Adrian invited Adriana to meet his pack. They lived outside the city, hidden in a forest estate.
Upon arrival, the energy changed. The wolves were wary. Especially Luna Bianca, Adrian's second-in-command and former fiancée.
"She's human," Bianca said coldly. "How can she be our Luna?"
Adriana held her ground. "I didn't ask for this. But I won't back down either."
Adrian's hand found hers. "She's not just human. She's mine."
The declaration sparked whispers. Not everyone was happy, and Adriana sensed danger brewing beneath the surface.
The full moon loomed large in the sky, ripe, luminous, and silver-gold like it had been kissed by gods.
Adriana stood at the edge of the Crescent Moon territory, dressed in white, the silk gown flowing around her like mist. The fabric shimmered faintly under the moonlight, woven with lunar-thread gifted by one of the pack's witches. She felt like she had stepped into a world that shouldn't be real… and yet it was.
Tonight was Adrian's ceremony. Tonight, he would claim his title publicly as Alpha before the entire pack and the surrounding allied clans. Tonight, Adriana would stand beside him.
Or she wouldn't.
She hadn't made the choice yet. Not entirely.
Her heart beat faster as she took in the scene before her.
Hundreds of werewolves, some in human form, others half-shifted with glowing eyes and clawed fingers, circled around a massive stone altar set deep in the forest's sacred heart. Torches lined the pathway leading up to it, their flames dancing like they knew a storm was coming.
Adrian stood at the altar already, regal in his black ceremonial garb trimmed with silver. A thick, ancient pelt draped across his shoulders, the pelt of his grandfather's beast form. His golden eyes were fixed on her.
As soon as they met hers, the pull returned.
There you are, his gaze seemed to say. Come to me.
But Adriana's feet remained still.
Everything was watching her, every eye, every soul, every spirit woven into this ancient ritual. If she stepped forward now, it meant more than just trust. It meant binding. It meant giving herself to a destiny she hadn't chosen, to a people she barely knew, to a man whose love was deep, dangerous… and eternal.
She thought back to their kiss under the stars. To the way his arms had felt around her. To the night he'd turned into a wolf before her eyes and shielded her from a monster. To the bond that shimmered faintly between them, like a golden thread humming in her veins.
"Adriana," a familiar voice whispered behind her.
She turned to see Elder Lira, the pack's spiritual guide. The woman's silver-white hair floated like a cloud, her robes stitched with runes and ancient glyphs.
"Do you fear the path before you?" Lira asked gently.
Adriana exhaled. "I fear losing myself to it."
"Then perhaps you should ask not whether this path will change you… but whether it will reveal you."
Adriana's gaze shifted back to Adrian.
The truth was, she'd never felt more alive. More powerful. More herself. The danger didn't scare her as much as the desire—the love building in her heart for a man she barely knew… and yet knew too well.
She took a breath. Her final breath as just Adriana.
And then she stepped forward.
The crowd parted like water around her, silent but alert. Whispers moved through the air like wind through trees.
"She comes…"
"She accepts him…"
"The Luna walks…"
Each step toward Adrian felt heavier and lighter all at once. When she reached the stone altar, he offered his hand. She took it without hesitation.
"Are you sure?" he murmured, only for her.
"No," she whispered. "But I'm not walking away."
The moment her hand met his, the bond surged, no longer faint. A bright, golden light flared from their joined fingers, wrapping around their bodies like ethereal fire. The crowd gasped.
Elder Lira raised her staff. "Let the moon bear witness!"
The air pulsed.
Adrian turned to the pack, voice commanding, but filled with emotion. "I, Adrian Dae, son of Kendrick, heir of the Crescent Moon Pack, vow my life, strength, and soul to the safety and legacy of my people."
He paused. "With the rising of the moon, I accept my title, my bloodline, and my mate."
Adriana's heart stuttered. Her mouth went dry.
"Adriana Sinclair," Lira said, stepping beside her. "Do you accept the bond? Do you choose the path of Luna, not out of fate, but of your own will?"
Adriana felt every pair of eyes on her. Her fingers tightened around Adrian's.
"I do," she said, her voice steady. "I choose him. And this path. And whatever comes with it."
The moment the words left her mouth, the bond snapped into place.
A golden wave exploded from their bodies, rippling through the clearing, washing over every pack member. Some dropped to their knees. Others howled into the night. The energy was pure magic, ancient, divine, and binding.
Adrian leaned in, forehead against hers. "You just changed everything."
"So did you."
They kissed, again, in front of everyone, but this time, it wasn't just passion.
It was a vow.
Later that night, the celebration roared to life. Wolves danced, drums pounded, fire bloomed in the air like living things. But Adriana sat by the edge of the lake, watching the moon reflect on the surface like a second world.
Adrian joined her quietly.
"You did something brave tonight," he said.
"So did you."
He looked at her, serious now. "You know this won't be easy. Being Luna means you'll face danger. The same creatures that attacked you… they'll come again. They'll come harder. And now you're a symbol to them."
She nodded. "Then let them come. I'm done running."
He reached for her hand and placed something in her palm.
A pendant. Shaped like a crescent moon. Etched with runes she couldn't read, but could feel.
"It's yours now," he said. "A mark of your place."
Adriana closed her fingers around it. "Thank you. For everything."
He kissed her forehead. "I'll always protect you. Even from me, if I have to."
Adriana leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm not afraid of you anymore."
"But maybe," she added with a small smile, "you should be afraid of me."
He laughed, and the sound echoed through the forest like a song.