MOONBOUND HEARTS

Episode 7-The howl and Grind

The “Howl and Grind” diner smelled of fresh coffee, sizzling bacon, and warm cinnamon rolls. Elena pushed open the door, the little bell jingling above her head, and immediately felt several pairs of eyes turn in her direction. Silverpine was small enough that a new face stood out like a flare in the night.

She chose a corner booth by the window, camera bag tucked safely beside her, and ordered a black coffee with a slice of blueberry pie. While she waited, she flipped through the photos on her camera, zooming in on those strange blurred shapes from yesterday. They looked almost… intentional.

“New in town?”

A friendly voice pulled her attention up. The waitress, a plump woman in her fifties with a name tag reading “Betty,” set down the coffee and pie with a warm smile.

“Yes,” Elena replied. “Just moved into my grandmother’s old cabin. Lila Voss.”

Betty’s eyes widened with recognition. “Lila’s granddaughter! Well, I’ll be. She was a character, that one. Always talking about the moon and the old blood. Kept mostly to herself, though.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “You be careful out there in those woods, honey. Folks around here say the wolves are getting bolder this season.”

Elena smiled politely. “I’m a wildlife photographer. Wolves are exactly what I’m hoping to capture.”

Betty chuckled nervously. “Just don’t get too close. They’re protective of their own.”

Before Elena could ask what she meant, the bell above the door jingled again. Luke Blackthorn walked in, filling the doorway with his tall, broad frame. He wore a dark flannel shirt rolled up at the sleeves, jeans that hugged his powerful thighs, and that same intense, brooding expression.

Their eyes locked instantly.

The air in the diner thickened. Elena’s pulse spiked, heat rushing to her cheeks as the memory of last night’s dream crashed over her — his body pinning hers, his mouth at her neck, that low growl of possession.

Luke’s nostrils flared. His jaw tightened, amber eyes darkening to molten gold. For a second, it looked like he might cross the room, pull her out of the booth, and do something reckless right there in front of everyone.

Instead, he gave a curt nod and headed for the counter, ordering coffee to go in a voice rough enough to send a shiver down Elena’s spine.

Betty glanced between them, eyebrows raised, but said nothing as she delivered Luke’s order.

Elena forced herself to look back at her pie, fork trembling slightly in her hand. She could feel him watching her even with his back turned. The pull between them was becoming impossible to ignore — like an invisible rope tightening with every shared breath.

She was halfway through her pie when Maya slid into the opposite side of the booth without invitation.

“Mind if I join you?” Maya asked, though her tone made it clear she wasn’t really asking. She had two mugs of coffee and a mischievous glint in her amber eyes.

“Not at all,” Elena said, surprised but pleased. “Your brother seems… busy.”

Maya snorted. “He’s always busy when he’s trying not to do what he wants.” She took a sip, studying Elena openly. “You made quite an impression yesterday. Luke doesn’t usually play delivery boy at midnight.”

Elena’s cheeks warmed. “He left some supplies for my scrapes. It was kind.”

“Kind,” Maya echoed, sounding amused. “That’s one word for it. Listen, Elena… my brother is complicated. The whole Blackthorn family is. Silverpine has rules — old ones. And right now, you’re stirring things up without even knowing it.”

Elena set her fork down. “What kind of rules?”

Maya hesitated, then leaned forward. “The kind that say the alpha can’t just choose whoever he wants. Bloodlines matter here. Traditions matter. But the moon… the moon has its own ideas.”

Before Elena could press for more, the diner door opened again. Selene strode in, long braid swinging, her gaze immediately zeroing in on their booth. She walked straight to Luke at the counter, placing a hand on his arm with clear possessiveness.

Luke stiffened but didn’t pull away. His eyes, however, flicked back to Elena, filled with frustration and raw hunger.

Selene noticed. Her lips pressed into a thin line.

Maya muttered under her breath, “Here we go.”

Selene turned and approached their booth, voice smooth but edged with ice. “You must be the new photographer everyone’s talking about. Elena, right? I’m Selene. Luke and I… we have an understanding. The town is small. Things can get complicated quickly if lines aren’t respected.”

Elena lifted her chin, refusing to shrink. “I’m just here for the forests and the wolves. I don’t plan on complicating anything.”

Selene’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Good. Because some wolves bite when their territory is threatened.”

The tension crackled. Luke appeared at the end of the booth suddenly, his large hand resting on the back of the seat near Elena — close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

“Enough, Selene,” he said quietly, voice low and commanding. “Elena is a guest in Silverpine. She’s under my protection.”

Selene’s eyes flashed with anger, but she stepped back. “Your protection might not be enough when the full moon comes, Lucas.” With that, she turned and left the diner, the bell jingling sharply behind her.

Luke remained standing there, gaze locked on Elena. Up close, she could see the faint scar on his collarbone peeking from the open collar of his shirt. His scent — pine, leather, and wild masculinity — wrapped around her like a caress.

“Thank you,” Elena said softly. “For last night… and for this.”

Luke’s voice dropped even lower, meant only for her. “Stay close to the cabin tonight. The woods aren’t safe after dark.” His eyes flicked to her lips for a fraction of a second, then away. “And Elena… if you dream again, don’t fight it.”

Heat flooded her body at his words. He knew. Somehow, he knew about the dream.

Before she could respond, Luke grabbed his coffee and walked out, leaving the diner in heavy silence.

Maya whistled low. “Well. That was subtle.”

Elena stared at the door, heart racing. “What just happened?”

Maya smiled faintly, a mix of sympathy and warning in her eyes. “The moon is pulling, Elena. And once it starts, there’s no going back.”

Outside, Luke climbed into his truck, gripping the steering wheel until it creaked. His wolf howled inside him, demanding he go back inside, throw Elena over his shoulder, and take her somewhere private where he could finally give in to the bond.

Instead, he drove away, the full moon only eleven days away now.

And the secret of Elena’s blood — the latent wolf sleeping in her veins — was beginning to stir faster than either of them realized.