Lunas Wildfire

A Night to Remeber

The party was in full swing by the time I arrived with Aaron. The sprawling backyard of the main hall was alive with laughter, music, and the delicious aroma of roasted meat. Torches flickered along the edges of the clearing, their golden light dancing against the darkening sky. The pack had pulled out all the stops to celebrate Carter’s impending return, even though he wouldn’t actually be back for another few days.

This was how our pack worked. Any excuse to party was good enough, and the energy tonight was electric. Wolves milled about, their excitement palpable.

“You look incredible,” Aaron murmured in my ear as we stepped into the throng. His green eyes swept over me, lingering on the black halter dress that clung to every curve.

“I always do,” I teased, slipping my arm through his.

He smirked, shaking his head as we wove through the crowd. The fire pit was roaring, the bar was fully stocked, and the music thumped loud enough to feel in my bones. I caught sight of Lily near the makeshift dance floor, her golden hair shining under the lights as she laughed with her mate, Jackson.

“About time you two showed up!” Lily called, waving us over.

Her mate, Jackson, stood beside her, his arm draped casually over her shoulders. He was tall, with dark, rugged features and a quiet intensity that perfectly balanced Lily’s chaotic energy. The two of them were the picture of opposites attracting, and the bond between them was almost tangible.

“Fashionably late,” I said, grinning as I reached them.

Lily rolled her eyes. “You’re always dramatic.”

“And you love me for it,” I shot back.

Jackson chuckled, raising his beer in greeting. “Aaron, keeping her in line?”

Aaron snorted. “Do I look like I have a death wish?”

Lily and I burst out laughing, and the four of us spent the next hour drinking, dancing, and soaking in the pack’s collective excitement. The night felt alive, every sense heightened by the buzz of wolves all around.

At one point, I slipped away to the bathroom to freshen up. The pack house’s main hall had a sprawling bathroom off the side of the dance floor, and it was a blessedly quiet reprieve from the noise. I’d just finished touching up my lipstick when the door creaked open, and Lily sauntered in, a knowing smirk on her face.

“Trying to look perfect for Aaron?” she teased, leaning against the counter.

“I always look perfect,” I replied, capping the lipstick and turning to face her.

She laughed, studying me with those sharp blue eyes of hers. “So, having fun tonight?”

“Always,” I said, leaning back against the sink. “You and Jackson seem happy.”

Lily’s expression softened, and for a moment, I saw something in her eyes that I rarely did—vulnerability. “We are,” she said simply.

I hesitated, then asked the question that had been on my mind all night. “What’s it like, Lily? Having a mate?”

Her smile turned wistful, and she pushed off the counter, pacing a few steps before turning back to me. “It’s… intense,” she said. “Like nothing else matters but him. When we’re together, everything feels right, like the world could fall apart, and I wouldn’t care as long as he’s with me.”

I swallowed hard, her words stirring something deep inside me. “Doesn’t it scare you? Being that connected to someone?”

“Sometimes,” she admitted. “But it’s worth it. The bond—it’s not just love, Emmy. It’s trust, understanding, and this pull you can’t fight even if you wanted to. You feel it in your soul.”

I looked away, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My mind wandered to Aaron, to the easy rhythm we’d built over the past two years. What we had was good, solid, but it wasn’t what Lily was describing. I wondered if it ever could be.

“Do you think I’ll feel it when I meet mine?” I asked softly.

Lily stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Of course you will. And when you do, you’ll know it’s right.”

Her words stayed with me as we left the bathroom and rejoined the party.

The night wore on, and the energy only grew wilder. Aaron and I danced under the stars, his hands resting on my hips as the music pulsed around us. Lily and Jackson were nearby, laughing and spinning each other around like lovesick teenagers.

Aaron leaned down, his breath warm against my ear. “You’re thinking about something.”

I tilted my head to meet his gaze, the flicker of the firelight reflecting in his green eyes. “Just wondering what Carter will think of all this when he finally gets back.”

Aaron smirked. “He’ll probably roll his eyes and tell us we’re a pack of overgrown pups.”

I laughed, the sound blending with the music and the crackle of the fire. For now, the worries about mates, the future, and everything else could wait. Tonight was about fun, freedom, and the wild energy of the pack.

And I planned to savor every second of it.