Chapter 3

The next afternoon, I sat on the sofa in the reception room, hands clenched tightly together, my heartbeat thundering like drums.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Silver Creek Pack's reception hall, casting dappled shadows across the oak flooring.

The moment the doorbell rang, I nearly jumped from the sofa.

"Mia's here," Beta Sarah said softly, a flicker of concern in her eyes. "Luna, are you sure you want to do this now..."

"Let her in." My voice trembled, but my tone was resolute.

The door slowly opened, and a woman with reddish-brown short hair appeared in the doorway. Mia Reynolds—my former roommate, my former best friend—now standing there like a complete stranger.

The moment Mia's green eyes met mine, the entire world seemed to freeze.

Mia's face instantly drained of color, her medical bag nearly slipping from her hands.

"My God... Monica..." Her voice quivered like autumn leaves. "Your eyes..."

"What?" I instinctively touched my face.

"They're alive." Mia stepped closer, her eyes filled with disbelief. "For eight years, your eyes held nothing but emptiness and hatred. Now... have you really come back?"

I shot to my feet, desperately grabbing Mia's hands. "Hatred? Who did I hate? Mia, please tell me—what happened during those eight years!"

Seeing the sincerity and desperation in my eyes, Mia slowly sat down in the single armchair across from me. Her hands were trembling.

"It's complicated... it involves an identity you refused to acknowledge."

"What identity?" My heart pounded wildly. "Is it about this Luna title?"

Mia's eyes widened in surprise. "You... you know?"

"I don't know anything!" I was nearly at my breaking point. "All I know is that child calls me Mama, everyone calls me Luna! I even saw golden light in my own eyes!"

"Golden light?" Mia suddenly stood up, staring intently into my eyes. "Let me see..."

I cooperated by looking at her, and when my emotions surged, a trace of golden light indeed flickered in my amber pupils.

"You've truly awakened." Mia's voice carried awe. "Monica, you're of rare Lunaris bloodline. Among the seven packs, females with Lunaris heritage are extremely rare."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you possess the ability to channel lunar power, heal wounds, and purify evil." Mia's voice grew heavy. "It also means... hunter families consider you their most precious prey."

I felt my blood freeze. "Hunters?"

"Derek." Mia simply spoke that name, but those two syllables struck me like lightning.

"Impossible! Derek loves me—he proposed to me!" I screamed.

My brain refused to accept this information. Derek, the man who would buy me my favorite coffee, who would care for me all night when I was sick—how could he possibly be a hunter? I remembered his gentle kisses, the loving look in his eyes when he said he loved me, that sparkling ring...

No, this had to be a mistake. It had to be!

Pain flashed in Mia's eyes. "Monica, Derek comes from the ancient hunter family, the Huntsmans. He approached you only to gather intelligence about Pack locations, to hunt werewolves."

"You're lying!" I shook my head frantically. "Derek isn't that kind of person!"

"Then explain why you're here? Why you married Orlando?" Mia's voice grew colder. "Monica, when Orlando discovered Derek's true identity, it was already too late. Derek's betrayal nearly killed you."

I collapsed onto the sofa, my entire body shaking. "What... what do you mean nearly killed me?"

Mia took a deep breath, as if preparing for what she was about to say. "Derek, after gathering enough intelligence, planned to kill you on the night he proposed. He laced the ring with silver powder, intending to strike the moment you put it on..."

"Stop it!" I covered my ears, but Mia continued mercilessly.

Silver powder... silver powder in the ring... I remembered the expectant look in Derek's eyes last night as he slipped the ring onto my finger. So that wasn't love in his eyes—it was... murderous intent.

I felt the whole world spinning, nausea churning in my stomach. The man I thought I'd spend my life with had actually wanted to kill me in what should have been our most beautiful moment.

"Orlando arrived just in time to save you, but your mind had completely shattered. You refused to believe the truth, refused to accept your werewolf identity, and even..." Mia paused, "even blamed Orlando for ruining your human life."

"I didn't..." My voice was barely a whisper.

"You said he forced you." Mia's words cut like blades. "Orlando was forced to bite you to save your life, activating your dormant werewolf bloodline. But you hated him—hated him for turning you into a 'monster.'"

The room fell into deathly silence.

I slowly stood and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sun was setting, and the forest stretched into the distance like a golden sea.

"What about... what about Asher?" My voice cracked like broken glass.

"Asher..." Mia's voice became even more pained. "You were even cold to Asher because he represented your forced new identity. That child thought he'd done something wrong, always walking on eggshells, trying to please you."

My tears finally broke free. "I hurt an innocent child... hurt the only people who truly loved me."

"Monica, Orlando endured eight years of coldness to protect you." Mia stood and walked to my side. "And Asher... that child is five now, and he still believes that someday Mommy will truly love him."

"I'm a monster." I wept bitterly. "I transferred my hatred for Derek onto them. Orlando saved me, and I..."

Orlando... the boy who had silently protected me since childhood, who risked his life to save me as an adult, only to be treated like an enemy. And Asher... my baby, who had done nothing wrong but had to endure my coldness and rejection.

"You locked yourself in hatred for eight years." Mia gently rubbed my back. "You refused to acknowledge your Luna identity, refused to learn how to control your powers, even refused to participate in important Pack ceremonies."

"No wonder..." I choked out. "No wonder Asher is so afraid of me. No wonder everyone says I went insane."

"But now it's different." Mia gripped my shoulders, forcing me to look at her. "Now there's light in your eyes—love, hope. Monica, if you've really changed, prove it with your actions."

"What should I do?" I asked desperately. "I hurt them so deeply..."

"That child is still waiting for his mommy to truly love him." Mia's voice was firm yet gentle. "Alpha Orlando is also waiting for his Luna to truly return to his side."

Just then, soft footsteps came from outside the door. Mia and I turned simultaneously to see Asher's small figure pressed against the doorframe, tears glistening in his lake-blue eyes.

Clearly, he had heard the entire conversation.

"Asher..." My voice trembled.

The little boy didn't run away. Instead, he slowly walked over. His golden-brown curls gleamed in the sunset like a little angel's.

"Mama..." he said softly, "Asher still loves Mama very much. Even though Mama didn't love Asher before."

This sentence completely shattered my last line of defense. I knelt down and opened my arms.

"Baby, Mommy loves you. Mommy loves you so, so much."

Asher hesitated for a moment, then ran into my embrace.

The moment I held my son, I felt a warm current surge from deep within my heart, flowing through my entire body. I felt golden light flashing in my eyes, and the entire room was enveloped in warm radiance.

"Lunaris power..." Mia whispered in wonder. "Love has activated your true power."

I held Asher tightly, whispering promises in his ear. "Mommy will never leave you again. Mommy will make up for everything, starting now."

Asher nodded in my arms, his small hands clutching my clothes tightly, as if afraid I might disappear again.

"What about Derek?" I looked up at Mia, anger blazing like fire in my eyes. "Where is he now?"

Mia's expression grew serious. "He's still alive, Monica. And... he's been searching for you."

I held Asher closer, the golden light in my eyes growing brighter. "Then let him come. This time, I won't let anyone hurt my family."