CHAPTER FIVE

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the forest as I stood at the edge of the Bloodmoon pack territory. My heart raced with a mix of anticipation and dread. This was my chance to uncover the truth about my past, about my children—the twins I had been told died five years ago. But now, I was here, a healer summoned by Alpha Kelvin, with a week to decide if I would become his future Luna.As I stepped into the clearing, memories of my childhood flooded back. My stepmother and stepsister had tormented me, their cruelty leaving scars deeper than any physical wound. They had made my life a living hell, and now they were gone, victims of a virus that had ravaged their lives. A part of me felt relief; they had not suffered as I had hoped. They did not deserve an easy death after all they had done.“Melissa?” A deep voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see Alpha Kayden approaching, his presence commanding. He looked different—more rugged and fierce than I remembered. But there was an intensity in his gaze that felt familiar.“Yes,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m here to help.”Kayden’s expression softened momentarily before anger flickered back in his eyes. “You’re the woman who abandoned her children,” he said coldly. “I don’t trust you.”His words cut deep, igniting a fire within me. “I didn’t abandon them! I was forced away!” I retorted, frustration boiling beneath the surface.He regarded me with a mixture of disdain and sorrow. “You’ll need to prove that you’re not the monster they say you are.”As the days passed, I immersed myself in my role as a healer, trying to mend both physical wounds and the emotional scars left behind by the virus that had ravaged this pack. The twins—my twins—were here, hidden among those I was meant to heal. But when I finally laid eyes on them, joy quickly turned to despair.“Who are you?” one of them asked, suspicion clouding their innocent eyes.“I’m your mother,” I said, voice trembling with emotion.They recoiled from me, faces twisted in disdain. “Stay away from us!” they shouted in unison.My heart shattered at their rejection. I had fought so hard to find them, only to be met with hatred. The memories of my past haunted me as I retreated to my room that night, tears streaming down my face. The pain of their words echoed in my mind.Just when I thought I couldn’t bear it any longer, Alpha Kelvin sought me out. His presence was magnetic; despite myself, I felt drawn to him.“Melissa,” he said softly, surprising me with his gentleness. “I know this is hard for you.”“Hard? You have no idea,” I replied bitterly. “I’m trying to win back my children’s love while facing the pains of my past.”Kelvin nodded, understanding flickering in his eyes. “You’re stronger than you think. But you need to show them your vulnerable side if you want their trust.”His words resonated with me, but vulnerability felt like weakness, a lesson I had learned all too well from my childhood.Days turned into nights as I continued my work within the Bloodmoon pack. The twins began to warm up to me slowly, but doubt lingered in their hearts, could they truly forgive their mother? Each encounter brought new challenges; each moment filled with longing and regret.One evening, while preparing herbal remedies in the clinic, Kelvin entered with an unusual seriousness etched across his face.“I need an answer,” he said firmly but gently. “Will you be my Luna?”My heart raced at his words. I felt an undeniable connection with him, a spark that ignited something deep within me, but could I really accept such a role?“I don’t know if I’m ready,” I admitted softly.“You don’t have to be perfect,” he reassured me. “You just need to be yourself.”Just as hope began to flicker within me, Alpha Kayden stormed in, anger radiating off him like heat from a fire.“What’s going on here?” he demanded, eyes darting between us.“Nothing,” I said quickly. “Just discussing pack matters.”Kayden’s gaze lingered on Kelvin before turning back to me. “You’re not here to play house with him. Remember your place.”The tension crackled in the air as Kayden’s protective instincts flared up. Yet beneath it all was an unspoken bond, a shared understanding of pain and loss.Days passed, and life returned to normal within Bloodmoon pack, until one fateful evening, everything changed.The twins approached me cautiously, their expressions conflicted. “We want to know the truth,” they said in unison.My heart raced as I gathered them close. “What do you mean?”“Did you really kill our father?” one of them asked, voice trembling with fear.“No!” I exclaimed, pain lacing my words. “I would never hurt anyone! Your father…he died because of circumstances beyond my control.”They looked at each other, uncertainty etched on their faces. “Then why did Evelyn say those things?”“Because she wanted to hurt me,” I admitted, tears brimming in my eyes. “She wanted you to hate me for what happened between us.”Slowly, their expressions softened as they processed my words. “We don’t want to hate you,” one twin whispered.In that moment of vulnerability, I felt a flicker of hope feel within my heart, a possibility that maybe I could mend our broken bond.But just as we began to bridge that gap, Kayden stormed in again, anger radiating off him like heat from a fire.“What did you tell them?” he demanded.“I told them the truth!” I shot back defensively.“They’re not ready for this!” he roared.“Maybe they deserve to know!” I countered fiercely.The argument escalated until it reached a boiling point, each word laced with pain and frustration. But amidst our conflict lay an undeniable chemistry that neither of us could ignore.As Kayden stormed out, I sank onto the floor, tears streaming down my cheeks. The weight of it all felt unbearable; I was caught between two worlds, the past that haunted me and the future that seemed so uncertain.Just as hope began to flicker within me again, Kayden interrupted once more, urgency filling his voice. “Melissa! You need to come quickly!”“What’s wrong?” I asked as panic surged through my veins.“The twins…they’re in danger!” he shouted as we rushed toward the clinic.When we arrived, chaos ensued, the twins were cornered by vicious wolves who had infiltrated the pack territory. Fear gripped me as I fought against my instincts to protect them.“Get behind me!” Kayden commanded as he positioned himself between the twins and the attackers.