8. NEPHELINE

8

NEPHELINE

Victoria asked to speak with me alone, everyone filing out of the room until it was just me, her Alpha—Kehlani—and Mateo. There’s been a lot of staring in the last couple of minutes, no one moving until Victoria cleared her throat and reiterated her statement. “I want to speak to the Luna alone , Alpha. You can stand just outside the door if you’d like but this is between Lunas of a pack, nothing more.”

That seems to be enough as Mateo roughly grips my chin, tilting my face up to meet his. “You’re mine,” he murmurs, his voice low enough that only I can hear. His lips crash into mine, a demanding and possessive kiss, stealing my breath and leaving me dizzy. He smirks, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip before stepping away. “I’ll be close,” he says, his tone softening slightly, but the promise is there.

I still can’t tell if I hate the way my body responds so easily to my mates. I laugh nervously, touching my lips as he leaves, Kehlani a few steps behind, the door clicking shut behind them. Now, it’s just me and Victoria.

She crosses the room with quiet grace, her long skirts brushing the floor as she moves. Instead of staying across from me, she sits down in the chair to my right, closer than I expected. Her presence is both soothing and unnerving—a strange mix of maternal warmth and unyielding strength. For a moment, she says nothing, her sharp eyes studying me.

“You handled yourself well today,” she says finally.

I let out a shaky breath, unsure whether to take it as a compliment or a warning. “Thank you.” I didn’t know I was being graded on this little meeting but I did ask for help so I stuff my emotions down and try to focus on the positives.

Her lips twitch into a faint smile. “But the road ahead won’t be easy, Nepheline.”

“Because of the magic and learning to lead a pack. I assumed as much, Victoria. It was never going to be an easy road.” I manage a shrug, playing off my worries. My pack had been training me to be the perfect Luna for nearly ten years. It’s all I knew. However, I had been prepared for a world with a lot less tension and darkness—a world where my family would have still been alive and my mother-in-law hadn’t betrayed the pack.

Victoria leans back slightly, her gaze softening but never losing its intensity. “Both, but also neither. You’re an important piece of a much larger picture.”

There it is again, the bigger picture stuff. Fate. Mother Nature. Bringing back the magic. At first, I was ecstatic to be part of the process and now I’m a little terrified that I don’t get to make my own choices. I try to find the right words but settle on saying nothing. Victoria wanted to speak with me so I’m sure she has much to explain.

Her smile widens, though there’s something almost sad in her expression. “Your actions will have consequences—ripples that stretch far beyond this pack, or even these lands. You’ve already started to feel it, haven’t you? The weight of it all.”

I nod slowly, my throat tight. “Yes.”

She leans closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “But it’s not just you. It’s what comes after.”

I frown, confusion knitting my brow. “After?” The annoying voice of my Omega that’s been talking in my head about family and the future rears its ugly head again. I want everything I’ve been promised but right now? In the midst of all this chaos? I’m not ready.

Victoria nods as if she can read my thoughts. Her hand rests lightly on mine, her touch not as comforting as when I first met her. “Your child, Nepheline. They’ll unite this fractured world. They’ll be the bridge between what was and what’s to come.”

I’m left sitting there, the echoes of her words ringing in my ears. The realization crashes over me, stealing the air from my lungs as I clutch the edge of the table and stare blankly ahead.

My child.

The world suddenly feels much, much larger—and so do the stakes.

I laugh, the sound sharp and nervous as it echoes in the nearly empty room. Pushing her words aside with humor seems like the best thing even as my Omega squeals with excitement at the idea of starting a family. “I’m not having a child.” Me, pregnant? Not happening.

Victoria doesn’t laugh with me. She simply smiles, a knowing gesture as if she’s been waiting for this very moment. “If you’re not already pregnant,” she muses, “you will be soon. It’s the way of things, Nepheline.”

I try my best not to roll my eyes and flop my head on the table. Victoria is so elegant and graceful and I’m a 23-year-old Omega whose life has been upended. I’m not sure if it’s anger, frustration, or embarrassment but I push back against Victoria’s statements. “How can you say that? You can’t possibly know—”

“I do know,” Victoria interrupts gently. “You are the combination of four packs, something so rare it hasn’t happened in generations. The magic coursing through you, the healing powers you’ve already begun to wield—they’re signs, Nepheline. Signs that you’re meant for more.”

“Is that why…” I trail off, biting my lip as I try to gather my thoughts. “Is that why I’ve been having these lingering… thoughts? About building a family?”

Victoria nods, her expression softening. “Yes. It’s not just your magic, Nepheline. It’s your instincts. They’re guiding you, preparing you for what’s to come. To replenish the land, we must start a new generation. It’s as natural as the cycles of the moon. There’s so much more to this than simply bringing in new life. It’s about being open to new experiences, to growth, to healing—not just for yourself but for your pack and the land that sustains you.”

That all makes sense but carrying the next generation is a lot to handle. If I wasn’t feeling ‘the weight of all’ before, I am now.

“Your mates will need you, Nepheline,” she continues. “Just as much as you need them. Rebuilding the packlands as they once were will require all of you, together. The bonds you share are your strength and they will carry you through what’s to come.”

My mates… they’re my everything, my foundation. But the thought of adding a child to the mix, of carrying this immense responsibility… it’s overwhelming. It’s also the one single thought that brings me more joy than I’ve had in years—more joy than the night my Alphas mated me, more joy than finding my own pack, more joy than tearing apart the Beta who betrayed me.

Now I just need my brother back at my side and all will be well.

I lean back in my chair, staring at Victoria as she sits poised and regal, her every movement deliberate and confident. The words are stuck in my throat, clawing to get out, but I can’t figure out how to phrase them. How do I ask something that feels so raw, so personal? Something pushes me to ask but not to give Victoria every last detail.

As if some part of me doesn’t fully trust the older Omega sitting beside me.

“Victoria… what would you do if something you longed for, something you thought was gone forever, came back?”

The question hangs in the air and I brace myself for her response. Her sharp eyes narrow slightly, the weight of her attention settling fully on me. Victoria doesn’t answer right away. She leans forward, her hands clasped in front of her, her gaze unflinching. When she speaks, her voice is calm but firm, carrying the weight of someone who’s used to being obeyed.

“I would ask myself one question,” she states. “Is this what’s best for the pack? As Luna, your choices aren’t just about you anymore, Nepheline. They’re about the pack. About the magic returning to the lands. About Mother Nature herself. Every decision you make must align with the prophecy, with the balance we’re trying to restore.”

She fits herself so easily into the situation—the balance we’re trying to restore and yet I don’t feel that way. Victoria’s voice drones on, a speech about duty and sacrifice, about the importance of the prophecy and the role I play in it. But I barely hear her. My thoughts are too loud, drowning her out.

The idea of constantly sacrificing my happiness for everyone else makes my stomach twist. Is that what being a Luna means? Giving up every part of myself for the so-called greater good?

I glance at Victoria, her face alight with conviction as she speaks about magic and Mother Nature and balance. But the longer she talks, the more I realize something— I don’t want this.

Whatever this prophecy of the Omega shifter is, I want no part of it. I don’t want to live in a world where I’m nothing more than a pawn, where every decision I make is dictated by duty rather than desire. That can’t possibly be the life of a Luna.

A Luna’s strength can’t rest upon giving up her sense of self.

What good is it to have power and be obeyed if I’m merely going through the motions?

I sit up straighter, my fingers tightening around the edge of my chair. My mind drifts to Locke—my brother, who might still be alive. I think about the day I held him in my arms, the blood soaking through my clothes, the arrow that took him from me. If there’s even a chance to bring him back, I’ll take it.

Whatever it takes.

Had I listened to the likes of Flynn and Calista, I wouldn’t even be here. I wouldn’t have my mates, my pack, or my life. I wouldn’t have fought my way out of the dark to stand where I am now.

Victoria’s voice fades into the background as a new thought takes hold—maybe she’s not what this pack needs.

She speaks with authority, with the wisdom of someone who’s led before, but her vision feels small, rigid. I don’t need someone who will box me into a role I never asked for. I need someone who sees the bigger picture, who understands that strength isn’t just about sacrifice—it’s about balance.

As Victoria’s speech winds down, I force a small smile, nodding as if I’ve been hanging on her every word. She sits back, looking pleased with herself, but I’ve already made up my mind.

I won’t let her—or anyone else—dictate my choices. Not when it comes to my pack. Not when it comes to my happiness. And certainly not when it comes to my brother.

Whatever it takes, I’ll bring Locke back. And I’ll do it on my terms.