Chapter 14: This is Getting Real

Nyssa POV

Ronan was still asleep when the sunlight spilled through the windows.

His hair was messy, his delicious chest was on full muscular display, and he had bruises on his hips from my hands. My wolf stretched lazily and smugly inside me.

"He will make a fine mate indeed," Vianna purred.

“Cocky,” I muttered out loud.

Ronan cracked one eye open. “Talking about me already?”

“Always,” I said, sliding out of bed.

His grin was pure sin. “Breakfast before round two?”

“We are not having sex again before coffee.”

“We literally did that last night,” he countered. “Twice.”

I threw a pillow at him. It hit his face. He groaned dramatically. “Goddess. Violent.”

Still smiling, I walked toward the door as he grabbed sweatpants and followed me. Downstairs, the packhouse buzzed with energy. Wolves were training outside, the kitchens were sizzling, and a handful of scouts reported on incoming travelers.

After breakfast of eggs, bacon, and Ronan whispering your pussy is a weapon in my ear just to watch me choke on orange juice, we found Greta waiting for us.

Her cheeks flushed with excitement.

“Luna! All five hundred alphas have confirmed their arrival. Every last one of them.”

An electric pulse rolled down my spine. The first true sign that wolfkind had taken the Goddess’s summons seriously.

“Perfect,” I murmured. “Then everything begins.”

Greta added, “The Luna House is officially finished. The builders left an hour ago.”

“Take them,” I said, gesturing to Kaela, Seraphine, and Mireya who were already hovering nearby. The three young women practically vibrated with anticipation.

“Come along now,” Greta said warmly. “Let me show you what your new home looks like.”

I walked with them toward the rear courtyard, with Ronan at my side. When the Luna House came into view, even I felt a surge of pride. Fifty rooms. Fifty sanctuaries. Fifty futures.

A grand three-story mansion built from pale stone, silverwood beams, and enchanted windows that shimmered with soft lunar light. Gardens encircled the structure, there was lavender, night-bloom roses, moon lilies, and herbs for healing and magic.

Seraphine stopped dead. “I’m sorry...is this a mansion or a temple?”

“A palace,” Mireya whispered.

Kaela practically glowed. “This is… Goddess-blessed. It feels holy.”

“It will be,” I said. “This is where you’ll live, train, and gain your power.”

They exchanged a look. A real one. They were bonding already. Greta led them inside. The Luna House interior smelled of pine, clean linen, and freshly carved wood. The wide halls were draped with deep blue banners. Soft carpets. Enchanted lanterns that mimicked starlight.

She showed them the training library, the bathhouse, the meditation chambers, the dining hall, and the private garden.

“It’s perfect,” Mireya said, twirling in the hallway.

“It’s ours,” Seraphine corrected.

Kaela ran her fingertips along a carved railing. “For the first time in my life… I feel safe.”

That hit me hard. And Vianna growled with fierce approval. We reached the third floor when a sudden sound broke the peace, a roar of engines, loud, close, and urgent.

Ronan stepped in front of me before I even needed to command it. “Incoming.”

Kaela looked toward the windows. “More workers returning?”

“No,” I said quietly. “More Lunas.”

A ripple of magic shook the air. The same pulse that had trembled through Moonfang when Kaela, Seraphine, and Mireya arrived.

Greta gasped. “Already? They weren’t due until tomorrow!”

“They didn’t wait,” I said softly. “The Goddess is moving fast.”

We hurried downstairs and out the front doors. Five vehicles tore up the gravel path toward the packhouse courtyard.

A silver SUV. A red hatchback. A forest-green truck. A beat-up van plastered with bumper stickers. And a sleek black motorcycle. Each one skidded to a halt in a messy, dramatic cluster that made Ronan whistle low.

“Well,” he said. “Subtle.”

The first door flew open.

A tall woman jumped out with stormy eyes, long dark hair streaked with silver, and wearing a leather jacket like a second skin.

Eveline Shadowbrook, Burlington, Vermont - Moonridge Vale.

Her gaze snapped to mine instantly, and it was fierce enough to cut glass.

“Luna Blackwell,” she said. “I came as fast as I could.”

Before I could answer, the red hatchback opened and a woman with sharp cheekbones and auburn curls stepped out.

Callista Wyndra, Hartford, Connecticut - Stormpelt Haven.

She shoved sunglasses up onto her head and smirked. “Nice territory. Better than my last shithole.”

Then the forest-green truck. A shorter woman climbed out carrying two little girls, her sisters. Both clung to her like lifelines.

Rhiannen Kestrel, Scranton, Pennsylvania - Bloodwillow Rise.

Her pack had clearly put her through hell. She met my eyes with trembling relief. “Luna… we made it.”

“Welcome home,” I told her sincerely.

Next, the beat-up van. A bright-eyed woman hopped out, like sunshine in human form but with a bruised heart lurking underneath.

Maeven Brighthart, Trenton, New Jersey - Oakshield Territory.

She grinned. “I brought cookies. I don’t know why. It felt right.”

And finally...the motorcycle. A woman slid off the seat like a forest-born witch, with her dark braids falling over her shoulders, and her aura humming with earth magic.

Astrid Nightroamer, Portland, Maine - Ironbloom Circle.

She studied the grounds with a knowing nod. “The Goddess called. I answered.”

Eight Lunas now. Eight pillars of the future wolf world.

I stepped forward, lifting my chin. “Welcome to Moonfang, all of you. You are safe here. You are free here. And you are home.”

Their shoulders sagged with relief so intense it nearly cracked my chest.

Ronan leaned close and murmured, “This is getting real, Nyssa.”

“It was already real,” I whispered. “Now it’s visible.”

Eveline approached first. “The others are coming too. Hundreds of wolves on the roads. The Goddess is waking them.”

Callista nodded. “The alphas are panicking. Good. I hope they sweat.”

Astrid’s voice was quiet but steady. “The Luna Age has begun.”

Kaela grinned wide. “LET'S GO!”

Mireya squealed. Seraphine smirked. Maeven grinned. Rhiannen exhaled a breath she’d held for years.

I looked at all eight of them, all different, fierce, broken, and rising, and felt the entire pack click into a new axis. Vianna whispered in my mind, "Our army is forming."

I felt the exact moment destiny snapped into place.

\~~~~~

Ronan POV

Wolves were everywhere.

Eight Lunas laughing, training, and exploring. Nyssa shining like a damn goddess reborn. Magic humming through Moonfang territory like it had finally remembered it was alive.

And every few hours scouts reported the same thing:

“More wolves on the road.”

“Groups approaching from every direction.”

“Some alphas are already camping at the borders.”

I found Rowan leaning against the rail outside the training yard, rubbing his temples.

“Rowan,” I said, “we have a problem.”

He laughed without humor. “Just one? That’s generous.”

“No,” I said firmly. “Listen. The alphas. They’re coming early.”

He grimaced. “I hoped that was a rumor.”

“Not a rumor. Three scouts saw caravans. Packs caravanning, Rowan. They’ll be here within forty-eight hours.”

We both looked toward the packhouse, and at the Luna House freshly built behind it, glowing under moonlight like the Goddess had brushed silver across its roof.

None of those arrogant bastards were stepping foot near Nyssa. Or the Lunas. Or the packhouse.

I scowled. “We can’t let all those fuckers stay here.”

Rowan barked a laugh. “Language, Gamma.”

“Fuck you,” I said automatically.

“Fair.”

He sighed heavily. “But you’re right. We need… something.”

Something large. Something far from Nyssa. Something sturdy enough that five hundred posturing alpha males wouldn’t destroy Moonfang property on day one. An idea hit me like a shift-moon strike.

“Rowan.”

“Ronan.”

“We need a barracks.”

He frowned. “A what?”

“A long hall. A camp house. Something like the packhouse… but uglier.” I began gesturing wildly. “Big enough for hundreds of beds. Training yards around it. And far. FAR from the Lunas.”

Rowan blinked. Then his eyes widened. Then he grinned like a wolf who just found a fresh deer carcass.

“That’s actually… brilliant.”

“I know.”

“We keep the alphas over there, far away from the packhouse and the Luna House.”

“Exactly.”

Rowan slapped my shoulder. “Let’s do it.”

Twenty minutes later, we’d gathered witches, mages, builders, labor wolves, and anyone with hands or power and dragged them to the far side of Moonfang territory, to a long stretch of land opposite the Luna House.

I stood on a boulder. Rowan stood beside me.

“WE NEED A BARRACKS BUILT IN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS!” Rowan bellowed.

The builders stared, horrified. The witches winced. The mages muttered.

I grinned. “For the alphas. Who thought they could stress out our Alpha by arriving early.”

The reaction was immediate.

“FUCK THAT!”

“No way we’re letting them near Alpha Luna Nyssa!”

“Twenty-four hours? Done.”

“They can sleep in a barn for all I care.”

Even the witches nodded grimly. Rowan cupped his hands around his mouth. “Long house. Reinforced. Good ventilation. Thick walls so the assholes can’t hear each other complaining.”

“And a warded perimeter so they can’t snoop,” I added.

“And separate bathing chambers,” a witch said.

“And no windows facing the Luna House,” another wolf growled.

The energy was electric. They got to work instantly.

Earth mages lifted stone. Witches traced glowing sigils into the foundation. Shifters carried timber beams the size of buses. Builders hammered enchanted nails that sank themselves perfectly into place.

By nightfall, the structure was already half-built, massive, imposing, and far enough that any alpha trying to get near the Luna House would have a ten-minute run uphill.

Perfect.

Rowan wiped sweat from his brow. “Nyssa is going to kill us.”

“Or kiss us.”

“Unlikely.”

“She kissed me when we built the sparring pit.”

“She kissed you because you fell in it.”

“…okay fair.”

The moon was high by the time we realized she hadn’t come looking for us yet. Which meant....she was about to. Right on cue, a voice cut through the quiet night air.

“RONAN. ROWAN. EXPLAIN.”

We turned slowly. Nyssa stood on the hill overlooking the barracks, with her hair wild from wind, her eyes glowing faint green with Luna power, and she was wrapped in a leather jacket that did sinful things to my sanity.

Fuck, she was perfect.

I cleared my throat. “Hi, Alpha.”

Rowan bowed. “Evening, Luna.”

She marched toward us like a goddess ready to sentence mortals.

“What,” she said, gesturing at the nearly finished building, “is happening here?”

Rowan opened his mouth. I stepped in front of him.

“So, funny story...”

“Ronan,” she snapped. “Why is there a house the size of Canada being built on my land without my knowledge?”

“Because!” I said defensively. “The alphas will arrive early. They always do. And I refuse to let those pricks sniff around you or the Lunas.”

Rowan nodded solemnly. “We took initiative.”

Nyssa stared at the structure again.

The longhouse towered under the moonlight, with sharp rooflines, sturdy stone base, runed walls already glowing with power, and enough beds inside for five hundred wolves… or five hundred problems.

She exhaled slowly.

“Duh,” she muttered. “I didn’t even think of this.”

Rowan grinned. Ronan beamed. She walked closer, inspecting the craftsmanship, the wards, and the stonework.

“This is perfect,” she murmured. “They will arrive early just to fluster us. This stops them from even trying to start their bullshit.”

Then she turned, and kissed me on the cheek.

“Good work, Ronan.”

Warmth shot through my entire body. She hugged Rowan next. “And good work, Rowan.”

Rowan cleared his throat, ears pink. “Luna… Alpha… I wasn’t invited, but I was wondering…”

Nyssa tilted her head. “Wondering what?”

His voice trembled. Rowan Veyran, the rock of Moonfang, was shaking.

“I was wondering… if I could participate in the mate hunt,” he whispered. “I want the chance to lead my own pack. To prove myself.”

Before I could react, the air changed. Cold, pure moonlight poured down like liquid silver. Nyssa inhaled sharply.

Her eyes glowed white, then silver, then blinding lunar light