Moonbound- The Luna's Return

Luna stepped back from the mirror, admiring herself in the soft glow of the bedroom lights. The pink satin gown hugged her body perfectly, flowing down to her golden heels. She had chosen this dress carefully. It was beautiful, elegant, and fitting for a Luna of the Crescent Moon Pack. But what made her smile wider was the secret she was hiding beneath the fabric. She was pregnant. Luna had been in love with Massimo De Luca since she was just a little girl. She didn't even understand what love meant back then, but when he asked her to marry him three years ago, she said yes without hesitation. He was going to be the Alpha, and she was going to be his Luna. It seemed like a fairy tale. Except fairy tales don't always turn out the way you imagine. Over the past two years, Luna had discovered that Massimo didn't marry her for love. He needed a Luna who could handle the pack, who could look beautiful at events, and who could give him an heir. She was perfect for the job, but she wasn't special to him. Not really. Still, Luna played her role beautifully. She smiled when she needed to smile. She stood beside him at every pack gathering. She learned everything a Luna should know. And she held onto hope that maybe, one day, Massimo would fall in love with her. A week ago, when Massimo told her he wanted to start a family, Luna felt like her dreams were finally coming true. She thought maybe this was the beginning of something real between them. She had agreed immediately, and now she was carrying his child. Luna had kept the pregnancy a secret until tonight. She wanted to tell him at the Mating Ball, where they could celebrate with the pack. But first, she needed to hide something important. A werewolf's scent changed when she was pregnant, and Massimo was sharp. He noticed everything. So she had bathed herself in heavy perfume, masking the change. The bedroom door opened suddenly, and Massimo walked in. He was already dressed in an expensive black suit, his dark hair perfectly styled. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen, but his expression was always serious, always distant. "Why are you taking so long?" he asked, clearly annoyed. Then his eyes moved from her head to her feet, taking in every detail of her dress. For a moment, Luna thought she saw something like appreciation in his eyes. But then his face hardened. "You smell terrible," he said, turning away. "What is that perfume? I can't stand being near you like this." Luna didn't feel hurt. She was used to his comments. Instead, she walked to the closet and grabbed a tie that would match his suit. When she returned and helped him put it on, she noticed he was watching her carefully, his eyes following her every movement. Even though he had just complained about her perfume, he stood close to her, so close she could feel the warmth from his body. "You look very handsome tonight," she said softly. "I always do," he replied without any modesty. "Tell me something I don't already know." Luna smiled to herself. That was so like Massimo. Confident, proud, but not unkind. She loved him, even when he was difficult. "Your tie looks perfect now," she said instead. "Good. Now let's go. The unmated wolves are waiting. They're all excited to find their fated mates tonight." He said this while already walking toward the door. Luna followed him, her heart beating a little faster. She knew about fated mates. It was a gift from the Moon Goddess, a bond that connected two souls forever. She had chosen Massimo as her mate instead of waiting for her fated mate. Sometimes, she wondered if the Moon Goddess would punish her for that choice. The drive to the Mating Ball venue took an hour. Luna sat beside Massimo in the car, holding his arm gently. She was nervous about telling him her news. Would he be happy? Would he hold her close? When they arrived at the venue and stepped inside, Luna immediately felt the change in Massimo's mood. His body went stiff. His eyes started moving around the room, searching for something. Or someone. Luna's grip on his arm became tighter without her meaning to. A terrible thought crossed her mind. Massimo was twenty-three years old now. They had made an agreement when they first bonded: if either of them found their fated mate, they would let each other go. Luna had always believed that agreement was just words, something they said but never meant. She had thought that by the time a fated mate showed up, Massimo would already love her. But looking at his face now, she knew that hope had been wrong. Through their mind link, Massimo's voice came to her, cold and formal: 'We need to talk about our agreement when this is over.' Luna's heart stopped. She wanted to scream, to cry, to ask him what he meant. But she was the Luna. She had a reputation to protect. So she kept the smile on her face and asked quietly, 'Is she here?' Massimo's eyes landed on a woman in a white gown across the room. 'Yes. Over there.' Luna looked at the woman and felt her world shake. The woman had hair the same color as hers. Her eyes were the same shade. They looked like they could be sisters. And worst of all, Luna could see the pain in the woman's expression as she looked between Luna and Massimo, as if she could feel the connection too. But what Luna felt in that moment wasn't anger or sadness. It was the beginning of her end.