14
Once everyone is certain my heat has settled - for now - I prepare to spend the night at Noah’s top Alpha lodge. He thinks I’ll be safer there tonight after his pack meeting, but I’m nervous as hell to be around all those wolves who may or may not like me.
After packing an overnight bag, I change into my favorite pleated dress, blue and white stripes lining my frame with little ruffles peeking over my shoulders. Noah grins when he sees me in it, flooding our bond with excitement. I halt in my living room, in pure awe of my ability to feel someone else’s affection for me. He adores me.
Noah holds my hand until we stop on my porch, sharing one last kiss before Noah disappears into the woods to shift. When his massive black wolf returns, ears alert and tail wagging, my heartbeat restarts.
I still can’t believe how beautiful you are, I mindlink.
Alertness flashes through Noah’s eyes. My skin shivers. His ears shoot straight up and his paws splay, but that’s the last clear look I get. He bounds over faster than I can brace myself or dodge, so I cringe with a laughing scream.
Noah skims past me, doubling back to scamper to my side with a disrupting, skidding halt and forcing Yasmine to sprint from flying mud. Noah spits his clothes into the dirt before licking me from hip to neck, and I squeal.
“Noah, don’t! I just got cleaned up!”
He huffs against me, sniffing me all over. His tail makes so much wind that it ruins Amy’s hair.
Yasmine can’t stop shaking her head. “Honestly, what the hell. You turned into a goddamn puppy, Greenfield.”
Noah doesn’t seem to care, nuzzling my neck until he finds just the right spot to light my spine with pleasure.
“Alpha, no!” Amy snaps. “Don’t reactivate her heat!”
Noah shrinks. His shy glance darts between Amy and me before giving me one last, sneaky lick. I burst out laughing, burying my fingers into his fluffy cheek fur.
But Yasmine drags me away by the hand. “Alright, let’s head out before Noah gets any other ideas.”
Noah’s wolf circles the three of us, keeping guard as I walk on foot with Amy and Yasmine. I had no idea I lived in a territorial warzone - unclaimed land between Noah’s territory and Westview, the neighboring town. Otherwise, random wolves wouldn’t have been after what Noah called my “lusty Omega scent,” calling out to Noah to mate. It’s good he found me when he did. Now I can’t wait to pass into Noah’s territory, more like a safe haven.
But as we walk, I spiral down a mental road I haven’t allowed myself on since my heat cleared. I’m scared to think of what I don’t know. Was Amy right in that Ritchie’s pack was never able to accept Mom, and that’s why my parents lived outside of pack territory, or was it for other reasons I don’t understand?
Noah’s hulking wolf shoots me a subtle glance. Concern riddles his beautiful golden eyes, but I give him a placating smile. I’m not ready to talk about my parents’ hidden past, let alone play a guessing game on what they must’ve been thinking. Pain seeps through the base of my heart, no matter how hard I shove it down.
At the border, a boxy, off-roading, black SUV waits for us. Noah disappears behind another tree to shift and change back into his clothes. I’m itching to follow him, but Amy and Yasmine hang back, so I stick to Amy’s side, unsure what else to do. The second Noah reappears, reaching for my hand, the Betas spring into action, as does the driver.
I assume this means they wait for the pack leader’s call on when to do everything, right? I’m missing basic social cues. It’s so natural to them that they don’t think to explain.
Now that I can hear him out loud again, Noah’s rumbling, soft voice gives me chills. “Thanks for picking us up, Dave.”
The scruffy driver grins, his wavy hair and thick beard just as dark as Noah’s. “Welcome back, Alpha. And welcome home, new pack member.”
Goosebumps erupt across my arms. This is it. I’ll belong in a community soon. Not just any community, but a pack. Noah’s pack.
But I still have no idea how to act. They’re wolves, but not all-wolf, right? Does that mean they sniff each other or something in greeting?
Dave is staring. No, everyone is.
So I put on my brightest smile. “It’s so nice to meet you, Dave! Thank you so much for driving all the way outside Greenfield. I know my parents’ old cottage is far.”
Dave’s wide eyes zip between me and Noah before finally landing on Noah’s fresh, crimson bite mark. “Holy f–”
The bulky wolf tackles me into a hug, and I gasp. But whoever he is to Noah, I can feel his excitement for us in his heavy grip.
“No wonder he looks so fucking happy! I was wondering what was wrong with him.” Dave laughs, but my stomach flip-flops at what Noah must’ve seemed like before we met with how everyone’s acting. Was he as depressed as I was? “It’s so nice to meet you, future Luna!”
I try to brave a smile as I’m face-to-face with Dave again, but my heart lurches at those words. Future Luna?
My wolf, however, perks right up. Future Luna!
Dave tackles Noah with a similar hug. “I’m so happy for you, cuz. Your own Luna, damn.”
Judging by Noah’s smiling, squinty eyes, he couldn’t be happier. As the men break apart, Noah brushes his mark, hugging me to his side with rosy cheeks. “Aliya, this is my cousin, Dave. And let’s not pressure her with the Luna title just yet, man.”
“Oh, shit. Sorry, that is a lot of pressure.”
My chest clenches. “No, wait, I actually–”
I cut myself off, gasping at what I almost said. What am I doing? I can’t claim I want to be Luna. I don’t even know what it fully means to fulfill that role.
But what I already blurted spoke volumes. Noah tightens his grip on my side, unable to contain his rising eyebrows. Everyone is waiting for me to finish my tactless declaration.
“Oops, I guess that one slipped out.” I giggle anxiously, inching closer to Noah. “I don’t mind being called the future Luna, really.”
“Y-you don’t mind it?” Noah mutters.
“Okay, I guess it would be more accurate to say that I like the sound of it.”
Noah stands straighter. Hope peeks through our bond even though he’s trying his best to stay neutral. You don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with or cater to anyone’s expectations. They’ll answer to us. Not because they have to, but because that’s how they show their love to their pack leaders.
They’ll answer to both of us? How? I’m not your Luna. Yet.
Noah’s pheromones erupt with affection, and my heart leaps. But when everyone else is hit with a wall of his doting scent, they gape at us.
“Um... Noah?” I bite back a giggle, but no matter who stares as we have our internal conversation, Noah can’t stop beaming.
Yasmine clasps our shoulders with muscled palms, forcing us toward the car. “Alright, everyone’s getting in, stat! No neck touching in there, I mean it!”
Noah laughs, opening the car door for me. His adoring stare sizzles through our bond. “I guess Yas is right. Let’s get to this pack meeting before an Elder bites my head off.”
My stomach drops, sensing the seriousness beneath Noah’s sly smile. The thought of him getting hurt because of me, even socially, makes me want to cry.
But Noah helps me into the car, scooting in beside me. His bulky shoulders smush me into Amy, so he wraps his arm around me to fit me against his side. It relaxes me a little, but not enough. I’m so anxious that I’m nauseous. My wolf gloats at possibly being the next Luna, but I was lost at introductions. There’s no way this will work.
Noah interrupts my thoughts, leaning in with the softest whisper I can imagine from his deep voice. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay, considering everything.”
“Good to hear.”
I slump, wishing I shared the full truth with my mate.
Noah takes a deep breath, squeezing me closer. If you ever want to share anything private, no matter where I am or what I’m doing, you can tell me through mindlink.
I bite back a smile, peeking at Noah. He’s beaming as if I haven’t been making a fool of myself since we met. I lean my head against his chest, inhaling his sweet scent as he hugs me closer.
To be honest, Noah, I don’t want to disappoint you or your pack. But there’s a high chance I will.
Noah takes my hand with a soft squeeze. Not possible.
But I know nothing about pack rules. That doesn’t give me the best odds.
Just be yourself. I’ll let you know anything important, but you’re in a position where you don’t have to know any rules.His mischievous excitement rises in our bond. You’ve already marked the one wolf there is to impress.
My cheeks flush, and Noah’s giddiness stirs faster.
So much for being shy. Don’t excite my wolf, Alpha.
Sorry. I’m just excited to introduce you to the pack.
His sweet smile makes me smile so hard that my cheeks ache. I’m excited too.
Despite my nerves, I’m ready to conquer everything that’s thrown at me with Noah by my side.
Until we pull up to where the pack holds official meetings - a set of buildings deep in the Greenfield Forest. Unlike the sprawling, wooden cabins of Greenfield’s cozy Lycan town, the Community Center buildings are made of dark brick and cast stone, perfect for the mountainous climate. Canopies blanket them in cool leaves, acting as a second roof. Just the sight of them feels important. Sacred. But in nuanced ways I can’t imagine, never given the chance.
A wave of thoughts barrels down on me like an avalanche – did Mom ever feel like this? When Dad introduced her to the pack, was he oblivious to what it’s like to be an outsider because he’s always belonged somewhere? Did she ever get used to it? Was she accepted eventually, or was she completely ignored by them?
Maybe Amy or Noah’s relatives know more about what happened back then, but I’ll never know how Mom felt in her words.
Yasmine and Dave mutter in the front seat, their profiles lined with the sunset’s pink glow.
Noah steps out of the car the second we park. Everyone piles out after him in a rush, but then they stand there, waiting for us like there’s no true hurry. They peek inside the car, looking at me expectantly like I’m holding the reins.
I bite back a smile. It’s not just Noah - they all act like big puppies.
Noah takes my hands, helping me from the SUV on my wobbly legs. “Are you okay?”
“I’m ready for this. Just shaking off the nerves.”
“Just nerves?” He furrows his brows. “Well, let me know if you feel a little off. I was worried you might feel worse from being on pack territory. I thought your mark would introduce you to the pack bond, but if you couldn’t hear Yas’ ridiculous mindlink just now, you might not be fully admitted into the pack without my mark.”
As I breathe the open air, I swallow hard through my gut’s sudden churning. “Okay, maybe I feel it a bit.”
Noah wraps me into his chest, shielding me from everything but his scent. Releasing a huge sigh, I grip Noah’s jacket and bury my forehead into his wide sternum.
“There you go. Take a deep breath,” Noah whispers. “I’ve got you the whole way through. No one can hurt you.”
I hone in on Noah’s pulsing heartbeat against my forehead. He feels just as anxious as I am, but I can also sense his elation. His wolf is probably rooting for this to go well, just like mine. I want to get through this for both our precious wolves.
As I soak in Noah’s scent, his pheromones act as a soothing blanket. But Noah’s steady demeanor could calm anyone, mate or not. I love that about him.
“Okay, I feel much better now. I can do this.” I smile. But as we approach our friends, I lower into a whisper. “But what did Yasmine mindlink us?”
Yasmine sputters into belly laughter. “He probably called me obnoxious or something, didn’t he? I said–”
Noah groans. “Yas, don’t–”
“I said, he better help you out of the car before I come swoop you off your feet first. It sure got him moving.”
Noah releases an aggrieved sigh, and Yasmine cackles. When Amy and I meet wide eyes, Amy snorts back her laughter.
“You’re lucky I love you, Beta,” Noah grumbles, turning his back to Yasmine.
But the words send a shock through me - not in jealousy, but from hearing “I love you” on his lips for the first time. Noah seems to have noticed; he won’t meet my eyes, tucking his chin to his chest despite his hand clasping mine harder with nerves. Amy and I share a subtle, knowing glance, biting our lips shut when Amy’s wink almost makes me giggle.
We head up the stone steps, our mini pack of Beta wolves in tow. My heart hammers, feeling more important than I’ve ever felt in my life. I’ve never enjoyed too many eyes on me, but because this attention symbolizes love for mine and Noah’s bond, I’m changing my mind. Maybe I can handle becoming Luna someday.
But within twenty minutes of stepping into the pack meeting room, I’m gripping the pleats of my dress. Pheromones stain the air, making my teeth chatter. Angry elders shout at Noah, and Noah’s advisors shout back. All because of me.
I already can’t handle this.