Fate of the Lost Moon

Chapter 10

The early afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting soft light across the small sitting room as I fidgeted with my tea. Cassandra had asked to speak with me privately, and I couldn’t help but feel a spark of excitement. Ever since her announcement about finding her mate, she’d been practically glowing. My sister had always been ambitious, but the idea of her becoming Luna, leading our pack alongside Remus, was almost surreal.

Cassandra swept into the room, her posture confident, almost regal. She was dressed in a simple, cream-colored sweater and dark jeans, but somehow she made it look elegant, fitting of her soon-to-be title.

“Hey, Cass!” I greeted, grinning as I set down my mug. “What’s up?”

“Hi, Steph,” she replied, her voice warm but clipped. There was something in her tone—something serious and heavy, which set me on edge.

“You sounded like you had big news,” I continued, trying to lighten the atmosphere as I patted the seat next to me. “Please tell me it’s good!”

“It is,” she said, taking a seat but keeping an almost formal posture. “Steph, I wanted you to be the first to know. Remus and I have made plans for the future, and they’re official now. I’m going to be Luna by the end of the year.”

I beamed at her, feeling a rush of pride. “Cass, that’s incredible! I knew you’d be amazing at it.”

Her mouth curved into a smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Thank you. It’s what I’ve always wanted—to help lead the pack and make it stronger. But that’s… actually why I wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh?” My heart thumped with curiosity as I leaned forward, waiting for her to continue.

She paused, choosing her words carefully. “Stephanie… I need to know that I can trust every member of this pack to pull their weight. That means I need everyone in the pack to be strong, capable, and committed.” Her gaze sharpened slightly. “Including you.”

I straightened, a small sense of unease creeping into my excitement. “Of course, Cass. I’d do anything to help.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said, her voice taking on a harder edge. “But, Steph… if you don’t have your wolf by the time I take over as Luna, I’ll have to make some difficult decisions.”

I blinked, the words taking a moment to sink in. “What are you saying?”

“If you’re still wolfless,” she continued, her gaze unwavering, “I’m going to ask you to go live with Uncle Silas in Silverpine.”

The words were a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I couldn’t find my voice. “You… you want me to leave the pack?”

“It’s not about what I want, Steph,” she said, her tone growing colder. “It’s about what’s best for the pack. A wolfless member—especially the sister of the Luna—would weaken us. It would be a burden.”

The word stung, cutting deeper than I’d ever imagined. “A burden? Cassandra, I’m your sister!”

She sighed, looking away for a moment. “I know. And that’s why this is hard. But you have to understand the position I’m in. The pack looks up to me. I need to be an example of strength, and if my own sister can’t shift…”

I swallowed, the bitterness rising in my throat. “I can’t control when my wolf comes, Cass. You know that. It’s not something I asked for.”

“I know,” she replied, her voice softening slightly. “But there are expectations. Standards we have to uphold.”

“Standards? For our family?” I could hardly believe what I was hearing. The bond we’d shared all these years suddenly felt like it was slipping away, and the coldness in her eyes only reinforced that. “Cass, please. I want to stay here—with you, with our family.”

She gave a slight shake of her head, a flash of irritation crossing her face. “I’m not doing this to hurt you, Steph. I’m doing it because it’s necessary. Silverpine would be a good place for you—a fresh start, away from the pressure. You’ll be safe with Uncle Silas.”

“Safe?” I almost laughed, bitterness twisting in my stomach. “You’re making it sound like I’m some kind of threat.”

“Not a threat,” she corrected, “but a weakness. I can’t afford that, Steph. Not as Luna.”

The words left a hollow ache in my chest, and I stared at her, struggling to keep my voice steady. “You’re talking about me like I’m just some… inconvenience.”

She sighed, standing up and adjusting her sweater. “This isn’t easy for me either. But I have to think of the pack. I’m sorry, Steph, but I won’t have any other choice if you don’t have your wolf by the time I take over.”

Before I could reply, she turned and left the room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway until the sound faded completely. I sat in stunned silence, her words replaying in my mind, each one hitting harder than the last.

Wolfless. Burden. Weakness.

I stayed there, my fingers gripping the fabric of my jeans, feeling like the walls were closing in on me. My mind raced, searching for a solution, a way out. I didn’t want to go to Silverpine. I didn’t want to leave my family, even if Uncle Silas was kind. This was my home.

Finally, I stood up, heart pounding as I made my way down the hallway to my father’s office. If anyone could help me, it was him.

I knocked on the door, and his deep voice called from within. “Come in.”

Pushing open the door, I stepped inside to find my father seated at his desk, a stack of paperwork in front of him. He looked up, his eyes softening when he saw me.

“Stephanie,” he greeted, setting down his pen. “What brings you here?”

I bit my lip, closing the door behind me as I stepped in. “Dad, I… I talked to Cassandra, and she… she told me some things that I didn’t really expect.”

He looked at me, his brow furrowing. “Go on. What did she say?”

I shifted, feeling the rawness of it settle into my bones. “She told me that if I don’t have my wolf by the time she’s Luna… she’ll ask me to leave. To go live with Uncle Silas in Silverpine.”

My father’s eyes widened, surprise flashing across his face. “She said that?”

I nodded, feeling the tears start to prick at the corners of my eyes. “She said it’s what’s best for the pack. That a wolfless member would weaken them, and that she couldn’t have people questioning her leadership because of me.”

He stared at me, the crease between his brows deepening. “Stephanie… I’m sorry. I truly am. But I think you might have misunderstood her.”

I shook my head, crossing my arms tightly. “Dad, she was really clear about it. She told me that I was a burden to the pack. And that if I don’t get my wolf, she’d… she’d send me away.”

He sighed, looking off into the distance for a moment before turning back to me. “I know your sister, Stephanie. Cassandra can be intense, especially under pressure, but I doubt she’d mean something so drastic. She probably wanted you to know there were options—alternatives to being here if things got difficult. She doesn’t want to lose you.”

I bit my lip, a small seed of doubt forming. Had I really misunderstood her? But the chill in her voice, the finality of her words—it had seemed so real, so harsh.

“But… if she really meant that,” I ventured quietly, “what would I do?”

He reached across the desk to take my hand, his grip warm and reassuring. “You don’t need to worry, Stephanie. You’re a part of this family, no matter what happens. And we’ll figure out a way to keep you safe and close, wolf or no wolf. I’ll make sure of it.”

I nodded, trying to take comfort in his words, but the hurt lingered. “I just… I want to stay here, Dad. I don’t want to leave. Not if there’s another way.”

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze, his expression firm. “Then you’ll stay here. This is your home.”

I offered a small, wavering smile, feeling a bit of the tension ease from my shoulders. As I left his office, his words echoed in my mind, a promise I clung to in the face of the lingering uncertainty.

But as much as I wanted to believe him, Cassandra’s coldness replayed in my mind, casting shadows over the hope. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that, for Cassandra, this might already be settled. As I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of my father’s face, his expression unreadable. The weight of his gaze followed me as I walked out, and a chill settled over me.