SECRETS OF THE PAST

"Catherine, Catherine, Catherine. Ha ha ha! She's such a loser. How could she think that Kieran is her mate?"

"No!" Catherine screamed as she woke up, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. Her heart raced, and her skin felt clammy. She had just relived the same nightmare—the one replaying that awful night she was supposed to find her mate. A night she never wanted to remember, yet it haunted her dreams relentlessly.

She sat up, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She couldn’t fall back asleep. The fear of being dragged into another nightmare kept her wide awake. Tossing and turning in her sleeping bag, Catherine’s mind raced. After a while, she realized something was wrong.

Luca wasn’t in the tent.

Her heart pounded faster as anxiety bubbled in her chest. *Where could he have gone?* she wondered, scanning the tent as if expecting to see him hidden in the shadows.

Unable to ignore the growing sense of unease, she crawled out of the tent. Her eyes adjusted to the soft glow of the night. Though it wasn’t quite morning, the darkness had lightened, casting the forest in a surreal twilight. The full moon hung in the sky like a watchful guardian, and the stars still twinkled, refusing to fade just yet.

To her relief, she spotted Luca sitting a short distance away. He was alone, gazing up at the heavens as if deep in thought. His figure, framed by the soft moonlight, seemed almost serene. A small smile tugged at her lips, and she decided to join him.

She walked quietly toward him, the soft grass damp beneath her feet. When she reached him, she sat down beside him, close enough to feel his presence but not disturb his peace.

"You're awake?" Luca asked without turning, sensing her approach.

"Yeah," Catherine replied softly. "I couldn’t sleep."

"Me either. That’s why I came out here." His voice was calm, steady. "I usually find comfort in staring at the sky."

Catherine followed his gaze, taking in the vast, starry expanse above them. "Yeah," she murmured. "Anytime I look at the sky, I think of my late parents."

Luca finally turned to her, his eyes softening with empathy. "That must be painful," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I lost my mom too, when a rival pack attacked. Even though I was alpha, I couldn’t protect her."

Catherine’s eyes widened slightly. "You were the alpha of your pack?" she asked, surprise lacing her voice.

"Yeah," Luca admitted, his expression clouding over. "But I was one of the worst alphas in history."

Catherine frowned. "Why do you say that?"

Luca exhaled slowly, as if the weight of his past bore down on him. "Because... not only did I fail to save my mother, I couldn’t save my father either."

Her heart clenched as she listened. "I’m so sorry," she said softly, sensing the depth of his pain.

"After I became alpha," Luca continued, his voice tinged with regret, "my pack was ambushed by the Red Moon pack. It was a slaughter. My mother died that night, and so did many others. My father... he was consumed by grief and rage. He wanted vengeance, and I was right there with him. We prepared for battle, but in that fight... I lost everything. I lost my home, my pack... and my family."

His voice cracked, and Catherine’s chest tightened in response. "My father died saving me. He gave his life so that I could survive."

Catherine reached out, her hand brushing his arm. "I’m so sorry, Luca. Losing an entire pack... it’s unimaginable. But we have to find some light in all of this, don’t we?"

Luca’s eyes flicked toward her, searching for the answer. "What light?" he asked, his tone almost bitter.

"You found me," she said gently, offering a small, hopeful smile.

Luca’s lips twitched, the faintest hint of a smile breaking through. "Yeah," he agreed. "That’s right."

"Speaking of your training to shift and discover your abilities," Luca said, "we start today.

Catherine’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "Thanks, Luca! But… I thought we were supposed to wait until we reached your father’s hut. Why the change of plans?"

Luca’s expression grew serious again as he looked around the woods. "I realized something," he said, his voice low. "If you want to truly unlock your wolf, the best place to do it is here… in the wilderness. It’s raw, primal. It’s where your wolf will feel most alive."