Chapter 405 405
Sabine’s POV
With Maurice at my side, we step out into the garden where our guests are already gathered. Every member of the Ash Valley pack is present tonight. Damien had stationed some of his men along the borders, insisting this moment was too important for me and for the pack to exclude anyone.
No one was to be left out.
Not even Odette.
She stands close to her parents, physically on pack land yet clearly separated from the rest. The distance between her and the others is unmistakable. She remains there as a silent reminder of how close I once came to making the wrong choices.
The plan was simple. Once I shifted, Maurice and the pack would launch into a full pack run, returning afterward for a night of celebration.
The night itself is flawless. Stars glitter overhead, and the moon full and radiant casts her silvery glow down upon us, watching. Blessing.
As the murmurs of the crowd begin to fade, Maurice lifts his hand, calling for attention.
“My loyal pack,” he begins, his voice steady and proud. “Tonight, we are joined by family and friends to celebrate our Luna and her first shift beneath the full moon”
Cheers explode around us, heat rushing to my face as the weight of their attention settles on me.
“We invite all of you to join the pack run, should you wish.”
I know this is unusual. Werewolves rarely run with those outside their pack but Maurice has always believed in inclusion. In unity.
When he finishes speaking, his gaze finds mine. That familiar, dazzling smile curves across his lips the one that never fails to undo me.
“Whenever you’re ready, my love.”
I nod, biting down on my lower lip as nerves surge through me.
This was it.
For most, this moment comes in their teenage years a first shift celebrated privately, quietly, surrounded by family. Not like this. Not in front of an entire pack… and other Alphas and Lunas.
But my wolf is ready.
She has been ready for days restless, pacing beneath my skin, yearning to break free.
I draw in a deep breath and close my eyes, reaching for the shared knot between us. I loosen my grip, allowing her to stretch further, to take more control.
Just before she fully claims it, I open my eyes.
The air around me shimmers, dusted with light.
At first, it feels strange almost like I’ve stepped outside myself. I can still sense me, but I’m acutely aware that my hands and feet are gone… replaced with paws.
I am inside my mind but not my body.
I see through my wolf’s eyes now. I see the faces staring back at me, wide with awe.
She moves toward Maurice, brushing her side against his leg before bursting forward into a run free, exhilarated. She has waited for this her entire existence.
I feel Maurice surge after us instantly. The mate bond flows between us so seamlessly that I can’t tell where I end and he begins.
More paws thunder behind us as the pack follows.
Strength floods me. Clarity. Vision sharp enough to cut through the darkness. Night offers no hindrance only beauty.
Their voices echo in my mind through the pack bond, congratulations weaving together in a chorus of pride.
He’s beside me now his massive black wolf running stride for stride. I feel his love, vast and unyielding. His happiness. His pride.
Sometimes, I think he always knew what I could become… even when I didn’t.
My wolf suddenly skids to a halt, paws digging into the earth as we burst into a clearing. The trees fall away, leaving us fully exposed beneath the sky.
The full moon hangs above us unobstructed, radiant, eternal.
I glance down at my legs. Pale yellow fur coats my paws and limbs, muscles coiled with power. My claws hover just beneath the surface, ready to emerge at the slightest threat.
She is strong.
She is fearless.
My wolf lifts her head, spine stretching as she releases a howl clear, powerful, and reverent straight to the moon.
In that moment, I am no longer only human.
I am a werewolf.
I am a Luna.
THE END