Chapter 31 Hudson
Hudson
Istand by the sofa, watching her sleep with a mix of pride and concern.
She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen—even if she doesn’t know what she is yet. The fact that she’s finally shifted after all these years should be a cause for celebration. But the circumstances make it complicated as hell.
Her paws twitch in her sleep, and I resist the urge to reach out and stroke her fur again.
The others should be back soon.
I haven’t told them yet—I wanted to let Luna rest after her first shift. But they need to know. They’ll have my head for it, and I’m ready to face the consequences.
The front door creaks open. Voices carry in from the entryway, and I straighten up, instinctively placing myself between Luna and the door.
“I’m telling you that fish was at least twenty pounds,” Oli says, voice light and teasing.
“In your dreams, kid,” Axel grumbles. “Ten at most.”
“Twelve,” Ethan cuts in. “And only because you nearly fell in trying to land it.”
Their banter dies the second they step into the room. I watch their faces shift as they take in the sight of Luna curled up on the couch.
Oli’s eyes go wide. “Is that…?”
I nod. “She shifted earlier.” I let out a soft chuckle, remembering her attempts to howl. “She thinks she’s a wolf.”
Axel and Ethan move closer, and Oli crouches near the sofa’s edge. Damien lingers in the doorway.
“How is that possible?” Ethan asks, eyes narrowing as he studies her. “She’s been at the institute for years. They don’t take kindly to “defective shifters.”
Axel steps in closer, his hand hovering just above Luna’s silver fur, not quite touching.
“She’s perfect,” he says quietly.
Oli shakes his head. “But that’s—how could her parents not have told her? Even as a kid, she should’ve known what she was.”
“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” I admit. “Maybe her parents were trying to keep her safe.”
“It would explain the fire,” Axel murmurs.
Luna shifts. Her body jolts, a whimper slipping out before the shift reverses, and she’s human again.
“Shit,” Axel breathes, grabbing the nearest blanket and covering her quickly.
Ethan’s brow furrows as it does when he’s piecing something together. He looks at her scarred legs and then at Damien. Then, back at her legs.
“This is her, isn’t it?” he says, voice low. “This is why you’ve been keeping your distance.”
“Who?” Oli and Axel ask in unison.
Ethan doesn’t look away from Damien. “The girl from the fire. The one you couldn’t forgive yourself for when we were kids.”
Damien’s jaw clenches. His hands curl into fists at his sides. He says nothing.
“What the hell is Ethan talking about?” Axel demands, moving closer to Damien, his stance aggressive.
Oli looks confused, his gaze flicking between his brother and Luna. “Damien? What’s he talking about?”
I step forward, drawing their attention.
Ethan turns to me next, furious. “You knew?”
I meet his eyes and nod. “There’s more,” I say. “Much more. And it changes everything.”
"More?" Ethan's voice drops dangerously low. "You brought her here knowing—" He looks at Damien, then back at me. "What the fuck have you done, Hudson?"
"What I had to do," I say quietly.