Chapter 18 Bloom

I spent most of the night tossing and turning, replaying everything Ivy had told me and trying to picture the world she had described. By morning, the sound of an SUV pulling up outside my cabin sent my heart into overdrive.

I gave myself one last look in the mirror.

The bandage around my shoulder was faintly visible beneath my T-shirt, and the excitement I was desperately trying to hide was written all over my face.

Seriously, Bloom... you're an open book.

When Ivy and I stepped outside, Cassian was already waiting, leaning casually against the passenger door.

Dressed in a black leather jacket with his dark hair still slightly messy, he looked completely at home in the forest—like it belonged to him.

Like he belonged to it. Kai waved at us from behind the wheel. The moment Cassian and I made eye contact, the familiar scent of blueberries and juniper drifted toward me, carrying away every ounce of my anxiety for just a second.

His gaze lingered on my face before dropping to my injured shoulder. Almost as if he needed to reassure himself that I was all right. He took a quiet breath, then opened the rear door for us.

"Since you can't shift," he said, "we're taking the SUV."

A teasing smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.

"...Unless you'd rather ride on me."

"No!" I shot back immediately, rolling my eyes. "The SUV works just fine."

I climbed into the back seat before he could say anything else. As we drove deeper into the forest, every twist in the road made me a little more nervous. My hands stayed folded tightly in my lap the entire ride. Then...

We turned one final corner. The enormous pack house came into view. I forgot to breathe. The building stood proudly among the trees, built from weathered stone and rich timber, blending into the forest as though it had grown there naturally.

Ivy had been right. This wasn't just a place to live. It was a home. The moment I stepped out of the SUV, bright laughter floated across the yard. My eyes followed the sound.

Behind a wooden fence, children were racing across the grass, chasing each other, tumbling over, laughing without a care in the world. They were bundles of endless energy. Little wolf pups in every sense.

I was still watching them when a little girl with curly hair -no older than five- dropped the wooden toy she was carrying and ran straight toward me. Instinctively, I crouched down.

She stopped only inches away before placing her tiny hands on my knee. With wide brown eyes full of innocent curiosity, she studied my face.

"Are you new?" She tilted her head. "I've never seen you before." Something inside me shifted.

It felt as though walls of ice that had stood untouched for years were finally beginning to melt.

A warm smile spread across my face. "Yeah." I gently took her little hand. "My name's Bloom."

Just then, a young woman I assumed was her mother walked over from where she'd been watching the other children. There wasn't even the slightest trace of suspicion in her expression. Only kindness. "Welcome to the pack house, Bloom."

She smiled warmly. "Ivy's told us about you." Then, without hesitation, she opened her arms and stepped closer. I must have looked completely stunned. Because she laughed. The next thing I knew...

She was hugging me.

The simple gesture wrapped around my heart like a warm blanket. Before I realized it, my eyes were beginning to sting. A little farther away, my attention drifted to another group. Several teenagers stood in an open training field, drenched in sweat yet carrying themselves with quiet discipline. They looked like they'd recently completed the intense training Ivy had told me about after their first shifts.

A few of them glanced my way. Their expressions were curious... But respectful. As I watched them, I became aware of someone standing behind me. I turned. Cassian.

His usual guarded expression was gone. The cold distance I'd grown used to had disappeared completely. Instead... He was looking at me with unmistakable warmth. With pride. With something so gentle it made my chest tighten.

Seeing me with his pack... With the children... Seemed to satisfy the beast inside him in a way nothing else could.

The tenderness in his eyes was enough to make my cheeks grow warm. "Come on."

His voice was quiet as he rested a light hand against the middle of my back, gently guiding me forward. "The elders are waiting."

Together, we walked through the front doors of the pack house. The atmosphere changed the instant we entered the council room. A massive table dominated the center of the room. Seated around it were the leaders of the pack.

The imposing man at the head of the table radiated an overwhelming presence. That has to be Cassian's father. Beside him sat a woman whose quiet grace and regal bearing could only belong to the Luna.

When Kai moved toward the people seated on the right, I realized they must be his parents. Which meant... The man on the left had to be Ivy's father.

The moment I stepped fully into the room, I felt the air ripple with something I couldn't explain. An ancient, almost mystical energy brushed against my skin. The instinct buried deep inside me collided with the overwhelming wolf auras surrounding the table.

For one suspended moment, the tension felt almost visible. Every pair of eyes was on me. Measuring me. Studying me. Judging me. The silence didn't last long.

The Luna and Kai's mother rose from their seats and walked toward me. The instant I saw the warmth in the Luna's eyes -the unmistakable tenderness of a mother- the weight pressing against my shoulders eased.

She stopped in front of me and gently took my hands. "So we finally get to meet you, sweetheart." Her voice was soft, almost melodic. "I'm Luna Sienna."

The other woman smiled warmly beside her. "And I'm Beta Nova."

There was no hostility in their eyes. Only kindness. Only acceptance. Something inside me trembled.

The men remained where they were. Each greeted me with a respectful nod. They weren't cold. They weren't unfriendly. But they carried themselves with the careful restraint expected of leaders.

"Welcome, Bloom." The deep voice echoed through the room. "I'm Alpha Ronan."

"It's good to finally have you here. After everything that happened, we wanted the chance to get to know you better... and make sure you're safe."

He gestured toward the men seated beside him. "Beta Zane." Then toward the other side. "And Gamma Carter."

"It's nice to meet all of you," I replied, trying my best to hide the nervousness in my voice. "Thank you for inviting me."

They offered me a seat at the table. Once everyone had settled, Alpha Ronan drew a slow breath before speaking. "We owe you some answers, Bloom."

He folded his hands together on the table. "I'm sure you've been wondering why those rogues from the Northern Forest keep targeting you."

I nodded immediately. I was desperate to finally hear the missing pieces of the puzzle. "We've been receiving reports from all over the world," he began, "that rogue attacks have been increasing wherever hybrids have appeared."

His expression grew more serious. "But for some reason... the attacks in this region are far more frequent than anywhere else."

He met my eyes. "That's the real reason we relocated our pack here."

"We believe they're coming specifically for you."

"Do you know why?" I asked without hesitation.

Alpha Ronan exchanged a glance with Beta Zane and Gamma Carter before answering.

"We've found references in very old legends and myths."

He paused. "But Bloom..."

"We're going to be honest with you."

"We don't know whether any of those stories are actually true."

He shook his head. "We don't want to hide information from you."

"But we also don't want to fill your head with theories that could turn out to be nothing more than myths."

His voice softened. "If we're wrong, all we'd be doing is burdening you with fears you never needed to carry."

He held my gaze steadily. "And..."

"There needs to be real trust between us."

"Our history... our legends..."

He chose his words carefully. "We can't reveal everything before we've truly come to know one another."

A faint smile appeared on his face. "We'll earn your trust."

"And we ask for a little time to earn it."

"We're investigating this. As we learn more—and as that trust grows—we'll share everything with you."

I didn't know how to feel. Part of me was disappointed. I'd hoped to leave today with concrete answers. Instead...

I had even more questions. But I believed him. At least they weren't lying to me. That honesty counted for something. Before I could respond, Cassian leaned forward.

"I think Bloom should stay here at the pack house until we know exactly what we're dealing with."

His voice was firm. "It'll be much easier to keep her safe here."

"No."

The answer left my mouth before I could think twice. Every eye turned toward me. I took a steadying breath. "I'm... used to being alone."

I looked around the room.

"I don't know anyone here."

"I can't just leave my life behind and move in overnight."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cassian tighten his jaw. He clearly didn't like my answer. But instead of arguing... He offered another solution. "Then we'll compromise."

His tone left little room for negotiation. "After school, you'll come here every day."

"You'll get to know the pack."

"You'll have time to adjust to life here."

"And it'll be easier for us to protect you."

A small pause. "You'll only go home to sleep." Then he added, "But there's one condition."

"Ivy stays with you at the cabin."

Another wave of resistance rose inside me. I'd spent my entire life protecting my freedom. My space. The thought of having every part of my life rearranged made my chest tighten.

I opened my mouth, ready to refuse. Then I looked at Cassian. His icy blue eyes held mine. There was so much determination in them. So much urgency. So much desperate resolve to keep me safe... That the words caught in my throat. Even the stubborn part of me...

The part that hated giving in... Fell silent beneath the weight of his conviction. I let out a slow breath. Then I nodded. "...All right."

"I accept."

As I spoke those words, seated around that great oak table... I realized my life had just become intertwined with this pack.

And more than anyone else... With the man sitting across from me. There was no turning back now.