Page 13
ASH
I paced my room, restless and unable to focus on anything.
The water in the shower was hot, but it couldn’t soothe the burn that coiled tight in my chest. This wasn’t just about Luna anymore.
It was about everything I had been avoiding, everything that felt like it was crashing down on me.
I could feel a storm building, something I couldn’t escape.
It felt like I was watching history repeat itself, but I wasn’t sure I could claw my way out of it this time.
I had to make things right with Connor. This wasn’t either of our faults; no one could have seen it coming. But I knew I had to be the one to step up. It was never supposed to get like this.
Dressed in fresh shorts and a shirt, I headed downstairs, and as soon as I reached the top of the stairs, I saw him. Connor knocked on Luna’s bedroom door, his hand hovering over the handle. He opened it quickly and pushed inside.
I could see the bed was empty. A sudden coldness prickled at the back of my neck. The silence between us was suffocating, but we didn’t speak. I stepped in as he stepped out, his gaze fixed on the robe just outside the open door.
“She’s gone.” Connor’s voice was flat, but the panic in his eyes hit me like a sucker punch. I froze briefly, then bolted, my mind scrambling to catch up.
We ran to the front door, ready to shift. But then Connor stopped me, his gaze fixed on the front yard.
I followed his line of sight, and there she was—a russet-coated wolf, standing by the thick trunk of a tree. She looked deep in thought, her posture still, but I could feel the tension radiating from her. For a moment, I wondered if she was thinking about running, or if she’d decided to return.
Her gaze met mine. Not submissive, but challenging. It was a dare—she was testing us, seeing how we’d respond. She passed us without breaking eye contact and walked towards the house, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
We followed her silently, watching as she curled herself up in the back corner of the room. The soft rise and fall of her breathing told us everything we needed to know. She was exhausted, her wolf energy drained. She was still learning, still vulnerable. I hoped she hadn’t hurt herself.
We went to sit on the couch, the tension between Connor and me palpable. I could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on us. I wondered what we’d do if she decided to leave, pack her things, and vanish like always. How could we make a home for someone who’d never had one?
“I’m sorry, man,” I said, my voice low. “This is a hard situation. My instinct is to shake her, yell at her, make her see it’s not safe to be out there alone. But she can’t be a prisoner. She has to make this choice herself. She will never accept the bond if we’re her captors.”
Connor was quiet for a long moment, the silence heavy with thought. Finally, he spoke.
“Do you wish we didn’t find her? That we were still living our half-existence?” His voice was softer now, almost vulnerable.
I looked at him, meeting his gaze. “No. I can’t wish that. We have a second chance at happiness.” The words were more than just a promise; they were a plea.
I stood, moving toward Luna, and grabbed the robe. She’d change back soon, and I wanted to ensure she wasn’t cold. But there was more than that—a desire to hold her, to pull her close. I wanted to be the one she came to, but she had to come to me on her terms.
I placed the robe over her and the T-shirt next to her, watching her sleep, my heart heavy with things unsaid.
The quiet in the house stretched on, but I could sense Luna waking.
She rose slowly, the shift from wolf to woman slow and graceful, as though she were still finding her place in both worlds.
She had found leggings to add to her mismatched outfit, a small, unconscious sign that she was still trying to piece together some semblance of normalcy.
She came toward the couch, standing in the doorway momentarily, eyes searching the room. I muted the football game.
“Hi,” I said softly, my voice almost tentative.
“I’m sorry if I scared you,” she said, her voice still rough from sleep, but a humility made me pause.
I shook my head. “I can’t say it’s okay, but I get it.”
“I felt itchy. Like I had to run,” she said, coming up to the couch and placing her hand on the armrest. Her eyes flickered to Connor and me, almost embarrassed, like she was still figuring out how to navigate this strange new world.
“I’ve never changed on purpose before,” she added, her words a mix of awe and unease.
“It’s a whole new world,” Connor said, breaking the tension with a soft laugh.
“I didn’t know how to change back,” she admitted, her voice quieter now.
I chuckled. “Sleep will do it. But you’ll learn to do it by will, eventually.”
I paused, thinking momentarily before offering, “Hey, do you want to take a break from all the heavy stuff and just eat dinner, watch a movie?”
She smiled, and it felt like a small weight lifting off my chest. “Yes,” she said immediately. “I was hoping to take a shower.”
“Good idea. As cute as that robe looks on you, clothes and a shower will make you feel more human,” Connor teased, his smile warmer than I had expected.
We moved to the kitchen, prepping steaks and a big salad. The meat sizzling filled the silence, but my mind was elsewhere, still trying to piece together what was happening. Was this a second chance? Or was I just fooling myself?
She emerged from the bathroom a while later, looking completely different.
The soft sweatshirt hung loosely on her, the neckline falling off one shoulder.
Her hair was damp, cascading in waves down her back.
Seeing her like this stirred something inside me, a desire I couldn’t ignore.
But I had to. I had to. There was too much at stake to let myself get caught up in something as reckless as attraction.
Even Connor was momentarily stunned. I could see it in his eyes—he noticed her too. He wasn’t one to get lost in the physical, but something about her caught even him off guard.
I couldn’t help myself. My body tensed, a mix of possessiveness and desire flaring inside me.
I thought of Claire, and it made me sick.
Not because of her. Because of me.
The memory hit like a punch to the gut.
We’d been holed up in that cabin during one of the northern runs—just the two of us, trying to keep the younger wolves safe while tensions flared between packs.
Claire had a way of making even the bleakest places feel like home.
She moved like she belonged wherever she stood, her laugh echoing through wood and stone.
That night, the snow had piled high outside, and the fire inside crackled low.
We’d been arguing about strategy, about Connor, about how reckless I could be.
Then suddenly, it wasn’t about arguing anymore.
It was about the heat between us, how she looked at me like she was trying not to want me, and failing.
We didn’t talk much after that. We didn’t have to. The connection between us was physical, elemental, wild. She came to me like fire to kindling, and I let her. Every touch was a release and a war. We burned, and it wasn’t pretty—but it was real.
Still, when morning came, Connor made her coffee just how she liked it. It was Connor who made her laugh, who understood her silences without needing to fill them.
I was the alpha. I kept her safe and warm—but I didn’t make her stay.
The ache in my chest sharpened. I hadn’t let myself remember that night in years, but now, watching Luna, the past clawed its way back.
How Luna challenged me with her eyes reminded me too much of Claire’s defiance.
The way she shifted then returned, exhausted and curled into herself—God, it gutted me.
Claire had never really chosen me. She’d loved us both in different ways. But she and Connor had always seen each other clearly, without the smoke of dominance or duty clouding everything. I’d wanted to protect her. Connor had wanted to know her.
And now Luna was here—half wild, half gone—and I couldn’t help but feel history teetering on the edge of repeating itself. I didn’t know if I could stand to lose again. Not like that. Not again.
We were all tangled in something new, something real.
I watched Luna settle at the counter, my mind still racing with questions. But for the first time in days, the weight on my chest lifted, even if just a little.
Connor cleared his throat, breaking the tension. “I hope you like steak and salad,” he said, his voice more casual than it had been a moment ago.
“I love it,” Luna said, practically salivating at the sight of the food.
“Good, because that’s about all we cook. Meat and salad.”
“I’m down for that,” she replied, leaning against the counter. Her words were light, but my mind was still racing with what comes next?
I tried not to imagine what else she might be down for. But the thought lingered, and I cursed myself again.
Table of Contents
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- Page 13 (Reading here)
- Page 14
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- Page 18
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- Page 39