Chapter 2

My soul left my body, passed through the boulder blocking the cave, and drifted back to the home Magnus and I shared in the pack.

Ever since Magnus and I became mates, I had walked this path every morning to handle pack business.

I had planted the ginkgo trees along it myself.

Back then, I was pregnant with our older son, Luca Hale.

Magnus had fussed over me, and his hand was on my belly the first time he felt the baby kick.

His eyes lit up like stars.

"Luca's kicking me."

I touched his face.

"When he's born, you have to teach him well."

Now those trees stood taller than the houses.

But the people beneath them had changed a long time ago.

I drifted into the house and found Magnus sitting on the sofa.

Susie clung to his arm, sweet and pouty.

"Magnus, Carol won't be mad at me when she finds out this was my idea, will she?"

Magnus patted her hand, his face soft with affection.

"Of course not. She's the Luna. She's not going to get upset over something this small."

Thirty years earlier, Magnus and I had held our mating ceremony right here.

That day, he held my hand and made a vow in front of the statue of the Moon Goddess.

"I'll love you forever and keep you safe."

But now that same hand rested on Susie's as he comforted her, even though her concern was obviously fake.

"It's just a scare. Nothing's really going to happen."

Susie looked up, smiling so wide her eyes crinkled.

"Magnus, I knew it. You love me best."

She wrapped an arm around his neck and nuzzled against him.

Magnus laughed and ruffled her hair.

Luca sat in the armchair next to them.

"Mom was always busy with pack business. She was never really around when we were kids. You were the one who played with us."

My younger son, Felix Hale, chimed in,

"Yeah. We're already doing her a favor by letting her keep the Luna title. If she dares to blame you, she'll have to go through us first!"

Susie laughed even harder, and her eyes landed on my ten-year-old grandson, Ben Hale.

"Ben, aren't you scared your grandma will be mad at you?"

Ben shook his head.

"Grandma raised me herself. I'm her favorite."

He paused.

"But she's so selfish. She won't even let you live in this house."

I looked at Ben.

I'd taken him in and raised him myself. I'd thought he would always remember how close we'd been.

But now he was curled up against Susie, calling me selfish.

As for this house, Susie was the one who'd said she didn't like the way it was decorated.

She had told me, "Carol, I want a home of my own."

I had felt sorry for her, so I gave her a house of her own.

Susie looked caught off guard, and her smile was forced.

The next day, the whole pack was saying I wanted to drive Susie out.

Even Magnus came to talk to me about it.

"Luna, Susie is family. Don't treat her like this."

I explained, but he still wasn't happy.

"Even so, you can't just give her some tiny little house."

He built Susie a huge house in the best part of the pack, larger and more luxurious than the one he and I shared.

After Susie moved in, that was where everyone went to party.

I was always left alone in this empty house.

Back then, Ben used to throw his arms around my neck and promise,

"Grandma, I'll always stay with you."

Now Ben complained,

"Even though you finally let me come to the party this time, I still can't forgive you for always leaving me out and making me stay with Grandma!"

Susie ruffled Ben's hair, took off her necklace, and handed it to him.

Ben didn't even hesitate. He yanked the chain from his own neck and snapped it.

That was the gift I'd put around his neck the day I brought him into the pack.

"I like this one!"

Magnus watched them fondly.

He took a jewelry box out of his pocket. Inside, a ruby sparkled.

He smiled.

"You gave yours to Ben, so here's one from me."

Susie covered her mouth, her eyes instantly filling with tears.

"Isn't this the ruby from Carol's silver dagger? How can there be a second one?"

Magnus didn't seem to care.

"Hers is fake. I took the real one off.

"She's in the pack all day. What danger is she ever in? That dagger's just sitting there going to waste."

He paused, sounding a bit dismissive.

"But a stone like this shouldn't go to waste. She's too old to wear something like this anyway."

Magnus put the necklace on her himself.

"But you're different. You're young. You deserve a stone like this."

Magnus had once told me the ruby was the only thing his mother left him, and that he would give it to the person he loved most.

He'd set it in the silver dagger and said it would keep me safe.

Now that dagger had killed me, and the ruby had become a gift to make Susie smile.

"Anything but the Luna's title. Anything else you want, it's yours."

Susie huffed playfully. "I don't want anything else from you.

"I just want you to play with me."

Magnus tapped her forehead.

"What do you want to play next?"

"How about tomorrow you pretend to reject Carol as your mate?"

Magnus looked confused.

"Why?"

Susie raised an eyebrow.

"Then you get to win her back. She'll love you even more."

"That's a fun idea. Come on, Dad, say yes!"

My sons joined in, egging him on.

Magnus gave a helpless smile and finally gave in.

The living room filled with laughter.

My translucent fingers passed through his cheek.

There was no tomorrow for me.