My intervention cut through the heavy air: “Well, I think we better start eating before the food gets cold.”
As we sat down to share the meal, silence prevailed. My eyes were fixed on the food in front of me, but my mind was restless. Hunter, beside me, remained reserved, watching with keen eyes every gesture around the table.
Caleb glanced at both of us with an enigmatic smile, breaking the silence. “Life is truly full of surprises, isn't it?”
Looks exchanged between Hunter and me, both curious about what Caleb had in mind. Hunter, with his usually serious expression, didn't take long to ask, “What do you mean, Caleb?”
Caleb tilted his head, maintaining his intriguing smile. “I've always pictured you two together, like a couple. Hunter, the Alpha King, and Fierce, his Luna.”
My eyes narrowed. What was Caleb insinuating? Hunter, in turn, stared at Caleb, awaiting an explanation.
Caleb didn't hesitate to continue. “I always thought that you, Fierce, were the Luna chosen by the Moon Goddess. Not Zora, as everyone has believed for the past six years.”
My expression hardened. The truth, buried so deep, now hung in the air. Hunter remained silent, processing the revelation.
I looked at Hunter, serious, challenging him to acknowledge the truth. “Caleb is right. I am the Luna.”
Hunter stared at me intensely for a moment before turning to Caleb. His voice was stern. “When are you going to be useful, Caleb? It's been too long.”
Caleb smiled, appearing calm in the face of Hunter's harsh tone. “I am already being useful, preparing dinner. It's a way to contribute.”
Hunter turned abruptly in his chair, annoyed. “You know what I'm talking about. It's time to act like the tracker you boast to be and help find the boys. We can't wait any longer.”
Caleb's smile didn't waver. “Is all this haste because you miss Zora, Hunter?”
Hunter clenched his fists, irritated. “Don't shift the focus, Caleb. This is a serious matter.”
Feeling the tension escalating, I stood up from the table. “Enough, both of you! I'm going to bed. The boys' room is available for you if you decide to rest.”
Caleb looked at my untouched plate. “You haven't eaten anything, Fierce.”
“I'm not hungry,” I replied, feeling the weight of concern for my missing children pressing on my heart.
I left the dining room, allowing the door to close firmly behind me, leaving behind the dispute between Caleb and Hunter. As I climbed the stairs, my heart weighed with worry about my children.
In my room, my mind focused on my children. Finding them was my priority, and I was willing to do whatever it took to bring them back, even if it meant challenging the fate the Moon Goddess had laid out for me.
***
Darkness enveloped me as I rested on my bed, asleep and vulnerable to the whims of dreams. The dream journey began as a trip through time, throwing me back six years when life seemed simpler, and the bonds of my pack were stronger.
In the dream, I was in a bar in Denver, surrounded by the pack guys, including Hunter, Caleb, and Jeff. Memories of that night danced before my eyes. I remembered the warmth of the environment, shared laughter, and camaraderie among wolves. The scene came to life with Hunter by my side, with his piercing eyes and confident smile.
The image changed to a more intimate moment. Hunter and I, sharing a kiss that, at that time, symbolized the discovery of love. But as my dream progressed, Caleb tried to kiss me, and the magic of the moment was lost. His lips touched mine, but my heart remained indifferent.
Jeff, one of the pack guys, also tried to get closer, but Hunter intervened, protecting me as the alpha he was. The subtle rivalry between Caleb and Jeff unfolded before me, but Hunter remained as the central figure, the one whose kiss still made my heart race.
The scene transformed again, now representing a wolf version of me and Hunter, facing a Brown Bear. Our furs mingled, every move calculated as we fought the beast. The fury of the Brown Bear was palpable, but the unity between us was unstoppable. However, the battle didn't end without consequences. A painful vision passed through my eyes, me wounded, and Hunter finishing the confrontation with the bear.
The dream took me to the night in Constance's backyard, a woman who helped me when I was pregnant and who ended up killed by Ulrich. As a wolf, I faced Ulrich, a powerful werewolf associated with painful events in my life. The memory of losing Constance echoed in my mind, and anger burned within me.
The dream narrative took a dark turn, projecting me to the fateful night when my children, Cassian, Dorian, and
Kane, disappeared. I found their babysitter, Stacy, dead in the living room, a scene that still haunted my thoughts to this day. At first, I didn't understand the connection between these events until a familiar scent invaded my nostrils.
The unmistakable aroma of the werewolf, the same that permeated the air on the night my children disappeared, was now present in all these episodes. It was the scent of the predator that came to my house on the night they took my children.
My heart pounded, and I knew, finally, who was responsible for bringing so much pain into my life. The werewolf responsible for my children's disappearance was someone I knew, someone whose presence had been intertwined in every crucial moment of my life.
Suddenly, I woke up, letting my lupine eyes reveal themselves. The shadows of the room danced around, and I was fully awake, aware of the truth that had been revealed in the recesses of my subconscious. The werewolf responsible for my children's disappearance was someone I knew, and now, I was determined to uncover the mysteries surrounding that dark night.