Page 36 of Moon's Call

“Things have been truly amazing with you,” she said softly. “These feelings I have for you... they’re growing stronger every day.” She met his gaze, willing him to understand. “Humans don’t usually fall deeply in love overnight.”

The crystal water glass trembled again as her emotions swelled. She steadied herself, remembering her practice sessions. “But this isn’t just about falling in love. You’re asking me to become Luna of a wolf pack, to leave behind my whole life, my career...” She gave him a small smile. “That’s a lot for a human architect to process, even one who can apparently move mountains.

“I know your wolf nature makes everything immediate and certain. But humans...” She shrugged one bare shoulder. “We usually need time to accept big changes like this. It doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. It just means I need to be sure before I make such a life-altering decision.”

She watched his jaw clench, the muscle ticking as he processed her words. His broad shoulders remained tense, and she could practically feel the alpha energy radiating from him.

“I just announced to the entire pack that you’re their Luna. They’ll expect the mating bond to be completed very soon.”

“I understand the urgency, I do. But this pressure... it’s too much. I don’t want it to be like this.”

She took a deep breath, steadying both herself and her powers. The words she needed to say next felt heavy on her tongue, but she knew they were true the moment she thought them.

“I think...” She paused, watching his muscles tense further. “I think I need to go home for a while. Back to my old life, to process everything about you, this supernatural world, and what being Luna means.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she felt their truth settle deep in her bones. Five days. That’s all it had been since her entire world had turned upside down. Five days since she’d learned about wolves, powers, and fated mates. Five days since she’d last seen her best friends or worked on her beloved building designs.

“I can’t just abandon everything I’ve built,” she continued, her voice soft but firm. “My friends, my favorite coffee shop where the barista knows my order by heart, the antique bookstore where I spend Sunday afternoons. My job...” She let out a small laugh. “God, I miss my drafting table.”

Draken remained silent, but his reaction was written in every line of his body. His shoulders were rigid, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. The moonlight caught the amber flecks in his eyes, making them glow with an otherworldly light that reminded her just how different their worlds were.

The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words and barely contained power. Through their growing connection, she could feel his wolf prowling beneath the surface, agitated and unhappy. But she needed this - needed time to find her footing in this new reality without feeling like she was being swept away by it.

Lorelei stood and slipped into her gown, trying to steady her breathing and her racing heart.

“Chuck will drive you home in the morning,” Draken said, his voice tight with barely contained emotion. “Though I wish you’d reconsider. The kidnapper that tried to take you is still out there.”

“I know.” Lorelei smoothed down the front of her dress, buying time to steady her voice. “But I can protect myself now. You taught me well.”

She crossed the room to where he stood, rigid and brooding, by the window. When she wrapped her arms around his waist, she felt the slight tremor that ran through his muscles. His chest expanded with a deep breath as he enveloped her in his arms, his embrace conveying everything his pride wouldn’t let him say.

The familiar scent of pine and wilderness that clung to his skin made her heart ache. Walking away from him felt like trying to separate two magnets - every cell in her body protested the distance. But she needed this. Needed to process everything that had happened since her birthday.

“I’ll miss you,” she whispered against his chest.

His arms tightened briefly before he released her. “Be careful.”

The walk back to her suite felt longer than usual, her heels clicking against the marble floors of the castle corridor. Her mind wandered to her apartment, her drafting table, her friends. She missed the simple pleasure of grabbing coffee with Helena or discussing the latest architectural trends with her colleagues.

Yet as she reached for her door handle, her powers tingled beneath her skin, reminding her that she’d never truly go back to who she was before. The earth itself sang to her now, a constant hum of potential and power that had become as natural as breathing.

But that didn’t mean she had to give up everything else. She could be both - the architect who loved clean lines and urban planning, and the Earth Luna who could shift tectonic plates with a thought. She just needed time to figure out how those pieces fit together.

As she stepped into her suite, she smiled, thinking of how Draken’s wolf would probably pace all night, fighting its instinct to keep her close. But if they were truly meant to be together, their bond would only grow stronger for letting it develop naturally.

SEVENTEEN

LORELEI

The sleek black SUV purred through the city streets as Chuck navigated morning traffic. Lorelei watched the familiar buildings slide past, each one a comfort after days in the castle’s stone walls.

“Draken paced all night, you know,” Chuck said, breaking the comfortable silence. “He barely slept. Kelly said she heard him prowling the corridors at dawn.”

Lorelei’s chest tightened. “I hate that I’m causing him distress.”

“Don’t. He respects that you need time. Besides...” Chuck’s eyes crinkled with amusement in the rearview mirror. “It’s good for alphas to learn patience.”

When they pulled up to her apartment building, Lorelei’s fingers traced the smooth leather seat. “Thank you for the ride, Chuck. And for everything else this past week.”

---