Chapter 56 – The Stabilization
Hazel POV
The wind was still warm on my face, carrying the faint scent of ash, pine, and a promise of rebirth. The battlefield was empty now—or, rather, emptied of its corruption and chaos. Wolves moved through the clearing cautiously, checking for survivors, tending to wounds, and quietly acknowledging the new era we'd carved from the ruins.
I stood on a rise overlooking the pack lands, Flora at my side, golden eyes reflecting the first rays of true sunlight. My chest still hummed faintly with the Red Wolf energy, now tempered and steady, no longer a weapon, but a heartbeat of the world.
And then, the sky shifted. A sliver of silver light split the morning clouds. The air thickened, heavy with power that was both ancient and infinite.
Selene descended. Graceful, radiant, her presence calm yet commanding. Wolves instinctively bowed, even the younger ones who had never seen her. Her eyes met mine, a quiet acknowledgment of everything we had endured.
"Hazel Thornblood," she said, voice both melodic and immense, echoing with a resonance that seemed to vibrate the very earth beneath us. "You have done what few could, what none should even dare attempt. The balance is fragile—but it is yours now."
I stepped forward, feeling the pulse of the Red Wolf in tandem with her celestial aura. " Finally decided to grace us with your presence ey? Well whatever, the balance… it's finally ours to keep?"
Selene chuckled then inclined her head. "It is. The moon stabilizes. The wolf spirits have returned to their rightful paths. The era of monsters—the shadow of fear—is over. The continent will breathe freely, thanks to your hand."
Flora padded closer to me, a soft growl of approval rumbling in her throat. I exhaled slowly, letting the weight of her words settle in my chest.
Selene's gaze softened. "You have fought, bled, and led with heart and vision. Now, the choice is yours. Anything you wish, Hazel—anything at all. I will make it so."
The words hung in the air. Power of that magnitude was intoxicating, but I didn't need wealth or dominion. I didn't need vengeance or glory. My thoughts immediately went to Lucien. To the bond we had lost, the agony of the mate-bond severed, and the loneliness etched into his soul.
I swallowed, voice quiet but certain. "I… I wish for him to have a second chance. A mate who belongs with him. Someone to heal him, to fill the emptiness we left behind."
Selene's eyes glimmered with curiosity and subtle amusement. "And who would you wish that to be?"
I hesitated only a heartbeat. Then I whispered, "Helena. I want her… to be reborn. In a week, maybe two. Strong, whole, and still his mate. But a normal she wolf this time."
The air shimmered around Selene. "A dangerous request," she said softly. "You wish for the rebirth of a goddess of chaos, tethered still to the mortal realm. You wish for love, not for power. It is… unprecedented."
I squared my shoulders, meeting her gaze steadily. "I don't care. He deserves a second chance. They deserve a second chance. And if it's Helena… then it's meant to be."
Selene's lips curved faintly, approvingly. "Very well. But it has to be a month." She raised her hands, palms toward the sky, light spilling from her fingers like molten silver. The moon shimmered above, stabilizing its orbit, bathing the lands in a calming glow. The spirits of the wolves stirred, wove themselves into the air, and settled peacefully, their whispers like wind through the trees.
"Your wish will come to pass," Selene said. "Helena will return. And when she does, her bond with Lucien will remain. But the time of her rebirth is delicate. Let the world heal first, and let him be ready."
Flora nudged my side, and I smiled, feeling relief coil through me like a living thing. Caleb's hand found mine instinctively, grounding me. "Looks like we've got a second chance coming," he murmured.
I nodded, breath deep and steady. "Yes. And when the time comes… everything we've fought for will finally have its chance to live without shadow."
Selene inclined her head one last time. "Go, Hazel Thornblood. Lead your people. Guard your love. And when the goddess returns, be ready to witness the fullness of what you've set into motion."
With that, she dissipated into silver light, the moon shining a little brighter, the wolf spirits murmuring softly around the lands, and the world exhaling as if it, too, had been waiting for this day.
I turned to Caleb, feeling the weight lift from my shoulders. "We did it," I whispered, voice soft but full. "Now… we just wait."
And somewhere deep in the world, I knew Helena stirred, a heartbeat away from returning, tethered to the one she had always belonged to.
Flora growled softly, tail flicking. "Finally," she seemed to say.
And I smiled, letting the warmth of possibility wash over me. The Red Wolf had ascended. Love and life were returning. And for the first time in a very long time, hope felt tangible.