CHAPTER 27: A LUNA'S HEART AND CLAWS

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I made my way to the front door, craving solitude. Being alone was familiar to me, and right now, I needed that quiet space. If anyone was outside, I assumed they’d be in the backyard. Peering cautiously through the door after opening it, I was relieved to find the porch empty. Stepping outside, I settled onto the swing and let myself sway gently.

It had been years since I’d last sat on a porch swing—not since the summer before I lost my family. Memories of that rented lakeside cabin in Tennessee surfaced as I spoke softly to Cece. On the second day of our two-week vacation, my son had broken his leg. Determined not to let him miss out, my daughter had brainstormed ways to keep him involved. Though he’d been looking forward to skiing and tubing, my son ended up loving driving the boat—something Connor had taught him.

A tear slipped free as I recalled that summer—our last together. I’d never imagined it would be the final one. Kelly had always been full of plans, listing destinations she longed to visit. Maybe, in her memory, I could ask my mates to join me on those trips someday.

“Kelly would love that,” encouraged Cece.

Pulling myself back to the present, I wiped away my tears and linked my mates, “I’m going to train with Summers.”

As I walked toward the training grounds, the sounds of laughter and chatter surrounded me. Pups darted around, playing as if the past five months of hardship had never happened—proof of how much strength family and community could provide. When they noticed me, they paused to wave, and a few even ran over for hugs.

One little boy, Jacob, shyly held out a flower. “Mama said to give it to you at dinner, but I wanted to now,” he admitted.

Giggling, I knelt in front of him. “Can you tuck it behind my ear?” With eager bouncing, he finally managed it. Then, eyes wide, he blurted, “Is it true you’re a tiger?” The other pups perked up.

 “Jacob, that is not a polite thing to ask,” his mother quickly scolded him.

I reassured her with a smile. “It’s all right. Kids always surprise you with what they say.” Turning back to Jacob, I teased, “Yes, I turn into a tiger. But you—with how fierce you are—I’d guess you’re a… dragon!”

He squealed with laughter. “No, I’m a wolf! A fierce one!”

“You’re right—wolves are the fiercest. Did you know the Alphas once saved my life?” I whispered conspiratorially.

Another boy, Jerrol, piped up, “They’re the bravest! I wanna be like them!”

I learned each pup’s name while they begged to see Cece, but I knew I had to leave. “I’m on my way to train right now, but if your parents say yes, I’ll introduce you to her later. She adores pups—acts like one herself sometimes.”

Jacob’s worried voice called after me, “Don’t hurt my flower while training!”

Hugging him, I promised, “I’ll take it out first so it stays safe.” With a final squeeze, I waved goodbye and headed to the training yard.

Summers and I arrived at the same time. “Since you’ve seen battle in the last 24-hours, let’s focus on weapons instead,” I suggested.

Summers agreed and grabbed a bow and a set of throwing knives. He was decent with the bow—after a few pointers from me, he was hitting bullseyes consistently. But when it came to throwing knives? Not so much.

I walked him through proper form, stance, and grip, emphasizing the importance of holding the knife correctly.

“First, find a knife that fits you,” I explained. “Not every blade suits everyone. As a beginner, it’s best to practice with the same set until you improve. Look for something durable and balanced. And yes, some knives dull faster—avoid those. For now, a dull edge is safer, but you still want a sharp point for effectiveness.” I gestured to the training closet. “Try a few until you find one that feels right.”

Once he’d picked his knives, I moved on to stance. “Stand sideways, feet shoulder-width apart, dominant foot forward for balance. Align your body and throwing arm with the target. And yes, this is the basic way—master this first, then we’ll work on throwing from different angles.”

After adjusting his posture, I demonstrated the grip and throwing motion. “It might feel awkward, but it works. Raise your arm, bend the elbow to eye level, keep your wrist locked, and swing forward smoothly. Just before full extension, release the knife—let it follow through naturally.”

Summers absorbed every word, asking questions as he practiced the motion repeatedly. Once his form was solid, he tried an actual throw—and nailed the target on his first try.

“Holy shit, did you see that? I hit it!” He bounced around like an excited kid, knives still in hand—which nearly gave me a heart attack—but thankfully, no accidents happened.

After a couple dozen throws, we switched to a game: tic-tac-toe with knives. If a throw stuck, we marked it with an ‘X’ or ‘O.’ At first, I gave him leeway if the knife landed in the general area, but as his aim improved, we stuck to strict rules.

We wrapped up in two hours. It had been an easy session—normally, we would’ve sparred with swords, but after the earlier rogue attack, I figured he’d had enough combat for one day.

As I gathered my bag and flower, Summers fell into step beside me. “Mind if I walk with you?”

“Sure,” I said.

The moment the pups spotted me, they came running, excitedly clamoring to see Cece.

“First, I need to speak with your parents. Could you bring them all here?” I asked, moving toward the group of gathered adults.

Once the pups’ parents had assembled, I addressed them. “Thank you for taking the time to come. As you’ve probably heard, I’m a tiger shifter—not just any tiger, but a white tiger. Cece has the kindest soul I’ve ever known. The pups would love to meet her, but only if you’re all comfortable with it.”

“Why wouldn’t we be, Luna?” Sherry asked from behind Jacob.

“Cece mentioned that some packs don’t accept other shifters. I wanted to check first so I wouldn’t offend anyone,” I admitted honestly.

“Oh, sweetheart, we have a retired bear warrior and his lioness mate. There’s also Jules, who’s bonded with another bear shifter,” the woman explained, gesturing to a pregnant lady nearby. “So you see, we don’t judge by species—only by loyalty to the pack.” She smiled warmly.

“Thank you. Would you mind introducing yourselves? I’d like to start learning everyone’s names. I can’t promise I’ll remember them all right away, so bear with me—but I’ll do my best.” Names had never been my strong suit, and I hoped they wouldn’t take it personally.

“Of course, dear! We only have to learn one name, while you’ve got 457 to memorize,” Sherry chuckled. “We met earlier, but I’m Sherry—Jacob’s mom.” One by one, the others introduced themselves and pointed out their pups.

“Alright, ready to see something amazing?” All nine pups nodded eagerly, their little heads bouncing. “Good! Then go stand by your parents so no one gets hurt.”

The pups dashed to their families in a blur of excitement. When I saw their wide, eager eyes fixed on me, I shifted.

This time, the shift was instant—no cracking bones, no pain. The moment I landed on all fours, I rolled onto my back, rubbing against the ground like an overgrown housecat, tongue lolling.

The pups squealed with laughter. Jacob was the first to charge at me, launching himself onto my fur, and the others quickly followed. Before I knew it, all nine were clambering over me, giggling. I rolled gently, sending them tumbling off in a heap, then sprang up with my hindquarters high and my head low—playfully wiggling my tail. The pups froze, watching.

Then I pounced.

They shrieked and scrambled back before bursting into laughter. “Again, again!” Millie begged.

I paused, letting the tension build, then took off in a wide circle before stopping seven feet away. Head down, tail up—another playful leap.

We kept this up for half an hour, until the Alphas charged in wolf form and tackled me, sending the pups into fresh peals of delight. I rose, and we chased each other in loops, the pups shouting directions like tiny referees.

Slow down. Let me get ahead—I’ve got an idea.

The Alphas held back. I bolted toward the pups and leapt clean over their heads.

“Whoooa!” Nine awestruck voices rang out as I landed behind them.

The game turned into a dance—the Alphas feinted left, I mirrored right; they went right, I countered left. Back and forth, until finally, I stepped carefully over the pups and settled atop them, making sure not to crush anyone.

They wriggled free, giggling, and I flopped onto my side, pretending to sleep. “Wake up!” they yelled. I jerked awake theatrically. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat—until my mates returned, now clothed.

“Alright, everyone—time to eat,” Dean announced, scooping up a pup and tossing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The kid shrieked with laughter, legs kicking.

The pups scattered—except one. A small figure sat on a chair, then stood, gripping crutches.

Ask her and her mom if she can ride on my back, I requested silently.

Luke nodded. Permission granted.

Jackie’s face lit up as Luke helped her onto my shoulders. Jacob sprinted over. “Whoa, Jackie! First kid ever to ride a tiger! Nice!” He held out a fist; she bumped it, beaming.

I walked slowly, Jason and Luke flanking me, her parents trailing with her crutches. The scent of grilled meat filled the air—Omegas were cooking outside. Approaching the patio, I made a show of licking my chops. The pups howled with laughter.

“Alright, mi alma—shift back,” Dean said, grinning.

Once Jackie was safely returned, I shifted. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd—this was their first time seeing me change without ending up naked.

“How…?” Stephanie, Jackie’s mom, gaped.

“Honestly, we don’t know either. Surprised us too,” I admitted.

I knelt beside Jacob. “Jacob, right?” I teased, as if unsure.

“You got it!” he cheered.

“Of course I remember. You gave me this.” I held up the flower he’d picked for me earlier. “I took it off so it wouldn’t get ruined—just like I promised. But now I need help putting it back.”

His smile could’ve powered the sun. As he fastened the bloom into my hair, I stood and addressed the crowd.

“Now that everyone’s here, I want to thank the Omegas for this amazing meal—it smells incredible.” I started clapping, and soon the whole group joined in, making the Omegas blush. Grinning at their shyness, I announced, “Alright, let’s eat!”

The pups and their parents went first, followed by the elders, then the rest of the pack, with the warriors last. As everyone served themselves, my mates and I mingled, answering questions. Dean handled home improvement inquiries, Luke discussed business matters, and Zane and Jason fielded questions about training and patrols.

Once the pups finished eating, Jason joined their games—honestly, he was just an oversized pup himself sometimes. I laughed, sharing the thought with Cece, who giggled in agreement.

A group of women approached me with their questions about designing the expansive garden. They presented a well-thought-out layout—the only thing missing was precise measurements. The plan included winding pathways and benches nestled among both flowers and vegetables, along with a dedicated orchard area for various fruit trees. We discussed the materials and skilled labor required to bring it all to life.

My mates eventually had to drag me away so I’d actually eat.

Zane shot me a warning look. “If you don’t go get food right now, I’m tossing you over my shoulder.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” I gasped, while the women stifled laughter.

“Try me,” he rumbled in that deep, irresistible growl of his.

I glanced at the women and jabbed a thumb toward Zane behind me. “With that attitude, someone’s not getting lucky tonight.”

His response was another growl as he spun me toward the buffet and delivered a swat to my backside, sending the women into fits of laughter—some even whistling and cheering. I threw them a thumbs-up over my shoulder, only to earn another playful smack.

After loading our plates, we found seats, and I rejoined the women’s conversation. Dean and Luke chimed in when financial or construction-related expertise was needed.

“Actually,” I told Luke, “I don’t want to hire an outside crew. I’d love for this to be a pack project—something we build together. The only thing we might need professional help with is the irrigation system, unless someone here has experience.”

The women nodded eagerly before an older man with silver hair and striking gray eyes spoke up. “Excuse me, Luna—I couldn’t help overhearing. I used to work in landscaping. I can draft a materials list and install a timed irrigation system that adjusts seasonally.”

“That’s perfect!” I grinned. “Could you have the list ready by the end of the week to these ladies? We’ll gather volunteers and make a supply run.” With a playful wink, I added, “Maybe teach the younger ones a thing or two about irrigation.”

He chuckled. “Happy to help. I’m Jack Bennett.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Jack,” I said, shaking his hand.

“And see that old grump over there?” Jack gestured to a white-haired man in overalls, who immediately shouted, “I ain’t old, Jack! You’re older than me!”

“By two days,” Jack shot back before turning to me. “Anyway, Bob’s a master carpenter. He could oversee the construction.”

Excited, I walked over to Bob’s table. “Bob, would you be willing to lead the garden build?”

“Absolutely, Luna!” he agreed with enthusiasm.

We chatted a while longer before the families began leaving, pups and mates in tow. After saying our goodbyes, we headed back—until I noticed the mess left behind.

“I’ll be up in a minute,” I told my mates, turning to help clean.

A few Omegas protested, but they fell silent at my look. I grabbed a trash bag and gathered discarded plates while the Omegas cleared the buffet.

“Luna, you really don’t have to do this,” Julie insisted.

“I know,” I said. “But you all worked hard feeding us—the least I can do is help clean up so you can rest sooner.”

She smiled softly. “The pack struck gold with you. Now go enjoy your night.” With a knowing wink, she shooed me off, and I laughed as I finally headed inside.