Chapter 4 Mate

Lunaborn... what?

I had no clue or whatsoever he was talking about. I didn't even notice when I sat down at the dining table. The only reason I stayed-why I didn't bolt out that door-was because of what he said next.

He knew why I couldn't meet my wolf.

Why I couldn't shift last night.

Why Alpha Jackson called me weak.

I didn't care about any of that "last of her kind" or "Lunaborn princess" nonsense. None of that mattered. All I wanted-needed-was to understand why I hadn't connected with my wolf.

"According to our sources, something-or someone-in Oakland is blocking your connection," the dark-blond guy said, the one acting like he was in charge. But now, for the first time, he looked unsure. Like he didn't know what to say next. "It could be a spell... or a potion. Something unnatural."

"Yeah, okay, you said that before," I snapped, cutting him off. "That's why I'm asking-how do I fix it? How do I meet my wolf okay?"

I didn't want to hear another speech. I didn't care about prophecies or enemies or whatever this whole Lunaborn mess was. Someone in Oakland had messed with me-and I needed to know how to undo it. That was all I cared about right now.

"What was given to you," he said carefully, "will wear off soon. You've been here for over 48 hours now."

"Wait-what?!" I jumped to my feet, voice rising. "Did you just say forty-eight hours? I've been here for two days?!"

The redhead guy-still standing near his so-called twin brother-nodded slowly, like it wasn't the most insane thing in the world.

I'd been unconscious for two whole days.

And someone back in Oakland is behind what happened to me at the Ceremony?

My fists clenched, my pulse pounding. I didn't know what was more shocking-that someone had purposely cut me off from my wolf, or that these outsiders might be the only ones who could help me get her back.

"Okay, firstly-you kidnapped me against my will for two days, locked me up in some dusty attic, and now you're telling me someone in Oakland is behind all this, and I'm... what? The last-" I scoffed, clearing my throat and laughing bitterly, "-the last blood of some thing called Lunaborn?"

I rolled my eyes and folded my arms. "Alright, I've heard enough, mister... um..."

"Ivan," he said firmly, his eyes narrowing. "Ivan is the name. And I'm being serious here, woman. You're in danger. The people behind what happened to you at your ceremony? When the time comes, they won't just stop at weakening you. They'll kill you."

His voice dropped lower, sharp and cutting.

"Without us by your side, Nyra-you are dead. As in dead."

I flinched.

There was no humor in his tone, no hint of teasing like the others. Just raw, cold truth. A weight to his words that felt heavier than anything I'd heard before.

"So, if you want to prevent your death," he said, stepping closer, "you better stop acting so childish and start becoming the Luna you were born to be."

His words hit harder than I expected. Not just the message, but the way he said it-with authority, with passion. I'd only heard a tone like that once before-from Alpha Jackson. But even then, Jackson's words had been coated in disgust. This... this was different.

Ivan's voice wasn't laced with rejection. It was full of challenge.

Like he saw something in me even I didn't believe anymore.

I didn't respond right away. My breath was caught somewhere between defiance and fear. My mind screamed at me to deny it-to fight back, to call him crazy-but deep down, something else stirred. A strange heat in my chest. A flicker. Like a match threatening to light.

Could he be right?

Could I really be... more?

But before I could answer, a sharp knock echoed through the kitchen door.

Everyone froze.

Ivan's eyes darted toward the hallway, jaw tightening.

"We weren't expecting anyone," he muttered.

The redhead and his twin exchanged tense glances, and for the first time, the easy-going mood in the room evaporated.

"Nyra," Ivan said, eyes locked on mine, "get behind me."

--

It turned out the person at the door was just Kira. She had gone out to run some errands and returned with a few bags from the supermarket. Apparently, since I refused to eat anything earlier, she'd gone to get something else-something she thought I might actually like. They were trying to make me feel at home.

For some reason, I chose to believe them-not everything, of course. Just enough to calm my nerves. I couldn't afford to trust outsiders, not when an outsider was responsible for my father's death.

After some time, Ivan pulled the twins aside. Then he came over and looked me square in the eyes.

"They'll take you home," he said, his tone unusually gentle. "When you're ready."

I nodded. I was more than ready. I wanted to go home so badly it hurt. I was already homesick. I couldn't stop wondering how my mom was holding up... or how my brother must be going crazy searching every corner of town for me.

We stepped outside, and it finally hit me-we were deep in the woods. No wonder no one could find me. Hidden away like a ghost in a place that didn't exist on any map.

Ivan and the twins walked beside me, with Kira trailing close behind, leaning casually on Frank's shoulder. Judging by the way they moved together, their little touches, their quiet smiles-they were probably mates. It reminded me of my best friends... and how worried they must be now.

Ivan stopped just at the edge of the path, arms crossed as he looked me over one last time.

"Alright," he began, "they'll take you back-but not directly to your house. Your brother would probably kill them on sight. They'll drop you nearby and stay close, protecting you from the shadows. If you ever want to come back, just signal them. They'll hear you."

His voice had softened again. There was something almost warm about the way he said it-like an older brother trying not to sound too concerned. It reminded me of Aran. And for a second, that warmth made me feel... safe.

"Don't tell anyone about us," Ivan continued. "Especially not the Alpha. Don't trust anyone in that pack until we know more. And be careful what you eat or drink, Nyra. Whatever's been keeping your wolf suppressed-it's not natural. Hopefully, by the time you get home, the effects will have worn off, and you'll be able to communicate with her."

I found myself nodding, silent as a pup taking orders from its master. There was something about Ivan's voice-so serious, so protective-it made me feel things I wasn't ready to deal with yet.

Just then, one of the twins blew the horn.

The sound echoed through the trees, sharp and loud, snapping me out of my thoughts and dragging me back to reality.

It was time to go.

____

As the twins drove me back, I finally learned the redhead guy's name-Freddy. He wasn't what I expected. He might look like trouble with his fire-colored hair, but he was serious, composed. Apparently, he was second-in-command after Ivan. Frank, on the other hand, was more relaxed-playful, almost too sweet for someone who could probably snap a neck if he wanted to.

On the ride, they told me how they were cast out of their original pack, branded as abominations just because they were twins. I didn't even know that still happened-how could something as natural as being born together be seen as a curse? But it made sense now, why Ivan took them in. The Lunaborn pack wasn't just a group-it was a haven for the forgotten, the rejected.

They dropped me off about two miles from home, like Ivan said. No one would see them. No one would know.

I walked the rest of the way, but something felt... off.

By the time I reached my street, I was sweating-not from the walk, but from the strange heat building in my chest. My head spun like I was running a fever, but I forced myself forward, one step at a time. My porch was finally in sight when I froze.

Someone was standing in front of my door-restless, pacing, looking like they hadn't slept.

I didn't even get a chance to make sense of it. That's when I heard it-

a voice.

Not from outside... but from inside me.

One word, soft but electric.

Mate.