Jake pulled up to Lyra’s house right at ten in the morning. She was already standing on the porch, wearing a beautiful floral dress in shades of blue and purple that made her eyes look like a brewing thunderstorm. Her black hair fell in loose curls around her face, soft and wild.
The moment she slid into the car, her scent, honey and strawberries, hit him like a brick wall. Blood rushed south, precisely where he didn’t need it. Not today.
Last night, all he’d wanted was to get back to his room and jerk off to the image of Lyra, naked in the moonlit forest. Not touching her when she stood before him, bare and vulnerable, had required a level of restraint he hadn’t known he possessed.
Then she’d told him she was a virgin.
It had nearly undone him.
Jake typically avoided virgins. They tended to be clingy, emotionally chaotic after their first time and he didn’t have the bandwidth for that kind of drama. But Lyra? Lyra was his mate. And the thought that no other man, human or werewolf, had touched her awakened something feral inside him. Something possessive.
Still, he’d forced himself to focus on what mattered: getting her through the shift. He’d expected pain. But he hadn’t expected her pain to feel like his. Watching her scream and writhe had left him gutted. Useless. He would’ve done anything to take it away.
And then there was Juno.
He’d known she’d be weak. No wolf could go three years without shifting and come out of it unscathed. But seeing it firsthand… it had shaken him. Rome had reassured him, though. His wolf had only felt joy at having his mate’s wolf near him again. He was confident that with consistent runs, Juno would recover.
It was Rome’s idea to start Lyra on training. A stronger Lyra meant a stronger Juno. Jake knew she’d push back, but it wasn’t optional. He’d have to talk to Russ later about which training group would be the best fit for her.
Now, as she gave him a shy smile and tucked her hair behind her ear, Jake felt something stir deep in his chest. Everything about her overwhelmed him. Every word. Every gesture. Every glance. She was undoing him.
“Are you ready?” he asked as he backed out of the driveway.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied, glancing out the window.
< Chapter 21
+25 Prirea
“It’ll be fine,” he offered, trying for reassurance.
“No, it won’t,” she said honestly. “But thanks for trying.”
He reached over and gently squeezed her hand, keeping it in his as he drove through town toward the pack house.
The drive was quiet, thick with tension and anticipation. Jake parked in the lot behind the main building, the pack house looming tall against the late morning sun. Members were already bustling about, warriors in training gear, a few people speaking near the stone courtyard, their expressions unreadable.
Lyra stiffened beside him.
He turned toward her. “You don’t have to say anything you’re not ready to say. Just be honest. And if anything gets out of hand, I step in. Got it?”
She nodded slowly, jaw tight.
They entered the pack house side by side, hands brushing but not quite touching. He took them to the second floor and down the long hallway that led to the council chamber. The chamber was quiet as they walked in, the tension palpable.
Jake’s father sat at the far end of the table. Russ and Callan were seated to his left and the five elders were seated to his right. Everyone looked up in unison as Jake guided Lyra inside. She held her head high, even if her shoulders trembled slightly. He was proud of her for that. The former beta, Drew Selby, sat closest to his father, looking like an older version of Callan with the same cropped dark hair and cold eyes. Beside Drew was Alistair Mullins, lined with thick wrinkles and liver spots on his bald head. What little hair he had left was white. Parker Fedder had more hair and fewer wrinkles, though his hair was also a stark white. Rina Hottinger wore her long silver hair in a severe bun, her blue eyes hidden behind thick–rimmed glasses. Last came Dylan Rockwell, whose jowls reminded Jake of a bloodhound. His hair, surprisingly, was still jet black.
Jake motioned Lyra into a seat beside Russ and sat beside her, taking her hand under the table in what he hoped was a steadying gesture.
“So, Alpha Jake,” Drew began, folding his hands, “I understand you called us here because you’ve found your fated mate.”
Jake nodded. “Yes, that’s correct.”
“And your mate is Lyra Hart,” Drew continued, arching a brow.
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Chapter 01
“Yes. That’s also corect.”
“Well, this is troublesome,” Alistair muttered, frowning.
63) 429 Peries
“I fail to see how,” Jake replied smoothly. “The Moon Goddess has chosen Lyra as my mate. I accept that blessing without question.”
“We all understand the pull of the mate bond,” Parker said, voice even. “But we must also consider the future of this pack. And while I’m sure Lyra is a lovely person, her breeding leaves a lot to be desired.”
“My breeding?” Lyra hissed.
Jake squeezed her hand tightly as Russ shot her a sharp look.
“The Moon Goddess decided Lyra is my mate and therefore my Luna. I trust Her judgment, and I expect the council to do the same,” Jake said, forcing calm into his voice.
“Have you already completed the bond?” Rina asked, shifting her glasses slightly.
Jake took a breath. “No, we haven’t.”
“Why not?” Rina’s eyes shifted curiously to Lyra.
“Because Lyra wants time to think before accepting the responsibilities that come with being Luna,” Jake answered.
Parker tilted his head. “So she’s not sure she wants to be Luna?”
“Our pack deserves a Luna who is ready,” Drew remarked, narrowing his eyes. “My daughter, who you’ve been courting, Alpha, is ready to take on the position of Luna. Unlike Miss Hart here.”
Jake had expected this. He knew Drew would be unhappy about Kylie missing the opportunity to become Luna.
“As you’re all quite aware,” Jake began, voice level, “Lyra and her brother haven’t had an easy time growing up in this pack. Many members weren’t accepting of them, and that takes a toll. Lyra has just returned after eight years. She needs time to readjust and find her footing. While she may have doubts, I have none about her ability to be Luna.”
“As I recall,” Alistair said, his eyes narrowing, “none of us were too thrilled about Lyle Hart’s choice of a mate. Even though he claimed the human woman was his Goddess–given mate, we all had our doubts.”
“And as I recall,” Rina added, “that woman could barely carry a pup to term. That boy was
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< Chapter 21
born deformed because she was too weak to bear a werewolf child.”
“That human was my mother,” Lyra snapped. “And she had a name.”
+25 Points
“She did,” Dylan Rockwell said quietly, watching Lyra. “Mary, as I recall. I also saw Mary through every one of her pregnancies, and they were difficult. I mean no insult, Lyra, but I think what Rina is implying is concern that you may face the same complications, given your mixed heritage. Alpha heirs are vital to a pack.”
“The Goddess will give us pups if She sees fit,” Jake said firmly.
Dylan steepled his fingers, his gaze thoughtful. “I hope that’s true, Alpha. But I also remember the toll those pregnancies took on Mary. She was determined to have more children, even when I advised against it. Her death was truly unfortunate.” He looked at Lyra. “I knew your mother better than most. She was a spitfire. I always enjoyed our conversations.”
Lyra’s shoulders dropped slightly as she met Dylan’s eyes.
“I believe we need to consider what’s best for the pack,” Alistair interjected. “And having a Luna of low pedigree who may not be able to bear pups isn’t what’s best.”
“That’s not your decision to make,” Jake said, unable to keep the edge out of his voice. “The Moon Goddess made that decision already.”
“Perhaps,” Drew snapped, “but we also have to acknowledge that your mate abandoned her pack for eight years and returned only to take the title of Luna from someone who has remained loyal.”
“I didn’t come back to take the title of Luna,” Lyra said sharply, glaring at him. “I came back for my brother. The only reason I even saw the Alpha was to ask to be released from the pack. I didn’t choose this path…”
“All the more reason you shouldn’t be Luna,” Drew said with a wave of his hand. “You left this pack. You don’t want this position. You can choose not to stay. You can choose to leave. And we already have someone willing and better able to be Luna. It’s that simple.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
