Chapter 7

Debra POV:

The decision was made, a single word that had the power to change the entire course of my life. One week. It felt like both a lifetime and no time at all. I was going to the Blood Moon Pack, to Kade's home, to a place where I would either find a new beginning or confirm my deepest fears.

The flight to his territory was on a private jet, an experience so far removed from my reality that it felt like a dream. I had never been on a plane before, let alone one with plush leather seats, a fully stocked bar, and a flight attendant who catered to my every whim.

Kade sat across from me, his long legs stretched out, a laptop open on his lap. He was working, his brow furrowed in concentration as he typed furiously. He had given me space, a silent understanding that I needed time to process everything that had happened.

Vicky was with us, a concession Kade had made without a second's hesitation. She was sitting a few rows behind me, her nose pressed against the window, her eyes wide with a childlike wonder as she watched the clouds float by. Seeing her so happy, so carefree, eased some of the anxiety that was churning in my stomach.

I had called her from Kade's hotel room, my voice trembling as I explained the situation. The sparks, the mate bond, Kade's offer. She had been shocked, of course, but also... excited.

"Debra, this is a gift from the Moon Goddess!" she had exclaimed. "A second chance. You have to take it."

Her unwavering faith in the bond, in me, had been the final push I needed. If Vicky believed this could be good for me, then maybe, just maybe, it could be.

The jet landed smoothly on a private airstrip, and as I stepped out, the air hit me. It was different from the air at Silver Ridge. It was cleaner, crisper, filled with the scent of pine and rich, damp earth. It was wilder, more untamed.

It smelled like Kade.

A black SUV was waiting for us, and we were whisked away, driving through a dense, ancient forest. The trees were so tall, their branches formed a canopy that blocked out the sun, plunging the road into a perpetual twilight.

After about twenty minutes, we emerged from the forest and I got my first glimpse of the Blood Moon pack house. It wasn't a house; it was a fortress. A sprawling stone structure that looked like it had been carved out of the mountain itself. It was imposing, formidable, and breathtakingly beautiful.

As we pulled up to the entrance, I saw them. The pack members. They were lined up on either side of the driveway, hundreds of them, their faces a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

My heart started to pound in my chest. These were Kade's people. They were warriors, known for their strength and ferocity. Would they accept me? An outsider, a she-wolf from a weaker pack?

Kade must have sensed my fear, because he reached over and took my hand, his fingers lacing with mine. His touch was a comforting anchor in the storm of my anxiety.

"It's alright," he said, his voice a low, reassuring rumble. "You are with me. You are their Luna."

He said it with such conviction, such certainty, that I almost believed him.

The car stopped, and a man opened the door for Kade. He was tall and well-built, with short brown hair and kind hazel eyes.

"Alpha," he said, his voice respectful.

"Owen, this is Debra," Kade said, his hand still holding mine. "My mate."

Owen's eyes widened slightly, and he looked at me, a slow, genuine smile spreading across his face. "Luna," he said, his voice filled with a warmth that surprised me. He gave a slight bow of his head. "Welcome to Blood Moon."

Kade squeezed my hand, then let go and got out of the car. He came around to my side and opened the door, holding out his hand to me.

I took a deep breath and took his hand, stepping out of the car and into my new life.

A hush fell over the crowd as I stood there, Kade's hand a warm, solid presence in mine. All eyes were on me, a sea of unfamiliar faces. I felt a surge of panic, a desperate urge to run and hide.

Then, Kade raised our joined hands.

"My pack," he said, his voice booming across the silence, filled with a power and authority that sent a shiver down my spine. "I have brought home our Luna."

For a moment, there was nothing but stunned silence. Then, a single wolf let out a long, joyous howl. It was quickly joined by another, and another, until the air was filled with a chorus of howls, a symphony of acceptance and welcome.

Tears welled up in my eyes, hot and stinging. I had never felt so... wanted. In my own pack, I was a ghost, a pariah. Here, I was a Luna, a queen.

Kade turned to me, a proud, possessive smile on his handsome face. He leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear.

"Welcome home, my little wolf," he whispered, his voice a promise of all the things to come.

And as I looked out at the sea of faces, at the fortress that was now my home, at the powerful Alpha who was now my mate, I felt that familiar, fragile flicker of hope ignite into a warm, steady flame.

Maybe, just maybe, I could get used to this.