Chapter 163: Homecoming

Connor’s POV

Her mark still burned against my skin, the scent of her blood and bond seared into me like fire that wouldn’t fade. My wolf prowled beneath the surface, restless, victorious, growling one word over and over in my head.

Mate.

I wasted no time introducing myself. The moment I had her still and listening, I told Rachel everything…about my kind, about the bond, about what she meant to me. That she was my second chance mate. That I wasn’t willing to let her slip away like I had before.

“Come back with me,” I said, my voice steady but edged with desperation. “Come back to my pack. Be my Luna. Be my woman. I can give you more than survival. I can give you a home.”

Her gray eyes searched mine, stormy, cautious. She didn’t speak right away, and every second dragged like a blade against my ribs. Then, finally, she whispered, “I don’t have anything here anyway. No one will miss me if I’m gone.”

Her voice broke, softer. “I don’t have a family. I was an only child. My parents died in a fire when I was little. I’ve been on my own ever since. Working. Fighting. Pretending I was strong. But it’s hard.”

Her throat bobbed, and she looked away before adding, even quieter, “But people hurt me. Used me. Over and over. I’ve been lied to, beaten, made to feel worthless. Every time I thought maybe it was different, it wasn’t. So tell me, Mr Connor…” Her eyes lifted back to mine, glassy with tears. “Will you hurt me too?”

That question gutted me. My wolf growled, outraged, pained. I stepped closer, brushing my thumb over the wetness on her cheek.

“No,” I swore. “Never. Not you. Not my mate. I’ll fight the whole damn world before I let anyone lay a hand on you again. You’ll have love, protection, a pack that will worship you, defend you, bleed for you. And me…always me. You will never be alone again.”

Her tears fell harder then, but she didn’t pull away when I wrapped her in my arms. She let me hold her, trembling against my chest as I whispered every vow that burned in my soul.

When her sobs finally softened, I tilted her chin up. “Can we go home now? Please? I want to show you to our people.”

Her nod was small, but it was enough. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, we can.”

I mind-linked my Beta without hesitation, my voice a command edged with fire. “Prepare the pack. Tonight…we welcome our Luna.”

His answering roar thundered through my head, raw with triumph. “Finally! About damn time. Aria’s finally coming home? She accepted you?”

A bitter silence stretched before I forced the truth out, each word dragging like claws across my chest. “Not her. The goddess gave me a second chance.”

I severed the link before he could answer, the taste of unfinished hope burning in my mouth.

By the time we reached the pack’s borders, the sun was dipping low, painting the sky in streaks of fire. Torches burned bright along the path, drums beating in the distance. The scent of roasted meat and sweet bread carried on the wind, and I knew my people were ready.

The gates opened, and the cheers hit us like thunder. My pack…my family…lined the courtyard, voices raised, bodies swaying, wolves howling in unison. Petals rained down from the hands of children. Warriors clapped their chests. My people welcomed her as one of their own without hesitation.

Rachel froze for a heartbeat, overwhelmed, her hand clutching mine tighter. I squeezed back, steady and proud, never looking away from her. “They’re yours now,” I whispered against her ear. “All of them.”

An elderly woman, silver-haired and regal, stepped forward carrying a crown woven of wildflowers. Her voice carried strong and clear: “Welcome, Luna. We’ve been waiting for you.” She placed the crown gently on Rachel’s head.

The crowd erupted. Howls rose, echoing through the night. Drums pounded, feet stomped against the earth.

Rachel turned to me, stunned, her eyes wide and shimmering in the firelight. She looked like she was caught between fear and wonder, between disbelief and fragile hope. I cupped her face and kissed her.

The world exploded. Cheers, howls, voices chanting her name—“Luna Rachel! Luna! Luna!” The kiss deepened, fierce, claiming, and she kissed me back in front of them all.

The pack swarmed into dance, wolves shifting under the night sky, flames flickering, joy thundering like a heartbeat. Food passed from hand to hand, music rising, laughter mixing with howls. My people celebrated not just me, not just a new Luna, but the future she represented.

And I never once took my eyes off her. Not for a second. She wore her crown of flowers, firelight catching in her curls, and pride swelled so fierce in me it nearly broke me apart.

What if I had still been clinging to Ivy? What if I had let the past blind me? I would have missed this. Missed her.

I pulled Rachel close again, kissing her forehead as the drums beat and the pack danced around us. She was mine, my Luna, my second chance.

And this time… I would never let her go. Not even in death.