Warrior luna Revenge

*CHAPTER 2: "THE ALPHA WHO REMEMBERS"*

The Ironwood Pack House smelled like iron, pine, and power.

Nothing like Moonstone.

Moonstone smelled like home. Like old wood and the lavender soap I used to make for the nursery. Like Kade’s cologne and the lies I told myself.

This place smelled like war.

I stood in the guest quarters Damian gave us and let Eli run to the window. It overlooked the entire valley. Hundreds of acres. Training fields. A lake.

"Wow, Mommy," he whispered. "It’s like a castle."

"It is a castle, baby," I said, running a hand through his hair. "And we’re guests here."

_For now,_ my wolf added. _Until we’re queens._

My phone buzzed. Unknown number.

I almost ignored it. Then it buzzed again.

*Unknown: Aria. Please. I’m sorry. Can we talk?*

Kade.

I deleted it. Blocked the number.

He’d find another way to reach me. He always did.

There was a knock at the door. Soft. Respectful.

"Miss Winters?" A female voice. "Alpha Damian sent me. I’m Nurse Claire. I’m to show you the infirmary and get you settled."

I opened the door.

Claire was in her 40s. Graying hair. Scrubs. Kind eyes. She looked like she’d seen things.

"Hi," I said. "I’m Aria. This is Eli."

Eli waved. Claire smiled at him. Real smile.

"Come on," she said. "Alpha wants you to see the infirmary before dinner. Said you’d want to get to work."

She wasn’t wrong.

The infirmary was on the east wing. Bigger than Moonstone’s. Cleaner. Better equipment.

And empty.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Training accident this morning," Claire said. "Three wolves. Broken ribs, concussion. They’re in recovery. Alpha said you could review their charts."

She handed me a tablet.

I scanned it. Standard injuries. Nothing I couldn’t handle.

"When can I see them?"

"Whenever you’re ready. Alpha said you start now."

I nodded. "Then let’s go."

The first patient was a young male. 19. Ribs wrapped. Breathing shallow.

"Hey," I said softly. "I’m Nurse Aria. I’m going to check you, okay?"

He looked at me. Then at Claire. "You’re new."

"I am."

"You’re not from Ironwood."

"No. I’m from Moonstone."

His eyes widened. "The pack that—"

"Yes," I cut him off. "That pack. Can I check your ribs?"

He nodded. I worked in silence. Clean. Efficient. The way I’d done it 1000 times.

When I was done, he said, "You’re good."

"I know," I said, and left.

Three patients. All stable. All would heal.

I was washing my hands when Claire said, "Alpha wants to see you."

My stomach dropped. "Now?"

"Now."

---

His office was on the top floor. Floor to ceiling windows. Desk made of dark wood. No pictures. No clutter. Just a laptop, a file, and him.

Alpha Damian.

He wasn’t sitting. He was standing by the window, back to me, hands in his pockets.

"Miss Winters," he said without turning. "How was the infirmary?"

"Well stocked. Understaffed."

That made him turn. Gray eyes. Sharp. Assessing.

"You came highly recommended," he said. "Gamma Rhett speaks very highly of you."

"Rhett is a good man."

"He is." Damian gestured to a chair. "Sit."

I didn’t. "I prefer to stand."

His mouth twitched. "Stubborn."

"Practical."

He walked around the desk and sat. Leaned back. Studied me.

"You look tired."

"I am."

"You look angry."

"I am."

"Good," he said. "Angry people get things done."

Silence.

"Why did you leave Moonstone?" he asked finally.

"You know why."

"I want to hear you say it."

I met his eyes. "Because my mate chose another woman. Because he crowned her Luna in front of the entire pack. Because he called her son his own while mine watched."

Damian didn’t flinch. "And you want revenge."

"I want peace."

"Those are not the same thing."

"No," I agreed. "They’re not."

He picked up a pen. Tapped it on the desk. "Here’s the deal, Aria. I don’t care about your drama with Kade. I care that you’re the best healer in three territories and I need you. My pack has been through hell the last year. Rogues. Hunters. Internal politics. My last healer quit."

"Why?"

"Because I’m an asshole," he said plainly. "And I work my people hard. But I pay well. Triple what Moonstone paid. Housing. Security. Full autonomy in the infirmary."

"And in return?"

"You heal my wolves. You don’t ask questions about pack business. And you stay out of my way."

I crossed my arms. "That’s it?"

"That’s it."

"And what about Kade?"

"What about him?"

"If he comes for me."

Damian’s eyes went cold. "He won’t."

"And if he does?"

"Then he’ll have to go through me."

The words hung in the air.

I believed him.

"Fine," I said. "I accept."

"Good." He stood. "Dinner is at 7. Pack tradition. You and Eli are expected."

"I don’t do pack dinners."

"You do now. It’s not a request."

I narrowed my eyes. "You said full autonomy."

"I did. This is a social requirement. Not medical."

He was testing me.

"Fine," I said. "7 PM."

I turned to leave.

"Aria."

I stopped.

"One more thing."

"What?"

"Kade called me today."

My blood went cold. "What did he say?"

"He asked if you were here. I told him no."

"That was a lie."

"Yes," Damian said. "It was."

I turned to face him fully. "Why lie for me?"

"Because I don’t like him," Damian said simply. "And because I think you deserve a chance to breathe before he drags you back into his mess."

That was almost kind.

"Thank you," I said.

"Don’t thank me yet," he said. "You haven’t seen my pack at dinner."

---

7 PM.

The dining hall was massive. Long tables. Fireplaces. Hundreds of wolves.

All of them stared when I walked in with Eli.

Whispers started immediately.

"That’s her." "From Moonstone." "The one he threw away." "Alpha brought her here?"

I kept my head high. Eli’s hand in mine.

Damian was at the head table. He stood when he saw me.

"Sit," he said, gesturing to the seat beside him.

I did. Eli on my other side.

The room went quiet.

Damian picked up his glass. "This is Aria Winters. She’s our new Head Healer. Treat her with respect."

That was it. No explanation. No apology.

Just: respect her.

Dinner started. Food was passed. Conversation resumed, but quieter.

Halfway through, a wolf at the far end stood.

"Alpha," he said. "With respect. She’s from Moonstone. Kade’s ex. How do we know she’s not a spy?"

The room went silent again.

Damian didn’t even look at the guy. "Because I said so, Beta. Sit down."

The Beta sat.

But the question lingered.

After dinner, Damian walked me out.

"That went well," I said dryly.

"You handled it," he said. "Better than I expected."

"I’ve handled worse."

"I know." We stopped outside the guest wing. "Aria."

"What?"

"You did good today."

It was the first compliment I’d gotten in weeks.

"Thank you," I said.

He hesitated. Like he wanted to say more. Then: "Get some rest. Tomorrow’s busy."

"Okay."

I went inside. Eli was already asleep.

I sat by the window and watched the moon.

My phone buzzed.

*Unknown: I know you’re at Ironwood. We need to talk. It’s about Eli.*

Kade.

My hands shook. Not from fear. From rage.

He didn’t get to mention Eli. Not after what he did.

I blocked the number again.

Then I called Rhett.

"Hey," he answered. "You okay?"

"No," I said. "But I will be. Rhett, I need something."

"Anything."

"I need you to send me every file you have on Kade’s alliance with the East Pack. Every contract. Every agreement."

A pause. "That’s pack confidential, Aria."

"I know."

"You could get in trouble."

"I’m already in trouble."

Another pause. "I’ll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

I hung up and lay in bed.

Sleep didn’t come.

Instead, I thought about Damian. About the way he looked at me. Like he saw me. Not Luna Aria. Not Kade’s mate.

Just me.

Dangerous thought.

I pushed it away.

The next morning, I was in the infirmary by 6 AM.

By noon, I’d treated 8 wolves. Sprained ankles. Cuts. One broken arm.

By 3 PM, Damian showed up.

Arm bleeding. Deep gash.

"What happened?" I asked, already moving.

"Training," he said, sitting on the table. "Got careless."

I started cleaning the wound. "You need stitches."

"I know."

Silence as I worked. My hands were steady. Professional.

"You’re good at this," he said.

"I am."

"You’re good at a lot of things."

I glanced up. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," he said. "Just an observation."

I finished the stitches. Wrapped it.

"Don’t get it wet for 48 hours."

"Yes, ma’am," he said, and for the first time, he smiled. Real smile.

It did things to my stomach.

"Don’t," I said.

"Don’t what?"

"Smile like that."

"Why?"

"Because I’m not looking for that."

"Didn’t ask you to," he said, hopping off the table. "Just saying you’re good at your job."

He left.

I stood there for a long time after.

That night, Rhett sent me the files.

200 pages. Contracts. Emails. Proof that Kade had been planning to align with the East Pack for a year. That Lila’s pregnancy was part of the deal.

Proof that I was never part of the plan.

I closed the laptop.

My wolf was quiet.

_Not yet,_ I told her. _But soon._

The next day, Damian called me to his office again.

"Kade’s coming," he said without preamble.

"What?"

"Tomorrow. To ‘discuss pack borders.’ But we both know why he’s really coming."

"For me."

"For you and the boy."

I felt sick. "What do we do?"

Damian leaned forward. "We don’t give him what he wants."

"And what’s that?"

"You."

I stared at him. "You can’t stop him. He’s an Alpha."

"I’m an Alpha too," Damian said. "And this is my territory. He comes here, he plays by my rules."

"What rules?"

"Rule one: You don’t talk to him without me present."

"Rule two?"

"Rule two: If he touches you, I break his hands."

I should have been scared.

Instead, I felt... safe.

"Okay," I said. "What’s rule three?"

Damian smiled. That dangerous, slow smile again.

"Rule three: You let me help you burn his world down."