“It’s too quiet.”I stood by the window in my temporary quarters, arms wrapped around my middle, whispering those words over and over to myself as the weight of the twins pressed low against my spine. The stars blinked above like they, too, were holding their breath. There was no wind, no birdsong. Just the heavy silence of something about to go terribly wrong.Then I heard it— three long howls, starting and ending the same way.It was the signal.It meant that rogues were now approaching us.Within seconds, the entire pack erupted.Boots pounded against wood. Doors slammed. Voices shouted. I grabbed my cloak and was already halfway down the stairs when Anna found me near the foyer.“Luna, you have to get to the shelters,” she said, gripping my arm.“No.” I yanked free. “I need to get to the command tent.”Just then, Lilith dashed down the stairs in a frenzy, clutching a small bag. “Let her be stupid as she pleases! Always wanting to be the hero!”She was gone in a second. No doubt
The chill of early morning clung to the air as we waited at the southern gate. A low mist curled across the gravel path like breath from the forest itself. I stood beside Sebastian, our shoulders just far enough apart to remind me that we were still worlds away from each other.He didn’t say a word. Neither did I.But my pulse thudded against my skin with every second that passed. Because this— what we were about to face— was no longer just a political worry or vague tension. It was a real war.Then I heard them.The low rumble of hooves and boots came first, and then I saw them: rows of North Ridge warriors, all in dark clothing and moving in unison. In front of them rode a tall, broad shouldered man with a quiet assurance in his posture. His dark armor clung to his body like it had been forged just for him. Alpha Killian.Sebastian stepped forward as Killian dismounted, a rare flicker of ease crossing his face. “Brother,” he said, reaching out his forearm. “You’re right on time.”
A week later, I stood in front of the mirror as Anna adjusted the silver-lined shoulder cape draped over my ceremonial dress. It was the same one Catherine had worn during her own Luna crowning— It was a beautiful deep red dress with silver jewels adorning it. “You look like a Queen,” Anna whispered. I didn’t feel like one. When I finally stepped out and saw the great hall bathed in silver light, lined with wolves from all corners of the territory, my breath caught. Sebastian stood already at the center of the circle, dressed in ceremonial black. He turned slowly as I approached, and for a moment, everything fell away— every wound and every betrayal. The air between us sparked. My wolf surged inside me, tail high, wnd whimpering with hope. ‘He’s still ours,’ she whispered again. And I hated how much I wanted to believe her. I forced myself to stay focused and the silence in the hall felt almost like a living thing. It crawled down the back of my neck and made the h
The drive back felt longer than it should have. Maybe it was the weight in my chest, or the way the air shifted the closer we got to Silverback territory. I could feel the pull of the pack bond again— a low hum beneath my skin, like the land itself remembered me.And the mate bond… the severed bond was making my chest start to hurt again the closer I got to Sebastian.I kept my eyes on my hands. My fingers rested protectively over my bump as the babies stirred softly inside me. My children… they were the only thing that mattered now.Catherine sat next to me in silence. She didn’t press. I was grateful for that. I didn’t think I could speak without something breaking loose in my throat.When we passed the outer gates, the guards looked stunned. Their eyes flickered between me and Catherine like they couldn’t believe I was really here.One of them bowed deeply. “Welcome home, Luna.”My stomach clenched at the word.Home.Was it still that?I said nothing as Catherine thanked them.The
CHAPTER 26I hadn’t slept since Sebastian left. I laid in the room I had grown up in, staring at the ceiling, counting the cracks that spread from the wooden beams like veins. My childhood bed felt too small now, like it couldn’t contain the weight of everything pressing down on my chest — the grief, confusion, anger, and above all, exhaustion.The wind howled softly through the old maple tree just outside the window. The room smelled faintly of old lilac and rosemary— my mother’s favorite potpourri— and it grounded me, even though my heart was still a battlefield.My hands instinctively curled over my swollen stomach, where my babies stirred quietly. Their presence was the only calm in the chaos, a pulsing reminder of why I was even here. Why I hadn’t gone back with Sebastian.I was so deep in thought and the knock on the door was so soft I almost thought I imagined it.“Alora?” came a voice, familiar and gentle, yet lined with tension. “May I come in?”I froze. That voice… It was C
Sebastian straightened up, trying to maintain his composure. "I’m here to take you home, Alora. It’s been long enough. The babies… they need to be in a stable environment. You haven’t even been to your checkups in a while."“Oh, so now you care about that?” I crossed my arms, glaring at Sebastian. "I’m not going anywhere with you. I’ve told you already. I’m staying here."My father looked between the two of us, his eyes narrowing. "What is this nonsense, Alora? Why are you refusing to go home?""I’m staying here because I want to, Dad. I need space. And if you also don’t want me here, then all you have to do is say the word. Sebastian has been nothing but trouble since he’s come into our lives. And why are you taking his side all of a sudden? Aren’t you supposed to be mad at him?"My father sighed. “I’m only thinking of what’s best for you, Alora. And that means putting our differences aside if that’s what it’ll take.”Sebastian's face tightened. "I came here to check on my wife and