The Alpha’s Miracle

Chapter Eighteen:Sebastian

It had been one month.

Exactly one month since I had become the Luna of the Shadow Pack.

And if there was one thing I had learned during that month, it was this:

Being a Luna was exhausting.

I had known from the beginning that the position came with responsibilities.

Mom had warned me.

She had told me that I would be busy.

She had explained that being a Luna wasn’t simply standing beside the Alpha during ceremonies and smiling at pack gatherings.

But I hadn’t understood the extent of it.

Not even close.

There were meetings.

So many meetings.

There were visitations, community programs, financial discussions, charity projects, family concerns, medical matters, children’s welfare, food distribution, housing arrangements, and countless other responsibilities I had never even known existed.

And on top of all that, I was trying to learn an entire ancient culture.

A culture that had existed long before I was born.

A culture with traditions, laws, ceremonies, expectations, and responsibilities that had been passed down through generations.

Sometimes I wondered how Mom expected me to learn everything in such a short amount of time.

But then I understood.

She wasn’t abandoning me.

She was teaching me to stand on my own.

During my first week, Mom had taken me everywhere.

She introduced me to the people responsible for community finances.

She introduced me to the charity committees.

She took me to the families.

She introduced me to the people responsible for children’s welfare.

She introduced me to the medical team.

She showed me how the pack’s community assistance programs worked.

She even taught me how to handle certain family disputes.

Then, after one week, she simply smiled at me and said,

“Now you can do it yourself.”

I had stared at her.

“By myself?”

She had laughed.

“Sebastian, you won’t always have me beside you. You have to learn.”

At first, I had been terrified.

But she had been right.

I needed to learn.

And surprisingly…

I liked it.

I actually liked being Luna.

Maybe more than I should.

There was something about the position that felt familiar.

It reminded me of the church.

Not the ceremonies.

Not the robes.

Not the title.

The service.

Being there for people.

Helping people.

Listening to people.

Comforting people.

That was what I loved.

And suddenly, I understood something Father Archie had told me.

Being a good person wasn’t defined by wearing a priestly robe.

It wasn’t defined by standing behind an altar.

Kindness was part of who a person was.

And perhaps this was simply another way for me to live that part of myself.

Two days ago, I had met a little boy named Lucas.

He was seven years old.

He had lost both of his parents during a rogue attack.

He had been moving between different members of the pack, never really having somewhere he could call home.

When I found out about his situation, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

A child shouldn’t have to wonder where he would sleep.

So I worked with the community team.

We searched through the family records.

We spoke to several pack members.

Eventually, we found a family willing to take him in.

A wonderful family.

They had children around his age.

They had a warm home.

They wanted him.

When I saw Lucas walk into that house for the first time, holding the hand of the woman who would now care for him, something inside me felt peaceful.

I didn’t do it because I wanted recognition.

I didn’t want anyone praising me.

I didn’t need attention.

I simply wanted him to have a home.

And that was what being Luna meant to me.

Service.

People.

Family.

Love.

It was fulfilling.

More fulfilling than I had expected.

Sometimes I wondered whether God had somehow led me here for a reason.

Maybe my path had simply changed.

Maybe serving people didn’t have to look the way I had imagined.

Still, there was one thing I hadn’t figured out.

Kai.

I didn’t understand my relationship with him.

I knew he was my mate.

I knew the bond existed.

I knew he cared about me.

But I didn’t know what he needed from me.

I didn’t know what he expected.

I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.

And honestly, I didn’t know how to ask.

So I focused on the pack.

The pack needed me.

There were children who needed families.

There were sick people who needed assistance.

There were families grieving.

There were elderly members who needed support.

There were financial decisions to make.

There were charity programs to organize.

There were people who needed someone to listen.

In my mind, the pack needed me more than Kai did.

At least, that was what I told myself.

Sometimes I would spend time with Liam.

Liam was funny.

Very funny.

He had this ability to make serious situations feel lighter.

I had grown comfortable around him.

He was one of the first people in the pack who made me feel like I wasn’t constantly walking on unfamiliar ground.

So after dinner, I usually said goodnight to everyone and went upstairs.

My room had become my sanctuary.

I prayed there.

I thought there.

I read there.

I slept there.

That night wasn’t any different.

After dinner, I went upstairs.

I changed into comfortable clothes.

This time, I wasn’t wearing my usual priestly robe.

I had on a simple T-shirt and loose trousers.

I knelt beside my bed and prayed.

I prayed for the pack.

For Lucas.

For the families.

For Mom.

For Aiden.

For Liam.

And, eventually, for Kai.

I didn’t know exactly what I was praying for when it came to him.

Maybe understanding.

Maybe patience.

Maybe courage.

After I finished praying, I stood and was about to get into bed when I heard a knock.

I frowned.

Who would be knocking at this hour?

I walked toward the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened.

Kai stood there.

And the moment he saw me, he froze.

Completely.

His eyes moved over me.

From my face.

To my shoulders.

To my arms.

Then back to my face.

I suddenly became aware of myself.

I touched my arm awkwardly.

This was probably the first time Kai had seen me dressed normally.

For almost the entire month, I had been wearing my priestly clothes whenever I was around him.

I suddenly felt self-conscious.

“Yes?” I asked quietly. “Can I help you with something?”

Kai opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

He scratched the back of his neck.

Then he looked away.

Then back at me.

It was strange.

Kai was never nervous.

At least, I had never seen him nervous.

But right now…

He looked nervous.

“I, um…”

He stopped.

I waited.

He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again.

“I was thinking…”

“Yes?”

“Maybe we could…”

He paused.

I tilted my head.

“Go out.”

“Go out?”

“Tomorrow.”

I blinked.

“Where?”

He looked almost embarrassed.

“Somewhere.”

I couldn’t stop the small smile that appeared on my face.

“Like…a date?”

His cheeks seemed to tighten slightly.

“Yes.”

He had said it so quietly that I almost laughed.

This powerful Alpha, who could command an entire pack, was struggling to ask me on a date.

“Okay.”

His eyes widened slightly.

“Okay?”

I nodded.

“Yes.”

A small smile appeared on his face.

“At what time?”

“In the evening.”

“Where are we going?”

He shook his head.

“It’s a surprise.”

“A surprise?”

“Yes.”

I smiled again.

“All right.”

I could see the relief on his face.

“I have meetings tomorrow,” I explained. “And I have to visit a few families. But I should be finished by the evening.”

“Good.”

He paused.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Kai.”

“Goodnight, Sebastian.”

He left.

I closed the door behind him.

For a moment, I simply stood there.

A date.

Kai had asked me on a date.

I wasn’t sure what that meant.

I wasn’t sure what he expected.

But surprisingly…

I wasn’t afraid.

I was curious.

Maybe that was enough for now.

⸻

The next morning, I went downstairs for breakfast.

Liam was already there.

The moment he saw me, he smiled.

“Good morning!”

“Good morning.”

He immediately noticed something.

“What?”

I frowned.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Because I know something.”

“What do you know?”

“You have a date.”

I nearly choked.

“How did you know?”

“You told me yesterday.”

“Oh.”

I had forgotten.

Liam’s smile became enormous.

“I’m so happy for you!”

I laughed.

“I haven’t even gone yet.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

He leaned closer.

“So…”

“So?”

“What are you wearing?”

I looked down at myself.

“My clothes.”

He stared at me.

“No.”

“What?”

“Are you seriously going to wear that?”

I looked at my priestly clothes.

“Yes.”

He sighed dramatically.

“Sebastian.”

“What?”

“You’re going on a date.”

“I know.”

“With your mate.”

“I know.”

“With the Alpha.”

“I know.”

“And you’re going to wear that?”

I looked down again.

“I feel comfortable in these.”

Liam opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

Then opened it again.

“Okay.”

I laughed.

“Liam.”

“Fine.”

He raised both hands.

“Wear whatever makes you comfortable.”

I smiled.

“Thank you.”

He looked at me for a moment.

Then smiled softly.

“But honestly?”

“What?”

“You’ll look beautiful anyway.”

I laughed.

“You always say that.”

“Because it’s true.”

“You shouldn’t say things like that.”

“Why?”

“Because Aiden will become jealous.”

Liam gasped.

“Don’t tell Aiden!”

I laughed.

“Your secret is safe.”

Liam smiled.

And for the first time, I realized something.

I was looking forward to tonight.

Not because I knew what would happen.

Not because I knew where Kai was taking me.

But because I wanted to spend time with him.

Just him.

Away from meetings.

Away from responsibilities.

Away from the pack.

Maybe tonight, I would finally begin to understand my mate.

And maybe…

Kai would finally begin to understand me too.