Claimed as the Alpha's Second Luna

Chapter 10 The Moonstone

Annie's POV:

"No."

My answer just came out before I knew it.

Jasper's face didn't change, but something behind his eyes went still. He waited.

I pulled my arms around myself. "I need to think. I want to go pick up my son first."

He nodded. "Alright."

We walked the rest of the way in silence.

The path opened into a clearing ringed with wooden watchtowers.

Two warriors stood at the gate, spears crossed.

I stepped forward. "I'm here for my son, Jack. Luna Elena approved it."

The warriors didn't uncross their spears.

One of them looked me up and down.

"We got no orders about any Jack."

My stomach dropped.

Elena played me for a fool. She had promised to have someone let me know, but she didn't follow through.

"Check again." I kept my voice steady. "I spoke to her this morning. The Alpha approved it himself."

The warrior's expression didn't shift. "No orders, no entry."

Behind me, Jasper's voice cut in. "Move the spears."

Both warriors looked at him. The Beta.

They hesitated, then uncrossed their weapons and stepped aside.

Jasper walked past them without breaking stride, and I followed.

The training ground stretched out before us. A handful of boys sat in a loose circle near the far cabin, and in the middle of them I saw him.

"Jack."

He paused for a second, then threw himself into my arms like a playful little animal, his voice brimming with uncontrollable excitement.

"Mom! Did you come to watch me practice? Jasper said you were too busy to come, but I never expected you'd actually show up!"

I let him go and cupped his face, looking him over.

A little thinner, in good spirits.

"Show me what you learned," I said, working to sound normal.

Jack took two excited steps back and assumed a defensive stance. His movements were crisp and precise. Clearly, he'd received genuine professional combat training.

"Jasper taught me!" Jack said proudly, then lowered his voice like he was sharing a secret. "Mom, Luna Elena got me the best teacher! She said I'm talented and shouldn't waste it. She's been really nice to me."

My heart sank. Elena was winning my son over! She'd taken my child and was using fake kindness to win him over, making him rely on her.

And my foolish son had no idea what malice lay behind this woman's kind face, nor did he know what his mother had been through!

"Is that so?" I managed a smile. "You should thank Luna Elena, then."

"Yeah!" Jack nodded hard. "I even drew a picture for her. It's me and her and Alexander—"

"Jack," Jasper cut in, his tone sharper than usual. "Go inside and rest for a bit. I need to talk to your mother."

Jack hesitated, then nodded and ran into the cabin.

The door closed.

Jasper looked at me.

"He's fine. I checked. No injuries. He's eating well, sleeping well, and the training hasn't pushed past what he can handle."

"Thanks," I said quietly.

He was silent for a moment, as if making some kind of decision, then said in a deep voice,

"About tonight, Elena's arrangement. You don't have to go. I'll speak to her."

I looked up at him. "She won't accept that."

"Let me handle my sister," he said. "I'll take you and Jack home first."

On the way here, I kept wondering if he was a spy Elena had sent to keep tabs on me.

But now, this man kept helping me in every way. I couldn't figure out whose side he was really on.

"Thank you, Jasper."

He nodded. "Think about what I asked you on the road. When you've decided, tell me your answer."

Then he raised his voice toward the cabin. "Jack. Pack your things. You're going home with your mother."

The door flew open. Jack's face split into a grin. "Really?"

"Really."

The little guy let out a cheer and darted back inside. Less than a minute later, he came running out clutching his jacket, his chin held high with pride, and skillfully took my hand: "Let's go!"

All the way there, Jack chattered away like a happy little sparrow, excitedly demonstrating his daily combat training to me.

He also told me about a boy named Finn who could already partially transform his ears into those of a beast, and mentioned that there were lots of fish in the river behind the camp. We could go catch some together if we got the chance.

I responded gently, tightening my arm around him and feeling that familiar, soft weight in my embrace.

This feeling was simply blissful!

But Elena would never let tonight's incident slide. Tomorrow, or the day after at the latest, that crazy woman was bound to come after me to settle the score. I hoped Jasper would be able to take the brunt of it for me when the time came.

I freed my other hand and placed it on my still-flat stomach.

I was holding one child in my arms and carrying another inside me.

If Elena got her way, I'd lose both of them at once.

As we passed through the last patch of woods, it had grown completely dark. When we approached the pack's territory down the slope, I couldn't help but stop in my tracks.

The square was lit.

Torches burned along its edge, more than I had ever seen at once.

Nearly the entire pack had turned out; a dense crowd was surging restlessly toward the central wooden platform, the night breeze carrying the sound of hushed, anxious whispers.

But tonight wasn't even a gathering night!

"Mom?" Jack sensed something was wrong and his voice trembled slightly. "Why is everyone outside?"

"I don't know." I looked at Jasper. He was looking at the square too, his face unreadable.

"Come on," he said finally. "We can't stand here."

I held Jack's hand tightly as we walked down the slope.

As soon as we neared the edge of the crowd, a strong sense of danger instantly gripped my heart, just like a wild beast sensing the scent of blood before a storm. Something was wrong.

Sure enough, two guards suddenly pushed through the crowd and advanced straight toward me.

Jasper moved first. He stepped in front of me, one arm out, and the guards pulled up short.

"What is this about?" His voice was low. "You don't touch her."

The guard's eyes went from Jasper's face to mine and back, and he swallowed. "Beta Jasper. There has been a finding. We're under orders."

"Orders to do what?"

"Every woman of the pack is to assemble in the square." The guard's voice dropped.

"The moonstone on Healer Chloe's examination table indicated that someone was pregnant, but the pregnant person was not registered."