Chapter 57 – The Queen's Rule
Hazel POV
The sun shone bright over the new pack lands, a golden banner unfurling across the sky, signaling that the worst was behind us. I stood atop the raised dais the elders had set up, my paws firmly planted, the Red Wolf energy coiling gently around me like a living crown. Today wasn't about war or vengeance—it was about rebuilding. About life. About laughter creeping back into the spaces that had known only chaos.
I felt it first—a familiar, insistent nudge.
"Finally!" Flora chirped, bouncing at my side. Her golden eyes gleamed, bright and mischievous. "I was starting to think you'd be boring forever. Politics. Ugh. So. Many. Rules. So. Many. Chairs. And—"
I raised an eyebrow, already smiling despite myself. "Flora, if this is going to be the commentary for the entire coronation, I'm going to regret asking you to stay."
"Oh, honey, you're gonna love this," she said, wagging her tail so hard it nearly knocked over a table. "Because I have Opinions. Big Opinions. And no one—not a single Alpha—dares contradict me. I'm the only one keeping this pack sane. Or at least… awake."
I shook my head, laughter bubbling up. The elders exchanged bemused glances, unsure whether to intervene or quietly flee. Caleb leaned beside me, a quiet smile tugging at his lips as he watched Flora's performance. "You've missed her," he murmured.
"I have," I admitted. "She was… quiet for a reason, though. I didn't realize it at first."
Flora, of course, overheard. "Quiet?" she screeched, placing her paws dramatically on my shoulders. "Quiet? Ha! I was basically a ghost! Helene's absence—inside your head, I mean—was like a frequency jammer. I could see everything. Everything, Hazel. The chaos. The energy. The panic. The—"
"Flora," I cut in, laughing as she practically vibrated with excitement, "you could have just said you were muted."
"Muted?!" she gasped, indignation blazing. "Muted doesn't cover it! I was a spirit with stage fright in my own home! I could hear the universe, but try projecting your voice through cosmic interference and tell me how fun that is!"
The elders cleared their throats. Caleb raised a hand, but I waved them off. Let Flora have this. She had earned it.
"I… I'm glad you're back to yourself," I said, reaching out to ruffle her golden fur. "The pack missed you. I missed you."
She leaned into my touch, purring softly. "Well, I missed the fun, too. And now," she said, eyes glinting with mischief, "it's time for me to teach these stuffy Alphas how to really run a pack. Step one: stop staring at chairs and start staring at life. Step two…"
I groaned, already knowing step two would last the rest of the chapter. But I didn't mind. Her energy was infectious, and in that moment, the clearing was alive—not with tension, not with fear, but with laughter, chatter, and the chaotic hum of the Red Wolf world we'd fought so hard to protect.
As Flora launched into a full dissertation on the absurdities of pack politics, I took a deep breath and let it wash over me. This was our era now. The packs would rebuild, stronger and freer than before. The Red Wolf light pulsed gently beneath my skin, a heartbeat that reminded me that even in the calm, our fire still lived.
And Flora… well, Flora would never, ever let me forget that even queens could use a little chaos in their crowns.