Chapter 28 Luna
Luna
Notebook: Home is a dangerous word when you’ve signed a three-year contract.
Istep back and survey the long wooden tables we’ve arranged on the lawn behind the main building of the tenants’compound, my hands on my hips, wondering if I’ve finally lost my mind.
Me, Luna Woods, hosting a community dinner?
The same Luna who used to eat alone in the corner of The Shifter Institute’s dining hall?
But there’s something about this place and these shifters. They have been through hell and survived. And even if life was unfair to them, they didn’t let that dull their spirits.
They are not survivors.
They are heroes.
I smooth down the checkered tablecloths one last time and take a deep breath. “It’s just dinner,” I mutter to myself.
But it’s not just dinner.
It’s the first time I’ve ever felt like I could create something… good. Something that matters.
Everyone is helping out. Some cook; others rearrange furniture and bring extra chairs from their cottages.
I check the large pots of stew simmering over the outdoor fire pit, a hearty venison recipe I learned from my mom.
My contribution looks pathetically small next to the dishes others have promised to bring, but it’s something.
I’ve never been much of a cook. The Institute offered mandatory culinary classes, but I was able to drop them because I tended to burn everything. Because of my “attitude,” I had to take extra courses on obedience and “How to Please Your Future Alpha” seminars.
The first to arrive is old Mrs. Finch, a tiny shifter with a bent back and cloudy eyes. I rush to help her with the covered dish she carries.
“My, don’t you look lovely tonight, dear,” she says, patting my hand. “Such a pretty thing.”
I snort. I’ve never been called pretty before.
“May I ask what happened?” I ask Mrs. Finch, nodding towards her scarred arm.
The older female pulls up her sleeve to reveal more scars. “Wolf, thirty years ago. Trying to kill me. Nearly took my hand.”
I blink in surprise. “What happened to him?”
Her smile is all teeth. “I took his head.”
Holy shit.
I decided right then that Mrs. Finch was my new favorite person.
More tenants trickle in: a young family with twin toddlers who barrel straight into my legs without hesitation, an elderly couple who bring fresh-baked bread that makes my mouth water, a sullen teenage boy whose mother nudges him forward to hand me a bowl of berries he picked himself.
“This is… really nice of you,” he mumbles, not meeting my eyes.
“Thanks for coming,” I say, taking the berries. “I’m Luna.”
“I know who you are,” he says, looking at me for the first time. “You’re the one with the burn scars.” There’s no disgust in his voice, just curiosity.
“That’s me. Scarface Luna, at your service.” I give a mock bow.
He almost smiles. “I’m Will. I have scars, too.” He pulls up his sleeve to show a poorly healed burn. “They got my dad two years ago.”
My throat tightens. “I lost mine in a fire, too. Human-set though.”
He nods once, then drifts away to help his mother set plates. I watch him go, chest aching with a familiar pain that never quite fades.
By the time the sun has fully set, the clearing is alive with voices and laughter.
Lanterns hang from tree branches, adding to the atmosphere.
I move between tables, ensuring everyone has what they need and learning their names and stories.
There are many stories of loss, survival, and finding their way to the sanctuary in Hudson’s territory.
“You’ve done something special here.”
I turn to find a young woman about my age, her pregnant belly straining against her dress.
“I’m Mara,” she says, smiling. “This is the first time I’ve seen everyone together like this.”
Before we can continue our conversation, a hush falls over the gathering. I turn to see Hudson striding into the clearing, flanked by Ethan, Axel, and Oli.
No, Damien, I notice, ignoring the little twist of relief… or is it disappointment, in my gut.
Hudson’s large frame draws attention even from a distance. His eyes sweep the crowd methodically before landing on me. Something flickers in those depths before he nods once and turns to speak with one of the older males.
My wolf stirs beneath my skin, pressing forward as she catches their scents on the breeze.
“Those boys,” Mrs. Hendricks sighs beside me, her weathered hand resting on my arm. “Saved every last one of us, they did.”
“They did,” Mara agrees, her hand drifting protectively over her swollen belly. “I was in the barracks when they came. Never seen anything like it.”
“You were both prisoners?” I ask.
Mrs. Hendricks nods, her hand trembling slightly.
“They had us caged like animals. When Alpha Hudson’s team stormed the barracks, I could hardly believe my own eyes—one minute we were prisoners, the next we were free.
Then they rounded up every last one of those bastard guards and gave us a choice about their fate. ”
“What did you choose?” I ask.
A shadow crosses her face. “I chose mercy. Some didn’t.” She straightens her shoulders. “But I’ll never forget watching those boys fight for us, for people they didn’t even know.”
“Luna! Luna!”
The teenage girl who’d recognized me a few days earlier sprints toward us.
“Hey,” I say as she skids to a stop, eyes wide with excitement.
“I’ve been dying to ask—did you know Headmistress Gray? From the Institute?” She’s bouncing with excitement.
I can’t help the snort that escapes me. “Yeah, I knew her. Hard not to when she was constantly giving me demerits for ‘improper feminine conduct.’”
The girl’s expression turns serious. “Did you hear she’s missing? It’s all over social media.”
I frown. “Missing?” The strict headmistress doesn’t seem like someone who’d just disappear.
Mara leans closer, a smile tugging at her lips. “Maybe she found love.”
“Headmistress Gray? In love?” I snort. “That woman’s heart is made of ice. I’m not sure she can feel anything except disappointment in her students.”
Mara nudges me gently, tilting her head toward Mrs. Hendricks, who’s been eyeing an older gentleman. The way she looks at him says everything.
I lean toward her. “On the other hand, who knows? Maybe. They say it’s never too late to find love. Wouldn’t you agree, Mrs. Hendricks?” I raise my eyebrows towards the gentleman in question.
She scoffs, but a blush blooms across her weathered cheeks. When the gentleman waves her over, she smooths her dress. “Excuse me, dears,” she murmurs as she walks away with a new lightness to her step.
Mara and I both giggle.
“Wow, Luna, this is amazing!” Oli says, appearing at my side with that dimpled grin. His hair is slightly damp, curling around his ears.
“I didn’t do anything special,” I say.
“Are you kidding? Look at this.” He gestures to the gathering. “Hudson’s been trying to get everyone together for months. A few weeks of Luna Woods, and boom—community dinner.” He bumps my shoulder playfully. “You’re magic.”
I roll my eyes. “If I were magic, I’d conjure desserts. I dropped the ball on that one.”
“I brought s’mores. They are literally the food of the gods,” Oli declares solemnly. He pats his bag with a conspiratorial wink.
I smile. “Lifesaver.”
Across the clearing, Ethan moves between shifters, speaking with each tenant. He has a methodical way of engaging with the crowd, having conversations, and inspecting injuries and bandages.
The evening progresses, and I find myself drawn into countless conversations.
Everyone wants to know about me, about how I’m settling in.
Several women comment on how nice it is to “finally have a female touch around the place.” I don’t correct them when they refer to my arrangement with the pack as permanent.
As dinner winds down, Oli announces it’s bonfire time, and the crowd migrates to the large fire pit on the edge of the clearing. I’m helping carry dishes back to the main house when I overhear Hudson and Ethan speaking in low voices behind the cabin.
“—increased security along the south border,” Ethan is saying. “The scouts reported fresh tracks yesterday.”
“Human or shifter?” Hudson’s deep voice rumbles.
“Both. Same as before.”
Hudson curses softly. “Double the night patrols. I want everyone accounted for after dark. No exceptions.”
“And Luna?” Ethan asks, his voice dropping even lower.
There’s a pause. “Keep her close to the main house. She doesn’t go anywhere alone.”
By the time I rejoin the group, the bonfire is roaring, and Oli is distributing long skewers for marshmallows. He brightens when he sees me, patting the log beside him.
“Saved you a seat,” he says. “Prime marshmallow roasting real estate.”
“I’ve never actually done this before,” I admit.
“Never?”
“The Institute wasn’t big on campfire fun. More focus on ‘how to serve your future mate tea without looking like a clumsy idiot.’”
I settle beside him, and Oli’s arm slides around my shoulders, pulling me closer. “Well, we can’t have that. You’re about to experience one of life’s greatest pleasures.”
The weight of his arm feels good, secure. My wolf stirs inside me, a contented rumble vibrating through my chest. I find myself leaning into him.
“Is that a purr?” Oli whispers, delight dancing in his eyes.
“Shut up,” I mutter, but I don’t pull away. Instead, I burrow deeper against his side.
Before I can respond, strong hands grip my waist. I yelp as Axel lifts me effortlessly off the log and deposits me squarely in his lap, arms wrapping possessively around my waist.
“Hey!” I protest, though I don’t actually try to move. “I was in the middle of an important life skill acquisition.”
“You still are,” Axel says. “I’m just providing a more comfortable seat.”
Oli grins, seemingly unbothered by Axel’s territorial display. He hands me a skewer with a fluffy white marshmallow already speared on the end.
“Here’s how it works,” he explains, guiding my hand toward the fire. “Hold it just above the flames, not in them, and rotate slowly. Otherwise—”