TWELVE

LORELEI

L orelei’s eyes fluttered open to find herself lying in the plush four-poster bed of her castle suite. The silk sheets whispered against her skin as she tried to sit up, but a gentle hand pressed her shoulder back down.

“Easy there,” a woman in a white coat said. “I’m Dr. Sanders. You gave everyone quite a scare when you fainted.”

Kelly and Chuck stood on the other side of the bed, concern etched on their faces. The room spun slightly, making Lorelei grateful for the soft pillows cradling her head.

“Everything appears normal,” Dr. Sanders said, putting away her stethoscope. “Just dehydration and exhaustion. I recommend rest and plenty of fluids.”

Lorelei’s mind wandered to her training sessions with Draken - the way the earth responded to their combined touch, how his presence intensified her powers, their passionate encounters afterward. Heat crept into her cheeks.

“Thank you,” she managed, reaching for the glass of water Kelly offered.

As the doctor packed up her bag and slipped out, Lorelei’s thoughts drifted to everything Marybeth had taught her that morning. Pack politics. Luna duties. Fated mates. A week ago, she’d been focused on building designs and project deadlines. Now she was supposedly destined to be queen of a wolf pack?

“I should be drafting blueprints right now,” she muttered, pressing her fingers to her temples. “Not learning about moon ceremonies and pack hierarchies.”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Kelly said, smoothing Lorelei’s blanket. “Chuck was completely lost when he first joined the pack, weren’t you, honey?”

Chuck scratched his neck. “Still am sometimes. But you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Better than most born wolves I know.”

“Thanks, I think.” Lorelei sighed. “It’s just... a lot. My friends must be worried sick. And that project site...” Her stomach clenched remembering the destruction her uncontrolled powers had caused.

“I’m sure your friends know you’re safe,” Kelly assured her. “And buildings can be rebuilt.”

“Plus, I never believed in destiny or fate,” Lorelei admitted, tracing patterns on the silk comforter. “But then again, I never thought I could make the ground shake with a thought either.”

Kelly’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Speaking of destiny...” She glided to the massive oak wardrobe in the corner of Lorelei’s suite, its carved panels depicting scenes of wolves running through forests.

When Kelly returned, she held what had to be the most stunning dress Lorelei had ever seen. Forest-green silk cascaded like water, catching the afternoon light streaming through the windows. Gold threadwork traced delicate patterns along the bodice and hem, reminiscent of vines and leaves.

“There’s a party tonight,” Kelly announced, laying the dress across the foot of the bed. “The seamstress worked all day on this.”

Lorelei ran her fingers over the smooth fabric. “A party? Tonight?” The thought of socializing after her fainting spell made her head spin, but the dress called to her like a siren song. “It’s beautiful.”

“Wait until you try it on. The cut will show off those curves perfectly.” Kelly winked. “Though I suspect a certain alpha won’t be able to keep his eyes off you regardless.”

Heat crept up Lorelei’s neck as she thought of Draken’s intense stares during their training sessions. “I don’t know about that...”

“Trust me,” Chuck chuckled from his spot by the door. “That man’s been walking around like a lovesick pup all week.”

“Chuck!” Kelly swatted his arm. “Let’s leave so Lorelei can rest before the party. She’ll need her strength.” She gathered up the water glass and straightened the blankets one last time.

Left alone, Lorelei sank back into the pillows, her gaze drawn to the dress. After the chaos of the past week - kidnapping attempts, earth-shaking revelations about her powers, and steamy encounters with an alpha wolf prince - maybe a party was exactly what she needed. A chance to forget about Luna duties and pack politics for one night and just... dance.

She closed her eyes, imagining Draken in formal wear, those muscled arms holding her close as they swayed to music. Her body tingled at the memory of their passionate moments in the wilderness. Whatever this thing was between them, whatever being his “mate” meant, she couldn’t deny the pull she felt toward him.

The dress seemed to whisper promises of the evening to come.

The bedroom door suddenly burst open with enough force to make Lorelei jump. Draken filled the doorframe, his chest heaving beneath his white Henley that clung to his still-damp skin. His hair was wet and tousled like he’d barely taken time to towel it off before rushing to her room. Despite his disheveled state - or perhaps because of it - he looked sexy as hell.

“I heard you fainted.” His voice was rough with concern as he crossed the room in three long strides. “Are you all right?”

The mattress dipped as he sat beside her, one hand coming up to cup her cheek. His touch sent tingles through her body, and she had to resist the urge to lean into his palm.

“I’m fine,” she assured him, trying to ignore how his proximity made her pulse quicken. “Just got a little lightheaded. Probably shouldn’t have skipped breakfast.”

His thumb traced her cheekbone. “I’ve been pushing you too hard with the training.” His eyes darkened. “And other activities.”

Heat bloomed in her cheeks as memories of their passionate lovemaking flashed through her mind. “No, really. Dr. Sanders said it was just dehydration and exhaustion. Nothing serious.”

He didn’t look convinced, but his expression shifted to something more determined. “There’s something we need to discuss.” He glanced at the dress laid out on her bed. “I see Kelly’s already delivered your gown for tonight.”

“Yes, it’s beautiful.” Lorelei ran her fingers along the silk.

“The party tonight...” He paused, his jaw tightening. “It’s to formally introduce you as my Luna. The pack has been waiting to meet you since they sensed your powers awakening.”

Lorelei’s hand stilled on the fabric. Her mind raced back to everything Marybeth had taught her that morning about what being Luna meant - about being his mate, about leading the pack alongside him. The reality of it all suddenly felt very immediate and very real.

Draken watched her intently, clearly waiting for her reaction. His body was tense like a predator ready to spring, though whether to chase her if she ran or protect her if she feared, she wasn’t sure.

Lorelei twisted the silk sheets between her fingers, avoiding Draken’s intense gaze. “I don’t think I’m ready to be introduced to the pack.”

“We don’t have a choice,” he stated firmly. “There are already problems brewing because you haven’t been formally presented. Like I said, the pack sensed your awakening. They’re growing very restless.”

“And they’ll be even more restless when they discover I’m human, won’t they?” The words tasted bitter on her tongue. “Because the Luna is supposed to be a wolf.”

Draken’s shoulders tensed. “Yes. But there’s more to it than that,” he replied. “The pack – the entire supernatural community of wolves – we don’t particularly... like humans.”

The admission hit her like a punch to the gut. The silk sheets crumpled in her fists as anger surged through her veins. “Don’t particularly like humans? What does that even mean?”

“Lorelei-“

“No.” She shoved the covers aside, ignoring the lingering dizziness as she stood. “Maybe I should just go home. Screw all of you and your supernatural superiority complex.” The floor trembled beneath her feet. “And what about you, Draken? How do you really feel about having a weak, despised human for a Luna?”

The tremors intensified, rattling the furniture. A vase crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. Panic flashed across Draken’s face as he crossed the room in two swift strides.

“Breathe,” he commanded, gripping her shoulders. His touch sent sparks of electricity through her body, but the earth continued to shake. “Focus on my voice. Control it.”

Lorelei squeezed her eyes shut, trying to rein in her powers along with her emotions. The reality of her situation crashed over her like a wave – she couldn’t go home, not like this. Not when a moment of anger could trigger an earthquake.

The tremors gradually subsided, leaving her exhausted and shaking in Draken’s grip. She opened her eyes to find his face inches from hers, concern etched in his features.

“I can’t go home yet, can I?” she whispered, hating how vulnerable she felt. “Even if I wanted to?”

“No,” he confirmed, his thumbs drawing circles on her shoulders. “You can’t.”

Her heart thundered in her chest as his thumbs continued their soothing circles on her shoulders. His touch sent waves of warmth through her body, calming her frayed nerves even as it ignited something else entirely.

“What happened just now with the tremors?” He gestured to the shattered vase. “That’s exactly why we need to handle this carefully. There are things we can control, and things we can’t.”

“Like my apparently destructive powers?” The words came out more bitter than she intended.

“Like how we present ourselves to the pack and other territories.” His fingers tightened slightly on her shoulders. “We can control the announcement, make it clear and decisive. What we can’t control is their reactions.”

“You mean their horror at discovering their Luna is a mere human?”

“Stop that.” His voice carried the edge of command that made her breath catch. “I won’t deny that when I first realized you were human, I was... resistant to the idea.”

“Resistant?” She snorted. “You locked me in a dungeon.”

His lips twitched. “For the hundredth time, it was not a dungeon. It was a tribute with excellent stonework that you proceeded to destroy.”

Despite herself, Lorelei felt a smile tugging at her mouth. “Well, the acoustics were terrible in there.”

“The point is,” he continued, his expression growing serious, “that was before I knew you. Before I saw your strength, your determination. Your ability to adapt to impossible situations.” His hand slid up to cup her cheek. “Now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

His sincerity made her chest tight. She searched his face for any sign of deception but found only warmth in those intense eyes.

“So, what do we do?” she asked softly.

“We face this together. Stay strong. See it through.” His thumb brushed her lower lip. “Starting with tonight’s party.”

Lorelei glanced at the gorgeous green dress still laid out on the bed. She couldn’t go home now – not when she could barely control her powers, not when mysterious wolves were hunting her. And if she was being honest with herself, she didn’t want to leave Draken. Whatever this pull between them was, it felt too important to walk away from.

“All right,” she agreed. “But if anyone tries to bite me, I’m bringing the castle down around them.”

Draken’s laugh rumbled through his chest. “That’s my Luna.”