6: The Morning After

Juniper does not sleep.

She sits on the edge of her bed all night, watching the door. Every time she hears a floorboard creak or a distant sound from the forest, she flinches.

He is a wolf. The ones she's just read in books and watched in movies her entire life. The thoughts keeps looping in her brain. It explains everything. The speed, the strength, the way he knew her back door was broken. It even explains the strange "spark" she feels when he touches her. It isn't romance; it’s something primal.

When the sun finally rises, the estate is quiet. Juniper stands up, her joints stiff. She doesn't feel like a guest anymore. She feels like bait.

She unlocks her door and creeps down the hallway. She needs to find Alaric. She needs to hear him say it.

She finds him in the large study on the main floor. The room smells of old books and woodsmoke. Alaric is sitting behind a heavy desk, staring at a map. He looks exhausted. His hair is messy, and there is a small, fresh scratch on his cheek.

He looks up as she enters. For a second, his eyes soften, but then he sees the look on her face. He knows.

"You didn't stay away from the window," he says. His voice is flat.

"You’re one of them," Juniper says. She stays near the door, ready to run. "The thing in my garden. The thing that killed that dog... it was you."

Alaric sighs and leans back. "It was a wolf, Juniper. Not a dog."

"You turned into a wolf," she says, her voice rising. "I saw you! I saw you lead them into the woods. What is this place? Is everyone here a... a..."

"Werewolf," Alaric says the word clearly. He doesn't flinch. "Yes. Everyone on this estate belongs to the Iron-Wood Pack. I am their Alpha. It is my job to protect them. And right now, it is my job to protect you."

Juniper laughs, but it sounds shaky. "Protect me? You brought me into a house full of monsters! Vesper said I was a snack! Why would you bring a human here?"

Alaric stands up. He moves toward her, and instinctively, Juniper takes a step back. He stops immediately, a flash of pain crossing his face.

"I brought you here because you are my mate," he says.

The room goes silent.

"Your what?" Juniper asks.

"My mate," Alaric repeats. He takes a slow, careful step forward. "In my world, we don't just fall in love, Juniper. We are chosen by something deeper. My wolf recognized you the moment I saw you in the woods. That 'spark' you feel? That is the bond. You are meant to be the Luna of this pack."

"The Luna?" Juniper shakes her head. "No. No, I’m an herbalist. I grow peppermint and lavender. I don't lead packs of monsters. I don't even like dogs that much!"

"You liked me well enough when I was sleeping on your feet," Alaric points out. His voice is softer now.

"That was before I knew you could turn into a man and buy me my tea!" she yells. She’s pacing now, her hands flying. "This is insane. I want to go home. I’ll take my chances with the red-eyed things."

"The 'red-eyed things' are rogues," Alaric says, his voice turning cold again. "They are wolves who have lost their minds. They are hunting you because you smell like me. If you leave this house, they will tear you apart in minutes. Is that what you want?"

Juniper stops pacing. She looks at the scratch on his cheek. "Is that where you were last night? Hunting them?"

"I was making sure the area around your shop was clear," he admits. "But there are more coming. My people are angry, Juniper. They think having a human Luna makes us weak. Other packs will try to challenge me to get to you."

Juniper sinks into a leather chair. She feels small. "So I’m a target."

"You are my heart," Alaric says. He crosses the room and kneels in front of her. He doesn't touch her, but he is close enough that she can feel his heat. "I know this is terrifying. I know you didn't ask for this. But I will give my life to keep you safe. All I ask is that you stay here. Give me time to fix this."

Juniper looks into his amber eyes. She doesn't see a monster. She sees a man who is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Can I still go to the greenhouse?" she asks quietly.

Alaric lets out a breath he seems to have been holding for a century. "Yes. Torin will stay with you. And I’ve moved your orchids. They are being misted as we speak."

Juniper looks at him for a long time. "I'm still mad at you for lying."

"I know," Alaric says. A small, genuine smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. "But I'd rather you be mad at me and alive than happy and dead."

"Don't get sentimental," Juniper grumbles, though her heart is doing that strange fluttering thing again. "Just... stay away from my cat. He still thinks you're a giant dog."

Alaric chuckles, a deep, rich sound that vibrates through the room. "Deal."

As Juniper leaves the study to head to the greenhouse, she passes Torin in the hall. He gives her a sympathetic look.

"So, you figured it out, huh?" Torin asks.

"Hard to miss the giant wolf in the front yard, Torin," Juniper says.

"Look," Torin says, falling into step with her. "Alaric is a good man. But the Council... they are already meeting. They want to put you through the 'Trial of the Luna' to see if you're strong enough to stay."

Juniper stops. "The Trial of what?"

"It’s an old tradition," Torin says, his face turning serious. "Usually, only wolves do it. If you fail, the pack can legally demand that Alaric rejects the bond."

"And if he rejects it?"

Torin looks away. "An Alpha who rejects his mate loses his mind. And the mate... the mate usually doesn't survive the heartbreak."

Juniper feels a chill that has nothing to do with the morning air. She isn't just a guest. She is in a fight for her life, and she doesn't even know the rules.