CHAPTER 1 - RENA'S POV
I woke up early that morning, before the sun even touched the windows. The air was crisp, cool, and filled with the scent of pine drifting from the forest outside. The pack house was still quiet — only the soft sounds of footsteps from the kitchen below told me that the omegas were already awake, preparing for the day.
As Luna, mornings were never truly mine. There was always something to plan, someone to guide, some issue waiting for my attention. But today felt different.
The ceremonies were coming up , the Alpha Council’s gathering, the mating vows, and the welcome feast for the elders who had returned after years away. Everything had to be perfect.
I dressed quickly, pulling my dark hair into a loose braid and wrapping a shawl over my shoulders. Carson was still asleep, his back turned. He’d come in late last night, smelling faintly of whiskey and the training grounds. I hesitated, watching him for a moment, but said nothing. We’d been distant lately — too many duties, too many late nights, too many unspoken things.
I left quietly and headed down the path toward Lia’s house.
Lia had been my best friend since our warrior training days. She’d married the Beta, Daren, years ago, and they had three children now. Their eldest, Mia, was no longer the little girl who used to chase butterflies around the pack yard — she’d grown into a stunning young woman with golden hair and eyes that sparkled like morning dew. Everyone adored her.
When I reached Lia’s porch, I knocked twice before stepping in.
“Rena!” Lia’s cheerful voice filled the air. She was at the counter, tying up a basket of fruit. “You’re early.”
I smiled and set my shawl aside. “You know me. If I start the day late, the elders will have my head before breakfast.”
She laughed and turned to hug me. “Still the same Luna who never rests. Come, have tea. You look tired.”
“I am,” I admitted, sitting by the table. “The ceremony plans are all over the place. The guest list doubled overnight. The Alpha wants more guards, the cooks want more supplies, and the tailors nearly bit each other’s heads off yesterday.”
Lia chuckled. “Typical pack chaos.”
A soft voice came from the hallway. “Mother, I can help Luna Rena if she needs anything.”
I turned and smiled as Mia appeared, wiping her hands on a cloth. Her golden hair was tied back, her pale blue dress simple but elegant.
“That’s kind of you, Mia,” I said. “You’ve grown so much. I remember when you used to sneak into my office just to play with my wolf pendant.”
Her cheeks flushed slightly. “That was a long time ago, Luna.”
I laughed softly. “You can call me Rena now. You’re not a pup anymore.”
Lia smiled proudly. “She’s been helping around the house a lot lately. Daren says she’s more responsible than most warriors.”
Mia grinned. “Someone has to keep things running while the men are busy showing off their claws.”
I raised a brow. “Careful, Mia. Words like that will get you challenged one day.”
She tilted her head, her tone playful but laced with something else , confidence, perhaps. “Maybe I wouldn’t mind. It might be fun to win.”
Lia rolled her eyes. “Ignore her, Rena. She’s been feeling bold lately.”
“I can see that,” I said, still smiling. “We could use some of that fire at the ceremony.”
We left the house a few minutes later, walking together toward the main road that led to the human town nearby. The air was light, and for the first time in days, I felt calm.
The forest around us was waking , birds singing, wolves training in the distance, the hum of pack life beginning to stir.
“So,” Lia said, carrying the shopping list in her hand, “tell me honestly ,are you nervous about the elders’ return?”
“Maybe a little,” I admitted. “They’ve been gone for years, and their expectations are... high. They still remember me as the girl who nearly burned the kitchen down during initiation week.”
Lia burst into laughter. “I remember that! You tried to cook for fifty warriors and forgot to remove the silver pot!”
“It wasn’t my finest moment,” I said with a chuckle. “But I’ve learned since then. This pack means everything to me, Lia. I just want everything to be perfect.”
She nodded, her smile softening. “It already is, Rena. You’re a good Luna. The best we’ve had.”
The words warmed my chest. I didn’t know then how much I’d hold onto that memory later , how much I’d need it.
At the supermarket, we split the list. Lia went for the supplies, and I took Mia to the next aisle for decorations and gifts. She walked beside me, her hands grazing over silk ribbons and carved trinkets.
“You must be excited,” I said lightly. “The Alpha’s ceremony is a big deal.”
She shrugged. “I suppose. But I think the real excitement is for you and Alpha Carson.”
I looked at her, surprised. “What do you mean?”
She smiled faintly. “You two make such a perfect pair. Everyone says the Moon Goddess blessed your bond.”
Something about her tone made me pause sweet on the surface, but with an undercurrent I couldn’t quite name.
“I hope that’s true,” I said carefully. “Bonds take work, Mia. They’re not just blessings; they’re choices.”
Her gaze flicked to me, unreadable. “Even when one of them stops choosing?”
I frowned. “What?”
She shook her head quickly. “Nothing, Luna.Just speaking generally.”
But I caught the look in her eyes, curious, sharp and calculating. It unsettled me, though I couldn’t say why.
By noon, we’d finished shopping and returned home. Lia invited me for lunch, but I declined, saying I had to meet the decorators at the hall. As I walked back, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.
Mia’s words lingered in my head. Even when one of them stops choosing?
When I reached the pack house, I found Carson outside with a few warriors. He looked tired, distracted. I approached quietly, and he didn’t notice until I touched his arm.
“Carson.”
He turned, startled, then smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Rena. You’ve been busy.”
“So have you,” I said softly. “You didn’t come home until late last night.”
“Training,” he said quickly. “We’ve had reports of rogues near the borders.”
I nodded, though something in his scent felt off ,not rogue musk, but something floral. Faint. Familiar.
“I’ll arrange extra patrols,” I said. “But be
careful, please.”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Of course.”
When I turned to leave, he called after me. “Rena… you know I trust you, right?”
The question caught me off guard. “Of course,” I said, smiling gently. “Why would you ask that?”
He looked away. “No reason. Just,things are changing. The elders returning, the new alliances... I just want to be sure we’re on the same side.”
“We always are,” I said.
He smiled faintly. “Good.”
That night, as I prepared the guest lists and reviewed the seating charts, I caught sight of the moon rising above the treetops,full, silver, and perfect.
Asha stirred inside me, restless again.
Something’s wrong, she whispered.
I frowned. “It’s just nerves.”
But even as I said it, the air outside shifted. The forest went silent.
And far in the distance, I thought I heard a wolf’s cry ,one that didn’t sound like it belonged to our pack.
