It presses on my skin so hard before I can even understand what it is. I feel a strong presence impossible to ignore. It's not just a presence...it's more.

The air feels very different here. It recognizes me. Strange. I should be cautious. This isn't somewhere I'm used to. But instead...I feel drawn. Something inside me pulls me forward.

Then I realize I'm standing right behind the Nightfang back gates.

The moonlight shifts across the gates. Its silver lights spill on the ground like it's guiding. 

My feet begin to move eve before I realize it. The forest opens slowly.

And there he stands.

Alpha Triston.

Tall.  Still. Facing a very tall tree. The moment I see him, everything...stillness, silence, even the wind seems to pause.

He doesn't move, yet the space around him feels occupied. Power rolls off him in quiet waves. Not loud. Not aggressive. But undeniable. His aura alone explains why he is Alpha.

His eyes are open... But unfocused. He can't see me. I step closer.

His head turns immediately following the sound of my footsteps.

The air tightens around us.

His voice softly cuts through the silence.

"...Who is that?"

I don't answer. I simply stand there.

"How do you know I'm here?" I ask

He puts on a faint smile.

"You breathe differently when you're nervous."

I blink. "That's not true."

"And yet." He says calmly, "you're here."

He looks at me like he can actually see me.

His eyes look directly into mine. Not past me. Not around me. There's no hesitation in his gaze. No searching. He's certain about where exactly I stand.

 It sends a strange chill down my spine. I take a slow breath but it doesn't steady me at all. I step closer before I can stop myself. 

"You can't see." I say slowly. "So how so you know where I stand?"

"My wolf knows." His answer was immediate.

Simple.  Certain.

I fold my arms. I try to study him carefully.

"You trust your wolf that much?" silly of me to even ask, of course he does...

"I trust him more than I trust most people."

"That sounds lonely for an Alpha."

He chuckles softly. "Come closer."

I slowly step forward. One step. Then another.

Until only a breath separates us. The moment I stop, his hands gradually wrap around my waist.

I gasp. His grip wasn't rough, but it was firm.

Unyielding.

My heart begins to race. The moon inside me surges. Like it recognizes him. Like it's been waiting. 

His thumb brushes slightly over my cheek. My fingers twitch beside me, unsure of whether to push him away...or pull him closer. Then he whispers... "Mate."

I'm completely numb and unable to move, in shock of the words I just heard.

"...What?"

His grip tightens slightly.

From the moment you stepped into my territory, my wolf recognized you.

"That's impossible,"  That word feels weak the moment I say it. Because something inside me already clings to Triston. Adrian's voice echoes in my mind. "You were convenient."

No. I won't fall again. Not like before. Not for anyone. "You don't even know me." I say to him.

His head tilts again. 'You're right. I don't." he continues "But I know what you are to me."

My throat goes dry.

"You're wrong.'

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"Then why does our heart beat in the same rhythm?"

"You're imagining things."

"Your scent is different as well."

I pull my wrist free.

"You're unbelievable."

"And you're avoiding the question."

I stare at him.

"How can you call me your mate, when you don't even know my name?"

His expression doesn't change.

"Names don't matter to wolves."

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

"And yet," I say sharply, "you're the Alpha of Nightfang. Don't you think they expect you to know who you're claiming?"

He sighs. "Are you worried about my pack...or about yourself?"

I open my mouth... but then I close it right after because I don't have an answer.

Triston steps closer.

Once again, the distance between us vanishes.

"You're afraid.'

"I'm cautious."

"You're running."

"I'm thinking." I fold my arms.

"Let's say for a moment you're right."

"I am."

"Hypothetically." I snap.

"Go on."

"Why don't you have a luna already?"

Finally, he pauses. The faint smile disappears off his face.

"Because none of them were you." My heart skips. His words land softly. But they hit harder than anything he's said so far. There's no arrogance in his tone.  No manipulation. Just...truth..  That's what wins my heart over the most. 

I look into his eyes. I exhale slowly. "You're the Alpha of one of the strongest packs in the territory."

"Yes."

"You're powerful."

"I've been told."

"You're wealthy."

"Money is useful." He shrugs.

"So, every she-wolf in your pack most definitely wants to be your Luna."

"They do."

"Then why haven't you chosen one?"

He looks more serious. "Because choosing isn't the same as finding."

He sounds so honest and subtle.

"You waited all this time for someone you can't even, see?"

He responds almost immediately. "I don't need eyes to recognize my mate."

"What if you're wrong?"

He steps closer. "So far... I haven't been."

For few seconds, we're both silent.

Suddenly, the wind sweeps across the trees so aggressively. The water in the lakes ripple. Wolves begin to howl throughout Nightfang.

Dozens of wolves.

All at once.

Triston looks at me dead serious.

"...Lyra."

I never told him my name. "...How did you know that?"

He tightens his jaw.

"Because I heard it."

"Heard what?"

"I heard the moon say...the moon goddess has returned." 

The moonlight shines bright through the tall windows of the Nightfang Alpha Hall.  Silver lights reflecting over shinny stones and dark bronze. The ceiling stretches endlessly above. Carved with ancient symbols of Nightfang history... The air smells faintly of iron and pine. It feels good. Too good. 

Every wolf in the room is staring at me. They don't even try to hide it. They all whisper through the hall like restless wind. Their whispers echo like restless wind.  Low, sharp, cutting.

I can feel their eyes. Judging. Questioning. Doubting. Some curious. Some hostile. Some...already against me. My fingers curl in slightly by my side. I force myself to breathe. Slow. Steady. 

Triston stands beside me, holding my hand. Tall and unmoved. Unshaken. Like none of this affects him. Like he expects  this. 

We walk down the hall to the throne. Our footsteps are echoing louder than they should. Each step feels heavier. Like I'm waking into some sort of judgement. Like I'm walking into something that could either destroy...or make me stronger. My hus grip tightens slightly. Like a silent warning-or reassurance ...He sits and tells me to sit right beside him. I hesitate. just for a second. 

Not because I don't want to sit beside him... but because I know what it means. It isn't just a seat. It's a position meant for a Luna. An Alpha's equal. Not someone like me. Everyone's gaze presses harder  against my skin.

Watching. Waiting to see if I would overstep. If I would prove them right. For a brief second, I start doubting myself. Do I really belong here? Then ...I obey.

The moment I sit right beside him, I feel it. His aura. His presence alone, takes a strong hold of the entire hall. Heavy. Commanding. Unquestionable. 

Even without sight, his authority fills the hall like a storm waiting to break. His hand rubs against mine for a moment. Just a touch. But it is enough to steady my racing heart. It anchored me. It reminds me that I'm not alone. Not anymore.

"I present to you...my mate. Lyra of Nightfang" Silence. Then...The whispers explode.

"What?"

"A common wolf?"

"Of no Alpha linage?"

"That's impossible." The words hit me from every angle. More like a reality check moment. For a few seconds I'm stiff. Then I remember...Alphas only mate Alphas in Nightfang. Of course they will react like this. Of course they will doubt me. 

The chair scrapes against the floor harshly. The sound is heard throughout the entire hall. Elder Ragnar rises. Triston tells me he is the oldest of all the elders, and the most difficult to please. Now I understand why. 

He towers over the council table; his heavy robes drag across the stone.

"Your mate?" he barks. His voice is sharp and unforgiving. 

His eyes so sharp and piercing, they could pierce Triston open.

"Alpha, can you even hear yourself? He continues. This girl is a commoner, and you declare her luna before the entire pack?"

He looks at me. Cold. And for a moment...everywhere is silent. It feels like the entire hall is holding its breath. Triston doesn't hesitate. "She is Nightfang blood," he says calmly. "And she is my mate."

Ragnar's jaw tightens. "That is not enough."

Murmurs spread throughout the hall. This time, more stronger. More dangerous. 

"A Luna must come from the blood line of an Alpha, not a common wolf who appears out of nowhere!"

"How do we even know who she is?"

His voice hardens the more. "How do we know she isn't here to cause us harm to us?"

His words hit harder than they should. 

I can feel my pulse rise. My chest tightens. But I step forward anyways.

"My name is Lyra," my voice softly echoes in the hall softer than I expect. But it carries. It echoes.

"I'm of Nightfang."

More whispers. But different this time. Less certain. More curious. I feel Triston's attention on me. Waiting...not controlling. Not interrupting. Just...there. Watching.Trusting me to speak-up for myself. That alone gives me strength. 

"My parents..." I pause. The memory hits me like a blade. I remember the night-The sky painted red...the smell of blood...my mother's hand slipping from mine. 

"...were killed during the blood moon war."  A shift. Subtle. But real. Few wolves stiffen. Others look at themselves with uneasy glance. The blood moon war is a perfect reminder of pain and loss.

"I survived. Alone, until now."

Everyone is silent. The silence is heavier this time. Elder Elestria leans forward.  She is very sharp minded, known for questioning everything. Though not openly hostile. She doesn't look at me with hatred. She looks at me like a question waiting to be answered. Her voice is calmer than Ragnar's, but her demeanor is the same.

"Do you expect us to just accept you as our Luna," she says, "after living away from your pack your entire life?" She asks, tapping her fingers on the table. In a measuring and controlling way.

"How are we sure that you will protect Nightfang instead of endangering her?

I lift my chin. I choose my words wisely and refuse to stutter. "I'm not asking that you trust me blindly and without reason."

Ragnar scoffs. I meet his gaze directly. "Then what are you asking for?"

I look at him, "a chance." My words hang in the air. Simple but heavy. 

Ragnar folds his arms.

"Talk is cheap, girl. Loyalty is..." The door slams open. They sound like thunder as ther slam against the wall. Everything stops. A guard rushes in. His breathing is uneven. His jaws so tight. He carries a wounded pup on his shoulders-

"Help!" he shouts.

"That's Zoe." Someone cries out. The pup is pale. Too pale. He isn't breathing properly. His lips are blue. My heart drops. His chest is barely moving.

"He almost drowned in the lake!" Everyone erupts into panic. But I don't think. I move. 

I walk down to him lying on the floor. I'm already beside him before anyone can stop me. I drop to my knees beside him.

"Move." The guard shifts aside immediately.

I place my hands over Zoe's chest. His heartbeat is weak. Fading. Slipping. No. Not another life  slipping away in front of me. I close my eyes. Silver warmth flows from my hands, they spread through Zoe's entire body. Soft at first. Then stronger. Spreading. Filling him.

"Stay with me," I whisper to Zoe. The hall is so silent. Completely silent. Even Ragnar. Even the other elders. Everyone stops breathing. Then-

Zoe gasps. A sharp sudden breath. His chest rises. His lungs fill with air. His eyes flutter open.

"He's alive!"

"She healed him!' everyone echoes in the hall. The words spread like wild fire. Shock. Aww. Disbelief. Ragnar stares at me. For once, he has no words. Elder Octavian stands up slowly. He's the wisest and kindest elder. Triston's most trusted.  When he speaks, everyone listens.

"Fate rarely chooses wrongly. We have all witnessed her power."

Elder Rowena steps forward next. She is the Elder with the most compassionate heart.

Her eyes are warm. Kind. 

"Anyone who saves the life of one of our own...deserves respect," she says.

She turns to the other elders. "I support this union."

Elestria hesitates. Just for a moment. Her gaze shift between Triston and me. Then, she nods.

"Perhaps...we were too quick to judge.' All eyes turn to Ragnar. But Ragnar says nothing. Triston's voice cuts through the silence. "She is my Luna." Triston echoes. His voice carries the weight of an Alpha's command.

"And the pack will honor her." The whispers return. They sound different now. Not rejection . Not doubt. They sound more like acceptance. Then-

The doors of the hall slam open again. Another guard rushes inside.

"Alpha!"

Triston turns immediately. "What is it?"

The guard hesitates to answer. For just a second. Like he's not sure how to say it. The air turns cold. What ever is at the border must be very serious. "There's someone at the border." A pause. The entire hall stills again. Tristons voice lowers. Dangerously calm. 

"Who?"