Page 25 of Luna's New Reign
Her hair begins to shift, the strands bleeding into white, as though her wolf is stepping forward and leaving its mark on her human form. Strands of sapphire, crimson, and black weave through the white, catching the light like threads of moonlight, blood, and shadow.
When her eyes flutter open, I feel my heart stop.
They’re no longer the eyes I know, no longer the warm, fiery gaze of the woman who’s held us together for so long. They’redeeper now, darker—like staring into the midnight sky, endless and full of mysteries I can’t begin to understand. Maverick exhales softly, his voice filled with awe as he murmurs, “It’s finally begun.The Lunahas returned to the packlands.”
The words send a chill through me and I glance at Mateo, whose sharp intake of breath is audible in the quiet. He sits forward, his hands gripping his knees, his eyes wide with something I can only describe as shock.
“I’ve heard of the legend,” Mateo whispers, his voice shaking slightly. “But that’s all it was. A legend.The Lunadoesn’t exist.”
“What legend?” I ask, my voice rough as I try to process what’s happening.
Mateo doesn’t answer immediately. His gaze remains fixed on Nepheline, his expression a mix of disbelief and reverence. “The Luna—she’s the embodiment of the packlands. The connection between the wolves and the magic that binds us. It’s said that when she returns, the packlands will be reborn.”
Nepheline blinks slowly, her midnight eyes scanning the room before settling on me. “What does that mean?” she asks, her voice soft but filled with a quiet strength that wasn’t there before.
“It means,” Maverick says, his voice steady as he kneels closer, “that you’re more than just our Luna. You’re the heart of the packlands. And whatever’s coming… you’re the one who will decide its fate.”
I swallow hard, my arms tightening around her as my chest tightens with a mix of emotions I can’t begin to unravel. Fear, awe, love—all of it tangling together in a way that makes it impossible to speak. Nepheline looks at each of us, her gaze lingering on Mateo, then Maverick, then me. Finally, she exhales, her body relaxing completely in my arms as she rests her head against my chest.
“I don’t know what any of this means,” she whispers, her voice trembling slightly. “But if I’m going to be this… Luna, then I need all of you with me. I can’t do this alone.”
“You won’t ever be alone,” I say firmly, my voice breaking through the silence.
15
NEPHELINE
I sit up slowly, my fingers brushing against the soft fabric of the couch, and I feel it—the crackle of magic dancing across my skin. It tingles along my fingertips, like something waking up for the first time.
Everything feels different.
I flex my fingers, watching as faint tendrils of light shimmer and fade with the movement. It’s beautiful and unsettling all at once and I can’t make sense of it. One moment, I was lost in the thought of Locke, desperate to find him. The next, I was consumed by…this.
I glance up, my chest tightening as I take in their expressions. Mateo, usually so composed, looks like he’s seeing me for the first time. Asani’s gaze is filled with curiosity, while Remi’s is soft with concern. River’s stoic mask is still in place, but even he can’t hide the flicker of awe in his eyes.
And then there’s Maverick.
He’s kneeling close, his expression unreadable, his dark eyes fixed on me with an intensity that makes my stomach twist.
“What happened?” I ask as I find my voice again.
No one answers immediately. The room feels too still, the only sound is the faint crackle of the fire. Finally, Darius moves, stepping forward with something small and delicate in his hands.
“Here,” he says softly, holding out a small mirror.
I hesitate before taking it, my fingers brushing against his as I lift it to my face. The reflection staring back at me is… alien. Familiar yet foreign, like looking at someone I should know but don’t.
My hair is no longer the vibrant color I’ve known my entire life. It’s white, like freshly fallen snow, with strands of sapphire, crimson, and black woven through it. The colors catch the light, shimmering faintly with a life of their own. The contrast against my tanned skin is striking, almost unnatural, but it’s the eyes that stop me cold.
They’re deep, endless, like staring into the midnight sky. The faint glimmer of starlight shifts in their depths, giving them an otherworldly quality that sends a shiver down my spine. I lower the mirror slowly, my hands trembling as I look back at them. “This isn’t me,” I say, though my voice lacks conviction. “I don’t—this isn’t who I am.”
Maverick reaches out, his fingers brushing against my cheek in a way that makes my heart skip. “It’s who you’ve always been,” he says quietly. “The magic has started to manifest, to change you. It’s been there all along, Nepheline. Growing. It’s been showing in your wolf’s coat for a while. Now, it’s showing here too.”
I blink, trying to process his words. My wolf’s coat—white with streaks of black and red and then sapphire after I metDarius. The colors that marked me as different, even before I understood what that difference meant.
“Why now?” I ask, my voice cracking slightly.
“I’m not sure,” he admits, his voice low. “It could be the stress. Everything you’ve been carrying, everything you’ve been through… Or maybe it’s the pieces finally falling into place. The magic knows what it’s doing, even if we don’t.”