His Possessive Luna

The Same Dream

Chapter 11 — Jane's POV (edited)

After seeing that tattoo, I feel completely lost. It can't be real. It shouldn't mean anything. My dreams must be baseless, stupid. But I've had the same one for almost a week now, and it's driving me insane.

Last week of school, and I can't concentrate on finals at all. Every time I try to study, I feel him — not imagine, feel. His heartbeat echoes like a song I can't shake. His touch lingers on my skin, warm and electric. The harder I push it away, the tighter it clings. My whole body, and worse, something deeper than that, is craving him.

And the tattoo. It belongs to Blood Moon.

Our sworn enemies. "Hate" barely covers it. If it weren't for their dominance, their terrifying Alpha, my pack never would have let them set foot on our territory. But power speaks louder than history.

Still shaken, I decide to see Amelia. If anyone could understand this, it's her — though I have no plans to actually tell her the truth. Maybe a friendly face helps anyway.

Girl Time? Not Exactly.

We pretend to focus on our snacks while Ray — my usually composed, faintly snobby best friend — swoons over her mate like a lovesick teenager.

I still can't believe this is the same girl who cried for a full week after finding out she'd be marked and engaged. Now she's glued to him like he's oxygen.

"Try the nuggets, they're the best! And hurry up, I need to go shopping," Ray squeals, bouncing in her seat.

Is this really Ray? Between the squealing and the blushing, someone's clearly hijacked her body.

Then they start making out.

I turn to Amelia, horrified. Her expression mirrors mine exactly. Our "girls' day" has turned into an unplanned third-wheel situation — Ray brought her mate, Jo's still furious with us, so it's just the two of us watching a very public makeout session.

We excuse ourselves and leave.

"I can't believe that's our Ray," Amelia mutters outside.

"Yep. Shocking, and honestly a little disturbing what this bond does to people. I thought she was a total prude. She'll be pregnant before the Ceremony, watch."

We laugh, briefly. Then Amelia goes quiet.

"So — how are you doing? Feeling any better?"

I hesitate, then decide to say something. "Yeah, actually. I wanted to talk."

"Go on."

"I, um — I talked to John about—"

"Oh my Goddess, just spit it out."

"I broke up with him." She says it like a confession she's been holding for days.

I blink. "You did what?"

"You heard me."

"Amelia, are you insane? John isn't just your boyfriend — he's the Beta of the Opal Moon Pack. That wasn't a teenage fling, that was a pack alliance. Do you understand what you've done?"

My voice is rising. People are starting to stare. I don't care.

"You should've told me. Goddess, Amelia — you should've said something before the engagement, not now."

"I told him everything," she says quietly. "About the dreams. How I feel. All of it."

"And let me guess — he was perfectly gracious about it? Said he respects the fated bond and stepped aside like a gentleman?"

"Actually, yeah," she says. "He said he understands. That he'll support me."

I laugh, bitter. "There's no such thing as fated mates, Amelia. When will you get that? He likes you. And he's a Beta — men with rank don't just walk away. You really think he'll let this go?"

I realize too late I'm yelling. Heads are turning.

"I thought you'd understand," Amelia whispers, and turns away, crying.

"Stop it! There's no point crying over this! It's not about you, it's about the pack! You don't get to walk away from an alliance because of some dreams! That's not how any of this works!"

She stops, turns back. Her voice shakes, but her eyes don't.

"You're not my Alpha. And fortunately, you never will be. So I don't owe you an answer."

She walks away.

The words land harder than a punch. She knows I can't shift. She threw it at me anyway — like it makes me less. Like I'm not fit to lead, or even to be respected. If Amelia can turn on me over something like that, then anyone can.

Her decision was reckless. You don't just walk away from an engagement involving two packs, especially not Opal Moon. What if she never finds her so-called fated mate? Or worse — what if she does, and he outranks no one? If her mate is lower ranked than John, or even equal, it could spark real conflict. Could start a war. You don't get to be selfish when you belong to a pack.

Amelia should have remembered that.

Fear of the Future

I can't stop replaying what she said. It's lodged in my mind like a splinter. If I don't shift by my eighteenth birthday — what does that make me? A burden? An outcast?

Now I understand why my parents made that decision for me. They wanted me safe. They know what this world does to weak wolves. If my own best friend can turn on me, what hope do I have otherwise? The only real protection might be marrying an Alpha. Becoming a Luna.

I should take that offer seriously. But what about these feelings?

They're not stopping — they're getting stronger. Every day closer to the Ceremony, the pull tightens. The ache is nearly unbearable now.

I need to pull it together. Finals are tomorrow. I can't let any of this wreck years of work. I've earned this future.

The feelings can wait.