Chapter 317: LUMINA"How bad do you think this is going to be?" he asked quietly."I don't know," I admitted. "But I think we're about to find out exactly where your parents stand on everything. The changes, the boys, our leadership... all of it.""And if they're hostile? If they've sided with the traditionalists?"I met his eyes, letting him see the steel in my own."Then they'll learn that I am not the same woman they tortured six years ago. I've been through hell and back, and I'm not going to let anyone—not even your parents—hurt our children or undermine what we're building. Not anymore."Something fierce and proud flashed across Xenois's face. He pulled me close, kissing me hard and quick."That's my Luna," he murmured against my lips. "Ready to fight the world if necessary.""Let's hope it's not necessary," I said. "But yes. If it comes to that, I'm ready."The drive to the Blackwood estate took twenty minutes, leaving Silver Creek proper and heading into the more exclusive s
Chapter 316LUMINAHe was right. I knew he was right. But the thought of walking into that estate, of seeing the judgment in Silvia's eyes and the disappointment in Samuel's face, of watching my children be evaluated and found wanting by their own grandparents...It made me want to run. To grab the boys and Xenois and just leave, find that tropical island Zade kept joking about and never look back.But we couldn't run. We had a pack to lead, changes to implement, threats to face. And we couldn't do any of that effectively if we didn't know whether the previous Alpha and Luna were allies or enemies."I'll get the boys," I said, squeezing Xenois's hand before letting go. "You finish the calls for tonight's meeting. We'll leave in fifteen minutes."He nodded, already dialing again, his alpha voice carrying through the house as he coordinated logistics.I headed downstairs, following the sound of laughter to the family room where the boys were supposed to be doing homework but were clearl
Chapter 315LUMINAI couldn't shake the feeling.Even as I stood in our bedroom, watching Xenois make phone calls to organize the emergency pack meeting, even as I tried to focus on what needed to happen next, my mind kept circling back to one particular piece of the grocery store gossip.Silvia and Samuel Blackwood. The previous Alpha and Luna. My in-laws.Their silence.I moved to the window, staring out at the pack lands without really seeing them. The manicured gardens, the training grounds in the distance, the forest line where our territory began—all of it was familiar, home in a way that had taken years to feel real. But right now, it all felt uncertain, like the ground beneath my feet was less solid than I'd believed."What are you thinking?" Xenois asked, ending his call and coming to stand beside me. He didn't touch me, but I could feel him there, solid and present in a way that usually grounded me.Today it just made the anxiety worse."Your parents," I said quietly. "Marga
Chapter 314LUMINAAnd they thought my sons were damaged weapons who should be locked away.I moved through the rest of my shopping list mechanically, barely seeing what I was putting in my cart. Groceries, household items, the special ingredients I'd planned to use for tonight's celebratory dinner—none of it seemed to matter anymore."Luna Lumina," a soft voice said, and I looked up to find Mrs. Chen standing in front of me again, her expression troubled."I... I wanted to apologize. For earlier. For being weird when I saw you. I've heard the gossip, and I didn't know what to say, so I just... avoided saying anything. But that was wrong."I studied her face, looking for signs of deception or manipulation. But all I saw was genuine discomfort and what looked like actual remorse."You don't agree with them?" I asked carefully. "With what they're saying about my family?""No," Mrs. Chen said firmly. "My daughter goes to school with Lake. She came home last week talking about how nice he
Chapter 313LUMINA"The children are dangerous," Margaret said, recovering some of her bravado now that the initial shock had passed. "That's not gossip, Luna, that's fact. They were raised in a facility that turned supernaturals into weapons. They have abilities and training that make them threats to pack security. Being concerned about that doesn't make us bad people—it makes us responsible pack members.""Responsible pack members," I repeated, my voice dropping to something deadly quiet. "Is that what you call standing in a grocery store spreading lies and fear about children? About my children?""They're not lies," the unknown woman said, finally stepping into view. I recognized her now—Patricia, whose husband served on the security council. "Lake used his abilities at school. That's documented. Riley's intelligence is beyond normal parameters. That's observable. These aren't normal children, Luna. They're enhanced individuals with traumatic backgrounds and dangerous capabilities.
Chapter 312LUMINAI pushed my cart through the automatic doors of the Silver Creek Shopping Center, mentally reviewing the list I'd made that morning. School supplies for the robotics club—Riley had been very specific about the types of batteries and wire they'd need. Groceries for the week, since three growing werewolf boys ate approximately their weight in food daily. And maybe something special for dinner, a treat to celebrate the fact that we'd made it through another chaotic week without anyone dying or the Elder Council staging a coup.Small victories.The mall was busier than I'd expected for a Thursday afternoon, but I supposed that made sense. Most of the pack members who worked traditional jobs were off by now, and the stay-at-home parents were doing their weekly shopping runs. I recognized several faces as I grabbed a cart—pack members I'd known for years, women I'd served alongside in various Luna duties, mothers whose children went to school with Ollie."Luna Lumina,"