Above all.
Into the trees they went, Scarlett gripping Lucas's fingers like a lifeline. Hurt pulsed under her collarbone, yet his nearness softened each step. Light broke through the pine crowns above, spilling gold across her skin.
"We're almost at the old meeting grounds," Lucas said quietly. His voice sounded steady, but she felt the worry in his grip. "That's where the main pack will gather. We have to explain everything before they attack us."
Emily walked on Scarlett's other side. She kept checking behind them. "The howls are getting closer. They think we betrayed the pack by working with the Shadow Pack."
Back she stepped, just a little. Tangled curls framed Rachel's face, wild after the wind. Silence sat heavy between them as they moved through the trees. Alex kept pace, jacket ripped at the shoulder, fabric hanging loose. Words about what happened inside never came. The air held onto things left unsaid.
Eyes meeting Lucas, Scarlett saw his hair tousled, wild from the clash moments before. Blue, sharp as ice, held hers, flickering with something close to fear. As if she might disappear right there. Softly, words slipping out like a breath: "Explain the Luna part again." Understanding hadn't settled yet. Still foggy. Still unclear.
Fingers pressed tight between him. She had roots older than most known blood named Luna. That kind brought power, steady and quiet, made alphas stand taller. Fear lived in my father because of it. Might have believed it'd steal strength from us, back then. Because of that, stories about your father started floating around told by him and I ended up sending you off five winters past
Scarlett's emerald eyes widened. "All that pain… because of power?"
"Yes," Lucas replied. His voice got rough. "I hated every second. I watched you run away that night at the gathering. Your words still echo in my head. But I thought keeping you alive was worth losing you."
Emily nodded. "I found out later. That's why I didn't tell the pack who you were when I first saw you. I wanted to see what your heart would do."
A patch of open ground appeared ahead. In its center, weathered rocks arranged themselves into a ring. Several wore thick cloaks of green moss. Silence settled differently now, as if the trees held their breath.
A flash of movement wolves exploded from the treeline. Twenty figures now stood on two legs where beasts had been. Anger twisted their features. Claws gleamed on some hands.
The lead warrior stepped forward. He was tall and strong. "Lucas! You were captured. Now you walk with the enemy? And her?" He pointed at Scarlett. "She stole our supplies. She attacked us."
Lucas let go of Scarlett's hand but stayed close. "Listen to me. Scarlett is not the enemy. She is the true Luna. Her blood can heal this pack and make us stronger."
Whispers moved among them. A few wore stunned expressions. Head shakes followed, quiet but clear.
One older woman spoke up. "We remember her family. They were trouble. Why should we trust her now?"
Forward she moved, despite the tremble in her limbs. Her shirt held dried blood, a quiet mark of what happened. Revenge brought her here, that much was true. Hurt shaped her steps, anger guided them. Then Lucas spoke. What he said changed everything. Loyalty wasn't broken by lies. Fear did it. Quiet. Cold. Unseen. I'm done tearing things apart. Rebuilding feels more right now
Rachel moved closer. Her petite frame looked small among the big wolves. "I lied to her. I worked with the Shadow Pack for my own gain. Scarlett didn't know. Blame me if you need to blame someone."
Alex raised his hands slowly. "I spied for Lucas to protect everyone. Mistakes were made on all sides."
Feet shuffled among the pack fighters. Heavy silence hung there, slow and smoky. A young one let out a rumble deep in his throat. "Back up your claim," he said. "Let us see Luna 's strength."
Inside her chest, something tugged at Scarlett like a thread pulled tight. The wolf within stirred awake, sudden and sharp. Eyes shut, she took a slow breath that filled every corner of her lungs. Heat moved through her veins, soft but steady. A dull ache in her shoulder began to fade. Her eyelids lifted, then just for an instant a quiet light brushed the air around her.
A hush fell over them. Surprise showed on Lucas's face, too.
"That's the Luna light," Emily said with a smile. "I read about it in old stories. It only appears for the true one."
The lead warrior lowered his head slightly. "If this is real, then we need to talk. But Ethan is still out there stirring trouble. He wants to be alpha."
Lucas nodded. "We fight him together. No more secrets."
Over by the fire, people found spots on whatever rock or fallen tree looked steady enough. Scarlett didn't wander far from Lucas. Every shift of his body brought that thick forearm grazing her skin again. Little jolts ran under her ribs each time it happened. What once burned inside her like ice began to soften. Now, a quiet warmth took root instead. Not loud. Not suddenly just there, spreading beneath the surface.
Staring at the sunkissed skin on his face, tangled strands falling across his forehead. Quiet words slipped out while voices swirled around them "I carried hate like a weight." Yet deep down, something stubborn stayed awake each morning just to remember him
Lucas turned to her. His square blue eyes softened. "I never stopped loving you, Scarlett. Even when I acted cold. You were my best friend first. Then my mate. I want to earn your trust back."
Rachel spoke up from across the circle. "I'm sorry, Scarlett. I was jealous. You always had this fire. I wanted some of it for myself. I'll leave if you want me to."