Page 13 of Luna's New Reign

I frown, confusion knitting my brow. “After?” The annoying voice of my Omega that’s been talking in my head about family and the future rears its ugly head again. I want everything I’ve been promised but right now? In the midst of all this chaos? I’m not ready.

Victoria nods as if she can read my thoughts. Her hand rests lightly on mine, her touch not as comforting as when I first met her. “Your child, Nepheline. They’ll unite this fractured world. They’ll be the bridge between what was and what’s to come.”

I’m left sitting there, the echoes of her words ringing in my ears. The realization crashes over me, stealing the air from my lungs as I clutch the edge of the table and stare blankly ahead.

My child.

The world suddenly feels much, much larger—and so do the stakes.

I laugh, the sound sharp and nervous as it echoes in the nearly empty room. Pushing her words aside with humor seems like the best thing even as my Omega squeals with excitement at the idea of starting a family. “I’m not having a child.” Me, pregnant? Not happening.

Victoria doesn’t laugh with me. She simply smiles, a knowing gesture as if she’s been waiting for this very moment. “If you’re not already pregnant,” she muses, “you will be soon. It’s the way of things, Nepheline.”

I try my best not to roll my eyes and flop my head on the table. Victoria is so elegant and graceful and I’m a 23-year-old Omega whose life has been upended. I’m not sure if it’s anger,frustration, or embarrassment but I push back against Victoria’s statements. “How can you say that? You can’t possibly know—”

“I do know,” Victoria interrupts gently. “You are the combination of four packs, something so rare it hasn’t happened in generations. The magic coursing through you, the healing powers you’ve already begun to wield—they’re signs, Nepheline. Signs that you’re meant for more.”

“Is that why…” I trail off, biting my lip as I try to gather my thoughts. “Is that why I’ve been having these lingering… thoughts? About building a family?”

Victoria nods, her expression softening. “Yes. It’s not just your magic, Nepheline. It’s your instincts. They’re guiding you, preparing you for what’s to come. To replenish the land, we must start a new generation. It’s as natural as the cycles of the moon. There’s so much more to this than simply bringing in new life. It’s about being open to new experiences, to growth, to healing—not just for yourself but for your pack and the land that sustains you.”

That all makes sense but carrying the next generation is a lot to handle. If I wasn’t feeling ‘the weight of all’ before, I am now.

“Your mates will need you, Nepheline,” she continues. “Just as much as you need them. Rebuilding the packlands as they once were will require all of you, together. The bonds you share are your strength and they will carry you through what’s to come.”

My mates… they’re my everything, my foundation. But the thought of adding a child to the mix, of carrying this immense responsibility… it’s overwhelming. It’s also the one single thought that brings me more joy than I’ve had in years—more joy than the night my Alphas mated me, more joy than finding my own pack, more joy than tearing apart the Beta who betrayed me.

Now I just need my brother back at my side and all will be well.

I lean back in my chair, staring at Victoria as she sits poised and regal, her every movement deliberate and confident. The words are stuck in my throat, clawing to get out, but I can’t figure out how to phrase them. How do I ask something that feels so raw, so personal? Something pushes me to ask but not to give Victoria every last detail.

As if some part of me doesn’t fully trust the older Omega sitting beside me.

“Victoria… what would you do if something you longed for, something you thought was gone forever, came back?”

The question hangs in the air and I brace myself for her response. Her sharp eyes narrow slightly, the weight of her attention settling fully on me. Victoria doesn’t answer right away. She leans forward, her hands clasped in front of her, her gaze unflinching. When she speaks, her voice is calm but firm, carrying the weight of someone who’s used to being obeyed.

“I would ask myself one question,” she states. “Is this what’s best for the pack? As Luna, your choices aren’t just about you anymore, Nepheline. They’re about the pack. About the magic returning to the lands. About Mother Nature herself. Every decision you make must align with the prophecy, with the balance we’re trying to restore.”

She fits herself so easily into the situation—the balancewe’retrying to restore and yet I don’t feel that way. Victoria’s voice drones on, a speech about duty and sacrifice, about the importance of the prophecy and the role I play in it. But I barely hear her. My thoughts are too loud, drowning her out.

The idea of constantly sacrificing my happiness for everyone else makes my stomach twist. Is that what being a Luna means? Giving up every part of myself for the so-called greater good?

I glance at Victoria, her face alight with conviction as she speaks about magic and Mother Nature and balance. But the longer she talks, the more I realize something—I don’t want this.

Whatever this prophecy of the Omega shifter is, I want no part of it. I don’t want to live in a world where I’m nothing more than a pawn, where every decision I make is dictated by duty rather than desire. That can’t possibly be the life of a Luna.

A Luna’s strength can’t rest upon giving up her sense of self.

What good is it to have power and be obeyed if I’m merely going through the motions?

I sit up straighter, my fingers tightening around the edge of my chair. My mind drifts to Locke—my brother, who might still be alive. I think about the day I held him in my arms, the blood soaking through my clothes, the arrow that took him from me. If there’s even a chance to bring him back, I’ll take it.

Whatever it takes.

Had I listened to the likes of Flynn and Calista, I wouldn’t even be here. I wouldn’t have my mates, my pack, or my life. I wouldn’t have fought my way out of the dark to stand where I am now.

Victoria’s voice fades into the background as a new thought takes hold—maybe she’s not what this pack needs.