Rise Of The Fallen Luna

Chapter 16

••• Leicia’s POV •••

By morning, the air smelled different.

It was no longer weighed down by hostility, fear, or even blood. Instead, it carried the scent of warm bread, boiling herbs, and new beginnings.

From the balcony, I watched the courtyard stir to life. The wind brushed against my hair, tugging strands across my face. Down below, the new pack moved with purpose. The same grounds that once echoed with emptiness and silence now pulsed with the heartbeat of life.

There was no cruelty here. No posturing. No barking orders just to assert dominance. They worked with practiced unity. Warriors were already training in the field to the east, checking each other’s stances. Their movements sharp but purposeful. The Omegas moved in coordinated rhythms, setting up laundry lines, sweeping the walkways, and cleaning the walls with practiced hands. I hadn’t realized how much I missed this rhythm until it returned.

A peace settled in my chest. Not comfort. But something sturdier. Like a foundation being laid again.

But it wasn’t just the physical recovery that gave me the feeling—it was the sound of voices again, laughter echoing from the kitchens, pups training with wooden swords under the morning sun. It was the scent of healing herbs drifting from the infirmary, and the soft flicker of the altar candles being relit in the ancestral hall. Little by little, the ghosts were being replaced by purpose.

After my dad and brothers died, everything felt different, even though nothing had visibly changed. Everyone still functioned normally. And then the m******e happened…

For nearly a year, this land had lain in ruin, the broken bones of our legacy scattered and forgotten. And yet now—bit by bit—it was breathing.

And today, the pack felt like home again. A temporary one, but home, nonetheless.

I exhaled slowly before turning away from the view and walking down the stairs.

Annisa was already waiting for me in the dining room. Her smile, the scent of tea, and toasted bread grounded me.

“Luna, I still can’t believe it,” she murmured after I settled into my seat. “Everything’s changing so fast. But… I like it.”

I smiled faintly. “Me too.”

I didn’t correct her on the way she addressed me. I should be called Alpha now, at least until I remarried, but she had been with me for so long, and she was like a little sister to me, so I let her be.

“Alpha,” Kyle joined us. “Council’s request came in. And we’ll need to decide on quarters for the permanent warriors and Omegas who’ve volunteered.”

I nodded. This was what I had been thinking about. The warriors and Omegas still hadn’t belonged to the Dawn Guardian Pack yet.

They were still part of the Blazefang Shadows Pack. I couldn’t update the council until I accepted or rejected Reinald’s proposal.

I hadn’t told anyone yet—-because I still didn’t have an answer.

Reinald’s proposal—or whatever that was—still rang in my head.

"Now that you’re rebuilding your pack, maybe you should marry me."

Belle was suspiciously quiet this morning, which I appreciated. I wasn’t ready to deal with her running commentary while I tried to decide whether I was willing to share my future—and my pack—with someone again.

I cleared my throat. “Kyle, sit. Annisa, you too.”

Kyle took a seat on my right without hesitation, while Annisa lagged before finally settling down on the seat on my left.

“I assume this is about Reinald’s proposal?” Kyle asked as he began to pile his plate with food.

I blinked. “You’re quick.”

He smirked. “You didn’t exactly keep your volume down when you shouted ‘No!’ yesterday.”

Annisa giggled softly. “Everyone in the werewolf community might have heard you.”

“Alright. What do you both think?” I asked, pressing forward before the teasing could worsen.

Kyle answered first, methodically. “From a strategic perspective, it’s ideal. He’s an Alpha Prince. If he joins you, the Council won’t dare question your authority. You’ll have the backing of the royal pack, access to alliances, and deterrence against political interference.”

He held up a finger. “Second, you’d no longer be rebuilding from scratch. Reinald had already convinced a dozen warriors and nearly all the Omegas to stay here permanently. That’s a functioning pack overnight.”

A second finger went up. “Third, he’s not Matthew.”

I gave him a sharp look.

Kyle shrugged. “You know what I mean. Reinald has pride, sure, but he doesn’t lie. He won’t use your title or power. If he says you’ll be equals, he’ll make sure it happens.”

Annisa shifted slightly in her seat. “May I speak honestly, Luna?”

I turned to her, surprised by the formality. “Of course.”

She looked down briefly. “This might be above my place, but… I trust him. I watched how he held you when you fainted. He was scared, but he didn’t leave your side. He guarded you when you shifted back. I haven’t seen anyone treat you with that kind of gentleness in a long time.”

She continued, “You were alone with Matthew. I saw that. You always made the decisions, even when no one thanked you for it. The Alpha Prince… he seems like someone who would fight beside you, not in front of you.”

Her voice grew softer. “And the Omegas he brought… Most of them have known you since you were a little girl. One of the Omegas—Laila—said she used to work in the garden with your mother. She cried yesterday when she told me tales about you and your mother.”

The warmth in my chest expanded—painful and sweet.

I looked toward the distant treeline. “I just don’t want this to be a merger. I don’t want to become an extension of Reinald’s name. The Dawn Guardians Pack must stand on its own.”

Kyle met my eyes. “Then don’t let it be a merger. Build it your way. He didn’t ask you to surrender anything. He offered to stand beside you. That’s a rare thing, Alpha.”

Then Belle spoke, her voice clear and serious in my mind. "I told you it’s a good idea to marry him. He’s strong, loyal, and he’s been yours since the beginning."

I blinked, startled by the rare seriousness in her tone. "That’s... the calmest thing you’ve ever said about him."

"Because I mean it," she replied. "We’ll be safer with him. You’ll be safer."

She paused… then added in a sly tone, “Also, think of the pups. Strong, pretty, annoyingly smug pups.”

I nearly choked on my tea.

Kyle arched a brow at my reaction. “Did your wolf say something again?”

“Nothing helpful,” I muttered.

Annisa leaned in with a playful grin. “Was it about pups?”

I groaned. “You two are unbearable.”

Annisa laughed. “We’re just saying what everyone’s thinking.”

“But…” Kyle spoke seriously again.

“But?”

He was quiet for a moment. "He's unpredictable when it comes to you. That makes me wary."

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

"He looks at you like you're his, but then acts like he doesn't care. It's confusing. Makes it hard to gauge where he stands—and that uncertainty could hurt you if it grows."

I frowned.

Reinald looked at me like I was… his?

I shrugged the confusion away. Maybe I was his childhood friend whom he needed to protect.

Belle rolled her eyes. “How oblivious.”

I ignored her.

"We’ll support your decision either way," Kyle said, and Annisa nodded in agreement.

“You should still ask Thyrius directly, though. Make sure it was really his suggestion.”

“Already planning to,” I muttered. “Do you think he’s serious?”

“Dead serious,” Kyle said. “This is a huge thing he was proposing. He wouldn’t offer it if he weren’t serious about it.”

I left them to their work and made my way toward the royal house. The path was lined with old rose vines, most of them dormant, but a few brave petals bloomed here and there. I remembered running along this path as a child—usually with Reinald chasing me, or me chasing him.

The air felt heavier near the doors. I could sense the weight of my own uncertainty pressing against my spine.

Now I was about to ask his brother if Reinald had acted on royal orders. Because if this was more than a personal gesture… then I needed to understand exactly what I was agreeing to. And what accepting it meant—for my role as Luna, and for how I’ve learned to carry things alone until now?

My footsteps slowed near the large oak doors.

I hesitated.

Then inhaled.

I raised my fist—

And the doors opened from the inside.

Kathreena blinked in surprise. “Leicia?”

I straightened. “Good morning, Luna Queen.”

She gave me a knowing smile. “Come in. We were just—”

But then I saw him.

Reinald.

Sitting on the couch, stiff as stone, nursing a teacup like it might explode in his hands. His legs were crossed too perfectly, his spine too straight, and his eyes had the wide-eyed panic of a pup caught chewing on something he shouldn’t.

He looked up at me.

I stared back.

This was awkward.

“Ah,” I said slowly, backing a step. “You’re here too.”

Reinald’s ears turned pink.

Kathreena chuckled. “Should I step out?”

“Please don’t,” Reinald muttered into his cup.

Thyrius’s amused voice floated in from inside. “Oh, come in, Leicia. Let’s all talk.”

And that’s when I knew—this was going to be even more awkward than I thought.