Page 2

TWO

SOL

S ol stretched his arms across the cool marble edge of the infinity pool. Water droplets cascaded down his tanned chest as he tilted his face toward the setting sun. His castle’s backyard transformed into a golden paradise at this hour, the dying light catching on every wet surface and turning his domain into a kingdom of fire.

“Impressive turnout,” Joshua remarked beside him, his dark hair slicked back with pool water. “Your pack parties are becoming legendary.”

Sol’s gaze swept across his territory with satisfaction. Pack members in human form lounged on plush chairs sipping drinks that caught the sunset’s glow, while several wolves prowled the perimeter, their fur gleaming wet from occasional dips in the water. The scent of grilling meat wafted from the stone outdoor kitchen where his personal chef worked diligently.

“A strong alpha provides.” Sol’s voice carried the natural authority that made others instinctively straighten their posture. “A pack that plays together stays together.”

The sound of squealing laughter drew his attention to the shallow end where his nephews and niece splashed in mock battle, their small bodies darting through the water.

“Uncle Sol! Watch this!” His dark-haired nephew, Finn, performed an awkward attempt at a cannonball that ended in a thunderous splash.

Sol nodded approvingly, unable to suppress the grin tugging at his lips. “Better than last week, pup.”

Joshua chuckled. “Your sister’s going to murder you when they come home soaked and hyper.”

“Let her try.” Sol’s green eyes flashed with challenge, though the smile never left his face. “Claire knows better than to question how I handle the pups.”

A female pack member in a crimson bikini slowly approached the pool’s edge, swaying her hips. “Prince Sol, can I bring you anything? Another drink perhaps?”

“Bourbon. Neat.” Sol barely glanced her way, though he registered her disappointment as she retreated. “They never stop trying, do they?”

Joshua snorted. “Can you blame them? Unmated alpha prince with a castle, power, and those cheekbones? Hell, I’d throw myself at you if I swung that way.”

Sol splashed water in his beta’s face. “Your loyalty is noted. Your taste, questionable.”

The wolf inside him stirred restlessly, pushing against his skin. Despite the perfect evening and the contentment of seeing his pack thrive around him, something felt off-balance. He’d been experiencing this odd sensation for weeks now—a burning in his blood that no amount of swimming, hunting, or fighting could quench.

“You’ve got that look again,” Joshua observed, his voice dropping lower. “Like you’re about to shift and run into the forest for three days.”

Sol rolled his powerful shoulders. “Maybe I should. Something’s not right.”

“The council meeting tomorrow?”

“No.” Sol’s jaw tightened. “Something else. Something...”

A burst of laughter erupted from a group nearby as one of the pack members shifted mid-conversation, clothes tearing as fur emerged, prompting others to dive away from the spray of water.

“Theo!” Sol barked, authority resonating in his voice. “Shift in the designated area. You know better.”

The wolf lowered his head in immediate submission before padding away, tail between his legs.

“Was that necessary?” Joshua asked.

“Rules exist for reasons. Respect them or challenge me for leadership.” Sol’s eyes flashed dangerously before softening. “Besides, he ruined a perfectly good outfit.”

As darkness soon settled around them, the outdoor lights activated, casting the backyard in a warm glow that mimicked the embers of a dying fire. Just as Sol liked it.

Thirty minutes later, the full moon emerged from behind a wisp of cloud, casting silver light across Sol’s domain. Joshua hoisted himself out of the pool, water cascading down his muscular frame.

“Time to wrangle the pups before my very pregnant wife threatens to shift and hunt me down.” Joshua nodded toward the shallow end where his children splashed wildly.

Sol tracked his gaze to the three youngsters. The twins, Filip and Finn, were locked in some sort of underwater wrestling match while their younger sister, Emma, jumped from the edge repeatedly, her delighted squeals piercing the night.

“She wouldn’t dare hunt my beta.” Sol’s lips curled into a challenging smile. “But her temper does rival mine.”

“Exactly why I’m not testing it.” Joshua whistled sharply. “Pups! Time to go!”

A chorus of protests erupted from the children, but one stern look from Sol silenced them immediately. The alpha power he exuded wasn’t something he could—or wanted—to turn off, even around children.

“Listen to your father,” Sol commanded, his voice gentle but unyielding. “You can come back tomorrow.”

The children climbed out obediently. Emma ran straight to Sol, who was still in the pool against the marble edge, and wrapped her small arms around his wet neck.

“Will you shift for us tomorrow, Uncle Sol? Please?” Her eyes, so much like Claire’s, shone with admiration.

Sol placed his hand on her damp blonde head. “Perhaps. If you behave for your mother tonight.”

Joshua gathered towels for his brood. “I’ll be back shortly. Save some of that bourbon for me.”

As Joshua herded his children toward the castle’s side entrance, Sol emerged from the pool in one fluid motion. Water streamed down his body, highlighting every sculpted muscle earned through centuries of fighting and leading. The restlessness inside him hadn’t quieted. If anything, the full moon intensified it.

Sol’s wolf paced beneath his skin, eager for release, but he pushed the sensation down. Tonight was about his pack’s unity, not his inexplicable discomfort.

He soon moved through his gathered pack members with practiced ease, the perfect alpha in his element. He clasped shoulders, asked about family members, and settled minor disputes with simple decrees that no one questioned. This was what he was born for—leadership, respect, and power. The devotion in his pack members’ eyes fed something primal in him.

“Your Highness,” Eliza, one of his oldest pack members, approached with a bottle of bourbon. “Shall I refresh your drink?”

Sol held out his empty glass. “Your timing is impeccable as always.”

“The young ones were wondering if you might shift later and run with them,” she said, pouring a generous measure. “They rarely get to see their alpha’s wolf these days.”

The request stirred his wolf’s interest, but Sol kept his expression neutral. “Perhaps. The night is still young.”

Two hours passed in a blur of conversations, subtle pack politics, and maintaining the delicate balance that kept his territory thriving. When Joshua finally returned, Sol felt a big grin stretch across his face.

“About time,” Sol called out. “I was beginning to think Claire had finally made good on her threats.”

Joshua grinned back. “She tried. But I escaped by promising to do all the chores for the next week.”

“A high price.”

“Worth it for this downtime.” Joshua gestured to the illuminated volleyball court where several pack members were already gathering.

Sol’s competitive nature flared instantly. “Marcus, Ryder,” he called to two of his strongest pack members. “Care to test yourselves against your alpha?”

The challenge hung in the air, impossible to refuse. The pack members who weren’t playing gathered around the court, drinks in hand, eager to watch their leader in action.

“Rules?” Ryder asked, rolling his powerful shoulders.

“Win or suffer the shame of defeat,” Sol replied. “First to twenty-one.”

The crowd whistled and cheered as Sol took his position, the moonlight highlighting the intricate pack tattoo that covered his upper right arm—a black wolf howling before a blazing sun surrounded by trees. The symbol of Sunflare royalty.

Joshua served first, the ball arcing high before smashing down just inside the line. The game was instantly intense with neither side willing to concede a point without diving, leaping, or slamming their bodies into the sand.

Sol’s wolf reveled in the competition and display of strength and dominance. Each powerful spike he delivered drove back the strange burning sensation that had plagued him for weeks.

Before long, the score was twenty to seventeen. One point away from victory , Sol thought to himself. The volleyball hung suspended in the air for a fraction longer than gravity should allow. Sol tracked it with predatory focus, his muscles coiled as he readied for the kill shot.

“Mine,” he growled to Joshua, claiming the final spike as his birthright.

Joshua deftly set the ball with expert precision, lifting it to the perfect height. Sol launched himself skyward, his powerful body defying gravity as he rose above the net. Time seemed to slow as he hung at the apex of his jump, arm cocked back, every muscle defined in the moonlight and artificial glow of the spotlights.

His hand connected with savage force, driving the ball between their opponents who barely had time to flinch before it hammered into the sand.

“Twenty-one!” Joshua shouted, pumping his fist in triumph.

Sol landed gracefully, a satisfied smirk playing across his lips as the crowd erupted in cheers. The defeated pack members bowed their heads slightly in deference—even in games, the hierarchy remained clear.

“You could’ve left something for them to salvage,” Joshua laughed, clapping a hand on Sol’s bare shoulder, their skin glistening with sweat in the summer night.

Sol’s eyes glinted with primal satisfaction. “Mercy is a luxury for those who can afford weakness.”

He raised his arms in victory, accepting the adulation of his pack with the confidence of a ruler born to command.

Then it happened.

A sensation like lightning striking water coursed through his body. Sol’s spine straightened as if pulled by an invisible force. The air around him charged with a power ancient and familiar, yet somehow brand new.

The massive bonfire at the center of the gathering suddenly flared twenty feet into the night sky, flames twisting into shapes that resembled wolves in mid-hunt. The pack members gasped. Several of the younger ones backed away while the older ones stood transfixed, their expressions a mixture of awe and understanding.

Sol’s wolf slammed against the cage of his human form, demanding release, howling with such ferocity that Sol had to clench his jaw to keep from physically crying out. The fire in his blood that had been simmering for weeks now blazed like a supernova.

Joshua went completely still beside him, his eyes wide with recognition. “Sol,” he whispered. “Is that what I think?—“

“Your Highness.” Mitesh appeared before them, the elderly royal advisor moving with unexpected swiftness. His weathered face was illuminated by the still-pulsing bonfire, his eyes reflecting centuries of wisdom. “After centuries...”

Sol couldn’t speak. His throat had closed around words that wouldn’t form. The burning sensation that had plagued him transformed into something entirely different—a tether, stretching away from him toward some unknown destination.

“Your Luna has awakened,” Mitesh confirmed, his voice reverent yet firm. “The Moon Goddess has blessed you at last.”

The pack had gone completely silent, every member seeming to feel the shift in their collective power and waiting for their alpha to acknowledge what they all sensed—the awakening of his Luna.

Sol remained immobile, centuries of waiting crashing down on him in a single, perfect moment. After endless years of patience and solitude, somewhere in the world, his Luna had finally come of age.

She was ready. She was his. The wolf inside him howled in triumph.

Sol stood on the edge of the volleyball court, sand still clinging to his bare feet as the warm summer air caressed his skin. The sensation coursing through his veins was unlike anything he’d experienced in his centuries of existence—a liquid fire that burned without consuming, a perfect fusion of pleasure and pain that centered him in this moment beneath the full moon.

“Yes,” he finally said, his deep voice resonating with certainty as he met Mitesh’s knowing gaze. “The Moon Goddess has indeed blessed me tonight.”

The words felt sacred leaving his lips, a truth he’d waited lifetimes to speak. His wolf prowled beneath his skin, no longer restless but purposeful, ready to claim what was rightfully theirs.

Joshua patted him on the shoulder, his eyes bright. “After all this time, brother.”

Sol’s mouth curved into a smile that transformed his usually stern features. The pack members gathered closer, drawn by the palpable shift in their alpha’s energy.

“For centuries,” Sol addressed them, his voice carrying across the castle grounds, “I’ve ruled the Sunflare Pack alone. I’ve watched each of you find your mates and build your families.” His gaze drifted briefly to Joshua, thinking of his sister Claire and their three pups—the family bond he’d only experienced as an uncle, never as a mate or father.

The burning sensation centered in his chest pulled like a compass pointing north. Somewhere—not too far, he sensed—she was waiting. Whether she knew it yet or not.

“Tomorrow at dawn,” Sol announced, drawing himself to his full height, “I leave to find her. To find the woman the Moon Goddess has chosen to be my Luna, to be the mother of the next generation of Sunflare royalty.”

A cheer erupted from the gathered pack, glasses raised in celebration. But Sol’s mind was already racing ahead. After centuries of patience, his time had finally come. The flickering mate bond inside him would eventually lead him to her—his perfect match, the one woman in all the world whose spirit called to his wolf.

“For the Sunflare Pack,” he called out, raising his glass. “And for our Luna, whoever she may be!”

“For our Luna!” the pack echoed, their voices rising into the night sky.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.