Half an hour later I was in the hallway of the Pheonix packhouse tying my boots as I sat on the bottom step of the stair. Theodore had just shrugged on his jacket and was now reaching for the coat stand.

He plucked the jacket off the top and thrust it in my direction.

It was mine. The one I left on Tobias's body.

I took it and stared down at it.

"What did you do with their bodies?" I asked, clutching the brown leather between my fingers.

"Burnt them," he replied. "The ashes are in the pocket of your jacket."

I reached into the pocket to find a glass vial filled with what looked like just the grey soot of a fire. I wrapped my fist tight around it and held it close to my chest.

"Can I sprinkle them on Nightingale territory?" I asked.

He paused for a second before nodding, "Lou will escort you to wherever you want before I claim the pack."

I reached for my bow but Theodore's hand got to it before me.

"You don't need that," he said, "Pheonix women don't fight."

"I never go anywhere without it," I replied, "If the Nightingale people see me empty-handed they'll be suspicious and it will only add to their distrust for you. But they trust me and seeing me by your side as normal and supporting you will help."

He scoffed, "I don't need their trust."

"I know...but it'll be easier for you to have it," I said, "I'm just trying to help avoid any more conflict, Theodore. I know exactly how it will end for the Nightingales."

He paused for a second before he thrust the bow into my chest, "Fine. But as soon as the Nightingale pack has accepted me as their Alpha, we burn it."

Tobias carved me this bow ten years ago. I'd replaced the string a few times since but the wooden limb, formed by the blade of his pen-knife, was the only thing I had left of him and the thought of seeing it in ashes as well pained me.

But I had to nod. I wasn't going to dare argue with him.

For the next couple of hours, tears dripped from my eyes periodically until I stepped back onto the Nightingale territory with Lou and caught the scent of my home land. It was then that the tears began to flood.

I held up the glass vial and with trembling lips, examined the ashes within.

"One day they are my everything and the next, they are powder inside a tiny container," I said.

"Set them free," Lou said softly, "It's time to let go."

I looked out from where we stood on the shore of the lake across the glistening water.

"I'm not ready," I replied, clutching the vial.

He rested his hand on my shoulder.

"That's what Alpha Rivers believes too," he replied, "But he's wrong."

I looked up at him and wiped my eyes.

"You are stronger than he knows and Rose and Tobias were excellent teachers," he continued, "All you have to do now is believe in yourself."

I looked down at the vial and loosened my grip, letting it sit flat on my palm.

"Make them proud, Esme," he added, "I know you can."

He then took a few steps back, leaving me to slowly unscrew the lid. I took a deep breath before tipping the ashes onto my hand.

It was a perfect day. The sun shone brightly over the lake and the breeze was light and soft as it lifted the ashes from my hand, sending them floating up into the sky where they danced and spiralled before slowly settling down into the blue water and onto the earthy soil of the Nightingale pack.

A breath of fresh air filled my lungs as I tilted my head back and let the sun's rays fall onto my face.

In that moment, I felt powerful.

Standing on the land of the courageous Nightingale, having just let go of the people I truly believed I could never live without. I thought I'd be so lost and alone but I wasn't. I felt like I belonged. I felt worthy. I felt like they were still with me from within.

I don't know how long I stood in silence by the lake until Lou interrupted my thougths.

"We better head to the waterfall," he said.

I nodded and after taking a lasting look at the calm water, I turned and smiled.

"Let's go," I said, letting him wrap his arm around my shoulder and give me a gentle squeeze.

When we reached the bottom of the waterfall, a crowd had already gathered. On one side were the Nightingale people, all waiting in agonising anticipation. On the other side, was a hoard of Pheonix men, stood with their legs shoulder width apart and faces stoney.

But the person who stole my attention was Theodore, who stood where the water pooled and bubbled, exactly as he had on the evening we first met.

I took a deep breath before stepping away from Lou and striding towards him, where I stood by his side and turned to face my people.

I could feel Theodore looking down at me but I didn't give him the satisfaction of a response and instead just stood there, straight faced and with my chin up high.

After an intense pause, Theodore finally turned to my people too and began to speak.

"Welcome people of the Nightingale pack," he began, "You may be wondering where your Alpha and Luna are."

I swallowed as some of their eyes fell on me.

"Dead," Theodore deadpanned, "Both of them."

Now every set of eyes was fixated on me.

"And for those of you who don't already know, your remaining leader, Esme Brynn, is my Luna," he continued, "That makes me your new Alpha."

I clenched my teeth together as he stepped closer to the Nightingales.

"You and your territory are all apart of the Pheonix pack. You are welcome to resist but rest assured, you will be killed," he said.

His back was turned.

All his soldiers except Lou were on the otherside of the river.

I had my bow.

"You may stay in your homes but you will live under my leadership. You will integrate with my people, work for me, fight for me, live by my rules. You are Pheonixes now."

I gripped my fingers tighter around the handle of my bow, focussing hard on Theodore's back.

"Today marks the end of the Nightingale pack forever."

Hearing those words, was all the motivation I needed.

I reached for an arrow, pulled back the string and held the bow with strength.

"Alpha!" A voice shouted from the otherside of the river.

But it was too late.

There was no stopping me.

"Justice will be served," I said as he turned and I aimed perfectly at his heart, releasing the arrow with unshaking hands.

As it pierced through his shirt and then his skin, I caught his eye. They were large and round and almost scared as he parted his lips to gasp.

He choked and coughed as he dropped to his knees and then to the floor, landing with a thud as the blood oozed out of the wound and soaked into his shirt.

After that, there was silence. Only the gushing of the waterfall could be heard as everybody stared down at the 6 and a half foot dying Alpha lying in front of them.

I turned around to face everyone only to find every set of eyes, from the soldiers of the Pheonix pack to the children of the Nightingale pack, had now fallen on me.

In the middle of the two groups was Lou.

His mouth was slightly agape as he looked down once more at Theodore, finally processing what I had just done before he looked back up at me and nodded, almost with a smile.

He then lowered himself to his knee and bowed his head.

In time, the Pheonix men followed and all too eager, so did the Nightingale people until I was the only one stood in the entire clearing.

"All heil our new Alpha: Esme Brynn," Lou said with a smile, "Leader of the Nightingale and Pheonix pack."

There was an applause followed by cheers and shouts of support as I looked in shock at Lou.

"I trust she will lead us with fairness, integrity, devotion and strength...but most importantly: with courage."

I couldn't help but smile.

"To a born leader," he added and there was another huge applause.

"A born leader," the Nightingale people chanted.

I waited for the applause to finish before Lou got to his feet and hugged me tightly.

"You did them proud," he said, "You did yourself proud."

I smiled again but then I heard a quiet choke from behind us and my face dropped.

After glancing over my shoulder, Lou took a step back.

"We'll give you a moment," he said before waving his hand, gesturing for the people to disperse.

Within a few minutes, it was just Theodore and me alone by the waterfall.

I knelt down beside him. His face was paled and he was struggling to breathe. I'd seen enough men die to know there was only one way this would end.

"Stay with me until I go, Esme," he said, his voice hoarse and weak, "I don't want to be alone."

His eyes were only just open but I could see their hazel brown colour through the slit between his drooping eye lids.

"Please," he whispered.

I took his hand in mine and rested it on my knee.

His struggle to breathe stopped and his shoulders relaxed.

"I wish I didn't have to give up on you, Theodore," I said, "But I could see no light at the end of the tunnel. You offered me only darkness."

"I'm really fucked up, Esme," he replied, "In your position, I would have killed me too."

"...Is there any good in your heart?" I asked.

"No. And if there ever was, my father was sure to get rid of it," he said, "There was no saving me, Esme. I hope you don't live the rest of your life thinking you could."

With my other hand I brushed his curls from his eyes but as I leant over, a tear dropped from my eye onto his forehead.

He smiled and with his last ounce of strength he gave my hand a gentle squeeze before his eyes flickered shut and his fingers fell limp.

Over the next few minutes, I pulled the arrow from his heart and laid my jacket over his wound.

I knew he didn't deserve my kindness but the thing is, we don't always get what we deserve in life.

Rose and Tobias didn't deserve to die, I didn't deserve the misfortune of having Theodore Rivers as my mate and Theodore Rivers didn't even deserve to grow up with an abusive father.

But we are get what we are given and there's no point being spiteful about it.

So I also brushed the leaves off his shoulder and rearranged his hair again so that it lay neatly. In death, he looked more at peace than I'd ever seen him. There was no doubt that this man had some demons but now he was finally free from them, along with all the trauma and grief he'd carried with him through life.

I sat with him for a few minutes more until I was sure his wolf had completely faded before I got up and left him, without turning back.