Page 62 of A Luna’s Dynasty (Celestial #1)

Lita and Asher walked side by side, both breathing hard and flecked with mud, the sharp, clean sweat of training still clinging to their skin. Asher kept his arm around her lovingly as he joked about getting the better of Grayson tomorrow.

“Lita—” Asher stopped mid-sentence, staring toward the woods. His brows furrowed as he continued to search the treeline. They scanned the yard, their gazes finding Felicia.

She was standing at the edge of the path, arms wrapped around herself, her body weirdly hunched, as if she was trying to fold herself in half and disappear.

Even her hair looked duller than Lita remembered.

But it wasn’t her posture that made Lita’s hackles prickle …

it was the emptiness where her scent should be, a blank space that felt more threatening than any predator.

Asher’s shoulders tensed. “Why can’t I smell you?” he asked, not bothering with a greeting. Felicia had returned, but her lack of scent was concerning.

Felicia flinched, but her voice came out steady. “I lost my wolf.”

Lita blinked. “You what?”

“I lost her.” Felicia bit her bottom lip, frowning.

“Ever since the day Asher broke the engagement, she had gotten weaker, and then came the day we fought. After I left, I tried to shift and … it was just gone. Like she never existed.” Her lips twisted into a smile so brittle it looked like it might shatter her jaw.

“So you can’t scent me because there’s nothing left. I’m not a wolf anymore.”

“No one just loses their wolf. She’s probably dormant and mentally healing.” Asher’s voice was flat and didn’t have any sympathy in the tone.

Felicia shrugged, her face blank. “I did. Maybe it’s punishment, or maybe it’s just temporary.

But I’m not here for sympathy. I came to say …

you win, Lita. You’re Luna now, and I accept it.

The pack’s already decided.” Her voice caught, and for a second, Lita saw the old venom flash in her eyes.

“I just want to stay. I figure if I live here, maybe she’ll come back to me.

So—” She forced a laugh. “So, congratulations. You get your fairy-tale ending.”

Asher squeezed Lita’s hand as he studied Felicia. “You really mean that? Or are you just looking for an excuse to stick around and cause trouble?”

Felicia’s answer was a long, tired sigh. “I don’t have anything left. I just want to feel normal again. Even if it means being nobody. You said if I accepted her, I could return home … well, I accept her. So can I go back to my home?”

Asher nodded and watched as she turned and walked away, feet dragging through the grass.

Lita watched her go, heart pounding with unease.

There was something so fundamentally wrong about seeing Felicia stripped of all that arrogance, all that fight.

It was like running into a wild animal that had been declawed and left to starve.

Asher waited until she was out of earshot before speaking. “That doesn’t feel right.”

Lita nodded. “She looked … broken.”

He shook his head. “Not just that. I can’t read her at all. It’s like she’s not even there.”

“She said she lost her wolf. That must be what it’s like. Empty.” Lita’s voice faltered. “I can’t imagine.”

Asher’s eyes flicked to her, concern laced with something darker. “Do you believe her?”

She wanted to. She really did. But the memory of Felicia’s eyes, the glimmer of something sharp still hiding under the surface, made her hesitate. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But even if it’s true, what are we supposed to do? Kick her out? She’s still pack.”

He grunted, not satisfied. “I’m going to have Caden keep an eye on her. Just in case.”

Lita shrugged, too tired to argue. “Fine. But don’t make her life hell. She’s already living in it.”

They started walking again, the quiet between them easy now, like a blanket thrown over a pair of sleeping wolves. Asher slipped his hand around her waist, thumb brushing lazy circles on the soft spot just above her hip. Lita leaned into him, letting the warmth of his body sink into her bones.

After a while, he said, “You know what I’ve been thinking?”

“Besides all the dirty stuff?”

“Hey, you have impure thoughts too … but they’re about each other, so are they impure?” He smiled and stopped walking, turning her to face him.

“I want to take you on a date,” he said.

Lita blinked. “Like, a real date?”

He nodded. “You never got to have any of the normal stuff. School dances, late-night dinners, awkward first kisses. I want to give you that. All of it.” His thumb brushed her cheek, slow and gentle. “You deserve it, Lita.”

“My first kiss was with you, but it was never awkward. You can never give me that. But the rest … maybe.” She tucked herself under his arm and let him lead her toward the pack house, their steps in perfect sync.

She could feel his emotions and thoughts running rampant in her mind as he tried to decide on their first date.

It was so incredibly sweet and caring and made her love him even more … if that was possible.

“You two are cavity sweet.” Grayson chuckled, closing the gap.

Lita twisted around, raising an eyebrow. “You jealous, Grayson?”

He snorted. “Of you? No. Of Asher? Maybe.” He jerked his chin at Asher, who grinned back, all teeth and mock-Alpha smugness. “I just don’t want to get blamed when you set the place on fire, Lita. If I’m within range, I can at least claim plausible deniability.”

Asher squeezed Lita’s waist. “We’ll try not to combust in public. For your sake.”

“I mean it,” Grayson said, falling in step beside them. “I don’t want either of you going anywhere alone. You can never be too careful.”

Lita rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. If she’d learned anything from living with Grayson, it was that arguing only made him dig in deeper. Besides, there was a weird comfort in knowing he cared enough to hover.

They were halfway to the porch when Caden jogged up, sneakers squeaking and hair a mess of sweat and static. He slid to a stop, hands on his knees, and tried to catch his breath before blurting, “Did I hear someone say cavity? Is there food?”

Lita laughed. “Grayson’s just worried we’re going to get too sweet for his taste.”

Caden straightened, wiped his face with the hem of his shirt, and said, “I’d rather be sweet than boring. Also, if you’re giving out cavities, does the tooth fairy come for shifters? Or do we just grow new ones?” He looked at Grayson, dead serious. “Is the tooth fairy real?”

Grayson blinked. “What?”

Caden’s eyes widened, hopeful. “You know, the tooth fairy. Is she a real thing, like, maybe she’s a secret fairy, or a shifter with dental powers, or—” He cut himself off, thinking hard. “Wait, is Santa real, too?”

There was a beat of silence as everyone processed this. Then Asher snickered and Grayson shook his head, glancing at Lita in disbelief. “Is he serious?” Lita barely held in a giggle. “Should we tell him?” Grayson whispered loudly, but Lita held up a hand.

“Let him have one more night of sweet dreams,” she said, solemn as a judge. “The world’s cruel enough without wrecking his fantasies.”

Caden frowned, indignant. “I know Santa’s not real.

I mean, obviously. But the tooth fairy—” He leaned in, lowering his voice as if the trees might be listening.

“I had a tooth go missing once, and the next day, there was a ten-dollar bill under my pillow. No one would admit to it. So unless you’re telling me there’s a secret cash fairy in the pack, I’m sticking with my theory. ”

Lita clapped a hand to her chest. “Bless his pure heart,” she said, eyes shining with affection. Even Grayson had to crack a smile.

Asher shook his head, ruffling Caden’s hair. “Keep dreaming, bud. Maybe if you’re good, the fairies will give you wings, too.”

Caden looked down, thoughtfully. “Wouldn’t mind flying, actually. But only if I can keep my teeth.”

At the door, Grayson held it open, letting the others file in before him. Asher guided Lita inside with a hand on the small of her back, and Caden darted ahead, already on the hunt for snacks.

Grayson lingered a second, scanning the yard, always the guardian, before entering the house.

“I’ve been thinking,” Caden began, “that I need a fairy mate. Someone who’ll teach me all the secrets and show me how to see through walls and stuff. Maybe give me wings. Is there, like, a dating site for that?”

“Now we know why you’re obsessed with the tooth fairy.” Grayson chuckled.

“Ha,” Caden said, undeterred. “Actually, I always figured if the tooth fairy collected teeth, maybe she didn’t have any. And if that’s the case …” He shrugged with a smirk. “Could be a bonus.”

Lita rolled her eyes. “Ugh, males.”

Asher slid an arm around her and pulled her flush against his chest. “Hey now. We’re not all bad, right?”

She met his gaze, and in that instant, she heard his thoughts—loud, unfiltered, and extremely not safe for public consumption. It was so vivid that she snorted, burying her face in his shirt.

“Should I share with the class?” Asher batted his eyes, feigning innocence.

“Not unless you want to get arrested.” Her muffled voice sounded from his chest.

He chuckled, sheepish but unrepentant. “Sorry. Still not used to you hearing everything in my head. At least you’ll always know how I feel about you. Decent or not.”

Caden wiggled his eyebrows. “Careful, Lita. You’re dating the alpha. It’s a full-time job just keeping up with his … ego.”

“Don’t I know it.” She then turned to look at Grayson. “The pack is aware of this already, since news travels fast, but I wanted you to know that Felicia has returned.” Lita watched as his eyes darkened, a low growl rumbling in his chest. “She lost her wolf—”

“So she says.” Asher interrupted as his eyes met with Grayson’s. “We will keep an eye on her. I really hope she has had a change of heart, but—”

“It’s rare for people to change.” Grayson nodded.

“She hasn’t changed. I don’t trust her.” Caden shook his head. He had known Felicia his entire life, and she wasn’t a good person.

“She looked defeated. I really hope she can find comfort in her pack.”

“Maybe, but—” Asher began but stopped as a voice sounded in his mind.

Asher. Demons have been scented. North border. Garrett's voice was panicked. Lita tensed and looked up at Asher.

“What is it?” Grayson asked.

“Demons have been scented,” she whispered as Asher’s gaze met with Grayson’s.

Grayson’s eyes darkened as he looked back at the door.

Demons dared to come this close to the princess?

! If they were coming for his family, he would make them pay.

His lips curled up as a growl left his chest. His protective instincts surged as he focused on his sole job. Protecting the fairy heir.

Lita opened her hand, a flame dancing in her hand. “I guess it’s time we find out if demons can burn.”