But I refuse to let this one imperfection ruin the glory of this day.
So what if my howl sounds weird?
I shifted!
After years of believing I never would, I’m standing here on four paws, experiencing the world through my wolf’s senses.
That’s what matters.
I bump my head against Hudson’s chest, then dart away, inviting him to chase me again.
I feel entirely free, and I’m loving it.
I am Luna.
I am a wolf… even if I’m a wolf with a weird howl.
And I am finally, wonderfully, exactly where I belong.
31
Hudson
Istand by the sofa, watching her sleep with a mix of pride and concern.
She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen—even if she doesn’t know what she is yet. The fact that she’s finally shifted after all these years should be a cause for celebration. But the circumstances make it complicated as hell.
Her paws twitch in her sleep, and I resist the urge to reach out and stroke her fur again.
The others should be back soon.
I haven’t told them yet—I wanted to let Luna rest after her first shift. But they need to know. They’ll have my head for it, and I’m ready to face the consequences.
The front door creaks open. Voices carry in from the entryway, and I straighten up, instinctively placing myself between Luna and the door.
“I’m telling you that fish was at least twenty pounds,” Oli says, voice light and teasing.
“In your dreams, kid,” Axel grumbles. “Ten at most.”
“Twelve,” Ethan cuts in. “And only because you nearly fell in trying to land it.”
Their banter dies the second they step into the room. I watch their faces shift as they take in the sight of Luna curled up on the couch.
Oli’s eyes go wide. “Is that…?”
I nod. “She shifted earlier.” I let out a soft chuckle, remembering her attempts to howl. “She thinks she’s a wolf.”
Axel and Ethan move closer, and Oli crouches near the sofa’s edge. Damien lingers in the doorway.
“How is that possible?” Ethan asks, eyes narrowing as he studies her. “She’s been at the institute for years. They don’t take kindly to “defective shifters.”
Axel steps in closer, his hand hovering just above Luna’s silver fur, not quite touching.
“She’s perfect,” he says quietly.
Oli shakes his head. “But that’s—how could her parents not have told her? Even as a kid, she should’ve known what she was.”
“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” I admit. “Maybe her parents were trying to keep her safe.”
