Chapter 42

Ronan's POV

Three weeks passed after the founder seal woke beneath Vivian's skin, and for once no ancient bell broke before breakfast. The quiet was not peace. Severin had vanished south, the First House remained closed, and Custodian scouts tested our roads almost every night. But the gap gave us time the crisis had previously refused to allow.

The coalition used those weeks to move the nine endangered children with their families, rebuild manual warning routes, and argue over sanctuary law until even Lucien stopped pretending meetings were entertaining. Vivian's pregnancy advanced under Maeve's supervision. Gideon learned to ask before entering her room. No one called that redemption. It was practice.

For years my fixed purpose had been keeping Black Hollow outside Alpha wars. The alliance had made my territory a target and forced me to spend p