All Chapters of THE LUNA'S SECOND DAWN: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

Elena Rivers pushed her thick glasses up her nose for the tenth time that evening. They never stayed one place, always sliding down whenever she bent over the stove, and tonight, she didn’t mind. Today was special, she'd been cooking for three hours straight. The kitchen smelled amazing - roasted lamb with rosemary, garlic mashed potatoes, and Damien's favourite chocolate cake cooling on the counter. The kitchen of the Silvermoon Pack house was massive, built to feed hundreds during pack gatherings. But tonight, Elena had claimed a small corner for herself. She'd spent the entire day preparing Damien's birthday dinner."Perfect," she whispered, arranging the plates just right. "He'll love this." The meat was golden brown, cooked exactly how Damien liked it. Medium-rare, seasoned with rosemary and thyme from the pack garden.Her oversized grey sweater hung loose on her thin frame as she moved around the dining room. She'd found their best dishes, the ones they'd gotten as wedding gifts

Three years ago, Elena nearly died, and Damien wasn't there.The memory hit her as she lay alone in their bed, Damien's side still empty at 3 AM. She pressed a hand to her stomach, remembering the pain, the fear, the desperate loneliness of that night.The contractions had started suddenly, two weeks before her due date. Elena had been alone in the house, Damien away on "important pack business." She'd tried to call him, but his phone went straight to voicemail."Please," she'd gasped to the pack doctor as another contraction ripped through her. "Please call my mate. I need him."Dr. Reynolds had looked uncomfortable. "The Alpha is... unreachable at the moment, Luna. But you're doing great."She wasn't doing great. Her wolf was too weak to help with the birth, leaving Elena to face the agony with only her human strength. Hours passed. The pain grew worse. Something was wrong - she could see it in the medical team's faces."We're losing too much blood," someone said."The pup is in dis

Morning sunlight filtered weakly through the curtains. Elena sat on the edge of the bed, her hands clasped so tightly that her knuckles turned white.The argument from the night before echoed in her mind. Every word. Every silence.She’d cried until dawn, and now her eyes burned, but all she could think was…maybe it’s not too late.“Maybe if I just… try again,” she whispered to herself. “If I’m calmer, kinder, he’ll listen this time.”Her reflection in the mirror looked pale, worn, and tired. But she forced a small, hopeful smile anyway. This is what good mates do. They fix things. They don’t give up.She picked out a soft blue dress and brushed her hair until it lay flat and neat. The colour reminded her of the early days of their bond, when Damien used to say her eyes looked like the morning sky.He hadn’t said that in years, but maybe tonight he would again.By evening, the pack house buzzed with noise. It was supposed to be a casual gathering…a celebration for new alliances but El

Elena woke up to pain. Not the sharp, stabbing kind from last night, but a deep, hollow ache that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once."You're finally awake," a gentle voice said.She turned her head slowly. An elderly woman sat beside her bed, wrinkled hands organizing medical supplies."Dr. Sarah?" Elena's voice came out as a croak."Here, drink this." The pack doctor helped her sit up and handed her a glass of water. "Small sips."The water felt like heaven on her raw throat. "How... how long have I been asleep?""Two days.""Two days?" Elena almost dropped the glass. "But I have to pack! Damien said I only have a week…""Shh, calm down." Dr. Sarah placed a weathered hand on Elena's shoulder. "You've been very ill. The rejection... it hit you harder than most.""Why?" Elena asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted to know.Dr. Sarah hesitated. "How can I explain this... When a true mate bond is rejected, it's like... like ripping a plant out by its roots. The deeper