Chapter 11: Chapter 11

EVIE

“Molly, what’s the deal with Kira calling me Luna?” I questioned as we navigated the city streets.

“It’s just a term we use for the alpha’s mate,” she replied nonchalantly.

“But what does being the alpha’s mate entail?” I had a hunch that ~Luna~ was more than just a title.

“You don’t need to stress about that now.” Molly deflected.

“Molly…,” I whined.

“Seriously, Evie, it’s not crucial at the moment.”

I shot her a glare, and she let out a heavy sigh.

“All right, if you’re that curious, the Luna helps manage the pack, just like the alpha. She becomes his partner in every sense. An alpha is at his best when he has a Luna by his side.”

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Because the Luna is the only one who can temper the alpha. In that sense, the Luna outranks the alpha. The alpha’s command doesn’t affect the Luna, but the Luna’s command affects the alpha.”

I was clueless about what she meant, so I just stared at her.

“The alpha and the Luna have commanding voices that no one in the pack can dispute,” she clarified.

“Like when Noah made everyone leave the guesthouse yesterday,” I mused aloud.

“Exactly.” She agreed.

“I’m not cut out to be a leader,” I murmured to myself.

“I’ve told you, don’t worry about it now. When the time comes, the mate bond will guide you. You were chosen to be Noah’s mate, which means you were chosen to be a luna. You’re perfect for the role.” Molly’s tone was more serious than I’d ever heard it.

It was odd hearing her express such loyalty to the alpha, luna, and the pack. Honestly, it was a bit frightening. I’d never felt such loyalty to anything. I didn’t know what it was like to be obligated to serve someone. I wasn’t sure I was cut out for that kind of leadership.

“Plus, you don’t need to worry about being ~liked~. The pack will automatically adore you once they know you’re our luna. That’s just how it works,” Molly added.

“So, you blindly follow anyone, even a stranger?” I asked, taken aback.

“The Moon Goddess selects the alpha and the luna, and we trust our alpha to only accept the rightful luna. That’s all the assurance we need.” She shrugged.

“I won’t lie, Molly, that’s a bit unsettling,” I admitted.

“I figured it might be.” She chuckled as we pulled into a familiar parking lot.

“I didn’t realize we were coming back here,” I said.

“It’s pack land, not far from the pack house. Humans don’t venture here unless invited,” she explained, turning off the car.

“Why did you invite me here initially? Seems risky to invite humans to a werewolf gathering,” I queried.

“Because you’re the luna.” Molly shrugged.

“Molly,” I groaned in frustration, “you didn’t know that then.”

“But I did. Or at least Kira sensed it. She told me to invite you,” Molly revealed, stepping out of the car.

I quickly followed her.

“And you just went along with it?” I asked, surprised.

“It happens quite often. Our wolves have stronger instincts than we do, so when they suggest something, we follow.”

I shook my head at Molly. I envied her carefree approach to life.

“Where are we headed?” I asked as we approached the guesthouse. “And how did that door get fixed so quickly?” I pointed to the front door of the house.

“Beta Greyson repaired it after you left. It’s not the first time; don’t worry.” She chuckled, guiding me behind the house. “Kira prefers the woods.” She pointed toward the treeline behind the house.

“I’m not a fan,” I confessed, planting my feet firmly outside of the trees.

Molly turned around when she realized I was no longer following.

“Okay, I can shift just inside the treeline so I’m hidden if anyone comes out here,” Molly suggested, and I nodded in agreement.

“Ready?” she asked, and I nodded silently.

~No, not really.~

Molly’s eyes fluttered shut, and when they fluttered open again, it was Kira who was looking back at me. Both Molly and Kira shared a grin, their chests rising and falling with a deep, shared breath.

Suddenly, her back arched in a violent spasm, her body convulsing and twitching. The sound of her bones cracking echoed in the air as she dropped onto all fours. In the blink of an eye, fur sprouted from her skin, and a massive, white wolf took her place. Her eyes, now level with mine, belonged to a creature that towered over five feet tall.

I remained rooted to the spot, my gaze locked with the black eyes of Kira. I kept repeating to myself that this wolf was Kira and Molly, that she was kind, friendly, and safe. But I couldn’t shake off the memory of my last encounter with a wolf:

I stepped out of my house, eager to soak up the last rays of the afternoon sun. It was May in Massachusetts, and the warm weather was finally pushing back the cold. The sky was clear, and the sun’s heat on my skin was a comforting reminder of my home in Hawaii. I crossed the small deck and surveyed my backyard. A picket fence marked the boundary between my yard and the ominous woods beyond. The dark, unknown depths of the forest always filled me with unease.

I strained my eyes, trying to penetrate the darkness with the dying sunlight. I rubbed my eyes, questioning my vision. A pair of golden eyes seemed to be staring back at me. I gasped, my coffee cup slipping from my grasp and shattering on the ground, unnoticed. Suddenly, a large creature burst through the fence and charged across my yard.

Before I could react, I was standing toe-to-toe with the largest, darkest wolf I had ever seen. I was certain it was towering over me. I let out a scream, but it was abruptly cut off when the wolf reared up on its hind legs. It came crashing down, its paw slashing across my chest. I cried out as my torn shirt fell to the ground. I twisted away, trying to protect myself, but felt its claws rake down my back.

I remember the sensation of my body hitting the warm deck, the wolf’s golden eyes boring into mine. I remember thinking how familiar those eyes seemed, as if they were trying to communicate with me. The distant sound of screams filled the air, and then the wolf was gone. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital bed three months later.