Landon left Summer as quietly as he had come.

Only a few had seen him, and the reason for his visit was kept as quiet as Galen could manage. But even he heard whispers and murmurs in the streets and down the halls.

Galen approached Fiona after Landon left. He told her what he knew of the wolves that had made their request to Landon. She listened but had little to say. She understood why the request was made and couldn’t blame them, really.

“As far as options go, they could have picked worse,” Fiona said with a wry smile.

Galen furrowed his brows as he looked at her with concern.

Fiona sighed and looked away.

“Landon has his hands full with Broken Crag. He has no interest in Summer,” she said. “There is nothing to worry about.”

“I’m not worried about him,” Galen said, moving toward her. “I am worried about Summer.”

Fiona took a deep breath and nodded while looking down at her desk.

“I am, too,” she said quietly. “The pack is more divided than it has ever been. These ones demand a new Alpha. Those ones demand that Ashleigh officially become Luna. Others are too scared and confused to demand anything.”

Galen sighed.

“Even if we convince Ashleigh to come home and take on a leadership role, it won’t be enough,” he said.

Fiona nodded.

“No,” she said. “They need an Alpha.”

Galen swallowed and nodded.

“Yes,” he said quietly.

Fiona moved toward the window of her room. Looking out at the red and golden hues of the sun setting for the day, she sighed.

“Where are you, Caleb?” she whispered.

Galen looked up at her words, feeling a painful stab in his chest as he heard the desperate plea in her voice. He looked away.

They both stood quietly, haunted by their own fears and doubts. Struggling with the decision they had each made.

It was Galen who spoke first. He took a deep breath and gathered his courage.

“Fiona,” he said. “I believe that for the good of the pack… we can’t put it off any longer. It’s time for a new Alpha.”

Fiona looked at him with surprise, but then her expression relaxed, and she nodded.

“I think you’re right,” she said. “It’s clear that the wolves are getting desperate. We can’t just keep waiting.”

She turned back to the window.

“It’s time to accept the reality before us,” she said, “Summer cannot survive without an Alpha, and I cannot allow Summer to fall.”

Galen furrowed his brow. Even though her words spoke of saving Summer, her voice was resigned and distant, as though she had already accepted defeat.

Fiona took a deep breath and turned around to face him.

“I will become Alpha of Summer.”

Galen’s eyes widened.

“You…?” he asked softly.

Fiona nodded.

“Yes,” she said. “I have already led this pack for more than thirty years. I know what they need and how best to serve them.”

Galen swallowed.

It was true. She had always been the strongest pillar of Summer. She was brave and bold. She had the experience, and this pack was her family. It made sense for her to lead them. Far more sense than for someone like him to lead.

But if that was all true and she believed that she was the right choice for Summer, why did she look like she had been given a death sentence?

“Is this what you want?” he asked.

Fiona lowered her eyes and licked her lips.

“If I am Alpha, the wolves will be fine,” she replied, “and… when Caleb returns, I can return the pack to him.”

Galen took a step to her in his surprise.

“How?” he asked. “Once an Alpha has been replaced, their bond to the pack is broken. They can only serve…”

Fiona shook her head.

“There is an exception. The title can be passed through blood,” she said. “Just like it has been throughout Caleb’s entire family line.”

Galen felt a surge of relief at the news. This was the answer to all his worries. A way to save the wolves of Summer while leaving Caleb his rightful place in the pack. He let out a heavy sigh and smiled.

As he was about to tell her it was a great idea, he heard her whisper something that shook his excitement.

“I just hope he’ll come home sooner than later…”

It wasn’t odd for her to say. Of course, she wanted Caleb to come home. But her voice sounded so sad that Galen felt a tight clutch in his heart.

He was suddenly reminded of a conversation from many years ago when he and Caleb were still just children.

“Me?” Galen questioned with wide eyes. “How could I…? What about Fiona? She would be a much better choice than me.”

“Wow, Galen, I never expected you to try and shirk your responsibilities off to someone else.” Caleb chuckled from where he lay on the floor.

Galen rolled his eyes and sighed, exasperated, as he sat back on the couch.

“That’s not what I meant,” he said. “I just meant that she has a lot of experience, so it would make more sense to pick her.”

“True,” Caleb nodded, “but I’m not making my mom my Beta… that would just be weird.”

“Yeah, that would probably get some strange looks,” Galen laughed.

“Besides,” Caleb said. Sitting up and resting on his elbows so he could look at Galen. “When Dad is ready to retire and make me Alpha, I’m pretty sure he’d want Mom to retire with him.”

“Makes sense,” Galen nodded.

“And,” Caleb said, laying back down, “Mom already works too hard just helping Dad keep everything running. I want her to enjoy her life, not just spend it taking care of everyone else.”

Galen smiled. Alpha Cain was a great leader and well-loved, but he often spent days on end lost in his research. It was Fiona who really kept everything running in the pack. No matter how tired she was, she always ensured everyone was cared for.

“She deserves to enjoy herself,” Galen said softly.

“More than anyone,” Caleb nodded. “You know she built this place for me, right?”

Galen looked around the treehouse with a smile and nodded.

“Just to give me a place of my own where I didn’t have to worry about what the pack expected from me or the future,” Caleb continued. “My dad has a lab like that, where he can be alone with his thoughts. Mom makes sure no one ever bothers him there.”

Galen listened curiously. He knew there were times when Alpha Cain would disappear, and people would come looking for him only to be turned away by their fierce Luna. But he had no idea it was her way of giving Cain time to himself.

“But she doesn’t have anything like that for herself,” Caleb said.

Galen looked back down at his friend.

“She doesn’t?” he asked.

Caleb shook his head.

“What about the flower garden in the forest?” Galen asked.

Caleb sat up, crossing his legs and taking a deep breath.

“She goes there to think sometimes, but it’s not the same,” he said. “That’s a place for the Luna of Summer, not just for mom.”

“Oh,” Galen replied.

He wondered to himself if he had ever seen Fiona relax. Since he had lost his mother and his father had become ill, when Fiona wasn’t working, she would have been spending time with Caleb and Galen. But she didn’t seem to do much for herself when he thought about it.

“You love mom too, right?” Caleb asked.

Galen furrowed his brows and looked up. Caleb was sitting up and staring at Galen.

“Of course,” Galen said.

Caleb smiled.

“That’s why,” he said.

“What?”

“That’s why I am going to choose you as my Beta,” Caleb said, “Yeah, I already know you would take care of the pack. That’s obvious.”

He chuckled before continuing.

“But you’re also my brother,” Caleb smiled. “And I know that if something happens to me or Dad, you’ll always take care of Mom. She’ll take care of everyone else, but I know you’ll take care of her.”

As the memory faded, Galen was left looking at Fiona standing before him.

Dark circles under her eyes, her natural smile drawn into a weary frown. She leaned heavily on the cane she had always abhorred using, but now, it never left her side.

‘After everything that he sacrificed, do you think that Caleb will find the cost of retaining his title worth it!’

Galen swallowed hard as Landon’s words shouted in his mind.

“He won’t…” Galen whispered.