Lyras POV

“Your room is ready, Luna.” Someone said interrupting my thoughts.. It was a maid, she was bowing so low that her forehead almost touched the floor.

And it felt awkward.

I had never seen anyone bow to me before.

“L-Luna?” she called again,

“Please follow me.”

I followed her to the hallway.

The maid pushed a large door open.

“This is your room.”

I stepped inside… and it was huge.

The room was big. Too big. The bed was so wide

I froze.

“Do you like it, Luna?” the maid asked.

“I… it’s big,” I whispered.

She came closer. “This is the Luna’s room.”

She stepped back. “I’ll bring your nightwear.”

She left and returned with folded clothes. She placed them on the bed and bowed again. “I’ll bring your dinner soon.” she said, as she left.

I sat on the edge of the bed. My fingers caressed the bed. I had never felt anything so soft. It almost scared me. It felt like something meant for someone else.

Not for me.

I laid back slowly, staring at the ceiling. I’m a Luna, I told myself. A Luna. I didn’t know if I should feel happy, scared, grateful, or all three. Karl saved me from death. If becoming his wife kept me alive, then maybe…

A knock cut through my thoughts.

The door opened.

It was karl.

I sat up fast and looked down at my hands. I didn’t dare look at him.

He didn’t say anything. He didn’t even glance at me. He walked straight to the bed, grabbed a pillow and one of the folded sheets.

And then turned to me.

“You should sleep early,” he said. “Tomorrow will be long.”

“Okay,” I whispered.

Then he walked out.

I stared at the spot where he had stood. Maybe he didn’t like me. Maybe he didn’t want to share a room with someone like me.

I pulled my knees close and lay down.

I didn’t even know when I slept.

It was the sound of a knock on the door that woke me up.

I opened my eyes slowly. The maid stood over me, smiling.

“ Good morning Luna.” She said as she opened the curtains

“Today is important,” she added. “Alpha Karl wants to see you.”

I sat up. My body felt light for once. She helped me dress before I could refuse.

Then she guided me to the dining room.

Karl sat at the table eating. He didn’t look up.

“You’re late,” he said.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

He pointed at the seat beside him. “Eat. You’ll need it.”

I sat quietly and picked up a spoon, staring at the food.

Then he finally spoke.

“Have you shift?”

“No.” I muttered.

“Have you ever transformed?” he asked without looking up.

“No.”

He finally lifted his eyes and looked at me like he did not believe me.

“You have never transformed?”

I shook my head. “No.”

He exhaled and rubbed his forehead.

“You are a warlock and a wolf. You should have transformed at least once.”

“I didn’t know how,” I said.

“Lyra.”

He called my name for the first time and it sounded pleasant in my ears.

“Don’t do that,” he said quietly.

I swallowed and kept my gaze on the floor.

“Don’t what?” I muttered.

“That little shrinking thing you do.” He said staring at me. _You’re Luna now. They bow to you. You don’t bow to anybody, including.”

“ Sorry” I muttered, my gaze still down.

He got up and he crouched in front of me and lifted my chin with the back of his fingers.

“Look at me,” he said.

I looked at him. And we were inches apart for the first time I saw his face And I could see…his lips… slightly parted. A little pinker than I expected. The kind of lips that made it hard to look away. The kind that pulled my attention without trying.

We were inches apart. His eyes dropped to my mouth for half a second before he forced them back up.

He cleared his throat and pulled back fast. Then headed straight to his seat.

“ Don't talk shivering, your voice should be firm.” He said, staring at his plate.

“Don’t look down when you talk to me,” he said, sounding nervous .

“If you want to be the Luna of this pack, you look straight. No shaking words. No muttering.”

I nodded.

“Another thing,” he added. “No one must know you’re from Nightbane.”

I still nodded.

He studied my face again.

“What about your parents?”

“Dead.”

“I’m sorry.” He reached out and patted my back, awkward but sincere.

He stood and went to a drawer, pulled out a small metal tag, and placed it in my hand.

It had my name.

Lyra.

Luna of Bloodhound Pack.

“Wear it,” he said. “And hide that mark on your arm.”

I closed my fingers around it. “Okay.”

He walked toward the door. “Finish eating. I’ll show you to the council.”

“Council?”

“The elder council,” he said.

“ They need to see the Luna. It is something they do. They check your background. They ask questions. They want to know where you are from and just a lite drill.”

“ I don't know what to tell them” I muttered.

He patted my palm. “Just don’t hunch your shoulders. Stand straight. Look in the eyes. Your words must be clear. If they ask where you are from, say your parents died before you knew them, you moved around.”

I nodded while breathing in slowly. It was all too fast to process.

“You’ll be fine,” he said. “I’ll be beside you the whole time..”

I nodded again.

He studied my face, checking if I understood. “Stay calm when we enter. Don’t look scared.”

“Okay.”

“Good. Finish eating,” he said.

After a few minutes, later

Liam knocked and entered. “Alpha, it’s time.”

We walked into the council chamber together. The elders stared. Their eyes were on me like a hawk.

Questions came fast.

I answered. My voice didn’t shake as much as I expected. Maybe because I had Karl was holding my hand, giving me a reassuring pat.

The next person that asked me question, I guess was Aurora because she was the only female in their means so it has to be her.

“Tell me, dear,” she said, in a nice tone. “Your scent… It’s different. Smells like a Nightbane scent.?”

My heart stopped.