Page 45 of Luna's New Reign
Bo doesn’t hesitate. “He’s been off since he got here,” he says bluntly, his deep voice carrying just enough edge to make it clear he’s been holding this back for a while. “You remember what happened when he almost attacked River a few weeks ago?”
River nods from his spot at the edge of the room, his arms crossed. I do remember. Kehlani’s behavior that day was out of line, but we’d chalked it up to tension between the Sapphire wolves and the pack’s new dynamics.
Bo continues, “It’s not just that, though. He’s abrasive with every decision you make. He pushes back harder than anyone else and not in the way a wolf should. It’spersonal. He acts like he’s fighting an instinct he can’t control.”
A nervous laugh bubbles in my throat. “You’re not seriously suggesting that Kehlani is one of the pack of the Forbidden, are you?”
Elias clears his throat, shaking his head, though his face is pale, his expression tight. “No,” he says slowly. “He’s not a traitor. But you don’t have to be to have thatserumcoursing through your veins. No self-respecting Alpha wouldeverlaunch himself at the pack Alpha’s mate. That doesn’t happen, Mateo. Not unless something’s wrong. Calista and Kylan? They attacked like that—wild, unpredictable, feral. None of the other wolves, even those opposed to you, ever stepped that far out of line.”
I stare at him, my chest tightening. I want to argue, to tell him he’s wrong, but I can’t. Because I’ve seen it too—the flash of something uncontrolled in Kehlani’s eyes. The anger that doesn’t fit. Theinstinctthat shouldn’t exist.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, raking a hand through my hair as I try to process it.
I close my eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly as I try to clear my head. My wolf is restless, pacing beneath the surface, butI force myself to focus on the weight of the moment—on the decision IknowI have to make.
The only cure for the serum is for Kehlani to lose his wolf. And that… that would be a death sentence. When I open my eyes again, the room is waiting—silent, expectant.
“I’ll talk to him,” I say finally, though the words feel like ash on my tongue. “I’ll figure out what’s going on. But if he’s compromised, we’ll handle it.”
Bo nods, his face grim. “And if it’s too late?”
“Then we’ll do what we have to.”
I don’t want it to come to that. Ican’tlet it come to that.
But as I sit back in my chair, I can’t shake the nagging thought that this—all of this—is only the beginning.
And whatever darkness is clawing at us from the edges?
It’s getting closer.
23
ASANI
The morning sun barely touches the edges of the forest as I step over the soft earth, my paws sinking into the loam with each quiet step. The crystal forest hums faintly in the distance, magic pulsing through it like a heartbeat.
River’s mindlink hums softly at the back of my thoughts.
>>>Anything yet?
>>>Not yet,I reply, my wolf staying sharp as I prowl along the boundary line.
River’s focusing on the super wolf sightings, keeping close to town, but I volunteered for the borders. Someone has to check. Someone has to make sure that the veil is still holding. And I need an outlet.
The air is cold, almost unnatural here for spring. It presses against my fur, prickling along my skin like a warning. Something feelsoff—wrong in the way that puts me on edge, my instincts screaming at me to pay attention. I slow nearthe southern edge of the veil, my nose catching a faint scent. Something foreign. Something desperate.
And then I see them.
Just beyond the veil, a small group of wolves lies in the clearing, huddled together. Their fur is ragged, their bodies trembling as though they’ve fought their way through hell itself. I freeze for a moment, my chest tightening as I count them—five, maybe six—but none of them move.
I step closer, my growl rumbling low in my chest as I try to take stock of the situation. Their ears twitch at the sound, heads slowly lifting to look at me through the veil. I recognize them immediately—wolves from the pack of the Forbidden. Wolves that shouldn’t be here.
The moment their gazes meet mine, their heads lower in submission, their bodies bowing instinctively even through their obvious exhaustion. My wolf rumbles with satisfaction at the show of respect, but there’s no victory in it—not with the state they’re in.
I shift back into my human form, the cold air biting at my skin, but I ignore it. “Come forward,” I call out, my voice carrying through the silence. “If you can.”
The wolves hesitate, ears flicking nervously, before one of them—a smaller Beta with matted fur and hollow eyes—steps forward. The veil shimmers faintly as he pushes through, the magic crackling around him before finally letting him pass.