Loving Luna

The Voice Inside

I am finally awake.

The whisper echoed through Luna's mind.

Not loud.

Not violent.

It was almost gentle.

That scared her more than a scream ever could.

Pain shot through the golden mark on her wrist. She staggered, and Darius caught her before her knees could give way.

"Luna."

His voice cut through the ringing in her ears.

She looked up at him.

For one terrifying second, she saw two faces.

Darius.

And the warrior from her dreams.

The images merged before separating again.

She gasped and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Darius..."

"I'm here."

His hands framed her face.

"Stay with me."

The warmth of his skin grounded her.

The vision faded.

Around them, the dining hall stayed eerily quiet.

The black flames were gone.

Only scorched beams and shaken pack members remained.

Everyone was staring at Luna.

Not with fear.

With uncertainty.

Alpha Darius slowly turned toward his people.

"Alright, everyone back to work."

His voice carried easily through the damaged hall.

"The fire’s out."

Nobody moved.

Darius's eyes hardened.

"That was an order."

The spell broke.

Warriors went back to clearing debris.

Healers rushed to anyone with burns or cuts.

Parents pulled frightened children close.

Within seconds, the hall was moving again.

Darius looked at Mason.

"Lock this place down."

Mason nodded right away.

"I’ll double the guards."

"Triple them."

"You think he’ll come back?"

"I think he never really left."

Mason’s expression darkened.

Without another word, he left quickly.

Evelyn approached carefully.

She looked from Luna to Darius.

"What happened?"

Luna answered before Darius could.

"I heard her."

Evelyn frowned.

"The Queen?"

Luna nodded.

"She said she was awake."

The color drained from Evelyn’s face.

Darius slipped one arm around Luna’s waist.

"We’re going to Alden."

The Archives were nothing like the rest of Blackwood Estate.

The old building felt untouched by time.

Hundreds of candles burned without smoke.

Tall shelves disappeared into darkness.

Old parchment, leather, and cedar filled the air.

Alden was already waiting.

Like he’d known they were coming.

His silver eyes landed on Luna immediately.

"You heard her."

It wasn’t a question.

Luna stopped.

"You knew this could happen?"

"I feared it."

"You didn’t answer me."

Alden sighed.

"No."

Darius stepped forward.

"You kept this from us."

"I kept back uncertainty."

"That’s not the same thing."

"It is."

Alden folded his hands behind his back.

"I suspected."

"I needed proof."

Darius’s voice went colder.

"You almost let her get possessed."

"No."

Alden met the Alpha’s gaze calmly.

"The Shadow King can’t possess what already belongs to another soul."

Silence.

Luna stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

Alden looked right at her.

"It means your soul has never been empty."

The words settled heavily between them.

Luna’s heartbeat picked up.

"I don’t understand."

"You’re not possessed."

"You’re not sharing your body."

"The Guardian Queen isn’t living inside you."

"Then what is it?"

Alden walked toward one of the oldest shelves.

He carefully pulled out a weathered journal bound in faded blue leather.

"This was written by the first Keeper."

He set it gently on the table.

"The Queen believed death wasn’t the end."

Luna frowned.

"So she… what?"

"She prepared."

"For what?"

Alden opened the journal.

"For another life."

Darius stiffened.

"You believe in reincarnation."

"I believe the Queen did."

He turned several brittle pages.

"The ritual was forbidden."

"No one thought it could work."

Luna stared at the faded ink.

"And did it?"

"I don’t know."

Alden’s honesty caught her off guard.

"The records stop before her death."

"But..."

He touched the old paper gently.

"There’s one sentence."

He turned the book toward Luna.

The handwriting was elegant.

Ancient.

But strangely familiar.

Luna read it out loud.

"When the world forgets hope, I shall walk it once more—not as Queen... but as something free."

Her breath caught.

The words felt…

Known.

She had never seen them before.

And still…

She remembered writing them.

Her hand trembled.

"No…"

Darius stepped in right away.

"Luna."

She looked at him.

"I know that handwriting."

Alden watched quietly.

"So do I."

"It’s mine."

The room went completely still.

"No," Darius said firmly.

Luna looked at him.

"I’ve never seen it before."

"But I knew every word."

Alden closed the journal.

"Memory doesn’t always live in the mind."

"Sometimes it lives in the soul."

Darius shook his head.

"That doesn’t change anything."

"It changes everything," Alden replied.

"No."

Darius’s voice left no room for argument.

"It changes history."

"It doesn’t change Luna."

Alden studied him for a moment.

"You love her."

The room went silent.

Luna looked at Darius.

His jaw tightened.

He didn’t answer.

Alden gave a faint smile.

"You’ve stopped denying it."

Darius finally spoke.

"My feelings don’t matter."

Luna crossed her arms.

"There he goes."

Darius glanced at her.

"What?"

"Anytime something gets emotional, you call it irrelevant."

Alden chuckled softly.

"I’ve noticed that too."

Darius sighed.

"I am surrounded by impossible women."

"You might want to think about why," Evelyn said as she walked into the Archives carrying a tray of tea.

She set it down on the table.

"No one’s slept."

"No one’s eaten."

"And none of you are thinking straight."

She poured four cups.

Luna took hers gratefully.

The warmth steadied her shaking hands.

Alden looked toward the window.

"Dawn’s coming."

Golden light was starting to spill across the horizon.

One night.

Everything had changed in one night.

Darius moved beside Luna.

Without a word, he took the cup from her shaking hands and held it while she steadied herself.

When she reached for it again, their fingers brushed.

The bond hummed softly.

Peaceful.

No darkness.

No visions.

Just warmth.

Luna looked up.

"You were right."

Darius frowned.

"About what?"

"When you said I was still me."

He studied her face.

"You believe that now?"

She nodded slowly.

"I think…"

She gave a small, tired smile.

"I think the Queen lived."

Alden watched her closely.

"I think she loved."

Her eyes found Darius’s.

"And I think she died."

She stepped closer until only inches separated them.

"But I also think…"

Her voice softened.

"I’m Luna."

Darius’s shoulders finally eased.

He reached for her hand.

"Good."

She smiled.

"That’s all you’ve got to say?"

"For now."

"You’re not curious?"

"I am."

"You’re not scared?"

His eyes held hers.

"I am."

She tilted her head.

"Then why do you look relieved?"

His thumb brushed over her knuckles.

"Because no matter who you were…"

He lifted her hand and kissed it gently.

"...you still chose to come back as yourself."

Before Luna could answer, fast footsteps echoed through the Archives.

A young Blackwood warrior burst through the doors, out of breath.

"Alpha!"

Darius turned instantly.

"What is it?"

The warrior swallowed hard.

"We found the shooter."

Hope flickered across every face.

"Alive?" Darius asked.

The warrior hesitated.

"No."

Darius’s expression hardened.

"He was murdered."

Silence dropped again.

"But…"

The young guard’s face had gone pale.

"There was a message carved into the wall above his body."

Darius’s eyes narrowed.

"What message?"

The warrior looked straight at Luna.

His voice shook.

"It said…"

He swallowed.

"Welcome home, Your Majesty."