Alex and Aidan ran a final perimeter check, making sure patrols were in place and every rogue had met it's end before finally giving the signal that the battle was won. Teams were organised and dispatched into the forest to check for any survivors from the pack. There were so many injured that the schools had been turned into make-shift medical bays. Anyone who could stand was given a job; bandaging, cleaning wounds, cooking and distributing food and water and caring for the families of those who had lost members to the fight.

Despite his many injuries and against doctor's orders, Marcus was up and rechecking the headcount, ensuring each person was accounted for and whether they were alive or dead. The death toll had passed two hundred already and the sadness and grief hung heavy in the air. Alex's injuries were already healed and she had busied herself with speaking to every one of her fighters, congratulating them on their immense success. The snipers had been an unmitigated triumph and had given the team an immensely powerful advantage over their foes.

Alex held the hands of the grieving; said prayers with families over the bodies of those fallen and helped to hand out meals to the sombre groups. The sadness made her body ache more than the battle.

Details were coming in from other packs and they were gradually piecing together what had happened. The attack on East River had most certainly been a diversion. The thousand strong army had been made up of people who had been coerced or blackmailed into fighting for Dax. He had taken their families or made threats against them or their livelihoods and they were forced to act. No sooner had Aidan and the team arrived, they started to shift and explain their position. They had begged for help to save their families and, after some questioning, a number of the army were able to shed some light on Dax's larger plan. They didn't know specifics but they had heard mention of a Luna that Dax was obsessed with. Who had escaped from him. Just as they realised that Dax must have been going after Alex, word had come through to East River that Lunar Ridge was indeed, under attack.

It sounded as though Dax had then thought he would bargain with Black Mountain and perhaps Moon River once he had Alex. He either didn't know, or didn't care that she was a Lycan now and that perhaps his plan would not be so easy to put in motion. Everyone was agreed that Dax's arrogance would likely have seen him think that, no matter who or what she was, Alex was no match for him and his cunning. How wonderfully incorrect he had been.

The allied task forces, overseen by Nolan, were sending teams to burn down any business associated with Dax Stevens across the country. The Council had likewise stepped in to assist with dismantling as much of Dax's network as they could before some enterprising individual or individuals decided to try and take over where Dax had left off. It was a day of reckoning for anyone who ever had a dalliance with Dax Stevens.

Alex took a seat beside Laura and Dylan in the grass area outside the school where people had congregated to eat. She needed a moment to catch her breath from the intensity of the evening. Laura put an arm around her and squeezed her tight. Alex smiled at her appreciatively and took the bowl of chilli Dylan held out to her. Just like her old Gamma had told her; rest, eat and regroup when you can. The food helped calm her body and she moaned lightly at how delicious it was. Marcus' mother was at the helm of the make-shift outdoor kitchen and was busy feeding the masses.

Alex's head turned around as Aidan cleared his throat and called for the attention of the group. He was linking and speaking simultaneously to reach everyone.

'Tonight we are mourning the loss of so many brave warriors', he looked into the grief stricken faces of so many of the crowd before continuing.

'They gave everything they had to their final breaths to protect us and our home. They will live on through the stories we tell about this day about their unfaltering bravery and the incredible sacrifice they made in the name of Lunar Ridge,' Aidan picked up a glass from a table beside him and said, 'To our fallen heroes. May you rest peacefully now, knowing that the pack will live on because of your courage.'

Those who could stand, stood. They raised their glasses and drank to the fallen. Alex made to sit back down but Aidan wasn't finished yet.

'We also owe our lives and our continued way of life to those who we have often side-lined in the past. The women and humans of our pack have been consistently undervalued and overlooked in the area of warrior training. I am largely to blame for this.' Aidan looked directly at Alex now as he continued. 'You all know that I have acted shamefully towards out Luna in the not-so-distant past. Ignoring her experience and achievement. Devaluing her ability and her desire to change Lunar Ridge for the better. Only when she was taken from me; only when she bested those who had kidnapped and poisoned her; only when she rescued our Gamma and herself from an incredibly dangerous situation did I start to realise that I was a fool.' Aidan hung his head. 'And even after all of that, even when I allowed and encouraged anyone to take combat training, to learn to defend and protect themselves, even then I still didn't allow females or humans to become warriors.' Aidan was shaking his head lightly from side to side now, his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance at himself. 'Even when I still denied them the opportunity, those women and those humans went out and risked their lives fighting a force that outnumbered them five to one. At last count, there are two thousand dead enemies out there.' Even Alex gasped audibly at this news.

'And against all odds, they maintained the final perimeter. They stopped even a single rogue from breaking through their ranks and entering the town. We owe the lives of our community and our pack to our female warriors, our human mates and our Luna. From this day, our army will be stronger than ever before with any female or human who wishes to join and train with us. We have much to learn from all of you. Would the Luna and her team please stand?'

Alex stood again, pulling Laura up from her seat with her. Across the school grounds, other fighters were standing up and looking around apprehensively.

'I thank you all for your protection and your bravery today,' Aidan dropped to his knee. Alex was wide eyed and speechless at the gesture. One by one, warriors, families and children took a knee and bowed their heads to Alex and those standing. It touched her heart in a way that nothing else ever had. Someone rose a fist into the air and chanted, 'Lunar Ridge, Lunar Ridge,' with the crowd catching on quickly and joining the chant. Everyone stood, shouting loudly, clapping and cheering into the night. Alex felt a pair of strong arms around her waist as Aidan turned her towards him, achingly handsome and with a beautiful smile on his face. No more words passed between them. The kiss they shared said everything else.