Emma's POV
"We fight."
Kendrick's words hang in the air like a death sentence.
"You can't." I stand up, still holding Mira. My ribs scream but I ignore them. "Six packs, Kendrick. That's hundreds of warriors. Your pack will be slaughtered because of me."
"My pack will be fine." His voice is ice-cold, deadly. "I didn't become Alpha of Shadows by running from fights."
"This isn't your fight!"
"You're in my territory. Under my protection. That makes it my fight." He turns to Marcus. "How long until they reach the border?"
"Two hours. Maybe less."
Two hours. Two hours until war because I couldn't just die quietly like Declan wanted.
"There has to be another way." My voice cracks. "I can leave. Go somewhere else. They'll follow me and—"
"And kill you the moment you're alone." Kendrick cuts me off. "That's not happening."
"Why?" The question bursts out. "Why do you care? You don't know me. Mira's bond will hurt if I leave, but she'll survive. Why risk everything for a stranger?"
Kendrick's silver eyes lock onto mine. For a moment, I see past the ice, past the Alpha mask, to something raw and real underneath.
"Because four years ago, I let someone die because I wasn't paying attention." His voice is barely a whisper. "I won't make that mistake again."
The mate bond flares between us, hot and bright.
He's not just protecting me for Mira. He's protecting me for him.
Before I can respond, Mira tugs my sleeve. "Mummy, I'm scared."
I look down at her tear-stained face, her bloody arms from where she hurt herself, and something inside me hardens.
I've spent six years being weak. Being the victim. Letting people destroy me.
No more.
"Marcus." I turn to the Beta. "You said you have evidence against Declan? The warrior's confession?"
"Every word recorded and documented."
"And Josie using dark magic on my bond? Can you prove that?"
Helena steps forward. "I can test your bond. Show the corruption. It would hold up in pack court."
My mind races. "What if we don't fight? What if we expose them instead?"
Kendrick frowns. "What are you thinking?"
"Declan's coming here because he thinks he can intimidate you into handing me over. He thinks his allies make him powerful." I shift Mira to my other hip. "But what if we show those allies what kind of Alpha they're following? A murderer. A user of dark magic. Someone who breaks sacred pack laws."
Marcus's eyes light up. "Turn his allies against him."
"Exactly." Hope flares in my chest. "Most Alphas won't side with someone who uses dark magic. It's forbidden for a reason."
"It could work." Helena nods slowly. "But we'd need to present the evidence publicly. In front of all six Alphas. If even one of them sides with Declan—"
"We fight," Kendrick finishes. "But at least we'd have fewer enemies."
"And if it works?" I press. "If we turn his allies?"
"Then Declan stands alone." Kendrick's smile is deadly. "And I can challenge him legally without starting a war."
Marcus grins. "I'll prepare the evidence. Video confessions, phone records, Helena's magic testing—everything."
"Do it." Kendrick moves to the window, looking out at his territory. "We meet them at the border in two hours. Full pack showing. Every warrior armed."
"I'm coming too," I say.
"No." Kendrick doesn't turn around. "You stay here with Mira. If this goes wrong—"
"If it goes wrong, Declan gets me anyway." I set Mira down gently. "I need to face him. Show him I'm not afraid anymore."
"You can barely walk."
"I'll manage." I straighten up despite the pain. "This is my fight, Kendrick. Let me fight it."
He finally turns, studying me with those intense silver eyes. "You're sure?"
"I'm sure."
Something shifts in his expression. Respect. Maybe even admiration.
"Fine. But you stay behind me. If fighting starts, Marcus gets you out."
"Deal."
Mira grabs my hand. "Mummy stays with me."
My heart breaks. "Sweetheart, I have to go talk to some people—"
"NO!" Mira's grip tightens. "You promised! You promised you wouldn't leave!"
The soul-bond pulls tight, painful. Mira's starting to panic again.
Helena kneels beside her. "Your mummy has to go be brave for a little while. But I'll stay with you. And she'll come right back."
"Promise?" Mira's voice is tiny.
I crouch down, ignoring my screaming ribs. "I promise on the moon and stars. I will always come back to you."
Mira hugs me tight. "Okay. But hurry."
"I will."
One hour later, I stand at the Shadow's Edge border with fifty warriors at my back. Kendrick is beside me, radiating lethal power. Marcus is on my other side with a tablet full of evidence.
Across the clearing, six Alphas emerge from the trees with their warriors.
Declan leads them. He looks exactly the same—handsome, confident, every inch the powerful Alpha. But now I see what I couldn't before. The cruelty in his smile. The coldness in his eyes.
Josie stands beside him, smirking.
"Kendrick Vaughn." Declan's voice carries across the clearing. "I'm here for what's mine."
"Emma Thorne is dead." Kendrick's voice is flat. "We found her body in a crashed car three days ago."
"Liar." Josie steps forward. "We know you're hiding her. Hand her over, and we leave peacefully."
"Or?" Kendrick asks.
"Or we take her by force." Alpha Brent of the Redwood Pack moves beside Declan. "Six packs against one. Do the math, Vaughn."
"I did." Kendrick smiles coldly. "Here's my math: you're all following an Alpha who breaks pack law. Are you sure you want to die for him?"
The other Alphas shift uncomfortably.
"What are you talking about?" Alpha Sarah of the Moonstone Pack asks.
"I'm talking about attempted murder." Marcus holds up the tablet. "Declan Thorne ordered a hit on his ex-mate. We have three warrior confessions. Video evidence. Recorded phone calls."
Declan's face goes pale. "That's a lie—"
"Is it?" Marcus plays a video. The warrior's voice fills the clearing.
"Alpha Declan paid me fifty thousand to kill Emma Thorne. Make it look like an accident. Those were his exact words."
The other Alphas go silent.
"He's lying to save himself!" Declan shouts. "They tortured him—"
"All three warriors gave the same confession separately." Kendrick's voice cuts through. "And that's not all. Josie Chen used dark magic to corrupt the mate bond. We have proof."
Helena steps forward, holding a glowing vial. "I tested the residual magic on Emma. Dark binding spells. Forbidden magic used to manipulate bonds."
Alpha Sarah recoils. "Dark magic? You used dark magic?"
"She's making it up!" Josie's voice goes shrill.
"Then let me test you." Helena offers the vial. "If you're innocent, it won't react. If you've used dark magic, it'll prove everything."
Josie backs away. "I don't have to prove anything to you—"
"She's guilty." Alpha Brent looks disgusted. "Dark magic users can't even touch that vial without burning."
The other Alphas are muttering, looking at Declan and Josie with distrust.
"This is a setup!" Declan's losing control. "They're lying because they want my territory—"
"I don't want your territory." Kendrick's voice drops dangerously low. "I want justice for an attempted murder. Pack law is clear. You ordered a hit on your ex-mate. That's punishable by death or exile."
"You have no authority—"
"But we do." Alpha Sarah steps away from Declan's group. "If this evidence is real, Declan violated sacred law. We won't stand with him."
One by one, the other Alphas move away from Declan. Four of them cross to Kendrick's side. Only Brent remains with Declan.
"You're all fools!" Declan snarls. "That woman is worthless! She's nothing—"
"She's under my protection." Kendrick's power explodes outward, making every wolf in the clearing drop to one knee. Except me. The mate bond protects me. "And you tried to kill her in my territory. That's an act of war."
Declan finally sees me standing behind Kendrick. His eyes widen.
"You. You're supposed to be dead."
"Sorry to disappoint you." My voice is steadier than I feel. "Again."
Josie's face twists with rage. "You ruined everything!"
"No. You did that yourselves." I step forward, ignoring Kendrick's warning growl. "You used dark magic. Drugged my son. Tried to murder me. And you thought you'd get away with it."
"I'll still get away with it." Declan's smile turns vicious. "Because even if they believe you, even if I lose my allies—I still have Liam. And you'll never see him again."
My blood runs cold.
"That's right." Josie's laugh is sharp. "We've been giving him stronger potions. By next week, he won't even remember your face. By next month, he'll hate the sound of your name."
"You can't—"
"We already are." Declan pulls out his phone, plays a video.
It shows Liam in a room I don't recognize. Josie is giving him a drink. He takes it, smiling at her.
"Mommy, will Emma ever come back?" Liam asks.
"Would you want her to?" Josie responds.
Liam thinks for a moment. Then shakes his head. "No. She's mean. I'm glad she's gone."
The video ends.
My knees buckle. Marcus catches me.
"That's what happens when you defy me, Emma." Declan's voice is cold. "You can expose me. Ruin my reputation. Take my allies. But I win where it counts. Liam is mine. Forever."
Something inside me breaks. Then rebuilds. Harder. Stronger.
"Then I challenge you." The words come out clear and firm.
Everyone goes silent.
"What?" Declan stares at me.
"I challenge you for custody. Pack law allows it." I straighten up, meeting his eyes. "We fight. Winner takes Liam."
"You're insane. You're not even a full wolf anymore—"
"Are you accepting or not?" I cut him off.
Declan looks at me—weak, injured, broken Emma—and smiles.
"I accept. This will be fun."
Beside me, Kendrick grabs my arm. "Emma, no—"
"I have to." I meet his silver eyes. "He's my son."
"You'll die."
"Then I die fighting for what matters."
The mate bond flares between us. Kendrick's face is anguished.
But he lets me go.
Because he understands. Some things are worth dying for.
And Liam is one of them.
"Tomorrow at dawn," Alpha Sarah announces. "Neutral ground. A challenge for custody witnessed by the council."
"Fine." Declan cracks his knuckles. "I'll make it quick."
As his group retreats, Josie blows me a kiss. "Say goodbye to your daughter tonight. You won't be coming back."
They disappear into the trees.
I stand there, shaking, realizing what I just did.
I challenged an Alpha to single combat.
I'm going to die tomorrow.
Kendrick's hand closes around mine. "We need to talk."
"There's nothing to talk about—"
"Yes, there is." He pulls me close, and his voice drops to a whisper only I can hear. "Because I'm not letting you fight him alone."