Born To Be More

Who am I

Raine

He loves me?

What the actual f**k?

My brain short-circuits. I mean, I know I’ve got feelings for him—deep ones—but love? Already? That word hits like a slap and a kiss all at once. I never even wanted a boyfriend. I wanted an adventure.

Well, I sure as hell got one. A big, broody, possessive alpha adventure… with a damn mansion and a wolf for a boyfriend.

I can’t speak, so I nod instead. It’s all I’ve got. Max pulls me into his arms, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. The heat between us quiets into something steadier. Safer.

After getting dressed, we head down for breakfast. The moment we walk into the dining area, I feel all eyes shift toward me. Max’s parents are already seated, watching me with a mix of concern and something else I can’t name. Max nudges me gently toward the long table.

The place is packed. Where the hell did all these people come from? Who feeds them all?

“Max,” I lean toward him, whispering, “who the hell cooks for this army?”

He chuckles, that deep rumble I’ve already come to recognize. “That would be Georgina. We call her Georgie. She’s been running the kitchen longer than I’ve been Alpha. Tough as nails but has a heart of gold.”

Just then, several girls stream out of the kitchen, carrying trays that could feed a small country. My eyes bug out—pancakes stacked high, crispy bacon, fluffy eggs, warm biscuits, muffins, fruit, yogurt, toast. It smells like heaven dipped in maple syrup.

“This looks amazing,” I say.

Max smiles, looking pleased—and maybe a little proud.

A young girl with a high ponytail and too much bounce in her step sets a steaming mug down in front of me.

“Coffee with creamer, Luna. Just how you like it.” She beams at me and practically skips off before I can thank her.

I blink. "Luna?"

Max just sips his coffee, smirking like he didn’t hear a damn thing.

“Did she just call me Luna, Max?” I ask quietly, keeping my voice low enough that the entire pack dining room doesn’t hear me panic.

Max doesn’t even blink. “Yes. Out of respect. I’m the Alpha, and I’ve never brought a woman to this table as my mate. Naturally, they assume you’re their Luna.”

I freeze, the mug halfway to my lips. “What exactly is a Luna?” I whisper.

His eyes soften. “She’s the heart of the pack. Their queen. The one who stands beside me, supports and protects our people, loves them, guides them. The Luna is everything.”

Everything.

I stare at him, then glance down at the mug in my hands. “I’m going to need way more coffee to get through this.”

Apparently, I say it out loud because both Max and Rion start laughing like it’s the funniest damn thing they’ve heard all morning.

“Shut it, you two,” I mutter, and take a long sip of coffee. This only makes them laugh harder.

God. Damn. Men.

I catch movement across the room and glance up—two women, both stunning in that polished, I-eat-other-women-for-breakfast kind of way, are glaring at me like I just kicked their puppies.

“Max,” I whisper, nudging him with my elbow. He leans down toward me. “Who s**t in their Coco Pops this morning?” I murmur, jerking my chin toward the end of the table.

He follows my gaze, barely concealing a smirk as he lifts his coffee cup. One glance at the women and he chokes into his drink, trying not to laugh. I watch as he lifts a brow in their direction.

Instantly, the glares are gone—replaced by syrupy sweet smiles and fluttery lashes.

I roll my eyes. Of course.

Rion stands and casually strolls over to their end of the table. Whatever he says makes their smiles tighten, and after a few tense nods, they grab their plates and leave.

Rion returns, smug. “Apparently, someone did s**t in their breakfast,” he says, deadpan.

Max loses it—coffee nearly goes flying. I can’t help but burst out laughing, though I’m still a little embarrassed by the attention.

Rion just winks. “Welcome to pack life.”

“Raine, darling,” Katherine says warmly, “I hope you’ll give us all a chance, honey. We really want you to feel at home here. I’d love to get to know you better—I always wanted a daughter, but I got stuck with these boys, and none of them have mated yet!” She shoots a pointed look at Max, who groans and shakes his head.

My heart tugs unexpectedly. I’ve never been welcomed into a family like this—never had anyone fuss over me like she does. It’s… wonderful.

“Thank you, Katherine,” I say honestly. “You’ve all made me feel so welcome. This place is truly beautiful.”

After breakfast, Max and I head out to see the doctor. As we walk through the pack grounds, I glance around, taking in the people, the buildings, the rhythm of life here. Nothing seems strange—just peaceful and alive, like a tight-knit community.

Then something shifts.

We round a corner, and I stop dead in my tracks. Max halts beside me instantly.

“Angel? What is it?” he asks, concern flickering in his eyes.

I stare at the view ahead—the way the buildings sit against the slope of the land, the curve of the path, the scent of damp earth. It’s not just beautiful.

It’s familiar.

“I… this reminds me of somewhere,” I murmur. “Of dreams I had as a child. Growing up in the village back home in New Zealand.”

Max tilts his head, watching me carefully.

“I think…” I swallow. “I think I’ll talk it over with the doctor.”

He nods silently, but I feel his grip on my hand tighten.

Why does it feel like I know this place?

Not just like I’ve been here before, but like it’s home. And that’s the weird part—I don’t really remember home. Not clearly. Just flickers, like snapshots caught between sleep and waking. A lake. Snow on pine branches. Laughter echoing through trees. It’s like pieces of a puzzle are slowly clicking together in my head.

Max and I walk into what can only be described as a state-of-the-art hospital. Honestly, I’m not even surprised—everything in this place feels like it belongs in a magazine spread or a futuristic village.

A woman behind the reception desk greets us. “Alpha, what can I do for you?”

Max nods. “Raine has an appointment with Doctor Stuart.”

“Of course,” she says brightly. “I’ll page him now.”

“No need, Julia. I’m already here,” comes a calm voice from behind the desk. A man in his early forties steps forward, well-built with silver at his temples and kind eyes. “Alpha linked me you were on your way.” His gaze shifts to me. “You must be Raine. We’ve heard so much about you.”

I nod and offer a polite smile. “Nice to meet you.”

“Come on through,” he says, gesturing for me to follow him down a sleek hallway.

“I’m Doctor Stuart. Max said you’ve been feeling a little off, so let’s take a look and see what’s going on,” he says as we enter a private exam room.

“Thank you, Doctor Stuart.”

He gives me a kind look and then turns to Max. “Alpha, I mean no disrespect—but I’d like to speak with Miss Marshall alone.”

Max's jaw tenses. “Doc, I’ll stay if Raine wants me to.”

I place a hand gently on Max’s arm. “I’ll be okay, Max. Thank you.”

He pulls me into a brief hug, pressing a kiss to my temple. “I’ll be right outside, Angel.”

As the door clicks shut behind him, I glance back at the doctor.

“Thank you,” I murmur.

He nods. “Of course. You can call me Doc, by the way. We’re pretty informal around here.”

“Thanks, Doc.”

He motions to the chair across from him. “So, Raine… why don’t you start by telling me what’s been going on? Anything you’re feeling—physically or otherwise.”

I hesitate, not sure where to even begin.

Because how do you tell a doctor that you're burning up at night, dreaming about places you've never seen—but that somehow feel like home?

“I woke up last night feeling feverish and achy,” I began, trying to keep my voice steady. “I couldn’t cool down until I had some water and went outside. Earlier in the day, I kind of… blanked out. I was leaning against a tree and then—suddenly—I felt this rush of energy, like pure adrenaline. And, well… excited. Like, really excited.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “I feel all over the place emotionally.”

Doc nodded calmly, grabbing a thermometer. “Alright, let’s start with your temp.”

He moved around to take the reading. “Okay, you’re running warm, but it’s not dangerously high. Just a little elevated. Was that just yesterday, or have you felt like this before?”

“Last night was the worst of it,” I said, “but honestly… I’ve been feeling off for about a month.”

Doc arched a brow and picked up his tablet. “Off how?”

I sighed, already regretting saying anything. This was going to sound crazy. He was going to admit me. To wolf psych ward.

“Well, by ‘off,’ I mean I’ve had these weird aches—mostly in my arms and legs. I’m not sleeping well. I keep having really vivid, sometimes bizarre dreams.”

Doc didn’t interrupt, just jotted something down and gave a slight nod.

“And… I hear voices,” I added quietly, heart thumping. “Not all the time, just... echoes, or whispers I can’t quite make out. Sometimes I lose my balance. It’s like I’m not fully in my body, like I’m watching myself from outside. And lately—I don’t know—I’ve been getting flashes. Memories, I think. From when I was little. But they don’t make sense yet.”

“Hm,” he murmured, scribbling a few notes with a thoughtful frown.

I bit my lip, expecting a padded room and an IV drip next.

Instead, he nodded. “Okay, Raine. Thank you for being honest. I’d like to run a couple of non-invasive scans—nothing painful—and I’ll also have one of the nurses come in to draw some bloods. Just a baseline to start with.”

I exhaled. “Okay. Yeah. That sounds good.”

He offered a small smile. “You’re doing great. And whatever’s going on—we’re going to get answers, alright?”

After a few moments, I followed Doc into an adjoining room—bright, sterile, and humming with quiet energy. There was a large machine in the center, some kind of scanner that looked like an advanced X-ray or MRI setup.

“So, Raine,” Doc said, gesturing toward a small changing area off to the side, “I’ll need you to change into a gown. One of the nurses will meet us back here shortly, and we’ll run a couple of scans. Nothing painful, just a few images to get us started. We’ll figure this out—I’m sure of it.”

I nodded and headed into the little room.

Okay, so here’s the thing.

Anytime you’re asked to put on one of these gowns, the same question always pops into my head: Is this a panties-on or panties-off situation? Seriously, there should be a guidebook for this. I smirked at myself and decided to play it safe—panties on.

The gown was the typical scratchy fabric with questionable coverage, but I slipped it over my head anyway and stepped back out into the main room.

Doc and a nurse were waiting for me as I walked back in.

“Hi Raine,” the nurse said warmly. “I’m Michelle. I’ll assist Doc with the scan, and then I’d like to take some blood if that’s okay with you?”

“Yes, that’s great. Thanks, Michelle,” I replied with a small smile.

“Okay, Raine, let’s get you up on the table,” Doc said. “It’s simple—the scanner will move above you and take some images, kind of like an x-ray.”

I nodded and climbed up carefully, doing my best not to flash either of them my ass—even though the thin gown and lace panties weren’t doing much to preserve my modesty. Classy, Raine. Real classy.

I lay back as the machine started its slow, steady hum. The scanner slid overhead, and I couldn’t help but glance at the wall-mounted monitors where the images started to appear. Bones, soft tissue, who-knows-what-else.

Before it reached my head, Michelle gently covered my eyes with a soft cloth. “Just so the light doesn’t bother you,” she said.

“Appreciate it,” I mumbled, thankful not to be blinded by whatever alien tech they were using.

A few minutes later, the scanner clicked off and slid away.

“All done,” Michelle said cheerfully. “Let’s sit you up and grab those bloods, then we’ll get you back to Doc’s office.”

“Perfect,” I said, exhaling with a shaky laugh. “That was actually less terrifying than I thought.”

I headed back into Doc’s office, feeling slightly more human now that I had clothes on again. I slid into the seat across from his desk just as he walked in behind me.

“Raine, let’s go over your history a little, okay?” he said, settling into his chair. “Then we’ll talk about what we found. Max is pacing the hallway like a caged wolf, and I’d like to give him answers before he starts clawing through my door.”

I smiled despite myself. Of course Max was out there losing his mind.

“Tell me a bit about your childhood,” Doc continued. “Where did you grow up?”

I sighed and rubbed my palms on my thighs. “I… don’t remember much. My parents died when I was really young, and everything from back then is kind of… fuzzy. What I do remember feels jumbled, like someone messed with the pieces of a puzzle.”

“Do you know where you were raised?” he asked.

“New Zealand,” I said. “In a small community, kind of like this one, actually. That’s probably why this place feels weirdly familiar. Like… home, but not quite.”

Doc nodded, his expression thoughtful. “You might be onto something. Tell me about these dreams you’ve been having.”

I hesitated, biting my lip. “That’s the problem. I don’t know what’s a dream and what’s a memory anymore. I remember running through the woods with my parents, being part of this tight-knit group where everyone knew everyone. But now that I know what Max is... I keep wondering if my brain is just filling in blanks.”

I paused, staring down at my hands.

“I’ve dreamed of wolves,” I said quietly. “But it doesn’t feel like just a dream, Doc. It feels... real. Like echoes of something I lived. And now, with everything happening, I feel like I’m losing it.”

He jotted something down in his notes, then looked up at me with a calm, measured expression.

“I don’t think you’re losing it, Raine. Although I imagine it feels that way after discovering your boyfriend turns into a wolf.” He offered a wry smile. “But the truth is, there are many things in this world we can’t explain. That doesn’t make them any less real.”

I let out a harsh laugh. “For f**k’s sake, Doc—everything I thought I knew about mythical creatures is a lie. They’re real. So now I’m questioning everything. What else is out there that no one’s told me about?”

He leaned back in his chair. “Raine, have you ever heard of the Sentinelese?”

I blinked. “No… should I have?”

“They’re one of the world’s most isolated tribes. No contact with the outside world, no modern technology, no real record of their existence beyond the few sightings from afar. They’ve remained untouched for centuries. Most people have never seen them—and likely never will.”

“Okay…” I said cautiously.

“But just because they’re hidden,” he continued, “doesn’t mean they’re not real. The same goes for werewolves, vampires, fae... Just because the world doesn't see us, doesn't mean we aren’t here.”

I stared at him, my frustration cooling.

“Raine,” he said gently, “myths, legends, fairy tales—they usually come from something. A truth that’s been distorted over time, passed down in whispers. Being a werewolf isn’t a curse or a fantasy. It’s a gift. One given to us by the Moon Goddess, and one we honor.”

There was no smugness in his voice, no arrogance—just reverence.

I took a shaky breath, the weight in my chest easing a little.

“Thank you, Doc. I think I needed to hear that.”

He nodded. “Of course. You’re not crazy, Raine. You’re just standing on the edge of a truth that’s been waiting for you.”

We talked for a while longer—about my childhood, the trauma of losing my parents, and the evil aunt who raised me. He asked about the aches and strange symptoms, and I did my best to explain, even if some of it still felt ridiculous to say out loud.

“Raine,” he said thoughtfully, “I’ve taken in everything you’ve shared and made some notes. Once your bloodwork is processed, I’ll review it all tonight. We’ll get a clearer picture soon.”

He tapped his pen against the folder. “Tell me—how’s your eyesight and hearing? Would you like us to run a check while you’re here?”

I gave a small laugh. “Honestly, my hearing’s excellent. It always has been. Too good, really. Got me into a lot of trouble growing up.”

He smiled. “And your eyes?”

“Also good. I’ve never needed glasses or anything.”

He jotted down more notes. “Alright. One last question—might as well cover all the bases. Is there any chance you could be pregnant?”

I blinked. “No... I’m on the pill, so I should be good.”

He nodded. “Good to know, but I’ll double-check in the bloodwork anyway. The pill isn’t always one hundred percent, and with everything going on in your system, it’s worth confirming.”

I felt a little heat rush to my face. “Fair enough.”

Doc offered me a calm, reassuring smile as he closed the file. “You’re doing great, Raine. We’ll take it one step at a time.”

I drift off, lost in thought about having children one day. I probably won’t be able to have kids with Max. The idea knots in my chest—not because I’m ready now, but because I’ve always wanted to be a mum. And now… what if I can’t? What if this is all a fantasy? Am I wasting my time with Max? Worse—am I wasting his time? He’s basically a king here.

Oh, f**k no.

“Doc,” I blurt, tears slipping down my cheeks. “I won’t be able to have children with Max, will I? Is this… is my relationship with him already doomed?”

He softens, leaning forward. “Raine, I want to offer something for you to think about, okay?” His voice is calm, almost fatherly. “Everyone has something special about them. I’m a wolf—that’s my gift.” He gives me a warm smile. “Well, that and being an incredibly good-looking doctor.”

I let out a watery chuckle despite myself.

“What I’m saying is… not everyone is born knowing they have a gift. Many people never realize it at all. Do you understand where I’m going with this?”

I shake my head, feeling both numb and overloaded.

“Raine,” he continues gently, “what would you say if I told you that you might have a gift? One you didn’t even know about—until now?”

I sat there, staring at him, my thoughts spinning. “What… like a wolf?” I asked quietly.

“Yes, Raine,” he said simply.

I rubbed my forehead, a headache blooming behind my eyes. “I don’t know, Doc. I really don’t know.”

“Raine,” he said gently, “I’ll have some of your results back tonight. Just… think about what I’ve said. There’s something special about you. A gift. We’ll have more clarity tonight or tomorrow morning before you head back to the city.”

I nodded slowly. “Thank you, Doc. Can I go, please?”

“Of course,” he said kindly. “I’ll be in touch.”

I left his office in a daze, the hallways stretching around me like a dream. I felt drained. Confused. A little terrified. He said I had a gift.

A gift.

But what kind of gift?

Who the hell am I?