Page 47 of Moon's Call

“Mmm, sounds ominous,” she teased, her eyes already drifting shut.

“Nothing you can’t handle,” he replied, his voice warm with pride. As her breathing evened out, he watched her sleep, his heart full in a way he’d never imagined possible.

Her soft breathing filled the quiet room as moonlight spilled through the windows, casting a silvery glow across their tangled forms. His finger traced her neck, right over the mark that claimed her as his.

He smiled as he remembered her transformation. His Luna, his beautiful mate, had been a wolf all along. The realization should have brought him more relief than it did. But as he gazed down at her sleeping form, he found himself chuckling softly at his own stubborn prejudices.

“I would have loved you either way,” he whispered, careful not to wake her. The truth of those words settled deep in his chest. Somewhere between teaching her to control her earth powers and watching her stand up to Gideon, he’d stopped caring about what she was and started caring aboutwhoshe was.

Her strength, her wit, her determination – those qualities had nothing to do with being human or wolf. They were purely Lorelei. His wolf rumbled in agreement, completely content with their mate pressed against them.

The earth trembled slightly beneath the castle, responding to whatever she was dreaming about. Draken tightened his hold on her, nuzzling her hair. His fierce, powerful mate who could shake mountains in her sleep. Human or wolf, she was exactly what his pack needed. What he needed.

Sleep began to tug at his consciousness, but he fought it for a few more moments, wanting to savor this perfect peace. His last thought before drifting off was that perhaps it was time for the Moonshadow pack to revise some of their old beliefs about humans. After all, their Luna had proven that power could come in unexpected packages.

TWENTY-TWO

LORELEI

Sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the pack’s event center. Lorelei stood beside Draken, her heart racing as she surveyed the hundreds of pack members gathered before them for the celebration. Lorelei’s stomach did a little flip as Draken squeezed her hand, his presence beside her both commanding and reassuring.

“My people,” Draken’s voice carried across the room, commanding attention without effort. “Today we celebrate not just our Luna’s official marking, but a revelation that proves the Moon Goddess works in mysterious ways.”

Lorelei stepped forward, her silk dress rustling against the wooden platform. The crowd’s attention fixed on her, a mix of curiosity and anticipation in their eyes.

“Show them,” Draken whispered, pride evident in his tone.

Taking a deep breath, Lorelei focused on the shift. The sensation was still new, but exhilarating. Her bones reformed, fur sprouted, and within moments, a wolf stood where she had been. Her new wolf form stood proud beside her mate, her coat gleaming like fresh snow in the afternoon light.

Gasps and excited murmurs rippled through the crowd. Someone whooped, starting a chain reaction of cheers and applause that thundered through the event center.

Through her enhanced hearing, Lorelei caught snippets of conversation:

“A white wolf!”

“She’s one of us after all!”

“The most beautiful Luna wolf I’ve ever seen!”

Feeling playful, Lorelei trotted through the crowd. Pack members reached out to touch her fur reverently as she passed. The joy in the room was infectious, making her tail wag despite her usual reserved nature.

The door to the side garden beckoned. She slipped through it, hearing Draken’s footsteps following behind. Once hidden by the rose bushes, she shifted back and quickly pulled on the spare dress she’d stashed there earlier.

When Draken approached her, he wrapped his arm protectively around her waist. “That went well,” he said, his voice deep with satisfaction. “Though I think you enjoyed showing off a little too much with that dramatic exit.”

“Maybe a little.” She grinned. “Did you see their faces? I think we surprised them.”

“Well, you definitely surprised both of us.” He kissed her neck softly where his mark sat. “My clever mate, keeping secrets even from herself all these years.”

Draken led Lorelei back inside to celebrate her new role as the Moonshadow Luna. She gracefully and confidently circulated through the event center, moving from group to group. The joy radiating from the pack members warmed her heart more than she’d expected. Their acceptance meant everything, especially after the rocky start.

“Luna Lorelei, do you have time to look at these blueprints?” an elderly wolf named Martha pulled sketches from her bag. “Our senior center’s falling apart, but we can’t figure out how to expand without losing the historical elements.”

Lorelei’s eyes lit up as she studied the drawings. “The foundation’s solid. We could preserve the original stonework while adding modern amenities. Maybe a glass atrium to bring in natural light?”

Martha clasped her hands together. “That would be perfect for the pack gatherings during full moons!”

From across the room, Draken watched her with unveiled pride. Their eyes met and he winked, making her cheeks flush. Even as she continued her rounds, she felt his protective presence, tracking her movements.

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