LOGINThe first cry shattered the quiet. I froze, my heart pounding, and my palms slick with sweat. Then came the second wail, higher, lighter, and it pulled something deep out of me. Something raw and wild and new.“They’re here,” Nana Lolita whispered behind her mask, tears shimmering in her eyes.I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move, only breathe, and listen. Reule’s hand found mine, trembling just slightly. I glanced up at him, stunned to find tears streaking his cheeks. The Alpha, the feared, the relentless, was now crying like a man who had just seen the stars up close for the first time.“We have two healthy pups,” the healer announced. “A boy and a girl.”The air in the room shifted. Reule let out a strangled sound. I laughed, sobbing, broken, and elated. The healer brought them to us one by one, swaddled in soft cream blankets. I held our daughter first. She had a full head of thick, dark hair and Reule’s tiny frown.“She’s judging the world already,” I whispered.“She’s you,” Reule
The scent of roasted garlic hit me like a punch to the stomach. I was mid-stir at the stove, trying to be helpful for once in the kitchen when the nausea slammed into me. My knees buckled, and I dropped the spoon with a clatter, one hand flying to my mouth as I sprinted toward the sink.Behind me, Adriana’s voice floated in, far too cheerful for someone witnessing my demise. “That sounded dramatic. Should I grab a bucket or a priest?”I groaned over the sink, willing my stomach to behave. “Neither. Just… kill me quickly.”Adriana leaned against the counter, biting into an apple like we weren’t seconds away from me vomiting again. “You’ve been sick three mornings this week. And now mid-afternoon. Something you want to share with the class?”“It’s just something I ate,” I muttered.“Uh-huh.” She took another bite. “Or maybe it’s someone you mated.”I turned slowly. “That’s a very inappropriate accusation.”She grinned. “Not when you’re glowing.”“I’m not glowing. I’m sweaty and p
They dressed me in silence. Nana Lolita’s fingers were steady as she fastened the back of my gown, smoothing the silk across my spine. Adriana stood behind her, holding a pale veil that shimmered like stardust. My breath fogged the mirror in front of me, and still, I didn’t move.“You don’t have to be nervous, but if you are, it’s allowed," Nana Lolita said gently.“I’m not scared,” I whispered.“Then what is it?”“I just… want to remember every second of this.”Adriana placed the circle atop my head, her smile reflected beside mine. “You will. We all will.”The gown felt lighter than it looked. The fabric floated around my legs like the wind, and the moon embroidery across the sleeves glowed faintly under the candlelight. But it wasn’t the dress that made me feel different. It was the mark this night would leave. The night I became his.—They guided me out of the house, past rows of flickering lanterns, down a trail lined with white petals. The entire pack waited in the clearing. Th
I held the sealed envelope between my fingers, its edges still warm from the messenger’s hand. A single word had been scrawled on the front in slanted script:Luna.My breath caught as I traced the ink. The title felt surreal, new, like I hadn’t quite earned it, but the whole pack already believed I had.“Open it,” Reule said, his voice low, eyes still locked on the letter like it might explode.I slipped a finger under the seal and peeled it open slowly. Inside was a simple note, handwritten in delicate penmanship:Luna Wren,Your mating ritual robe is ready.It awaits you in the greenhouse. —N.L.My brow furrowed. “N.L.?”Reule stepped closer. “Nana Lolita.”Of course. My heart eased.“She could’ve just told me,” I muttered, trying to hide how touched I felt.Reule chuckled. “That’s her way. She likes theatrics when she’s proud. And tonight, she’s more than proud.”I held the note to my chest, the moment sinking in. I was really going to become his mate and his Luna.“We’ll have
The night air buzzed with celebration. Lanterns hung from the trees, casting a soft amber glow over the pack grounds. Laughter echoed around me as members of the Gray Pack danced barefoot in the grass, their joy contagious. Smoke curled from the grills, mixing with the scent of roasted meat and sweet herbs. The sound of drums beat in time with the thrum in my chest.And yet, all I could focus on was him. Reule stood near the bonfire, dressed in black, but not his usual; he looked regal. A black button-up shirt that clung to his frame, sleeves rolled just enough to expose the veins in his forearms. His hair was slicked back, and stormy eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on me.“Stop staring,” Adriana teased as she handed me a cup of warm cider.“I wasn’t staring,” I said, too fast.“You kind of were.”I nudged her with my elbow. “You’re imagining things.”“No, I’m not,” she said with a smirk. “And neither is he. He’s been watching you all night like he’s memorizing you.”I sipp
The eastern clearing had never looked more alive. Lanterns swayed from tree branches, casting pools of golden light on the packed earth below. A breeze danced through the pines, lifting the scent of roasted meat and crushed herbs. Everywhere I turned, I saw the people I’d been trying to belong to gathered in clusters, eyes lifted to the sky, awaiting the rise of the full moon.And me? I stood just behind the ritual stone, my heart rattling inside my chest like it wanted to escape before I made a fool of myself. I wore no armor tonight, no cloak to hide behind, but just a simple silver-threaded robe that brushed my ankles, bound at the waist with a thin sash. My hair had been left down, curling in dark waves over my shoulders. Nothing about me screamed power, yet I could feel the weight of the entire pack pressing down on me.The elders stood at the edge of the circle. Marla’s expression was unreadable. Elias, beside her, gave a small nod. Reule stood farther back, arms folded, eyes lo
The forest pressed heavily against Reule’s senses. Damp moss, old stone, the distant crackle of broken twigs under careless feet. He inhaled sharply. Beneath the noise and the scents, he caught a faint Wren's smell. He jerked his chin toward Landon, who crouched a few yards away, weapons ready.“Sh
The sun broke through the trees as the black SUV roared down the final stretch of road. Yannis barely glanced at the rearview mirror. His focus was forward, on what was waiting back at the Gray Pack's estate. He couldn't help but be excited about his wedding. Beside him, Landon rode with his usual
Mud kicked up behind the tires as the black SUV thundered down the narrow forest road. Pines blurred past, tall and silent under a cloud-thick sky. The air was heavy with tension and damp magic.Yannis sat at the wheel, quiet and focused, with a faint line between his brows. Landon rode shotgun, ar
The courtyard was quiet. Only the wind moved, dragging dried leaves across the stone floor like ghosts whispering secrets. The pack knew better than to linger. They’d scattered without a word when Reule’s voice echoed through the house cold and sharp: “Send Lila to me. Now.”He stood in the center,







