Chapter 29 Ethan #2
“Our agreement still stands,” Damien says, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “If anything happens to her—anything at all—I’ll gladly challenge for Alpha and rip your fucking head off your shoulders.”
The air in the room freezes.
I stare at Damien, shock rippling through me at the blatant threat. Challenging an Alpha is serious—a fight to the death that would tear our pack apart.
Hudson holds Damien’s gaze for a long, tense moment before nodding slowly. “Fair enough. I’d expect nothing less.”
What the hell?
They had a deal?
About Luna?
“Good,” Damien growls, then stalks out, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the hinges.
I turn to Hudson, struggling to process what just happened. “What deal? Since when does Damien care about Luna’s safety?”
Hudson sinks back into his chair, suddenly looking exhausted. “It’s complicated.”
“Uncomplicate it,” I demand, my usual deference slipping. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you two have been keeping secrets.”
Hudson sighs, suddenly looking older. “Damien has his reasons for keeping Luna at arm’s length. They’re his to share, not mine.”
“That’s not an explanation.”
“It’s all you’re getting.
I make no effort to move.
“Dismissed,” Hudson alpha barks.
My body rises before I can stop myself, legs carrying me toward the door even as my mind rebels against the command. The power that forced obedience ripples through my muscles, overriding my will.
I hate this sensation, this loss of control.
Hudson rarely uses it on us. Not on his inner circle. The fact that he’s resorted to it now speaks volumes about how desperate the situation has become.
My hand reaches for the doorknob without my permission.
“We need to tell her,” I manage to say through gritted teeth, fighting the compulsion just enough to turn back and meet his eyes.
“I’m trying to protect her,” Hudson says, his voice softening slightly. “All of us.”
“By lying to her?” I shake my head, the motion jerky as I struggle against the bark’s lingering effects. “She deserves better.”
I step into the hallway, the door closing behind me with a soft click. The farther I move from Hudson’s presence, the more control returns to my limbs. By the time I reach my workstation, the forced obedience has faded to a dull ache in my bones.
Luna’s laughter drifts, mingling with Oli’s animated voice. The sound tightens something in my chest.
She trusts us.
All of us.
* * *
Packing is a strategic exercise for me—I treat it just as I would my patients.
I prioritize essential items first, followed by contingency supplies, and lastly, comfort items. However, watching Oli frantically stuff an excessive number of board games into a duffel bag while Axel debates which weapons can be hidden under the floorboards of the lake house makes me realize our priorities might be somewhat misaligned.
Luna stands in the doorway of her room, a duffel bag already packed.
“Luna!” Oli bounces over to her, all eager with bunny energy. “Has anyone told you about the lake yet? It’s incredible! We can swim and fish, and there’s this rope swing that Damien put up years ago—”
“Calm down before you give yourself an aneurysm,” Axel says.
Luna laughs. “I’ve never been to a lake before.” She blushes slightly. “Except for the one Axel and Ethan showed me.”
“Oh, that’s like a pond compared to this one.” Oli looks personally offended by this information.
She shrugs. “The institute wasn’t big on field trips, and we moved a lot when I was a kid, living mostly in human districts.”
The casual way she mentions that place makes my jaw clench. One day, I’m going to visit the so-called Shifter Institute and have a long, detailed conversation with whoever thought it was acceptable to treat her the way they did.
“You’ll love it,” I tell her. “It’s peaceful. Remote.”
Luna laughs again. “More remote than this?”
She has a point for someone who comes from the city.
“We should finish packing. Hudson wants to leave in an hour.”
The security convoy consists of three SUVs. Hudson arranged for Luna to ride in the middle vehicle with me, Oli, and Axel. Hudson and Damien take the lead car, accompanied by two of our security team members, and four more guards follow in the rear.
Overkill, maybe, but we’re not taking chances.
“Is all this really necessary?” Luna asks as she slides into the back seat next to Oli. “I feel like the president or something.”
“More important,” Axel says from the driver’s seat. He catches my eye, and I know we’re thinking the same thing: we’ll burn the world down before we let anyone hurt her.
The drive to the village is uneventful. I keep scanning the tree line, the road ahead, the vehicles passing us.
Luna chatters with Oli about the lake house, asking questions about the local wildlife, the water temperature, and whether we have a canoe.
Each excited response from Oli makes her eyes light up a little more.
“We need to stop for supplies,” I announce as we approach the village. “Food, mostly. Anything specific you want, Luna?”
She blinks, surprised at being asked. “I… I don’t know. I’m not picky.”
Another reminder of the institute, where she probably ate whatever was put in front of her and was grateful for it. My fingers tighten on the steering wheel.
“Ice cream,” Oli declares. “Everyone’s picky about ice cream. What flavor do you like?”
She thinks for a moment. “Chocolate? I used to have it all the time with my mom.”
“Chocolate ice cream,” Axel nods thoughtfully. “Noted.”
The village is small but charming. Luna presses her face to the window as we park, taking it all in.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathes.
We split up to shop more efficiently. Hudson and Damien head for the general store for essentials. I take Luna, Oli, and Axel to the small farmer’s market for fresh food.
I hand her a ripe peach from one of the stalls. “Try this.”
She takes a bite, and juice dribbles down her chin. Her eyes close in pleasure. “Oh, my god!”
Something warm flares in my chest at her expression. “Good?”
“Amazing.” She wipes her chin with the back of her hand. “Can we get more?”
“We can get whatever you want.”
After we’ve loaded up on fresh produce, we pass a small boutique. Luna pauses, her attention caught by something in the window. A simple but elegant dress in a deep purple that would perfectly complement her silver hair.
“Do you like it?” I ask.
She startles, as if caught doing something wrong. “Oh, I was just looking. It’s pretty.”
I study her face. “Do you want to try it on?”
“I—” She hesitates, then shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. I don’t need new clothes.”
But her eyes linger on the dress, and I make a decision.
“Oli, take these bags to the car,” I hand him our purchases. “Axel, can you go with him?”
Axel raises an eyebrow but nods, herding Oli away despite his protests about missing something fun.
“Come on,” I guide Luna into the boutique with a gentle hand on her lower back.
The saleswoman approaches with a professional smile. “Can I help you find something?”
“The purple dress in the window,” I say. “My girl would like to try it on.”
The saleswoman retrieves the dress and shows us to a fitting room.
“Ethan,” Luna hisses once we’re alone. “What are you doing?”
“Getting you something nice.” I keep my voice casual. “You’re allowed to want things, Luna.”
Her eyes meet mine, vulnerable and uncertain. “I’ll look stupid.”
“Impossible.”
After hesitating, she takes the dress and disappears into the fitting room. I wait, scrolling through security updates on my phone, while part of my mind remains hyper aware of her presence just feet away.
The curtain slides open, and I look up.
My breath catches.
The dress is simple—a summer sundress with thin straps and a flowing skirt that ends just above her knees. The purple fabric makes her skin glow and her silver hair shine. And yes, the scars on her legs are visible, pale lines that tell her story of survival.
But it’s her face that stops me cold. Uncertainty, hope, and something like defiance all mixed.
“Well?” she asks, voice small.
“Beautiful,” I say, and I mean it.
A blush spreads across her cheeks. “Really?”
“Really.”
She turns to look in the mirror, smoothing her hands over the fabric. “It feels… nice.”
“We’ll take it,” I tell the hovering saleswoman. When Luna protests, I add, “Consider it a lake housewarming gift.”
“Thank you,” she says as we leave the shop and make our way back to the cars.
Oli is bouncing with impatience. What took so long? Did you buy the whole store?”
Luna holds up the bag with a shy smile. “Just a dress.”
“Put it on!” Oli exclaims. “I want to see!”
“Later, we should get back on the road.”
The rest of the journey passes peacefully. Luna falls asleep against Oli’s shoulder, and I catch myself watching her in the rearview mirror more often than necessary—the steady rise and fall of her chest and the occasional flutter of her eyelashes.
We reach the lake house in the late afternoon. The convoy pulls up the long, winding driveway, and I watch Luna wake and sit up straighter as she gets her first glimpse of the place.
Most people don’t picture the lake house when they hear the term.
It’s large, almost a mansion, with a rustic exterior that belies its modern security features.
Positioned on a rise overlooking the lake, it offers excellent visibility.
The trees have been strategically trimmed to eliminate hiding spots, and the perimeter is fitted with motion sensors disguised as landscape lighting.
But none of that is what makes Luna gasp. It’s the view: the crystal blue lake stretching before us, surrounded by forest and mountains.
“It’s… It’s like a postcard,” she whispers.
The cars stop in the circular driveway, and everyone unloads. Luna slips out, clutching her dress bag, and takes a few steps toward the lake.
“Want to see inside first, or explore the grounds?” I ask, coming up beside her.
She turns to me, and the joy on her face hits me straight to the heart. “Can I change first?”
Ten minutes later, she emerges from the house wearing the purple dress, her silver hair loose around her shoulders. Oli whistles, and even Axel looks appreciative. Hudson nods with something like approval, while perpetually sour-faced Damien looks slightly less annoyed than usual.
“It looks even better here,” I tell her softly.
She smiles, then does something that surprises me: grabs my hand. “Show me the lake?”
We walk down the path to the shore together, her hand warm in mine. I’m constantly scanning our surroundings. I can’t help it, but part of me is fully present with her, savoring this moment.
At the water’s edge, she kicks off her shoes and steps up to her ankles, laughing at the cold. The purple dress flutters around her knees, and the scars on her legs catch the sunlight.
“Thank you,” she says without looking at me.
“For the dress?”
“For making me feel like a person again.” She turns, fixing those remarkable eyes on me. “You all did. But especially you.”
I’ve always been the healer, the one who fixes what’s broken and tends to everyone’s wounds. But now, all I want is to make one silver-haired female happy. And seeing her standing in the water, strong and unbroken, wearing a purple dress, makes my heart soar.
“Luna,” I start, unsure of what I will say.
She waits, head tilted.
But before I can continue, Oli comes bounding down the path, excitement rolling off him in ripples. “Luna! Come see the rope swing! I promise not to let you fall!”
She laughs, a sound I’ll never tire of hearing. “Coming!” She looks back at me. “You too?”
I nod, smiling despite the interruption. “Right behind you.”