-Ember-
Stella drives us to the airfield, the tires crunching on gravel as we pull up to a sleek private jet with "Dark Pine" emblazoned on the side. My stomach does a nervous flip as I realize this is really happening—I'm leaving Silver Moon, the only home I've ever known.
Through the window, I spot Carter and Jamison—though I still can't tell which is which—with Tanner on his knees in front of them. He's cuffed in silver and looks absolutely wrecked, swaying slightly like he might topple over any second. His usual arrogance is gone, replaced by something that looks suspiciously like fear.
"Good," Ivy snarls with fierce satisfaction. "Let him be afraid. Let him feel a fraction of what we felt. We're not just escaping—we're moving toward something better. And he gets to watch us leave with a REAL Alpha. Talk about sweet, sweet karma."
"Holy shit," I whisper, unable to tear my eyes away from Tanner's slumped form. "He looks terrible."
"Good," Stella says from the driver's seat, her voice hard as granite. "I hope he feels worse."
Oaklynn presses her face closer to the back window, her brows furrowed with professional concern. "What's wrong with Tanner? He looks this shy of dead."
Asher answers from the front passenger seat, his deep voice matter-of-fact. "Carter most likely injected him with Dark Pine's special blend of wolfsbane and synthetic silver."
Oaklynn whips her head from the window, her eyes wide with scientific curiosity. "Synthetic silver? I've never heard of it."
"That's because we invented it," Asher says with a hint of pride.
Adrian shifts in his seat beside me, his thigh pressing against mine. The casual contact sends a warm pulse through our mate bond, a delicious shiver that travels from my core to my fingertips.
"In Dark Pine, we have a research lab that creates different medicines and weapons to use at our disposal," he explains, his voice carrying that natural authority that makes my wolf want to bare her throat in submission. "We don't widely advertise we have such things."
"So you're telling me," I say, turning to Adrian with a raised eyebrow, "that I'm mated to a secret werewolf scientist? Should I be worried about coming home to find you cackling over bubbling test tubes?"
Adrian's lips quirk up in that half-smile that makes my heart stutter and sends a pulse of heat through our bond. "Only on Tuesdays."
Oaklynn bites her bottom lip, clearly intrigued. "What does synthetic silver do exactly?"
"We've created a chemical that will make the person feel the effects of silver without the fatal result that real silver would create," Asher explains, watching Oaklynn's reaction carefully.
Her eyes light up with genuine fascination. "That is really fascinating. Can I visit the lab while I'm in Dark Pine?"
A look passes between Asher and Adrian—brief but loaded with meaning. My stomach tightens with sudden anxiety. Are they hiding something?
"I... uh..." Adrian starts, clearly uncomfortable.
Oaklynn quickly backpedals when she notices their hesitation. "Oh! No, no! It's fine, I get it. Some things need to stay secret to keep things safe." She gives them a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "No worries. I just get excited about medical sciences."
Adrian's expression softens. "Thanks for understanding." He reaches over and takes my hand, his warm fingers entwining with mine. The moment our skin connects, the mate bond flares between us—a living, pulsing connection that makes my breath catch. "You ready to go?"
I look out the window at Silver Moon Pack territory—the trees I climbed as a child, the paths I walked with my mother, the places where I laughed and cried with my friends. Everything I've ever known is here. But I'm choosing to leave. This is my decision, my path forward.
"No," I answer honestly, my voice small. "But I'm going anyway. I'm choosing this—choosing us."
Adrian squeezes my hand, sending another wave of warmth through our bond. "Brave little wolf."
We pile out of the SUV, the cool air hitting my face. Asher crosses over to Carter and Jamison and yanks Tanner up by the back of his collar. Tanner is unsteady on his feet and seems drugged out of his mind, his eyes glassy and unfocused. A small, vindictive part of me enjoys seeing him like this—powerless for once.
"Not so tough now, is he?" Ivy sneers with deep satisfaction.
"You two help with the luggage," Asher orders Carter and Jamison. "I'll take this mutt on up and get him chained to a seat."
Carter and Jamison come over to where the girls and I are standing. Adrian has disappeared over to another guy wearing a captain's uniform, the two of them locked in conversation, heads bent together like they're discussing something serious.
The guy with honey-brown hair slightly bows his head to me. "Can I help you with your luggage, Luna?"
The title catches me off guard. Luna—the Alpha's mate. That's me now. The realization hits me like a physical blow, both terrifying and exhilarating.
"Luna?" I repeat, testing the word on my tongue. "That's going to take some getting used to."
"Better start practicing," Stella teases, nudging me with her elbow. "Soon you'll be all 'bring me my royal cape'."
I roll my eyes but can't help laughing. "Shut up."
I turn back to the honey-haired guy with a polite, friendly smile, trying to hide how overwhelmed I suddenly feel. "Sure, uh..."
"Jamison," he supplies with a kind smile.
"Thank you, Jamison." I turn to the blonde guy, who's standing stiffly with his hands clenched at his sides. "So you must be Carter."
"Yes, ma'am," he responds, his voice tight, eyes darting repeatedly to Oaklynn.
"He's looking at your friend like she's a particularly venomous snake," Ivy observes with keen interest. What's his damage?"
"I have no idea," I reply, watching the strange tension between them. "But I don't like it. Not one bit."
"You can help Oaklynn with her bags then," I suggest, not missing the way his jaw tightens at my words.
Carter's eyes flash gold for a second—a clear sign of his wolf rising close to the surface. "She's not coming." It's a statement, not a question, delivered with such finality that it takes me aback.
I furrow my brows, anger bubbling up inside me. "Excuse me? Yes, she is. Adrian already said she could."
"No." The single word is filled with such venom that I actually take a step back.
"Oh HELL no," Ivy snarls, rising to the surface so quickly I feel my own eyes flash. "Who does this overgrown lapdog think he is? Adrian already gave permission. If he wants to challenge that, he can take it up with his Alpha."
Stella steps forward, placing herself partially between us and Carter. "Listen, buddy, I don't know what your problem is, but you need to dial it back about ten notches." Her eyes narrow dangerously. "Adrian's already approved Oaklynn going, and last I checked, you're not the Alpha."
Carter's nostrils flare as he takes a deep breath, clearly struggling for control. His eyes lock on Oaklynn with such intense hostility that she shrinks back slightly. Something passes over his face—a flash of emotion I can't identify before his expression hardens again.
"We don't need another healer in our pack," he says coldly. "Especially not one from Silver Moon."
"That's not your decision to make," Ainslee counters, stepping up beside Stella in a united front.
Jamison puts a hand on Carter's shoulder. "Dude, what the hell? The Alpha already gave permission. Since when do you question his decisions?"
Carter shrugs off Jamison's hand, his eyes never leaving Oaklynn. There's something unsettling about the way he's looking at her—like he's seeing something the rest of us can't. Something that frightens him.
Oaklynn stands taller, meeting his gaze with surprising defiance. "I've never done anything to you," she says quietly. "I don't even know you."
"Keep it that way," Carter growls before turning and heading to the plane, his back rigid with fury.
Jamison lets out a low whistle once Carter is out of earshot. "I've never seen him like that. Ever."
"Is he always such an asshole?" Stella demands, still bristling with protective anger.
"No," Jamison says, looking genuinely confused. "Actually, he's usually the calmest out of all of us. Something about—" he glances at Oaklynn, then shakes his head. "I don't know. Maybe he's just having a bad day."
I look over at Oaklynn, who seems strangely shaken by the encounter. "Are you okay?"
She nods, but doesn't meet my eyes. "I'm fine. I just... I don't understand why he hates me so much when we've never even met."
Jamison stares after Carter, confusion evident on his face. "I don't know what crawled up his ass and died."
"Maybe it was his personality," Stella mutters darkly. "We'll help get Oaklynn's bags. We don't need that bastard anyway."
Jamison shakes his head and turns his attention back to us. "No, I got it. You guys say your goodbyes."
Ainslee takes a few steps to stand with us. "You sure? We don't mind helping."
Jamison walks to the back of the SUV. "It's all good. Bet I can get it in one trip." This causes us to giggle, and he gives us a confused look before opening the back hatch. His eyes widen comically at the sight before him. "Maybe not... how many of you are coming with us?"
I beam at him, trying to lighten the mood. "Just two of us." I adopt an innocent voice. "What's wrong? This is us packing light."
"If this is light, I'd hate to see heavy," he mutters, eyeing the mountain of luggage.
"That's just the essentials," Stella says with a straight face. "We left the shoe collection behind."
"Riiiight," Jamison drawls, slapping his hands together and rubbing them. "Well, I better get to work."
It's time for goodbyes. My throat tightens as I turn to face Stella and Ainslee.
For a moment, we just stand there, the three of us looking at each other. These girls have been my family since I lost my mom. They've seen me through every heartbreak, every triumph, every moment that mattered.
"I don't know how to say goodbye to you," I whisper, my voice cracking.
Stella's eyes fill with tears, which she tries to blink away. "Then don't," she says fiercely. "This isn't goodbye. It's just... see you later."
"Much later, apparently," I say with a watery laugh. "Since I'm moving across the state."
"As if distance could keep us apart," Ainslee says softly. "We're family, Em. Always."
Stella pulls me into a fierce hug, her arms wrapping around me so tightly I can barely breathe. "You call me every day," she demands, her voice thick with emotion. "And if that Alpha of yours doesn't treat you like a queen, you tell me, and I'll come kick his ass myself."
I laugh through my tears, burying my face in her shoulder. "I will."
"I mean it," she insists, pulling back to look me in the eye. Her face is streaked with tears she's not bothering to hide anymore. "One word from you and I'm there. I don't care how powerful his pack is."
"I know," I whisper, touching her cheek. "You've always had my back."
Ainslee hugs me next, her embrace gentler but no less heartfelt. "Take care of yourself, Em. And remember who you are, okay? Don't let anyone change you."
The words hit me harder than I expected, and I have to blink rapidly to keep from breaking down completely.
"I won't," I promise, clinging to her.
"Group hug," Stella announces, pulling Oaklynn in with us. The four of us stand there, arms wrapped around each other, foreheads touching in the center of our circle. Just like we used to do before every full moon run.
"Moon sisters," Ainslee whispers, using the pact name we created as children.
"Moon sisters," the rest of us echo, our voices blending together one last time.
When we finally break apart, my face is wet with tears and my heart feels like it's being torn in two. Part of me wants to stay here with them, in the safety of what I've always known. But a stronger part—the part that belongs to Adrian—is pulling me toward that plane, toward my future.
"Go," Stella says, giving me a gentle push. "Before I change my mind and take you back with me."
I laugh shakily. "You'd have to get through Adrian first."
"Please," she scoffs, wiping her eyes. "I could take him."
"I'd pay to see that," I say, backing toward the plane. "I love you guys. So much."
"We love you too," Ainslee says softly. "Always."
With one last wave, Oaklynn and I board the plane. Stella calls after us from the tarmac, "Don't forget to check out the mile-high club! I heard the bathrooms are fancy!"
"Oh my god, Stella!" I shout back, my face flaming. Leave it to her to make me blush even during our emotional goodbye.
"Now THERE'S an idea," Ivy perks up immediately. "I bet Adrian would be more than willing to initiate us."
"We are NOT having sex on this plane," I insist, mortified.
"Why not? It's basically a flying bedroom."
Once on the plane, I have to stifle a gasp. It's luxurious—all cream leather seats and polished wood, nothing like the cramped commercial flights I've seen in movies.
"Holy shit," I breathe, taking in the opulence. "This is like something out of a movie."
"I know, right?" Oaklynn whispers, equally impressed. "I'm starting to think you hit the mate jackpot."
Asher is sitting next to Tanner, who's passed out and leaning against the window. Drool drips down his chin, and there's something deeply satisfying about seeing the once-mighty Alpha heir reduced to this pathetic state.
"How the mighty have fallen," Ivy purrs with savage satisfaction. "I hope he stays chained for a long, long time. Maybe they can display him in the town square as a warning to others."
"That's barbaric," I scold, though the image brings me a dark sort of pleasure.
"So was what he tried to do to us," she reminds me grimly. "Justice isn't always pretty, but damn if it isn't satisfying."
"Is he... drooling?" I ask, unable to hide my satisfaction.
"Side effect of the synthetic silver," Asher explains with a shrug that suggests he couldn't care less about Tanner's comfort.
I look around and see Carter sitting a few seats back, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. When he catches sight of Oaklynn, he exhales angrily and looks out the window beside him, his entire body radiating tension.
Something twists in my gut—a protective instinct for my friend mixed with curiosity about what could possibly have caused such animosity.
I grab Oaklynn's hand protectively and guide her to a seat at the front, as far from Carter as possible, and settle down across from her.
"You okay?" I ask softly, searching her face.
Oaklynn nods, but her eyes are suspiciously bright. "I'm fine. Really."
I don't believe her for a second, but I let it drop. "Okay. But I'm here if you need to talk."
Adrian finally boards, his presence immediately filling the space. The mate bond between us hums to life, stronger than before, as if proximity intensifies our connection. He takes the seat beside me, his thigh pressing against mine, and I feel some of my anxiety ease just having him near.
"Mmm, hello there," Ivy practically purrs as Adrian settles in beside us. "Is it just me, or does he get hotter every time we see him?"
"It's not just you," I admit, hyper-aware of every point where our bodies touch. "The bond feels stronger too."
"Everyone ready?" he asks, his eyes lingering on my tear-stained face with concern.
I nod, not trusting my voice. Through the window, I can see Stella and Ainslee standing on the tarmac, growing smaller as the plane begins to taxi.
"They'll always be part of your life," Adrian says quietly, following my gaze. "I promise you that."
I turn to him, surprised. "You do?"
He nods, taking my hand. The moment our fingers intertwine, warmth floods through me, the mate bond glowing like a physical thing between us. "The bonds you guys have are sacred. I would never ask you to sever them."
Relief washes through me. "Thank you."
A few minutes later, we're wheels up and on our way to Dark Pine. I watch through the window as Silver Moon—the only home I've ever known—disappears beneath us. My heart is a complicated mess of grief, fear, and hope as I leave behind everything familiar for a new life with a mate I barely know.
But as Adrian's hand finds mine, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my skin, I feel a certainty deep in my bones that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be—finally heading home to the place I truly belong.
I lean my head against Adrian's shoulder and close my eyes, letting the steady rhythm of his breathing lull me into a sense of peace. For the first time in years, maybe ever, I feel safe. Protected. Cherished.
Home.