With a soft kiss goodbye, Noah leaves me to meet Lilian at the clearing’s edge.
I roll my shoulders back, stopping in front of her. “Is there something I can do for you, Luna?”
She frowns at my unenthusiastic tone, and my stomach sinks. Shit. I didn’t mean to come off like that.
“You’re still mad,” she says, and it’s not a question.
“Well…”
“It’s okay. I get it.”
My heart flips. “You do?”
She links her arm with mine, guiding me into a narrow path between the trees. Anxiety burns my esophagus.
“Yes, I do. You were right the day we met. I was… cruel,” Lilian says.
A hard lump forms in my throat.
Lilian sounds willing to grow and repair things. I have a lot to say, but if I’m not careful, it could damage any progress we’ve made.
“Thank you for hearing me out. It means a lot that you took my words in, even though I was a bit harsh that day.” I peek at her furrowed brows, bracing myself for her reaction. “But I wasn’t the only one there. And I’m not the one who needs to hear this apology the most.”
She gazes at my feet as we walk, her stoic eyes even more unreadable than usual. “I’ll repair this on my own terms. This is not what I wanted to discuss.”
“O-okay…”
Just when my hopes fall to the floor, Lilian stops, placing a hand on my shoulder. “You're hoping to become Luna someday soon, I hear.”
My stomach flips. “If time and circumstances permit, yes. But I want you to have your time to adjust first before we even consider moving forward.”
“Oh.” Lilian’s eyes widen for a fleeting moment before returning to their usual cool. “Well, thank you for that.” There's an awkward pause as Lilian prepares to speak, stopping herself a few times between deep breaths. “What do you say if I take my time to teach you what I know? Before handing off my title to you.”
I swallow hard, struggling to steady my breath. I can't believe it. She’s not only agreeing to hand over her title for the first time since we met, but also wants to be involved in my transition to Luna.
I’m beaming. “Luna, I’d love that.”
She softens into a smile, dropping her stare.
But she doesn’t know I have more to say. My heart leaps with every beat - it’s the second time today I’ll have to share a vulnerable dream. But Lilian seems open. Hopeful, and maybe even a little timid.
I hope this means she truly wants to repair things. I know if she lets me share my thoughts, it could do wonders for our rocky relationship.
“About the Luna title - I do have another idea for our situation, actually,” I say.
Lilian’s frown creases her brows, forcing her scar to ripple. I swallow hard.
When she lets go of me, crossing her arms, I struggle to keep my composure. What if she doesn’t understand me again and I make it worse? What if–
Okay, wait – I can do this. I can do hard things.
I face her, clasping my hands before she can see them shaking. “I know I’m not as traditional of a Luna as expected… Which is probably why Noah and I work so well together.”
Lilian doesn’t chuckle with me. Her mouth hardens into a tight line. “Go on.”
I drop my stare. Lilian doesn’t like anything about this - I can smell it - but I can’t back down. “While I don’t want to stray from tradition entirely, I feel like it’s wrong to suddenly strip you of your title.”
“But that's how it works. Noah even said that to me the day I met you.”
I dare to face her scowl. “I know this idea isn't a current tradition, but bear with me for a second, okay? I’m suggesting this because I care about you.”
Lilian sighs, chewing her bottom lip.
“When I become Luna—” I grip my skirt as her shoulders tense. But Lilian doesn’t protest aloud, so I take what progress I can get. “How would you feel about becoming the Elder Luna, and continuing your title?”
Her eyebrows shoot all the way up, but she doesn’t say a word.
Spurred on by nerves, I just talk.
“I personally don’t feel it’s right to have all those Elder Alphas and one Elder Beta reigning without at least one Elder Omega's perspective. Omegas represent over half the pack now, so you’re more vital to us than ever, Luna. After everything you've done for the pack, why isn't there an Elder Luna title waiting for you already? You don't suddenly stop being important to us when you're done birthing pups and raising the next leader. I feel like you should be involved where you want to be. Your work is important, and I want to make sure our pack acknowledges that from now on.”
Lilian bites her lip, dropping her chin. My heart aches for her - a nurturing pull gnawing at me from her somber pheromones.
I think she’s struggling not to cry. But by how desperately she’s determined to keep a stoic, strong face, it shatters me. When was the last time this grieving woman was comforted or acknowledged, rather than only comforting everyone else?
Following my instincts, I pull Lilian into a gentle hug. She lets out a soft gasp.
But as I hold her tighter, extending past the casual-hug range of time, her shoulders soften.
“You’re—” She swallows her shaking voice, starting anew with her stoic confidence. “You’ll be a good Luna.”
My eyebrows warp with emotion, but I'm too afraid to thank her. She could barely whisper that as it is. I don’t want to push her too far when things are finally going well.
And I can tell she needs this badly. Her scent emits a potent longing, urging more pheromones from my thudding heart.
I rub her back softly, resting my chin a little deeper against her shoulder. Her shaky breath gives her tears away, but she pats my back as if she’s comforting me.
Until Lilian jerks away, turning her back.
After a tense silence, she treks ahead through the forest so fast that I have to jog to catch back up.
“Luna? I’m sorry, did I–”
Lilian squares her shoulders as she strides. “Let’s go. We have a lot of preparation to do before dinnertime, and Noah tells me you’re interested in supporting our Rogues. They’ll be pleased to see you.”
We trudge deep into the forest, nearing the Community Center, but my heart is still back in that clearing, restless with distress for Lilian. Just like her son, she can’t accept being held for once.
This trend needs to end in mine and Noah’s generation. I want to make sure of it.
***
We're flooded with wolves the second we arrive at the Community Center. Like everyone has described, it’s fuller than I last saw it, growing weekly. There’s still room to walk, but remarkably less.
As Lilian introduces me to a few adult Rogues, one little Lycan grips onto my skirt, begging me for a hug with desperate, outstretched arms.
Their grown up gasps, diving to pull the little wolf back. “Honey, don’t interrupt our future Luna!”
“Oh, no, please don’t worry about me! I teach preschool for a living, so this is gladly welcome.” I pat the little wolf’s head, unsure if I should return their hug. But when I look at their grown up to ask her what’s appropriate, I'm shocked by her furrowed brows.
Lilian mindlinks me without a single glance in my direction, nodding along to another Rogue’s hushed concerns. Lycans will misunderstand your “polite” hesitation as disgust if you follow human rules. Especially as a Luna.
That’s right. Noah said he treats all pack members as a cuddly family. No personal boundaries.
Dropping to my knees, I accept the little one's hug. Then every hug that comes flying toward me - and there’s plenty. Pups dash in, screeching and laughing. I'm grateful to fall back in my element, letting my laughter calm my nerves as ten little Lycans pounce on me.
Once they overtake my head, climbing up my back, Lilian yanks them off me, one-by-one.
It’s the brightest I’ve ever seen her smile. “Alright, alright! Our future Luna is busy. Go play chase before I lose my patience.”
The little wolves skitter away with squeals of laughter, chasing each other through the courtyard.
The Rogue grown up smiles, a distant look in her eyes as she watches her pup. “Goddess, I gave up everything just to hear that laugh again.”
My eyes flush hot with tears. Before I can think, I slip my hand into hers.
Shit, that was my impulsive wolf. Touching her could’ve startled her after what she has been through - I know from experience - but she must smell my aching heart for her. She turns to me with hopeful, wide eyes.
And I speak my heart despite shaking my voice. “I’d love to support you too. I’m sure it’ll be nothing compared to what you’ve done for your little one, but please, is there anything I can do to make your life easier?”
Her lip wobbles, her stare flitting between my eyes. When she crashes against my chest in a tight hug, all I can do to keep from crying is to hug her back just as hard, squeezing my eyes shut.
“Just being here in Greenfield means a lot,” she whispers. “We’re doing just fine.”
I rub her back, and she purrs. It brings a rush of relief to my heart. “Just fine isn’t ‘great.’ From Omega to Omega, please share anything you’d like with me about your experience here. Even if it’s just needing another pair of socks.”
She takes a deep breath over my shoulder, huddling into me a little tighter. After a silent minute, she mutters, “We lost everything, Luna. Absolutely anything makes a difference.”
My heart shatters. How could anyone be so heartless as to act like these Omegas are making up this pain? It’s so real, I don’t just smell it - I can feel her agony in every cell of my body.
Following my instincts, I wrap my arms as far as I can around her, holding her close. She grips me like a lifeline. It’s not until then that she breaks into tears. My eyes flood with her, just the sound of her broken heart ripping through my chest. But as I whisper my ideas about monthly care packages for her and her new Community Center family, she loosens in my arms. A piece of me heals with each of her relieved breaths.
When it’s time to say goodbye to the Rogues for today, I follow Lilian through the Community Center Cafeteria, amazed by the details Noah hasn’t shared with me. There are Lycan pups and adults everywhere, laughing, playing, and eating lunch amongst each other despite their mixed pack backgrounds.
From what Noah described, cultures are wildly different from pack to pack. Most top Alphas claim mixing them is no easy task, warning potential pack traitors that nothing but struggle awaits them as Rogues.
But as I look around, I have visual proof our top Alpha is right; all I see are relieved, unified smiles as they care for one another. Witnessing this community’s healing in action steals my breath.
Is this cafeteria for everyone who lives at the Community Center? I mindlink Lilian, afraid to break the beautiful vision in front of me.
No, it’s for the entire pack. Every night, we offer free dinners for wolves who can’t afford it. No questions asked.
That’s so wonderful, Luna. And you cook, yourself?
We trade off with any volunteers available. Sometimes we’ll make enough to last a few days. She glides through the kitchen doors, and I follow on her heels. “But towards the end of the month, bills are due in the human world. That’s always when we need more hands.”
I gladly take the apron Lilian hands me. We gather ingredients for five massive pots of stew, lining up an array of meat and vegetables on the steel countertops.
As we get to work slicing raw beef into large chunks, I try not to stare too long at Lilian as she bursts into action. Her fingers move quickly but gracefully, every minor movement even-tempered and purposeful. But I know she’s watching me in her peripherals too – even before she breaks the silence.
“Your Alpha is slipping into a bad, bad rut.”
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