Chapter 1

Amber

Four years and a couple of months later...

I stare at my own reflection in the mirror, nervous because this marks my last day of being a free woman. Alex will turn eighteen in a week, and I’m heading there before that happens to get to know him again. I’m nervous, excited, and also plain terrified of what might happen.

A car is coming to pick me up in an hour, and then I’m leaving the Snowflake pack forever. The Lycanrock pack will turn into my new family, and the thought of that is unsettling. 

I’m a werewolf and an Omega at that—if I felt weak and small in my own pack, just imagine how it will be to be surrounded by literal giants. Lycans are taller than what is normal and packed with muscles. It’s going to be nerve-wracking to become their Luna. What if they will laugh at having a werewolf for their Luna? It’s the second most important role in the pack hierarchy. 

Sighing, I glance down at the picture I took four, almost five years ago, with Alex. It’s of us smiling at the camera while eating cake inside his kitchen. I wonder how he has been? Has he done any more gardening? 

To be honest, Alex and I haven’t really talked much lately. In the beginning, we exchanged plenty of letters, but then he stopped replying to them, and he never accepted my invitation to become friends on social media. Is it because he dislikes me? Maybe he regrets accepting to marry me, a woman who is five years older than him?

Suddenly the door opens to my room, and my little sister, Libby, strolls inside with an apple in her hand. “Sup! You ready to marry that cute Lycan guy?” 

A shy smile spreads over my lips. I might have called Alex cute once or twice in front of my sister. He left an impression on me after our first meeting, and I liked the fact he wasn’t as huge and hulking as his older brothers. Alex was much cuter than them, and that’s why I’m not worried about seeing him again. There might not be any love between us, but at least I don’t have to fear my own husband. 

“I hope so,” my eyes travel back to the mirror. “I’ve worked on my makeup for like an hour now. Do you think Alex is going to find me pretty?”

Libby walks up behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders while meeting my smile in the mirror. “You look gorgeous,” she says, flipping my white hair with her fingers. “Alex would have to be blind not to find you stunning.”

I blush. “Thank you.”

She grips my shoulder, beaming at me. “You got this, and your Lycan husband is going to be so lucky to have you.”

“I hope so.”

An hour later, the car arrives to pick me up, and I try not to roll my eyes when my mom starts crying. My dad hugs her, stroking her back to console her. 

“Calm down. It’s not like she is leaving us forever. Amber is just one phone call away,” my dad says, but I can see this is getting to him too. His bottom lip is trembling, something that only happens when he is fighting his tears.

I try to keep my own emotions in check for their sake, but my stomach is churning with anxiety. It’s not just about leaving my family and pack behind, but also the fact that I’m entering into a completely new world. A world where I have no one to rely on except for my new husband, Alex. I hope he is ready to take on that responsibility.

“I will miss you guys,” I say, hugging my mom and dad before turning toward Libby. “Take care of them for me.”

“I will,” she says with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. It’s unusual for my sister to cry, but she is barely keeping it together. 

I sigh. “You want a hug?”

“Yes, please.”

Libby squeezes me, and then we let go, meeting each other’s eyes before I turn toward the car. The driver has already stepped out and is smiling at me. “You ready to go, Luna Amber?”

My parents and sister gasps as if they are shocked to hear someone refer to me as a Luna. I can’t lie; I’m baffled too. 

I still haven’t grasped the fact I’m about to become the Luna of the Lycanrock pack, and I fight a laugh when I notice that even my smaller siblings, that were playing in the sandbox just a moment ago are gawking at me with renewed interest. 

Everyone is looking at me like I’m a goddess, and the driver stifles a laugh and ducks away to hide any trace of it. There is, however, a knowing glint in his eye, and I decide that I like him—he definitely called me Luna to get a reaction out of my family, and he succeeded. There is respect written on their faces now, and I hold my head up a little bit higher.

“You guys take care, okay?”

I get into the car, and the driver closes the door behind me. As we drive away, I realize my heart is pounding with anticipation. It’s not every day that a werewolf girl gets to marry into a Lycan pack, let alone become their Luna. 

I pull out my phone and start scrolling through my social media, hoping to take my mind off things. That’s when I notice the notification from Zeke, Alex’s brother. 

My heart flutters as I click on it, hoping for good news.

Zeke: Hey Amber, it’s been a while! How have you been? Anyway, I’m just texting you to tell you things have changed. The Lycanrock pack has grown under my little brother’s care, and I can proudly announce that he is about to become the Lycan King. It means Alex is the most powerful Lycan in existence. I thought I should let you know that, and I also want to point out that you can still change your mind about which brother to marry. I wouldn’t mind taking over as the Alpha again. Haha. Just kidding. Love, your big brother Zeke. 

I stare at the message, blinking in disbelief. The thought of marrying Zeke has never crossed my mind. I found him too intimidating when I met him—too much of an Alpha male for me. Besides, I had a soft spot for Alex from the moment I saw him, even though I didn’t know him that well. But now that Alex is the most powerful Lycan in existence, I’m a little bit frightened. Not going to lie. 

Though, I bet Alex can’t have changed that much personality-wise, right? He was really sweet when I met him almost five years ago, and he probably used his charisma to get where he is today. I have nothing to worry about.

I type a quick response to Zeke. 

Me: Thanks for letting me know, but I’m perfectly happy with my choice. I’m excited to marry Alex and become the Luna of the Lycanrock pack.

The driver glances at me, “Everything alright, Luna Amber?”

I look up from my phone and nod, “Yeah, everything is fine. Just a message from a friend.”

He nods and goes back to focusing on the road. I turn back to my phone and continue scrolling through social media, trying to distract myself from my nerves.

As we get closer to the Lycanrock pack territory, my heart pounds even faster. I can feel the power radiating from this place, and it sends shivers down my spine. This is going to be my new home, and I am filled with both excitement and fear at what lies ahead.

Will Alex accept me with open arms? What does he even look like nowadays? Still feminine and beautiful? I sure hope so. I loved how long his eyelashes were in the past.