LUNA

Ash and Connor were growling before I even registered movement.

The sound startled me upright. I hadn’t sensed a thing—just woke to danger already at the door.

They stood between me and the front door.

An older man entered with a beautiful woman, her dark red hair and warm, almost maternal smile complementing each other.

The man looked like someone’s granddad—lean, compact, the kind of man who probably split wood for fun.

“Stand down, boys, only us. We got your message.” She took charge like it was the easiest thing in the world. Like, people always listened to her. I didn’t know whether to be impressed or terrified.

Ash and Connor relaxed only infinitesimally. But both nodded to the man and greeted the woman.

“Let's get a look at you.” She came to the side of Ash, which seemed rather brave now. “Hello, dear, I’m Maddie. What’s your name?”

I looked up at the guys, and Connor nodded at me with a small smile.

“I’m Luna.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Luna. I’m sorry it's under these circumstances. Usually, we’d have scoped you out and given you some preparation before you started Changing.”

I nodded because of a lack of a better response.

“I’ve brought you some clothes. I’m glad I chose from my youngest daughter’s things, but they may still be too big for you.”

I accepted the bag. My hands brushed the fabric—it was soft and floral, clearly worn by someone who lived in warmth, not survival. I swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mind them being all alpha-y. Everything is OK,” she said, turning to glare at them. “Now, I know you know your pack leader is here to look after you all, not hurt anyone.”

After a few beats of guarded silence, the tension drained enough for Maddie to shepherd us into the lounge. Ash and Connor hovered near the fireplace while Maddie and Aaron settled across from me with practiced calm.

“There now, how about a cup of tea, and we can chat,” she soothed.

I knew wolves were supposed to be led by alpha males, but she commanded the room effortlessly. Once we were settled in the lounge—me in the corner, Ash and Connor on one side, Maddie and Aaron on the other—Maddie handed out cups of tea, their steam curling between us.

They’d grilled me for details, which I felt were so few.

I’d only been in town a few weeks, temping at a real estate agency.

It’s how I lived—moving often, never staying long.

I thought I had some rare condition—blackouts, lost time.

Turned out it was my wolf, sick of being ignored.

I’d grown up in foster care, never knew my parents.

No roots. Just one friend who checked in from the far corners of the world, a reminder that somewhere, someone still cared.

In other words, I was a vulnerable candidate.

“It would be best if you could stay with Ash and Connor, dear. At least until we know you’re safe. I’ll have a word with Maureen. Tell her you’ve been sick, and see if we can save your job.” There were a lot of loaded looks being shared around that I couldn’t decipher.

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. I needed that job.

“I’ll inform the pack. But it sounds like you’ve got some conversations to be had,” Aaron said, looking meaningfully at Ash and then Connor.

Ash nodded tightly. “I’ll be in touch.” He followed them out.

When the door clicked shut behind them, the tension didn’t vanish—it just settled deeper, quieter.

I let my head fall back against the couch.

I could feel the map of my usual escape plan drawing itself behind my eyelids—where the exits were, what I could carry.

But the exhaustion pinned me to the couch.

Every part of me ached, but it wasn’t just my ribs.

It was the weight of belonging to something I didn’t understand. The urge to run tugged at my spine.

I closed my eyes instead.

For now, I would stay.