Colliding Dreams

Chapter Eighteen: The First Howl

[Luna's POV] 

I woke up today feeling refreshed and rejoiced. Darius had been beside me all night, his presence calming the whirlwind of thoughts that had been spinning inside my head for days. His steady breathing and the warmth of his arm wrapped around me made the world feel safe. But as I lay there, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't shake the nervous fluttering in my stomach. Tonight was the full moon. Tonight, everything would change.

I rolled over slowly, careful not to wake him. His face was peaceful in the early morning light, and I couldn't help but smile at how boyish he looked when he slept. This was the same man who could command armies, whose very presence caused lesser wolves to bow their heads in respect. But here, with me, he was just... Darius. My mate, my protector, my heart.

I slipped out of bed quietly, the cool morning air raising goosebumps on my skin. The large windows of our room allowed the first rays of the sun to spill inside, casting golden light across the floor. I padded over to them and pulled the curtains open fully, watching as the sun climbed higher into the sky. The world outside looked so normal, so unchanged. Birds sang, leaves rustled in the soft breeze, and the forest beyond our home was bathed in golden light. It was hard to believe that in a few hours, everything I knew about myself would be altered forever.

My reflection in the window caught my attention. I looked... different. Maybe it was just the weight of what was coming, but there was something in my eyes that hadn't been there before. A depth. A knowledge. Darius had been preparing me for this moment, reminding me of my strength and power, but none of it felt real until now.

"You're thinking too much again," came his sleepy voice from behind me. I turned to find him watching me from the bed, one arm still draped over the pillow where I had been. His dark hair was mussed from sleep, and his eyes were half-lidded, yet sharp. Those intense golden eyes that never failed to make my heart skip a beat. He was the picture of calm, as always.

I sighed, walking back to him and slipping under the covers again. He immediately pulled me closer, his body heat seeping into me. "How can I not think about it?" I asked quietly. "Tonight... everything changes."

"It does," he agreed softly, his hand trailing up and down my arm in a soothing rhythm. "But it changes for the better. You'll finally become who you're meant to be. This is your birthright, Luna."

My chest tightened with both anticipation and fear. "What if... what if I can't handle it? What if something goes wrong?"

He propped himself up on one elbow, his expression turning serious. "Nothing is going to go wrong. I'll be with you every step of the way. You're stronger than you know, and your wolf... she's ready. She's been waiting for this moment."

My wolf. The part of me I'd always known was there but had never fully experienced. She stirred within me at the thought, a deep rumbling that was more sensation than sound. I had felt her before—small flashes of her presence when I was angry or scared—but tonight she would finally break free.

Darius pressed a kiss to my forehead, grounding me in the moment. "We have the whole day to prepare. Let's take it one step at a time, okay?"

I nodded, feeling a little lighter. Darius had a way of calming the storm in my mind, his unwavering confidence in me seeping into my bones.

The morning passed in a haze of small tasks—breakfast, a long shower, and Darius insisting that we take a walk through the forest to clear my head. The fresh air helped, the scent of pine and earth grounding me as we walked hand in hand along the familiar paths. The trees here had always felt like home, their towering trunks and whispering leaves a constant presence in my life. But today, they felt different. Everything did. Like the world was holding its breath, waiting for nightfall just as I was.