Lionel pushed open the bedroom door with his shoulder, careful not to wake her. The room was quiet, lit only by the moonlight filtering through the window and the soft flicker of firelight from the hallway.
He laid Andrea gently on the bed, her hair fanning across the pillow like spun gold. Her breathing was shallow but steady, her body wrapped in Joseph's coat, small and still against the heavy furs.
She didn't stir.
But the bond between them buzzed—alive and real.
Joseph leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes locked on her sleeping form. "She looks so... fragile."
"She's not," Lionel said quietly, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. "I felt it when I touched her."
Matthew stepped into the room, gaze sharp. "Whatever she is, she's not just human."
"Her scent doesn't make sense," Joseph muttered. "It's not wolf, not vampire, not fae... and definitely not just human."
They all went still for a moment, letting the silence settle around them.
"She smells powerful," Matthew said finally. "Not now, but underneath. Like something's locked inside her."
Lionel exhaled slowly and stood upright. "We let her rest."
He closed the door softly behind them, and the three of them walked into the main room of the cabin, the air still heavy with the echo of her presence.
Lionel poured himself a drink and turned toward the fire. "It's funny, don't know if to be sad or happy."
"She's our mate," Joseph said, pacing. "But she's not one of us. No wolf blood. No shift. Nothing, the moon goddess played a nice joke on us."
"I'm happy we have a mate," Matthew added. "We felt the bond form. That's not something you imagine."
Lionel nodded. "Her scent keeps changing. One minute it's soft—human. Then suddenly it hits you like thunder. Strength. Magic. Old."
Joseph stopped pacing. "Do you think someone hid her nature? Sealed her off from what she really is?"
Lionel's jaw clenched. "Wouldn't be the first time. If she were a threat—or valuable enough—someone would've buried her powers. Hidden her in plain sight."
Matthew stared into the fire, his expression darkening. "And dumped her in the human world to rot in a place like that orphanage."
None of them spoke for a long moment.
Then Lionel turned, voice low. "She's not just our mate but the future luna, imagine mother's face when she finds out."
"I don't want to even imagine," Joseph muttered, his eyes flickering gold. "But she is ours, and we are protecting her from everyone and anything."
The flames crackled in the hearth.
Outside, the wind picked up again, whispering through the trees. Inside the room, behind the closed door, Andrea stirred in her sleep—her body caught between two worlds.
And somewhere deep in her chest, the magic sealed long ago began to crack.
It was morning already.
The golden light spilled through the windows of the cabin, but the air inside remained heavy with unspoken worry. The Alphas had risen early, drawn again to the door of the room where she lay. Andrea hadn't moved since the night before.
Lionel pushed the door open gently, followed by Matthew and Joseph.
She was still curled in the bed, her breathing slow but steady, lashes dark against her cheeks. The oversized shirt clung softly to her form, and the faint scent of power still clung to her skin.
"Sweedy?" Lionel stepped closer, brushing his hand lightly across her forehead. "Wake up."
No response.
"Try again," Matthew said, concern threading his voice.
"Sweedy," Lionel said, firmer this time. Nothing.
Her body was warm. Alive. But it was like she had sunk into something deeper than sleep.
Joseph folded his arms. "This isn't normal. What do we do?"
Lionel's jaw clenched. "We take her to the pack."
Matthew nodded. "Let the pack doctors check her. She's not human, not fully—and if something's wrong with her magic, they'll know."
"I'll get the car ready," Joseph said, already heading for the door.
Lionel gathered Andrea into his arms again, careful and reverent. She didn't stir.
The ride was swift through the hidden pass, between dimensions, slipping into the veil that separated the human world from their own.
When the SUV finally rolled up the winding path to the White Moon Pack house, its grand towers gleaming in the morning sun, the tension had only thickened.
Outside the wide front steps, the Queen Mother stood tall and regal, wrapped in crimson and ivory silks, her silver hair pinned high. Beside her, in a figure-hugging white dress that screamed desperate perfection, stood Ashley—the latest Luna candidate, chosen and polished by the Queen herself.
They were waiting.
The moment the SUV doors opened, whispers erupted.
Who is she?
Why is Alpha Lionel carrying a girl?
Is she human?
Is she... a mate?
Lionel ignored them all.
He stepped out, Andrea wrapped safely in his arms, her head resting against his chest. She hadn't moved. Not once.
Joseph followed close behind, his voice sharp. "Call the pack doctor. Now."
A beta nodded and sprinted off without hesitation.
Matthew kept close to Andrea's side, his eyes scanning the gathering crowd.
The Queen Mother stepped forward, brows raised. "Lionel—what is the meaning of this?"