Heirs of the Rejected Luna

ELARA'S POV The cake was crooked because I'm terrible at baking but Kai and Luna didn't care, they were jumping up and down like it was the most beautiful thing they'd ever seen. "Mama it has five candles," Luna squealed and grabbed my hand. "That's because we're five now right?" "That's right baby," I said and kissed the top of her head. She smelled like vanilla and something else, something I could never figure out but it was just her. Kai was trying to act all grown up like he always does but I could see him eyeing the cake like he wanted to just face plant into it. "Can we eat it now," he asked, already reaching for the frosting. "Not yet," Damon said coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "We gotta sing first." I leaned back against his chest and for just a second everything felt perfect. Like maybe after five years of running and hiding and being scared literally every single day we'd finally found our safe place. Stupid stupid stupid. The Moonstone Pack festival was going crazy around us, music playing and people laughing and kids running everywhere, and for the first time since I ran from Silvercrest pregnant and terrified I'd let myself believe we could actually have a normal life. I should've known better. Damon started singing happy birthday and everyone around us joined in, all these wolves who'd become family over the past year, and I watched my babies glow with happiness. This was everything I'd fought and survived for. Luna blew out her candles with Kai's help because she's never been able to do it alone and they always gotta do everything together, and I felt my chest get tight with that scary-good love feeling that hits you random. "What did you wish for," I asked Luna. "Can't tell or it won't come true," she said all serious. Kai whispered something in her ear and they both giggled in that twin way. The way that meant they were definitely up to something. "Should I be worried," I asked Damon. "Probably," he said and kissed my temple. "But that's tomorrow's problem." Raine came over with plates because she's the only one who remembers practical things when I'm too busy getting emotional over literally everything. "Stop crying at your kids' birthday party," she said but she was smiling. "I'm not crying," I lied even though my eyes were definitely wet. "Sure," she handed me a plate. "Now cut this disaster of a cake before the kids riot." I laughed and started cutting while Damon helped pass out pieces and Luna and Kai ran off to show their friends the little toy wolves Raine carved for them. "They're happy," Damon said quietly, watching them go. "Yeah," I said and my voice came out all wobbly. "They are." He pulled me closer. "You did that you know, you gave them this life." "We did that," I said because I couldn't have done any of this without him. Without the man who found me dying on his border and saved me even though he had every reason not to. The mate I chose instead of the one fate gave me. I pushed that thought away fast because today was supposed to be perfect and I wasn't gonna ruin it thinking about things that didn't matter anymore. "Mama come dance with us," Luna yelled from where the kids were all jumping around to some song I didn't know. "Go," Damon said. "I'll finish the cake." I walked over to my babies and let them pull me into their circle and we danced like complete idiots while everyone laughed. And I thought this is it. This is what happiness feels like. That's when I smelled it. Pine and something dark like smoke. A scent I hadn't smelled in five years but would recognize anywhere because it was burned into my brain from six months of secret meetings and stolen kisses and promises that turned out to be complete lies. My whole body went cold. No no no this can't be happening not today not ever. I turned around slowly even though every instinct was screaming at me to grab the twins and just run, and there he was. Kade Thorne. Standing at the edge of the festival grounds with a bunch of Silvercrest warriors behind him like he owned the place. His golden eyes scanned the crowd until they landed right on me. The mate bond I thought I'd buried five years ago just slammed into me so hard I literally stumbled and had to catch myself on Luna's shoulder. "Mama you okay," Kai asked and his little face was all worried. "I'm fine baby," I lied because that's what you do when you're a mom right, you lie to protect them even when your whole world is falling apart. Damon was beside me in like half a second because he must've caught the scent too or maybe he just felt me panic through our chosen bond. "What's he doing here," I whispered. "I don't know," Damon said and his voice was hard. "But I'm about to find out." He started walking toward Kade. I wanted to stop him but my feet wouldn't move and Luna was holding my hand so tight it hurt. Everyone was staring now because you don't just show up to another Alpha's territory without permission and definitely not with warriors dressed like they're ready for a fight. Kade's eyes hadn't left me the whole time and I hated how my body was reacting to him and how my wolf was going absolutely crazy trying to push forward even though I'd buried her deep five years ago. Then his eyes moved down to Luna holding my hand and to Kai standing protective in front of his sister like he always does. I watched his face change as he looked at them, really looked at them, and saw what I'd been hiding for five years. Kai with his black hair and golden eyes that were exactly like Kade's. Luna with my silver hair but that same stubborn chin. The twins were at first glance unmistakably his. "No," I heard myself say even though it was way too late for that. Kade's whole body went stiff and then both Kai and Luna started screaming. Not scared kind of screaming but pain screaming. They dropped to their knees holding their heads and I dove for them but something was wrong, something was happening that I didn't understand and couldn't stop. Their eyes were glowing. Kai's gold and Luna's silver. Bright enough that people around us were backing away fast. "What's happening," I yelled at Damon but he looked as freaked out as I felt. Then the energy thing hit. I don't even know how to explain it. It just exploded out from them like a bomb or something, this crazy power wave that knocked half the wolves in the festival flat on their backs. I felt it wash over me and through me and my wolf who'd been quiet and weak for so long suddenly pushed forward with a strength I'd never felt before. Never knew I had. When the light finally faded Kai and Luna were still on their knees breathing hard but their eyes had stopped glowing. The festival grounds had gone completely silent and everyone was staring at my babies. "Those are my children," Kade's voice rang out clear and loud for everyone to hear. "Born of my blood and my rejected mate." I felt Damon go completely still beside me and every single wolf in the festival turned to stare at me and the twins. Then back at Kade. And then Kade started moved closer to us and I knew with absolute certainty that everything I'd built over the past five years was about to come crashing down.