Chapter 29: The Sunfire Crown

The departure of Theron and the Sunstone exodus was the final, seismic shift that settled the political landscape. With the Shadow Claw territories already integrated and the surrounding packs firmly within her orbit, there was no one left to challenge her. The title of Alpha Supreme was no longer a candidacy; it was an inevitability. In the ancient stone amphitheater, under the open sky, the coronation took place. Representatives from every pack, great and small, stood witness. There were no challengers, no ritual combats. The strength Emilia possessed was of a different kind, one that had already been proven beyond doubt. As the eldest living shaman placed the ceremonial torque—woven from silver, obsidian, and a sliver of Sunfire amber—around her neck, a profound silence fell, followed by a unified, earth-shaking roar of acceptance. She was no longer Emilia of the Emberfall. She was Emilia, the Alpha Supreme. 「A mate… a bond…」 she thought, the weight of the