Chapter 141: Territory With Potential

Selene’s POV

We walked out together ... me, Mr. Cipher, and the two little pups ... making our way toward the podium where William stood waiting. He was dressed in a white suit, and the smile on his face grew wider with every step I took toward him.

To the side, I spotted Astrid. She was smiling too. I saw her clearly even though my eyes were trained forward, focused on what was ahead.

Then I spotted the breeders.

They were breathtaking. Every single one of them. The fact that they had shown up for me said everything ... it already told me this was going to be one of the best days of my life.

I fixed my gaze on the front and kept it there. I was certain there were many more familiar faces scattered through the crowd. William had invited everyone, and the press wasn’t about to miss a single moment they could turn into a headline.

I walked down the aisle, Mr. Cipher guiding me with steady, careful steps.

Until we reached the officiant.

Seeing William standing there with that smile on his face ... it was a win for him. Maybe not entirely for me. But I had made my choice.

"You are all welcome today to the wedding ceremony of William Steelborn and Selene Ironheart, and to the Alpha inauguration of William Steelborn," the officiant announced. "If anyone has any objection against this union, speak now ... or forever hold your peace."

Mr. Cipher, my father figure, quietly made his way back to his seat in full view of everyone. Those who knew me would have been shocked to learn he was the one who had walked me down that aisle ... my parents included. I didn’t care.

Silence.

Every person in that room held their peace.

"Proceeding with the ceremony," the officiant continued. "William Steelborn ... remnant of the Icefang territory, first of the awakening, and Alpha of this great land by blood and conquest ... do you take Selene Ironheart to be your lawfully wedded wife and Luna?"

William looked me directly in the eyes and never once looked away.

"Yes. I do."

The officiant turned to me.

"Selene Ironheart ... queen of the people, saviour of many ... do you take William Steelborn to be your lawfully wedded husband and Alpha?"

I met the officiant’s gaze and answered clearly.

"Yes. I do."

"William, repeat these words after me ... I promise to love, honour, cherish and adore my Luna with all my strength, all the days of my life."

William repeated every word without breaking my gaze.

"Selene, repeat after me ... I promise to honour, respect and love my husband, the Alpha, all the days of my life."

I repeated the words.

The vows felt so real, so weighty. There was nothing hollow about them. I had meant every single thing I said.

The officiant asked us to join hands, and we did.

"By the power bestowed upon me, and with both parties having taken their vows ... I hereby proclaim them husband and wife."

The room exploded.

Cheering. Applause. Screaming. The walls barely held it.

William raised my hand in the air like a victory.

He had won. But I had agreed ... and that was the part that mattered.

Then William knelt, and I followed, both of us taking to our knees as an elder stepped forward to stand before us.

"Welcome to your new era ... Alpha William and Luna Selene."

He placed a garland around each of our necks.

The room erupted all over again.

The male wolves bellowed, "Long live the Alpha!" ... their voices deep and thunderous, full of bass and life, so loud I thought they might tear the roof clean off.

Then the females answered, "Long live our Luna!" And the males joined in right after, both chants colliding into one powerful, unified roar.

I loved that. I’m not going to lie, I absolutely loved that.

We weren’t the largest territory, but I was already determined to see Icefang grow. And their willingness ... that raw, unfiltered energy they poured into those chants ... drove something deep into me from that moment on.

Then, while they were still chanting, I saw him.

Lucian. Standing at the door.

I told myself my eyes were playing tricks. But my vision was clear. It was him.

I stared at him. He stared back. Neither of us moved for what felt like fifteen full seconds ... and then he was gone.

A tear threatened to fall. I forced it back down. Nobody was going to see that. Not today.

I had to match the energy in that room. I had to celebrate.

But the thought crept in anyway ... how funny and how heartbreaking it was, that two people fated for each other could be pulled so far apart by circumstance and pain that the distance eventually became permanent. That the weight of everything they had been through wore down what they had until there was nothing left to hold onto.

That was the story of me and Lucian.

We moved into the celebration ... greeting friends, taking pictures, letting the joy of the room carry us forward.

The breeders found me first, and that reunion was everything. We were laughing and jumping and grabbing each other like nothing had changed and everything had changed all at once.

"You’re married now, Selene," Valerie said, beaming as she handed me a beautifully wrapped gift box. The packaging was stunning and I was already dying to open it.

"Thank you so much ... all of you. I really mean that. The fact that you’re all here ..." I had to stop talking before I ruined what was left of my makeup. They all pulled me into a hug at once.

Aria, Brynn and Nora each presented me with gifts too.

We stayed in that pocket of joy together for a while, and all the while, in the back of my mind, I was quietly absorbing the weight of what it was going to mean to be Luna of a people like this ... a people who had survived in the dark, waiting for a reason to come back to life.

William and I both gave our appreciation speeches.

I could have sworn I saw Lucian again ... but I already knew what it meant. His Chapter in my story had closed. I wasn’t chasing love anymore. I was chasing impact. I was chasing greatness. And somewhere underneath all of it, I was chasing revenge ... for every person who had looked at me and decided I would never amount to anything worth remembering.

I made sure my parents were watching as I took picture after picture with the people I called my family.

I made sure they were watching as I stood beside my husband ... the Alpha of a territory that William had pulled back from the edge with his bare hands.

The daughter they had neglected. The one they had pushed to the side and left there.

Astrid kept her eyes on me and couldn’t seem to pull them away. I eventually pulled mine from her. She had her own husband. She would find her own happiness. This moment was mine.

The banners, the chants, the pride radiating off the Icefang community ... it all settled over me like something I had been waiting for without knowing I was waiting for it. I was proud to be their Luna.

Then three male wolves approached me. I recognised one of them immediately ... the chief manufacturer behind my invention. He smiled at me and I already knew exactly why they had come.

"Are you ready for multiplication?" he asked.

I glanced around at the celebration still in full swing and looked back at him.

"Welcome to my territory," I said. "Give me a little while ... I’ll come find you. We’ll talk business soon."