Chapter 5 Return to the Crescent Moon

Nyra's POV

It's been a while since I drove this fast. It's been years since I passed through this only route that connects the human world and the werewolf world. The road panned out endlessly before me and the darkness was too dark if that was possible. The headlights lit up the road ahead and the trees blurred as I sped down the winding highway.

Auren sat in the passenger seat, his small face pinched with worry. His hands clutched the toy wolf I had given him when he was a baby.

"Mom?" His voice broke the silence. "Are we going to be fine?" He asked in a soft voice that caused my heart to squeeze.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Of course, sweetheart. I won't let anything happen to you."

The words were firm, but inside, fear gnawed at me. The rogues' attack back in the city had shattered the life I'd built. We had no choice but to run. And now I was doing the one thing I swore I'd never do, returning to Crescent Moon.

The betrayal was a wound that still bled in my memories. Draven's cold rejection under the Blood Moon, Selene's smug smile as she took everything I thought was mine. I had built a life in the human world, free from the weight of that night. But protecting Auren outweighed my pride.

I glanced at my son. His dark hair curled over his forehead, and his stormy eyes were filled with confusion. He was only six, yet he'd already faced more danger than most wolves did in a lifetime. I had tried to suppress the powers I knew simmered within him, but the ambush had proven I couldn't keep hiding.

The Crescent Moon border loomed closer with every mile. My wolf stirred inside me, restless and eager. She sensed the familiar energy of our homeland, calling us back. I swallowed hard, forcing the rising tide of emotions down.

As the forest disappeared, I spotted the stone arch that marked the pack's entrance. The towering trees stood like ancient figures that were guarding secrets I had tried to forget. I halted the car to a stop, my pulse hammering in my ears.

"Are you okay, Mom?" Auren asked softly.

I nodded, though my throat was tight. "We're here."

Steeling myself, I stepped out of the car and opened Auren's door. He held my hand tightly as we walked toward the gates. The air reeked with heavy tension, as if they were waiting for my arrival or something. The scent of unease tinged the air.

The pack was in chaos. Wolves darted around, their movements frantic. Even as they chit-chatted, one could still hear the worry and the scent of fear was unmistakable.

As we passed through the gates, eyes turned toward us. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wildfire.

"Is that Nyra Storm?"

"What is she doing here?"

"She's back?"

"It's been seven years?"

"Damn, Nyra has gotten more endowed and beautiful."

"And who's that boy with her?"

I kept my chin high, ignoring the stares and unlimited whispers of questions erupting just at the sight of me. Auren pressed closer to my side, his fingers tightening around mine.

Then the crowd parted, and Draven emerged.

My heart almost skipped a bit at the sight of him, but it didn't. My heart was no fool like before. Time had hardened him, his face had become sharper and his shoulders become broader. His dark eyes locked onto mine, wide with disbelief. He took a step forward, and I instinctively braced myself.

But it wasn't Draven who spoke first.

"Well, well."

Selene's voice dripped with venom as she sauntered toward us. Her beauty was as polished as ever, but her eyes gleamed with something bitter. The Luna crest shimmered on the chain around her neck.

"What the hell are you doing back here? You shouldn't be here." She said, the malice in her tone and eyes were very clear.

"You shouldn't have come back," she hissed, her lips curling into a sneer.

I met her gaze without flinching. "I didn't come back for you, Selene." My voice was cold and steady. "I came back to protect my son."

The surrounding murmurs grew louder. Selene's face twisted with barely concealed rage. But before she could retort, Draven's voice cut through the chaos.

"Is he..." His words faltered, and his eyes flicked to Auren, whose face was a mirror of his own. That was something I didn't have enough time to think about. But just by the looks, anyone could tell who the father is.

"Is he my son?"

Silence fell over the pack. Every breath seemed to hang in the air, waiting for my answer.