Elara shot it with an arrow?"

"Yes," I interjected. "I have it here." I reached into my pocket, pulling out the fractured moonstone and placing it on the table for Carlisle and Saunders to see.

"Is it still something to worry about?" Carlisle asked, leaning in for a closer look.

"I think so. We've found two more shards. When they were brought close to the main piece, it reassembled," I explained.

"It reassembles?" Saunders stared at the gemstone, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"Yes. Almost like it fixes itself," Aiden added, his voice filled with concern.

"How are things going to change here?" Saunders asked, his gaze shifting between us.

We hadn't thought about that.

"Everything will remain the same here. Business as usual. I'll just be more involved with the other packs. I'll need you both to step up at times, if you can. Like this week."

"This week?" Carlisle asked.

Aiden looked at Alpha Bryce. "I'm going to the Night Falls territory. Alpha Bryce is heading up the search for the moonstone shards with Queen Elara. I'll go with them for a few days, so I'll need Saunders to maintain the day-to-day activities here for me."

"Will anything else change?" Saunders asked.

"No. It'll be like any other time I have to leave the pack."

Both Carlisle and Saunders sat back, taking deep breaths.

"That's not all," Aiden said, continuing.

"There's more?" they asked in unison.

Aiden closed his eyes for a brief moment. "There is a rogue pack we have to worry about."

"Since when?" Carlisle questioned.

"We're not entirely sure, but likely since the beginning when there were packs."

"What?" Saunders asked. "Why didn't they ever reveal themselves before?"

"I think they did. Alpha Graham told us a story about how his family acquired the Alpha title. His pack was attacked by another pack that wasn't any of us."

"Oh wow. Is that something we have to worry about now?" Carlisle asked.

"It wouldn't hurt to increase security around our borders. Their Alpha was here last night. He's what started this whole thing with the moonstone," Aiden told them.

"He knows about it?" Saunders asked.

Aiden nodded. "We don't know to what extent, but he knows of its existence and he knows it's important."

"I had a call with the head of security back at my pack. He's already coordinating our best trackers to go out in search of the rogues. If everyone wants to pass along word to their guards that if they see Crimson Moon trackers to not engage," Alpha Xavier said.

"Your majesty," Alpha Graham started. "You should probably think about relocating."

"Relocating?" Aiden asked.

"Yeah. A more centralized location for your pack. Or even leaving the pack and having a centralized main city for the kingdom."

"Maybe. That is a thought for a bit further in the future."

"If this is all," ALpha Xavier said, standing up. "I'm going to head home for a few days. Shall we reconvene Monday?"

Aiden nodded, his mind racing with the multitude of responsibilities now on his shoulders. "Yes, Monday works. Thank you, Alpha Xavier."

As the meeting adjourned, the room gradually emptied, leaving only Aiden, and me. I approached Aiden, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly.

Aiden sighed, his gaze distant. "I knew things would change, but I didn't anticipate it being this overwhelming."

"Things have gone from zero to one hundred really fast, haven't they?" I asked.

"Yeah." Aiden sighed, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me close. "Wouldn't it be nice to just go away so it's just us?"

"How about after all of this we take a really long vacation?" I suggested.

Aiden closed his eyes and smiled. "Somewhere hot with a beach."

"Mmm. Yeah, that would be really nice. Some tropical drinks and food. Complete privacy."

"Absolute privacy," Aiden agreed.

Aiden and I stood there for a moment, wrapped in each other's embrace. The weight of the world seemed to shift from my shoulders and settled on Aiden's shoulders, and all I wanted was to help lighten the burden. But reality was relentless, and our responsibilities couldn't wait.

"Do you think we should tell the rest of the pack about the rogues?" I asked, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes.

Aiden nodded. "Yes, they deserve to know. We'll need everyone to be vigilant. But first, let's get the word out about the leadership changes. I was really hoping to not have to tell anyone yet. I wanted them to have a little bit more normalcy before the real world falls down on Silver Moon."

"Ciara is going to have an absolute coniption about this," I told him.

"Why?"

"This happening right when she's planning her ceremony with Harry? She is going to think that is all a setup to ruin her life." I chuckled.

"She'll still have her ceremony. There's just going to be a little extra protection is all."

I sighed and put my head on his chest. "What do we do about Morgan?"

"What should we do?" he questioned.

"I really don't know. I can't blame her on one hand, I mean it's her mate, but he's an evil rogue who is trying to destroy us? Or whatever."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Aiden whispered into my hair as he kissed the top of my head. "Ready for bed?"

"Yeah. I'm honestly exhausted."

Aiden held my hand as we left the study and made our way toward our bedchamber. The distant murmur of Ciara's excited voice floated down the hallway from Harry's room, her chatter blending with the low hum of the evening. She was discussing the final touches of her ceremony with Laura, her words punctuated by bursts of laughter and anticipation. The sounds of guards patrolling the manor's corridors were a reassuring reminder of the security we had in place. Their footsteps were rhythmic, like a metronome ticking away the minutes of the night.

The moon, high and full, bathed the manor in a silvery light, casting long, graceful shadows that danced along the walls. Its glow illuminated the hallway in a soft, ethereal light, creating an atmosphere of calm and serenity that was almost deceptive given the turbulence we had just faced.

When we finally reached our room, the door creaked open to darkness, except for the flickering light of the fireplace across the room. The fire crackled softly, its warmth adding a gentle contrast to the cool night air. I sank onto the edge of the bed, the plush mattress feeling like a haven after the intensity of the day.

Aiden lay down next to me, running a hand up and down my arm, his movements slow and deliberate. His fingers lingered on my skin, tracing lines of fire everywhere he touched. He pulled me close and kissed me deeply, his tongue exploring my mouth with a hunger that made me weak in the knees.

I pulled his shirt off as he worked my pants off. I reached down for the button on his pants next while he helped me out of my shirt and bra. Our bodies tangled together in a dance as old as time itself. His hands were everywhere, caressing my breasts, teasing my nipples, and sliding down between my legs. I was already wet, my pussy aching for his touch.

"Please," I whispered, my voice husky with desire.

Aiden didn't need any more encouragement. He spread my legs wide and buried his face between them, his tongue lapping at my clit with long, slow strokes. I moaned, my hips bucking up to meet his mouth.

"Yes, just like that," I gasped, my fingers tangled in his hair.

Aiden's fingers joined in, sliding in and out of my pussy with ease. He knew just how to touch me, just how to make me feel. I could feel myself building towards an orgasm, my muscles tensing and releasing in time with his movements.

"Aiden, I'm gonna cum," I moaned, my voice strangled with pleasure.

He didn't let up, his tongue and fingers working together in a perfect symphony of pleasure. I came hard, my body shaking with the force of it. Aiden didn't stop, his movements gentle and coaxing, drawing out every last tremor of pleasure.

When I finally came down from my high, Aiden moved up to kiss me again. I could taste myself on his lips, and it only made me want him more.

"Fuck me, Aiden," I whispered, my voice husky with desire.

Aiden didn't need any more encouragement. He positioned himself at my entrance and slid inside me, his cock filling me up in a way that made me moan with pleasure.

We moved together, our bodies in perfect sync. Aiden's hands were on my hips, pulling me closer with every thrust. I could feel myself building towards another orgasm, my muscles tensing and releasing in time with his movements.

"Yes, yes, yes," I moaned, my voice strangled with pleasure.

Aiden's pace quickened, his thrusts becoming harder and deeper. I could feel him on the edge, his cock swelling inside me.

"I'm gonna cum," he gasped, his voice strained with pleasure.

"Yes, cum for me," I moaned, my voice husky with desire.

Aiden's thrusts became erratic, his cock twitching inside me as he came hard. I could feel his warmth filling me up, and it only made me want him more, but I couldn't stay up. My body was just too tired. My eyes fluttered shut almost instantly, as if the weight of the world was simply too heavy to hold onto any longer.

I was enveloped in a cocoon of warmth and comfort, the rhythmic crackling of the fire lulling me deeper into relaxation.

But just as sleep began to take hold, a sudden, shattering noise pierced the stillness. The sound was like glass breaking, sharp and unsettling. I jolted upright, my heart pounding in my chest. The room was eerily silent, the soothing sounds of the fire now feeling distant and inconsequential compared to the urgent, unsettling noise that had woken me.

The distant howls of the night, usually a comforting reminder of the wild world outside, now seemed to echo ominously in the darkness. My pulse raced as I strained to hear any other sounds, my mind already racing to piece together what could be wrong.

I opened my eyes and laid there for a very long moment. The last howl was close. Really close.

I nudged Aiden who snored next to me. He rolled over as another howl seemed to echo through the entire manor.

"Aiden?" I whispered urgently, my eyes darting around the dimly lit room.

Aiden stirred beside me. "What?"

"Did you hear that?" I whispered.

"Hear what?"

Before I could respond, a loud crash echoed from the direction of the study. We exchanged a frantic glance. Without a word, we both sprang from the bed and hurried toward the source of the noise.

The hallway was dark, only the soft glow of the moon casting long, haunting shadows lit our way. Passing Harry's room, he stumbled out pulling on a pair of sweatpants.

"You guys heard that too?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said in a hushed whisper.

As we neared the study, an unsettling tension thickened the air. The usually calm, moonlit hallway seemed to pulse with unease. The faint glimmer of moonlight revealed something scattered across the floor, catching my eye.

We reached the study door, and Aiden flung it open with a force that echoed through the room. The scene before us was nothing short of chaos. Papers were strewn across the floor, chairs lay toppled, and—most alarmingly— the moonstone was missing. Panic surged through me, my eyes darting around the disordered room.

"The moonstone!" I cried out, my voice raw with desperation. "Where is it?"

Aiden's eyes narrowed with focused intensity as he stepped further inside. That's when I spotted it—a dark, hooded figure slipping through a window that had been shattered.

"No!" Aiden shouted, sprinting toward the window, but the figure was already fading into the night.

I rushed to Aiden's side, but he was already launching himself into action, his resolve steeled by urgency. "We have to get it back!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Fueled by adrenaline, I followed closely. The night air was cool and bracing as we burst outside. Through the dim light, I saw the figure transforming, shifting into a small, brown wolf.

My own wolf stirred restlessly within me, eager to chase and hunt. I felt the familiar pang of transformation as my bones cracked and reshaped, my hands morphing into paws. On all fours now, I surged forward, the wolf ahead quick but not quicker than us. We closed the gap rapidly, the figure glancing back in alarm before stumbling into a patch of briars.

Their sharp yelp pierced the night as they tumbled into the thorns, their tail tucked between their legs. I paced, waiting, my growl rumbling in the stillness.

The scent in the air was unmistakably familiar. I turned briefly to see Aiden, Harry, and several others in wolf form approaching. Aiden's breath came in harsh bursts as he reached the struggling wolf. Without hesitation, he clamped down on the wolf's neck, shaking it vigorously. The moonstone dropped from the thief's mouth, glinting in the moonlight.