Chapter 9: Red Mesa Closed Its Gates

By the time we reached the Red Mesa border, the sun was already rising.

The familiar red cliffs appeared beyond the highway, glowing beneath the early morning light.

I hadn't realized how much I missed them.

Wyatt drove straight through the main gate without slowing down.

The guards recognized his SUV and immediately opened the barrier.

But when they saw me sitting in the passenger seat, several of them stared.

News traveled quickly between packs.

Everyone knew I had left Grayhaven.

Everyone would soon know why.

Our father was waiting at the pack headquarters.

He had already changed out of his sleeping clothes and was standing beside the council table with several senior wolves.

His expression softened when he saw me.

Clara.

I stepped out of the SUV.

Dad walked toward me and pulled me into a hug.

You're home.

Those words made my throat tighten.

I nodded against his shoulder.

I'm home.

He didn't ask why Julian had sent me away.

He didn't ask whether I had caused another scene.

He simply looked at Wyatt.

Tell me everything.

Wyatt placed my suitcase on the floor and began explaining.

Five years of insults.

Five years of public humiliation.

Five years of Julian choosing other women for the Luna position.

And finally, throwing his own wife into the snow on Thanksgiving morning.

By the time Wyatt finished, the room had become completely silent.

Dad's fingers tightened around the edge of the table.

That wasn't a marriage alliance.

That was an insult to Red Mesa.

One of the council elders slowly nodded.

The alliance contract has a five-year review clause.

It expires today.

My heart skipped.

I had almost forgotten.

Wyatt looked directly at me.

That's why I came for you.

I didn't bring you home just because Julian hurt your feelings.

I brought you home because the contract is finished.

Dad turned toward the council.

Then we withdraw.

No one argued.

I sat down quietly, listening as the council began discussing trade routes, energy agreements, border patrol cooperation, and every concession Red Mesa had made to Stonebridge over the last five years.

For the first time, I realized how much my marriage had cost my family.

And how much they had tolerated because they believed I would eventually become happy.

I lowered my eyes.

I'm sorry.

Dad immediately shook his head.

Never apologize for someone else's cruelty.

Wyatt leaned back in his chair.

There's something else.

Everyone looked at him.

Julian's family has no idea what they're about to lose.

I looked up.

What do you mean?

Wyatt's expression turned cold.

Red Mesa supplies nearly a third of the inland energy contracts that Stonebridge relies on.

And our trade routes connect them to three southern packs.

Without our alliance, their coastal influence takes a serious hit.

For five years, they treated us like we were desperate to belong to them.

Now they'll have to find out whether they can afford to lose us.

I stared at the red cliffs outside the window.

For the first time, I wasn't thinking about Julian.

I was thinking about myself.

Maybe coming home wasn't the end of my story.

Maybe it was the beginning.