Chapter 7—Echoes Across the Border

Celeste's POV

Life at Ulfsang found a rhythm and I was starting to love it more than I expected to.

Mornings were the best part. Not because of anything particular, just because of how they felt, unhurried and warm, the kind of mornings I did not know I was missing until I started having them.

I was still in bed on a Tuesday, somewhere between asleep and not, when the door opened.

Mason leaned in the door frame, already dressed, watching me with that patient look of his that meant he was waiting for me to catch up with him.

"Morning," I said, voice still rough with sleep.

"There's a ceremony next week."

I pushed myself up onto my elbows. "What kind of ceremony?"

Jason appeared behind him, two cups in hand, and handed one over Mason's shoulder to me like this was a completely normal thing to do before I was even fully awake. "The kind where the entire pack finds out you're our Luna."

I wrapped both hands around the cup and looked between them. "You're making a public announcement?"

"We're finalising preparations today." Mason came in properly and sat on the edge of the bed. "Ulfsang needs to know who you are. It's time."

Something settled in my chest when he said it. The quiet kind of warmth that I kept waiting to get used to and never quite did.

"Thank you," I said. "Both of you. Genuinely."

Jason took the cup gently from my hands, set it on the nightstand, and tilted my chin up. "Don't thank us."

Before I could ask why, he kissed me. Slow and unhurried, the kind of kiss with no urgency behind it, and when he pulled back his thumb stayed at my jaw.

"You're our mate," he said simply. "This is just what we do."

Mason leaned in from the other side and I turned toward him and he kissed me too, unhurried the same way Jason was, like they silently agreed on a pace with nothing to do with the morning schedule.

I pulled back slightly, breathless. "I need to go to work."

"You have time," Jason said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I really don't."

Mason kissed my cheek. Then the corner of my mouth. "Five more minutes."

"Mason."

He smiled against my skin and did not stop.

"Five minutes," I said firmly, and immediately regretted it because Jason used those five minutes very well and by the time I actually looked at the clock I was already running behind.

I sat up properly. "Okay. I have to go. I'm serious."

Jason leaned back against the headboard looking entirely too comfortable. "We'll continue when you get back."

"That's not the motivation you think it is."

"Isn't it?" He raised an eyebrow.

I grabbed my phone and got up before either of them could say anything else. "Goodbye."

"Have a good day," Mason called after me, completely unbothered.

"Don't be late," Jason added, which was rich coming from him.

I closed the bathroom door on both of them and stood there for a second with my back against it, smiling at the ceiling like an idiot.

***

The drive to the city was forty minutes on a good day. My father's name lit up my phone screen at the twelve minute mark.

I answered on the second ring. "Dad."

"How's my girl?" His voice was the same as always, warm and steady, the kind that made you feel like everything was manageable.

"Good." I smiled at the road. "Really good, actually."

"Yeah? Tell me."

"It's better than I thought it would be. A lot better." I switched lanes, trying to find the right words. "Mason and Jason, they just make everything feel easy. Like I don't have to fight for anything. I didn't know it could feel like that."

"You deserve easy," he said. No elaboration, just that, and somehow it was enough.

"I know. I'm starting to actually believe that." I merged onto the main road and laughed a little. "The love feels unreal sometimes, Dad. Like I keep waiting for there to be a catch and there just isn't one."

He was quiet for a moment in the way he got when something landed well. "I'm glad, Celeste. That's all I ever wanted to hear."

"What about you? How's everything at home?"

"Business as usual. Nothing I can't manage." A pause. "I've been meaning to come out and see you properly. I'll sort something out soon."

"You don't have to wait for things to settle. You can just come."

"I know I can." There was a smile in his voice. "Are you doing alright for everything? Money, anything at all, just say the word."

"Dad. They won't even let me pay for my own petrol."

He laughed. "Good. That's how it should be. But listen to me. If anything happens, if you need me for any reason, you call. Doesn't matter what time."

"I will," I said. "I promise."

We stayed on for another few minutes, the easy kind of conversation that did not need to go anywhere. By the time I pulled into the car park and cut the engine I felt lighter than I did in a very long time and I sat with that for a second before getting out.

The office building was already busy when I got in. Most of my team were at their desks, the low hum of keyboards and phone calls filling the floor the way it always did by nine. Amaris was standing near the front with a folder in her hand and looked up the second the lift opened.

"You're late," she said. Not unkindly, just as a statement of fact.

"I know. I'm sorry." I dropped my bag at my desk and reached for the folder. "It won't happen again."

"I'll hold you to that." She handed it over with the look she always gave when she was not actually bothered but liked to keep people sharp. "Five new client files. All came in this morning, all from different packs across the territory. I need you to review each one before the eleven o'clock briefing and flag anything that looks complicated."

"Got it." I pulled out my chair.

She walked off and I sat down, pulled the folder open and started reading.

The first file was straightforward. The second too. I moved through them quickly, the way I always did when I was making up for lost time, and I was already reaching for the fourth when something on the page made my hand stop.

I turned back to the third file and looked again.

I read the name once. Blinked. Read it again slowly, like the second read might give me a different answer. Aiden Carter. Jayden Carter. Right there in black and white on a company client file like the universe thought my Tuesday needed more drama.

My hand went still on the page and something tightened in my chest with nothing to do with work at all.

I sat up straighter and looked across the open office at Amaris. "Why are these names in here?"

She turned from her desk. "Which names?"