29. NEPHELINE

29

NEPHELINE

The days pass, meshing together as I come to terms with the changes in the pack lands, in my head, and in my body. I’m fully showing now, just a little curve to my belly but it’s noticeable beneath the thinner clothing prepared for the blooming spring.

The laughter of children carries on the soft breeze, curling around me like a song I almost remember. We walk through the packlands—Mateo to my right, Darius to my left, and me cradling the growing bump beneath my shirt, my hand resting protectively over the little life inside me.

The pack’s energy hums all around us—peaceful, warm, alive . Since the news of my pregnancy spread—it was a little hard to hide when one of the Betas blurted it out, the mood of the Nightshades has shifted. It’s as if the veil of darkness we’ve been wading through finally lifted, even if we know it’s still out there, waiting. The families we pass stop to smile at me, their faces glowing with hope, their words soft and kind.

“Luna!” a small voice calls and I glance down to see a pup running up to me, his little cheeks flushed from playing. He clutches a flower in his tiny fist—a crumpled daisy—and thrusts it toward me with a shy grin. “For you.”

The genuine sweetness of the moment makes my heart squeeze painfully. I crouch down, as gracefully as I can, and take the flower, brushing a finger over his dirt-smudged cheek. “Thank you, little one.”

He beams before darting off again and Mateo laughs softly beside me. “You’re winning hearts already,” he murmurs, his eyes bright as he watches me stand.

“They’ll stop bringing me flowers when they realize I’m not as sweet as I look,” I say, scrunching my nose as I tuck the daisy into my hair.

Darius snorts, reaching out to steady me with a hand on my lower back. “They’ll never stop. You’re their Luna now, whether you like it or not.”

I roll my eyes, but there’s no real heat to it. I do like it—the attention, the warmth, the sense of belonging that swirls around us like the heart of a living thing. It’s just hard to let myself feel it fully when a shadow still lingers in my mind.

Locke.

I can’t focus on much else these days. Even now, as Mateo exchanges playful words with one of the newly appointed elders and Darius leans down to pick up a pup who tugs at his pant leg, I feel my thoughts drifting. The bond with my brother stretches like a fraying rope across my mind. Sometimes I think I can hear him—a rustle of sound, a murmur of breath—but it’s never enough.

Still, I talk to him anyway.

In my head, we’re always in the same place—those fields just beyond the Redstone packlands. The wildflowers grew tall and unruly there, rolling like waves under the wind. I wasn’t supposed to run there, not without a mate, but Locke had always been a rulebreaker.

In my mind, I see it clearly—the sunlight soft over the hills, Locke’s wolf hanging in the shadows at the edge of the tree line. He never steps into the light. Never speaks back. But I talk to him anyway, telling him about my life.

I tell him about the pack. About Mateo and River, Asani and Remi. And Maverick. About how they’ve all made it their mission to keep me as comfortable—and distracted —as possible, especially with this pregnancy throwing my body out of whack. I tell him about the colors in my coat and Maverick’s bird, and how I’ve finally become the Luna Locke always knew I would.

Most of my days are spent in my nest now, curled around at least one of my mates. My skin itches if I’m alone for too long, the bond pulling at me like a hunger I can’t ignore. Mateo, Asani, and River have taken it upon themselves to find every excuse to keep me in bed, hands roaming over me, lips coaxing the tension from my body. It’s almost ridiculous how much they pamper me, how far they’re willing to go to make me feel .

And I do. Goddess, do I.

But there’s still the emptiness where Locke should be.

“Nepheline.” Mateo’s voice snaps me back to the present and I blink up at him as he watches me closely, his eyes narrowed in concern. “You’re drifting again, princess.”

I force a smile, though I know he sees right through it. “I’m fine.”

“You’re a terrible liar,” Darius chimes in, shooting me a knowing look as he places his hand back on my lower back, steady and firm. “What’s going on in that head of yours, Bambi?”

I glance between them both, my fingers brushing absentmindedly over my bump as I shrug. “I was just thinking about Locke. About… how I used to run with him when we were kids.”

The way Mateo’s expression softens nearly unravels me and I have to look away before the tears can gather in my eyes. “He’ll come back to you,” Mateo says softly, the promise in his voice strong enough to make my chest ache.

“And we’ll tear apart anyone who keeps him from you,” Darius adds with a growl.

I laugh under my breath, the sound shaky. “You two really know how to make a girl feel special.”

Mateo pulls me into his side, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “Always.”

They continue making their rounds as exhaustion sweeps over me—one of the perks I don’t like but I keep it to myself, walking alongside Darius as Mateo pulls ahead. However, that bravado soon works against me.

I drop to the ground without ceremony, exhaling sharply as I lean back on my hands, the weight of my body finally off my feet. Relief. Sweet, fleeting relief. Mateo is a few yards away, talking with one of the Alphas and Darius not far, watching me like a wolf who knows exactly how close he’s allowed to hover before I growl at him.

His laughter comes easy when he sees me sprawled on the ground, knees bent, bump cradled like I’m some fallen goddess refusing to move. “Comfortable down there?” he teases, crouching in front of me with a grin that softens the sharp lines of his face.

I roll my eyes, huffing at him as I wiggle my aching toes. “Oh, I’m just thrilled, Darius. Absolutely thrilled to be lugging around your child, stuck in the most inconvenient body while you all stroll around looking perfect.” I don’t know if it’s Darius’ child or any of my other mates but it doesn’t matter. Our child will grow up knowing each of them as fathers regardless of who is biologically responsible.

“Perfect?” He raises a brow, clearly amused, and then his expression melts into something soft—something I’ve grown to love more than I’ll ever admit. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he peers at me with that lazy grin. “You’re the one who’s perfect, Bambi.”

“Flattery isn’t going to get me off the ground,” I grumble, but I’m already smiling.

Darius doesn’t care. He just leans closer, his rough palms bracketing my cheeks as he presses a kiss to my forehead. Then another on my nose. Then one on my cheek. “You’re beautiful,” he murmurs between kisses, his voice a low rumble of affection. “Exhausted and bossy and probably mad at me for no reason, but beautiful. ”

I laugh, swatting at him half-heartedly as his lips trail over every inch of my face, chasing away my discomfort with the warmth of him. “You’re ridiculous,” I mumble, though I’m smiling so wide it almost hurts.

“That’s why you love me,” he replies smugly, pressing one last kiss to my lips before pulling back just enough to look at me. “You okay? Or do you want me to carry you home?”

“I don’t need to go home,” I say quickly, waving him off as I shift to sit up straighter. “My feet are tired, but that’s nothing new. I’ll survive.”

He looks unconvinced, but he doesn’t argue, settling back on his haunches as he watches me with that quiet protectiveness that’s always there, always him. I take a breath, ready to make another joke about how pregnancy is the worst gift they’ve ever given me—

And then I feel it.

It’s faint at first, like a ripple against my skin—barely noticeable, just a whisper of something off . My brow furrows, my hand unconsciously pressing against my bump as I tilt my head, searching for what it is.

“Nepheline?” Darius’ voice breaks into my thoughts, sharp with concern as he watches my expression shift.

I don’t answer him right away because I can’t. The ripple grows into a pulse —dark, cold, unnatural—and the air seems to shiver around me. My magic stirs in response, flickering to life along my fingertips as if it recognizes the disturbance before I do.

And then it hits.

A sharp pang that coils low in my stomach, spreading through me like a warning bell. My breath hitches, my pulse pounding in my ears as realization crashes into me.

The veil.

Darius touches my shoulder, his grip firm but careful. “Neph, what is it? What’s wrong?”

I snap my gaze to his, urgency flooding through me as I force myself to stand, ignoring the ache in my body as I grab his hand. “Help me up.”

He doesn’t hesitate, pulling me to my feet with ease as I steady myself against him, my magic thrumming in my veins now, responding to the shift in the air.

“What is it?” he asks again, his voice low and serious.

I don’t look at him as I search the edge of the packlands, my senses stretching farther than they should—deeper into the magic that flows through this land. I can feel it now, all of it, humming like a living thing beneath my skin. Mateo told me what little he knew about the legend of The Luna , how she was tied to the magic of the earth, how her presence was both a gift and a burden.

I hadn’t believed it then. Not really. But now?

Now, I feel it. The way the magic pulls at me. The way it warns me when something’s wrong.

And something is wrong.

“Darius,” I whisper, my voice tight, my eyes narrowing on the dark treeline beyond the packlands. “There’s something wrong at the edge of the veil.”

He tenses immediately, his grip on me tightening as his gaze flicks to the same spot. “What do you mean?”

I shake my head, frustration bubbling up inside me because I can’t explain it—I just know . “I don’t know, but it’s the same darkness. The same voice . I haven’t heard it in days, but this—this feels like him .”

His lips curl into a snarl as he glances over his shoulder, already scanning for Mateo. “We need to tell him.”

“Now,” I agree, my heart thundering in my chest.

Darius doesn’t waste time. He wraps an arm around me, guiding me toward Mateo, who’s still deep in conversation with Bo and one of the other Alphas. Mateo’s head snaps up the moment he sees us approaching, his eyes narrowing as they lock onto mine. “What happened?” he demands, his gaze sharp as it flicks between me and Darius.

“There’s something wrong,” I tell him, my voice steady despite the storm building inside me. “At the edge of the packlands. The veil—it’s been disturbed. I felt it.”

Mateo stills, his posture going rigid as he processes my words. He doesn’t question me. He doesn’t hesitate. He just nods once, his jaw tight as he turns to Bo and the others. “We’re done here. I need patrols doubled on the northern perimeter and I need a few to check the veil immediately with me.”

The Alphas scatter, responding to the unspoken command in his voice, but Mateo is already focused on me again, stepping closer as he brushes his hands over my arms. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I reply quickly, even though the magic still hums inside me, restless and aware . “But we need to move. Whatever’s happening… it’s not going to wait for us to catch up.”

Mateo shifts, his massive black wolf streaking toward the edge of the packlands, disappearing into the dark blur of the trees and the instinct to follow him rises like a command in my blood.

Before Darius can say a word, I shift. My bones crack and reform, my human skin giving way to fur as I land silently on all fours. My wolf form feels alive tonight, my senses sharper, magic crackling along my fur as the distant hum of the veil pulls at me like a beacon.

I don’t wait for permission. I run.

Through the mindlink, Darius’ voice thunders immediately. Neph, stop! You can’t go out there!”

I snarl back as the wind rushes through my coat, my paws digging into the earth with every stride. I’m not getting close. I promise. But I need to see what’s happening.

Darius’ growl rumbles through the link but he doesn’t fight me. Instead, I find him right beside me, the sound of his heavy paws pounding the earth. You stay behind me, Bambi. I mean it.”

I don’t answer him because I don’t need to. I’ll stay back. I’ll let them fight. But the magic is pulling me to the edge of the veil, and I can’t ignore it.

Alphas, I call through the link, my voice cutting through the bond as I weave around the trees. We need you. Now.”

There’s no hesitation. I feel the acknowledgment ripple through them and I know they’re already on their way. The world blurs around me as I run, the sounds of snapping twigs and distant howls filling the air. When I stop short, my claws digging into the ground to steady me, the sight steals the breath from my lungs.

Super wolves.

A line of them, their massive, gnarled forms just on the other side of the veil. Their fur is twisted, slick with something that looks almost black under the moonlight, their red eyes glowing like fire. They snarl and pace, their teeth gnashing together as if they’re trying to tear their way through the magic barrier.

My ears flatten as I step back instinctively, my hackles rising. They’re waiting. Lurking. And the darkness radiating off of them feels like a sickness, curling through the air like a shadow made real. It’s worse now than it was in the motel parking lot.

Darius’ wolf growls low as he moves to stand protectively in front of me, his massive body a wall of muscle and fur. Stay back, Neph.”

I nod, though my gaze stays locked on the wolves—on the way they throw themselves at the veil, snarling like feral beasts. The bond crackles again and River’s voice cuts through like a blade. We should’ve brought the darts.”

Got them, Maverick’s voice answers, a smug edge to it.

The flapping sound comes next—a deep, rhythmic beat that grows louder as something massive swoops overhead. I tilt my head up just in time to see him.

Maverick.

Or rather, his crow.

Majestic doesn’t even cover it. His wings spread wide, blocking out the moon for half a second as he dives low, landing beside me with an elegance that shouldn’t be possible. His form is massive—larger than any bird has a right to be—and in his talons, he carries two dart guns, their sleek forms glinting in the dim light.

The crow tilts his head to me, his golden eyes catching the glow of the veil before he drops the weapons to the ground.

Show-off, River mutters through the link, shifting back into his human form long enough to snatch one of the guns. Bo does the same, his movements efficient as he retrieves the second dart gun.

The super wolves don’t see it coming.

Two sharp pops crack through the air as River and Bo aim, the darts embedding themselves into the nearest wolves. The beasts freeze, their red eyes flaring wide as they stagger back a step, their growls choking into something almost human.

They let out a howl—a dying sound, ragged and broken—and right before my eyes, they shift. Their bodies crumple to the ground, reforming into human shapes that tremble and writhe before falling still.

For a heartbeat, there’s silence.

And then I see it—the fear in their eyes.

One of them stares at the hands he no longer recognizes, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he looks around, his face pale under the moonlight. The second doesn’t even move, his expression frozen in horror.

Their wolves are gone.

I step closer, Darius’ growl vibrating through the air as a warning, but I can’t help myself. I meet the gaze of the first man, my wolf’s instincts holding me still even as my heart races. They’ve lost their wolves.

The realization crashes over me like ice water and my breath catches in my throat as I stare at them. This is what the serum does—what Asani created to save us. But the fear in their eyes, the way their bodies tremble with the weight of what’s been taken —it’s almost too much to look at.

I swallow hard, my gaze lingering on the man who now stares blankly at the veil as if it’s swallowed his soul. Maybe it has. They weren’t expecting us to fight back. They came here to terrorize, to put fear in our hearts but I don’t think anyone expected Asani to have any of the answers.

River and Bo shoot off a few more darts but at this point, the remaining super wolves disappear into the night.

It’s over—for now—but the darkness is still there, thrumming faintly against the veil like a heartbeat. I shift back on instinct, my fur melting into skin, the cool night air whispering against me as I let out a soft exhale. The others are already turning toward me, their forms moving through the haze of the trees like shadows come to life.

“I want to go home,” I say softly, my voice breaking through the quiet. I look at Mateo first, his wolf’s eyes glowing as he watches me. “The darkness is creeping into the veil and if this is the last night of peace we have…” My voice trails off as I swallow hard. “I want to spend it together.” I keep saying it—keep thinking that we’ll only have one last night together but this has hit a little closer to home than all those past moments.

The bond between us tightens—strong and unwavering—as they all nod. River is the first to shift back, his human form steady as he reaches out to touch my shoulder, his gaze soft. “Then we go home, sweetie.”

The few wolves that came to help—Bo, Elias, and one of the Alphas Mateo had been speaking with say their goodbyes, leaving us alone to trek back to the packhouse. Tonight, I’m going to spend it with my mates and then tomorrow we’re going to take on the super wolves and the abomination of a wolf who calls himself the First Alpha.