Werewolf

** Paige’s POV **
When the door closes behind them, silence falls again. It feels softer this time, less dangerous, but still heavy. Poppy looks up at me, her voice barely audible. “Paige… what’s happening to me?”
I hesitate. I don’t know what to tell her that will make this any less scary for her. It’s one thing to hear about the effect of the bond, but to feel it is not something you could prepare for. I remember those first few days; my head was all over the place.
“I don’t know exactly, but I do know this feeling will pass. It just takes some time. I think I cried for a few days, and I thought I was losing my mind before I stopped fighting against it.”
Poppy stares at me, wide-eyed and pale, like the words aren’t quite sinking in. “You make it sound like giving up,” she whispers.
“It’s not,” I say softly. “It’s letting yourself breathe. The bond doesn’t go away just because you want 

** Paige’s POV **
Trying to focus on work for the day whilst my mind is spinning in a million different directions is almost impossible. I spend most of my time trying to push the thoughts of hunters, mate bonds and Moon Children from my mind rather than actually getting any work done.
After dinner, I take Jax up to bed, reading him two stories tonight to make up for the one we missed yesterday. When he finally drifts off, I head back downstairs.
The house feels different tonight.
Ryder sits at the table, his elbows resting on the surface. Callen leans against the wall nearby, arms folded, expression unreadable but eyes sharp. Parker and Remy are both seated, their focus fixed on the older man across from them.
Ronnie.
“Luna,” he says softly, with a small bow of his head.
“It’s nice to see you again, Ronnie,” I smile, moving to take a seat at the table.
“So,” Ronnie says, his voice rough but not unkind. “You want to talk about Moon Children.”
Remy nods. “We think there might be a connection. Jake mentioned them today when he realised he was fated to Paige’s sister.”
Ronnie hums thoughtfully, taking a sip of tea before setting the cup down. “It’s been a long time since anyone asked about them. Most believe they’re nothing more than legend now, but legends usually start from truth.”
Ryder leans forward slightly. “Tell us what you know.”
Ronnie nods. “The Moon Children, also called Pack Mothers, were born from the Goddess’s first blessings. Their purpose was protection. They carried divine energy that could shield their young, heal wounds, and strengthen the pack. They were the heart of the balance. A single Moon Child could make an entire pack thrive. Mates found each other easier, fertility increased, and pups grew stronger.”
My mind flashes back to the memory of sparring with Callen in the garden. The way I’d pushed him back without even trying, or touching him.
Callen’s brow furrows. “And they were hunted?”
Ronnie’s gaze darkens. “Yes. Some alphas grew greedy. They saw the Mothers not as protectors, but as weapons or breeding stock. When the goddess saw her children being used, she took most of them back to the spirit realm. The few that survived went into hiding, their descendants blending into human bloodlines.”
The room falls silent for a moment.
Parker speaks first. “So you’re saying it’s possible someone could still carry that bloodline?”
Ronnie nods slowly. “Possible, yes. Rare, but not impossible. The blood would have thinned over time, but traces of it could remain. The gifts might be dormant until something triggers them, like trauma, mating, or even close proximity to wolves.”
I shift uncomfortably, feeling every eye in the room turn toward me. “You think that could be me? Or Poppy?” I ask quietly.
Ronnie studies me for a long moment before answering. “When Remy called, he told me about your sister’s bond with two unrelated wolves, and I know your own mating situation. If what he described is true, then yes. It’s possible. The way your energy draws others in, the way this place has remained calm and focused despite the multiple attacks… those are signs.”
“I’m not sure if I’ve drawn anyone in, the pack is not exactly happy to have me,” I sigh.
“They are, they just don’t know it yet,” he grins. “When the boys announced you as their mate, I expected uproar, members leaving, and alpha challenges. Instead, we got a few concerns and some jealous females. Not one member left. That’s because they are compelled by you, they just don’t understand why.”
Ryder frowns. “You’re saying her presence alone could be affecting the pack?”
Ronnie smiles faintly. “Tell me, Alpha, how many of your unmated wolves have found their mates recently?”
Ryder hesitates, his gaze flicking to Remy, then back. “Two in the last week,” he admits. “That’s… unusual.”
Ronnie nods. “And it’s too soon to know yet, but I would expect there will be an increase in pregnancy announcements in the next week or so. Then you will have your answer.”
I stare down at the table, my heart racing. “That doesn’t make sense. I’m human, or at least, I was.”
Ronnie shakes his head gently. “You were never just human, my dear. The blood may have slept, but it didn’t die. If you are descended from a Moon Child, that would explain why your bonds formed the way they did, why they’re so strong, even by fated standards. It could also explain why your sister’s bond awakened so violently. The power runs in families.”
Callen runs a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath. “If that’s true, then we’re sitting in the middle of a miracle.”
“Or a target,” Ryder says grimly.
That makes the room go still.
Ronnie nods once. “He’s right. If the wrong people find out what you are, they’ll come for you. Other packs might want their own pack mother. Hunters will want to erase the bloodline entirely. The Goddess’s gift always comes at a price.”
Parker’s jaw tightens. “So what do we do?”
Ronnie looks at me again, his gaze softening. “You protect her. Protect them both. Don’t let the world take what’s been returned to it, and if you’re truly who I think you are, Paige, then you’re not just our pack’s new Luna. You’re its rebirth.”
The words hang in the air like hope and a warning all at once.
Ryder reaches across the table, his hand finding mine. His touch is warm. “Then we make sure no one touches them,” he says firmly.
I look up, meeting his eyes, and in them, I see the same quiet determination reflected back in every man at the table. I realise then the weight of what’s stirring inside us, the bonds, the power, the pull of something older than any of us. And somewhere deep in my chest, beneath the fear, a spark of belonging starts to burn. If this is true, then I’m not just the human mistake anymore. I was always meant to be a part of the pack.
“What about Jaxon?” I ask. “Is he a Moon Child and a werewolf?”
Ronnie shakes his head. “He may carry the bloodline, but only females can be Pack Mothers. I’m not certain, but I think if he were to have a daughter, there’s a 50/50 chance she would be a Moon Child or a werewolf. The same would be for you. If one of your mates fathered a daughter, she could be either species.”
I nod and stare down at my hands while processing everything I’ve just learned while the others discuss an upcoming conference call with a couple of neighbouring packs.
After some time, Remy and Callen leave with Ronnie for patrol, while Parker heads out for a run. I can sense that we are all uneasy tonight. The dark sky always makes things feel more tense, especially so soon after an attack.
I move to the window, standing there staring at the shadowy trees, still hearing Ronnie’s words echo in my head.
You’re not just a Luna to the pack. You’re its rebirth.
It sounds impossible. Like something out of a storybook. Yet, deep down, something in me recognises it.
I feel Ryder’s presence come up behind me. “You should rest,” he says quietly.
I turn to face him. The light from the moon catches his eyes, turning the blue there almost silver. “I don’t think I could sleep even if I wanted to.”
He steps close enough that the heat from his body touches mine. “You took that better than I expected,” he admits.
I huff out a faint laugh. “What, being told I might be some kind of half-mythical moon goddess descendant? Sure. Totally normal Saturday night.”
A faint smile tugs at his mouth, but it fades quickly. “It changes things.”
I tilt my head, studying him. “For you?”
“For all of us,” he says after a pause. “If Ronnie’s right, the reason this pack’s been so calm is not because of the leadership. It’s you. You’ve done more for my wolves just by being here than I have in years.”
“That’s not true,” I protest softly. “You built this place. You gave them a home, a family.”
He shakes his head. “Ronnie already held this pack together. I just gave them walls and rules, but it’s you that will give them life again.” His voice drops lower. “Paige, when you came here, everything shifted. They laughed more. They fought less. Even I…” He breaks off, exhaling. “You make me better. All of us better.”
The words land deep, settling somewhere between my heart and the ache in my chest. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of miracle,” I whisper.
He steps closer, so close that I have to tilt my head back to keep his gaze. “You are,” he says. “And now I have to protect you like one.”
Something in his tone makes my pulse stutter. “Ryder…”
His hand lifts, brushing a strand of hair from my face, fingers tracing my jaw. “If what Ronnie said is true, there are people who’d kill for the power you carry. I can’t let that happen. Not to you. Not to Poppy. Not to Jaxon.”
I swallow hard, feeling my throat tighten. “You can’t protect everyone all the time.”
He leans in slightly, his breath warm against my skin. “Watch me.”
For a moment, neither of us moves. The air hums between us, charged with too many unspoken things. Then I take a slow breath and let my forehead rest against his chest. His arm moves around me, pulling me close until I can feel the steady rhythm of his heart against mine.
“I don’t want this to change anything,” I whisper. “I just want to be me.”
“You are,” he says softly, pressing his lips to the top of my head. “You always were. The blood doesn’t define you, it just explains why you shine the way you do.”
I close my eyes, letting the words sink in. The tension that’s been coiled in my body all evening starts to loosen. For a little while, it’s just the two of us.
When I finally speak again, my voice is quiet. “Do you think… if I really am one of these Moon Children, that’s why we were drawn together all those years ago? Because somewhere deep down, you already recognised what I was?”
He exhales slowly, his chin resting on the top of my head. “No,” he murmurs. “Back then, we were both human. What I recognised wasn’t your power, it was you. We were soulmates even then, but it wasn’t our time. We both had to grow. I had to find the others who belonged to you and learn how to protect you before the bond could awaken your dormant gifts.”
He tilts my face up, his gaze soft. “Fate waited until I was ready, until I was strong enough to keep safe what you’d become.”
Something inside me likes that. Maybe he’s right. Maybe all the chaos and pain that brought me here weren’t accidents. Maybe it was leading me toward this, toward them.

** Paige’s POV **
For a second, I can’t breathe. Everything in the room stills, even the air feels frozen. My sister is limp in the arms of a man I barely know, and the sound of that one word, “mine,” still echoes in my head.
No one moves. Not Leo, who’s standing there like the ground has been ripped out from under him. Not Remy, who looks ready to throw himself between them. Not even Parker, though I can feel his tension from across the room, assessing and ready.
Then, my body finally remembers how to move.
“Poppy!” My voice cracks as I push forward, shoving past Remy to reach her. Jake doesn’t let go, he just holds her tighter, one arm supporting her back, the other cupping the side of her face like she’s something precious. His expression is fierce, protective, and completely calm.
“What did you do to her?” I demand, panic spiking so fast my hands shake.
Jake lifts his gaze to mine. “

** Paige’s POV **
When the door closes behind them, silence falls again. It feels softer this time, less dangerous, but still heavy. Poppy looks up at me, her voice barely audible. “Paige… what’s happening to me?”
I hesitate. I don’t know what to tell her that will make this any less scary for her. It’s one thing to hear about the effect of the bond, but to feel it is not something you could prepare for. I remember those first few days; my head was all over the place.
“I don’t know exactly, but I do know this feeling will pass. It just takes some time. I think I cried for a few days, and I thought I was losing my mind before I stopped fighting against it.”
Poppy stares at me, wide-eyed and pale, like the words aren’t quite sinking in. “You make it sound like giving up,” she whispers.
“It’s not,” I say softly. “It’s letting yourself breathe. The bond doesn’t go away just because you want it to, but it is not as intense when you stop trying to tear yourself free from it.”
She presses the

Chapter 109