It was a rest day, and the tension of the past few days had slowly melted away. Magnus gently guided me outside to the porch, and I was mesmerized by the sight before me.
The backyard seemed to stretch out endlessly, a sparkling pool nestled near the center, and a sprawling garden that seemed to go on forever. Beyond that, the forest stretched for miles where werewolves could run freely, letting their wolf forms take over.
I felt a strange pull toward it, even though the idea of transforming into a wolf still terrified me.
Xavier looked like he felt the stirring of his own wolf inside him. He glanced at me with a mischievous glint in his eye, and I could tell he wanted to impress me. I was really his Gorgeous Mate.
"Maybe I should shift and show you just how fast we can run," he teased. But even as the words left his mouth, he seemed to reconsider. I'd already seen glimpses of their strength. I didn't need another reminder.
Damien was sitting on a wooden stool nearby and noticed Magnus and me. With a steady hand, he beckoned us over.
As Alpha, it was his duty to ensure I was well taken care of, and today was no different. Magnus gently guided me toward Damien, and reluctantly, I sat on his lap.
"Comfortable?" Damien asked softly, his hand resting on my waist. I nodded, my gaze drifting over the vast territory that now belonged to me as much as it did to them.
"How long did it take to build all of this?" I finally asked, curiosity tugging at me.
Damien's chest swelled with pride. "Centuries," he said. "Generations of Alphas before me worked to expand and protect our land. My ancestors fought countless wars to defend our pack. Some of those battles were bloody and ruthless, but it was all to ensure that the Moonlit Pack would stand strong. And now…" He paused, glancing down at me. "Now you're part of that legacy."
I swallowed, my throat tight. The sudden thought was terrifying, but I asked anyway. "But what if… what if my being here is the reason the Moonlit Pack falls?"
Damien shook his head firmly. "It won't happen," he assured me. "You are not our weakness, Andra. You're our strength. The pack is stronger with you here, as our Luna."
Magnus and Xavier both nodded in agreement. Damien, wanting to ease my mind further, picked up a piece of fruit from the table nearby. Holding it gently in his hand, he raised it to my lips.
"Sharing food is important to us," he explained softly. "It's something we've always done, to nourish not just our bodies but our connection as a pack."
I hesitated for a moment before leaning forward and taking a bite. The sweetness of the fruit exploded on my tongue. Damien smiled as I chewed, his fingers brushing against my lips to wipe away a drop of juice.
"Can you feel it?"
I shook my head, then snatched the fruit from Damien's hand and ate it myself. The act, though small, seemed to stir something primal inside him. I felt his grip on me tighten. His dominant instinct, which I knew he'd been holding back, flared up.
His c*ck stirred, and he pulled me closer against him. I gasped as my body pressed to his, my *ss resting against the hardness beneath me.
The sensation sent a flush of heat through me. Damien's breathing grew heavier, the desire to claim me thick in the air, but I felt him hold back. As much as he clearly wanted to fill me right then and there, it wasn't the time.
"What is that?" I asked.
Damien's eyes darkened with lust as he leaned in close to my ear. "That's what happens when you test your Alpha," he growled. "You want to know what I'd do to you if we weren't sitting here?"
Magnus and Xavier, standing nearby, both laughed.
"Careful, Andra," Magnus teased, stepping closer. "You're lucky you're the Luna. It's your right to question him. But if you weren't…"
Xavier chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "Luna or not, you've got a fire in you. Something we didn't expect, but we all feel it. Something even we don't fully understand."
Damien took a deep breath, reigning in his desire. I might not have been born a Luna, but they saw something in me. They could all sense it—I was something more than just human. And it was only a matter of time before I realized it myself.
Wanting to change the subject before things got too heated, I asked, "What exactly does it mean to be owned by the Alpha? Is everything I see… yours?"
Damien smirked. "All that your eyes can see, yes," he said, gesturing to the vast land surrounding us. "But more than that, as Luna, it's yours too. Our pack, our territory, everything we own. It's all under our protection."
I nodded thoughtfully, then pressed further. "And what happens if someone crosses the border? Someone who isn't supposed to be here?"
Damien's expression grew more serious. "We kill them." There was no hesitation. It was the simple truth. Their territory was sacred, and outsiders weren't welcome unless given permission.
Magnus nodded in agreement, his gaze steady on me. "Our land, our rules. That's how it's always been."
I took a deep breath, trying to process it all. I wasn't just an outsider anymore. I was the Luna. And with that title came the duty to protect, to lead, and to defend everything within these borders.
Damien could sense the conflict inside me. His hand rested gently on my waist again. "Don't worry, Andra," he murmured. "You're not alone in this."
Magnus must have noticed how my expression shifted when Damien mentioned killing. I wasn't comfortable with it. My eyes probably gave it away. He sighed, and I knew this part of their world was hard to understand for someone like me.
Xavier caught on too and chuckled softly, nudging Magnus. "What's the matter, Magnus? You suddenly look like you've seen a ghost."
Magnus shot him a look. "I'm just not a fan of all this talk about killing, that's all." He glanced at me. "Not everyone gets it the way you do."
Xavier smirked and crossed his arms. "We can't all be soft-hearted, Magnus. Some of us understand the necessity."
Magnus narrowed his eyes. "There's a difference between necessity and enjoying it."
Xavier shrugged. "You know, if you wanted to step up, challenge me then, maybe you'd get the chance to make those decisions yourself."
Magnus scoffed. "I don't need a higher rank, Beta Xavier. More responsibility, more headaches. And let's be honest," he paused, giving Xavier a pointed look, "if anything happens to Alpha Damien, you're next in line anyway. I'm perfectly fine where I am."
I glanced between the two of them. "This killing you're talking about, is it... really that common?"
Damien, who had been quiet, finally spoke. "Only when there's a threat. We don't kill without reason. We're a pack. We defend what's ours. That's the oath we've taken. Not to go seeking out bloodshed."
Xavier nodded. "We don't attack first. But if someone crosses into our territory, threatens our pack, we fight back. That's just how it works."
I frowned, still trying to process it. "Have you ever... killed someone?"
The three of them exchanged glances. The mood shifted. Damien's jaw tightened. Xavier smirked. Magnus exhaled.
"It's not as simple as that," Damien said. "We do what we must to keep the pack safe. Sometimes that means making hard choices, but we don't take it lightly. We defend. We protect. That's our duty as werewolves."
Xavier added, "You've got nothing to worry about, Andra. We're not out there hunting for sport. It's just about survival. We've never taken a life without cause."
The conversation shifted, but I still had more questions. "What about rogues and... the lone wolves? Are they... dangerous? I hear about them all the time. What are they? What do they do?"
There was a pause. Then Damien nodded slowly. "Rogues are those who've been cast out of their packs because of serious crimes. Murder, rp, treason. They're the most dangerous because they have nothing else to lose."
"Then you've got lone wolves," Magnus added. "Some choose that life, to live alone, or they were born into it. They're not always dangerous, but without a pack, they have to fend for themselves. It makes them unpredictable."
Xavier's voice darkened. "And then there are the exiled ones. Those who've lost their human side entirely. They become something else... more animal than man, driven only by the desire to kill."
I blinked. "Is that... really possible? To lose your humanity?"
Damien nodded gravely. "It is. Though none of us have ever encountered one personally, we know it happens. Wolves who've experienced extreme loss or grief, so much that they lose touch with their human consciousness... they become something else. It's rare, but it's real."
Magnus's voice softened. "It's not something you need to worry about, Little Wolf. Most wolves never reach that point. But it's out there... for those who lose themselves completely."
A shiver ran through me. "So, it's not just the killing... it's losing control. Losing... everything."
Damien reached out and gently placed his hand on my arm. "It won't happen to you, Andra. You're strong. And we're here with you."
Magnus nodded. Xavier added with a grin, "Besides, we've got a few tricks up our sleeves if things get messy. But you? You're going to be just fine."
My voice trembled slightly. "So, these rogues… there are really so many of them that murder and..."
Damien's expression softened. "Yes. They've lost their sense of loyalty, their sense of pack. But it's not all of them. Only those who commit unforgivable crimes. Those are the ones we deal with. Not every rogue is a monster, but some... well, they deserve what they get."