The Alpha's Luna, A Destiny Divided

Chapter 7

Luna's POV

The forest was alive with sound and scent as Nora and I made our way along the pack's borders. Despite the tension between us, I found myself relaxing into the familiar rhythm of patrol. It had been so long since I'd run with others, since I'd felt the comforting presence of pack at my back.

"You're not half bad at this," Nora commented as we paused to mark a boundary stone. "Where'd you learn to move so quietly?"

I tensed, memories threatening to overwhelm me. "My old pack," I said shortly, hoping she wouldn't press further.

Nora's sharp eyes caught my discomfort. She was quiet for a moment, then said, "Look, I know you've got secrets. We all do. But if you're going to be part of this pack—"

"I'm not," I interrupted, perhaps more harshly than I intended. "I'm only here for a week, remember?"

Nora snorted. "Sure, keep telling yourself that. But take it from someone who knows – when the Moon Goddess has plans for you, it's better not to fight them."

Before I could respond, a howl split the air – urgent, alarmed. Nora's head snapped up, her body tensing.

"That's Finn," she growled. "Something's wrong."

Without another word, we both shifted, racing towards the sound. As we ran, I caught an unfamiliar scent on the breeze – wolf, but not Silver Creek. My heart raced. Had they found me already?

We burst into a small clearing to find Finn squared off against three unknown wolves. Their aggressive stances and snarling faces left no doubt about their intentions.

"Well, well," the largest of the three sneered, his eyes fixed on me. "Looks like our little runaway has found herself a new pack. How sweet."

Ice flooded my veins. They were from my old pack. They'd found me.

Nora moved to stand beside Finn, her hackles raised. "You're trespassing on Silver Creek territory," she growled. "Leave now, or face the consequences."

The leader laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Oh, we'll leave. Just as soon as we take what we came for." His eyes never left me. "Come on, Luna. Time to face the music."

I wanted to run. Every instinct screamed at me to flee. But as I looked at Nora and Finn, standing strong despite being outnumbered, something in me shifted. I couldn't run. Not this time.

With a deep breath, I stepped forward, placing myself between my newfound packmates and my past. "I'm not going anywhere with you," I snarled.

The leader's eyes narrowed. "Don't be stupid, Luna. You know what Alpha Marcus is capable of. Do you really want to bring his wrath down on these poor, unsuspecting wolves?"

Guilt and fear warred within me, but before I could respond, a powerful roar shook the clearing. My heart leapt as Callum burst onto the scene, flanked by Rafe and several other pack members.

In an instant, the tables had turned. The intruders were now heavily outnumbered, and I could see the uncertainty in their eyes.

Callum's presence filled the clearing, his Alpha power radiating off him in waves. "I believe my packmates told you to leave," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

The intruders hesitated, clearly not having expected this level of resistance. Their leader tried to maintain his bravado. "This doesn't concern you," he spat. "We're here for the traitor. Hand her over, and we'll be on our way."

In a flash, Callum was in front of me, his massive form a shield between me and my past. "Luna is under my protection," he declared, his voice ringing with Alpha authority. "Any threat to her is a threat to Silver Creek. And trust me, you don't want to threaten my pack."