The Human Luna

Chapter Eighteen - Chained by Expectation

The car ride into town was quick, though it felt longer with the silence hanging in the air. Jade insisted on driving despite Stefan’s objections, with guards trailing in a car behind us. Honestly, I was relieved. It already felt awkward enough knowing I wasn’t strong enough to protect myself. Having guards constantly around was another reminder of how out of place I was.

But why did Jade need guards? She was a Beta werewolf. Surely she could protect herself if push came to shove.

I leaned my forehead against the glass, watching the scenery blur past. The landscape here felt sharper somehow—towering evergreens, fields that seemed to stretch on endlessly, the occasional farmhouse with peeling paint. It was so different from the pack grounds, which were polished and carefully maintained, like every tree and blade of grass had been put there on purpose. Out here, nature looked wild, untamed… and maybe a little more like me.

As we drove deeper into town, the air seemed to change. Wolves moved more quietly here, blending in, careful not to draw attention. To me, it felt like slipping back into my old skin for a moment—pavement beneath tires, neon shop signs flickering in the morning light, the smell of fresh bread wafting from the bakery at the corner.

And yet, I wasn’t just a human girl running errands anymore. Guards trailed behind us. Wolves’ heads turned when Jade stepped out of the car. The world felt heavier with every mile.

We stepped out together, the cool air brushing against my skin as we walked down the familiar street. My chest tightened when I realized where we were headed—the same shop I’d gone to with Meygan, when we’d accidentally bumped into Thomas. Only this time, it wasn’t lighthearted or funny. The glass windows reflected us like strangers. Walking in with Jade felt more like a chore.

After all, I was only here to escape the suffocating pack grounds for a little while. Four days. That was all I’d spent there, and I was already restless. How was I supposed to spend the rest of my life locked to the estate? Married off, raising children Thomas wanted—without anyone stopping to ask what I wanted?

I hated myself for the thought, but I couldn’t help it: sometimes I wished I was a wolf, just so I could feel that same magnetic pull Thomas did.

“Shannon, this dress would look amazing on you, especially with how blue your eyes are! Try it on.” Jade practically tossed the garment at me, her grin wide.

I glanced down at the frilly light-blue dress. It really was lovely. Sighing, I made my way into the fitting room.

The dress slipped over my shoulders like water. One strap rested against my left shoulder, adorned with darker blue fabric flowers that faded into intricate embroidery along the bodice. A ribbon cinched perfectly at the waist before the skirt flowed down in soft, airy layers. I twirled once, blonde hair spilling over the delicate fabric, and couldn’t stop myself from admiring the reflection. For a moment, I almost believed I belonged in this world.

Maybe… I’d wear this tonight.

When I pulled the curtain aside, Jade wasn’t waiting. My stomach dropped.

“Jade?”

I wandered toward the front of the shop. The smell of pressed fabric and faint lavender polish lingered in the air. Her guards stood nearby, their shoulders stiff, their eyes sweeping the room. I approached hesitantly. “Um… Caydence, was it?”

“Cayden, Luna.”

“Oh, sorry! I’m terrible with names.” I gave an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. “Do you know where Jade is?”

“She’s in the staff bathroom,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Apparently, morning sickness doesn’t just happen in the morning.”

Pregnant? The word rang in my ears like a bell. My lips parted, but nothing came.

Before I could even form a thought, Jade emerged looking pale but smiling—until her eyes fell on me. Her expression brightened instantly.

“Wow, Shannon! You look amazing. You have to wear that tonight. Thomas won’t be able to control himself.”

Heat crept across my cheeks. I didn’t want to think about Thomas “losing control,” but it was flattering all the same.

“Oh, stop,” I giggled, softening despite myself. “What about you? Got a dress?”

“Yeah. None of mine fit anymore,” she said with a chuckle, patting her stomach. “Let’s pay and grab food at Kenny’s—I’m starving.”

The streets bustled as we walked to the diner, guards following a few paces behind. Humans passed us without a second glance, but I noticed how the wolves’ eyes flicked toward the guards, then back to Jade. It was subtle, but it was there—recognition, respect, curiosity. I felt invisible between them, a shadow at Jade’s side, clinging to my dress bag like a lifeline.

The diner bell jingled overhead as we stepped inside. Warmth and the smell of frying oil enveloped us immediately, along with the steady clink of forks against plates. It should have felt comforting, ordinary. Instead, I felt the weight of unseen eyes.

We slid into a booth tucked at the back, and for a moment, I almost managed to breathe.

I finally found the courage to ask, “So… Cayden said you’re pregnant. Is that true?”

Her green eyes softened. “Oh, yeah. We never officially told you, did we? Why didn’t Thomas mention it?”

“I’m sure it just slipped his mind,” I muttered, then frowned. The clinking of cutlery and the smell of frying oil pressed against me, too loud, too strong. “Is that why you’ve got guards, too? I figured as a Beta wolf, you could protect yourself.”

Jade nodded. “Pregnant wolves can’t shift safely. There’s too much risk. Some have lost pups… some mothers too. So, guards are necessary.”

My chest tightened. “That’s… horrible. Does Callie mind?”

“No. The baby is hers too. She’ll protect it with everything. It’s why you’ll notice mates get more protective when their partners are pregnant—their wolves are constantly on edge.”

I nodded, filing away the information. But then she said the words that cracked me open.

“You’ll find that out soon enough.”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, Thomas is twenty-four. It’s late for him to start a family. The pack needs an heir—”

“I’m not even eighteen!” My voice rose, hot and sharp. “I’ve never even—” My chest heaved. “Do you all just assume I’ll lie down and pop out heirs like some broodmare?”

The words ripped out of me, louder than I intended, shaking with the weight of every fear I hadn’t said aloud. The din of the diner seemed to hush around us, or maybe that was just the blood rushing in my ears.

I stood abruptly, the scrape of the booth loud against the diner floor. Jade’s mouth opened, but I didn’t wait. I stormed out into the street, anger prickling behind my eyes like needles.

The midday sun was too bright, too sharp, bouncing off shop windows and stabbing at my vision. My chest heaved as I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold it all in—everything Jade had said, everything I hadn’t been ready to hear. People on the sidewalk gave me curious glances, but I barely noticed.

Jason and Tobias, who had been posted outside, straightened the moment they saw me approach. Their eyes flicked to the diner doors behind me, clearly waiting for Jade.

“I wish to return home. Now,” I said, my voice clipped.

“Luna, perhaps it would be best to wait for—” Jason began, but Jade burst out of the diner before he could finish.

“Shannon, wait!” She jogged to catch up, looking stricken, one hand pressed against her stomach. “I didn’t mean it like that. Please, I—”

I spun on her, words spilling sharper than I intended. “You meant every word, Jade. Maybe you didn’t say it to be cruel, but you said it because it’s what everyone thinks. I’m just the human girl who’s supposed to lie down and give Thomas heirs.” My voice cracked. “Well, I won’t be paraded like that.”

Her face crumpled, but I couldn’t stand to see pity in her eyes. Without another word, I turned on my heel and strode toward the car. Jason and Tobias exchanged a glance but quickly fell in step, their footsteps heavy on the pavement.

By the time we reached the vehicle, my pulse still thundered in my ears. Tobias opened the back door, but I didn’t look at him, didn’t look at anyone. I slid inside, clutching the dress bag in my lap as if it could anchor me, and stared out the window until the others followed.

The ride back was silent, save for the steady hum of the tires on asphalt. I kept my eyes fixed on the glass, blinking hard to keep tears from spilling. My reflection looked fragile, cracked, like if I breathed too hard the whole illusion of strength would shatter.

When we pulled up to the pack house, Thomas was already waiting on the front steps, his expression tense. He moved toward me the second I stepped out of the car, relief flickering in his eyes—until he saw my face.

“Angel, what’s wrong? Did something happen?” His hands brushed my arms, searching for injury.

“I’m fine,” I snapped, jerking away before I could stop myself. His hurt expression twisted in my chest, but the words kept tumbling out. “I just want to go to my room.”

“Shannon—” His voice cracked with confusion, frustration, maybe even guilt. “Please, talk to me. Don’t shut me out.”

But I was already moving past him, clutching the dress bag like a shield. The house loomed around me, polished and perfect, and for the first time, it felt like a cage.