Mated to the Lone wolf

The room Luna grew in was pretty equipped with everything a girl could hope for. But it was a cafe, a very pretty cage. The window was where she felt the happiest, always staring at the vast expanse if the forest wondering what the world held for her. She always had dreams of when she would be truly free, free to run, with her paws steadily hitting the ground, as the wind caressed her fur. That is if she ever got paws. The moon hung heavy above the treeline, fat and glowing, the way it always did on the nights she wished she could feel something stir beneath her skin. Most wolves her age had already wolfed out at sixteen. Some earlier. But at eighteen, Luna was still fully human when the moon rose, with nothing more than a silent scream in her blood reminding her she was supposed to be more. She sighed, sitting up and deciding not to feel sorry for herself. Her father’s voice drifted from the hall deep, authoritative, edged with the same worry he’d carried for years. “She’s asking again,” college, outside the pack her father's voice floated through the air right inside her room. Luna’s stomach tightened, nerves kicking in, she did not like how they talked about her like she was not in the room. There are good reputable collages in this state where we can watch and protect her. Her mother answered softly, “She just wants a normal life, Cassian. She’s never even stepped foot outside this territory.” “She is safe here,” her father snapped. “Out there, she’s she’s late. Vulnerable. Our world is not kind to wolves who haven’t come into themselves.” Luna closed her eyes, letting the frustration wash through her. She had memorized this argument. It was the same every time she asked to leave, to study, to breathe a little differently. Her room door creaked open. Her father filled the doorway, tall and broad-shouldered, the kind of presence that could quiet an entire pack with one look. His gaze softened when it landed on her, but it didn’t soften enough. “Luna,” he said. “We need to talk.” “I know,” she murmured, sitting up straighter on the bed. “College.” His jaw clenched. “You’re asking for too much.” She swallowed. “I’m asking for a life, Dad.” Cassian stepped fully inside, closing the door behind him. “You don’t understand the dangers outside this land.” “I don’t understand because I’ve never been allowed to see it,” Luna shot back. “Dad, I’m eighteen. Everyone else has found their path. Their wolves. Their mates. I’m still stuck behind these pack borders like a child who can’t be trusted.” Her father’s face shifted not angry, not sad, something in between. A kind of fear disguised as strength. “You are special, Luna,” he said quietly. “Born under a rare full moon. That means something. The elders believe” “I don’t care what they believe,” she whispered. “I just want to choose something for myself.” Before he could answer, a knock came at the door. Her mother stepped in, her expression softer than Cassian’s, her hands twisting in her apron like she already knew this would break someone’s heart. “Luna,” she said gently, “your cousin called.” Luna blinked. “Tessa? Why?” Her mother smiled faintly. “She… she’s going to the same college you applied to.” The air in Luna’s chest stilled. She turned to her father, eyes brightening with a spark she hadn’t felt in years. “Dad if Tessa’s going… I wouldn’t be alone. You trust her. She’s responsible, older, already wolfed out” Cassian exhaled, long and heavy. “Your cousin is a good wolf. She can watch you.” “Dad.” Luna leaned forward, heart pounding. “Please.” Silence stretched. Her mother placed a hand on Cassian’s arm. “Let her go,” she said softly. “Keeping her here won’t stop destiny. It might only push her further away.” Cassian closed his eyes for a long moment, then opened them with the weight of someone making a decision they weren’t ready for. “Fine,” he said finally. “You can go.” Luna let out a shaky breath, half–laughter, half–relief. “But,” he added, lifting a finger, “you follow our rules. You check in with us daily. You stay with Tessa. No wandering off alone. And if, if fate brings you close to someone you shouldn’t be near—” Luna frowned. “Someone I shouldn't be near?” Her father’s expression darkened, shadows gathering in the lines of his face. “There are rituals, Luna,” he said cryptically. “Sacred ones. Meant to protect you. Don’t make me use them.” A chill slid down her spine. Her mother stepped between them, forcing a lighter smile. “Let’s not ruin this moment,” she said. “Luna, pack your things. We leave at dawn.” Luna stood slowly, her hands trembling. She was going. She was really going. For the first time in her life, the world beyond their borders didn't look like a threat. It looked like a beginning. She turned back to the window one last time. The moon seemed to glow a little brighter, as if it were watching her, waiting. “Don’t worry,” she whispered to it. “I’ll find myself out there. Even if my wolf hasn’t found me yet.”