DISCOVERING I'M A HYBRID LUNA

Luna Celine POV

My baby girl was perfect.

She had her beautiful ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. My own little pup had a head full of red little curls, a sign of her connection to her family legacy.

My little miracle.

I took a sniff of her warm skin, a scent that would be imprinted in my soul forever.

She hadn't cried since I birthed her, she just opened her eyes and stared at me like she already knew I was her mother.

"You're here," I whispered, as I pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Fred didn't even know he was crying. My Alpha, my mate, the strong and powerful man was reduced to trembling hands and teary smiles. He softly stroked our pup's head like she was made of glass.

"I never thought I'd love anyone more than I love you," he said. "But she proved me wrong."

My heart ached with joy at the sight.

Then the earth shook and the glass on the windows rattled.

Dust fell from the ceiling and our baby flinched letting out a loud cry, her first real cry.

I held her closer to my chest, my instincts making me shield her with my body.

Then a werewolf howled in the distance. An urgent wolf cry.

My mate was already on the move.

"Fred... wait," I said, I panicked. "We just.."

The front door burst open with force as a grey wolf shoved his way into our home. It was Paul, the Beta. His snout had blood on it.

He took a look at me and bowed his head low.

"Luna," he said. "Congratulations but there's a situation in town." He said to Fred.

Fred kissed me hard. "I'll be right back, my love. Lock the door if necessary and don't come out unless it's me."

"But Fred..."

He shifted, his bones cracked and fur burst through his skin, and in seconds, his red wolf came to the surface. He ran with Beta Paul into the chaos in town.

And I was left alone.

****

There was an omega with me, a young girl whose hands shook with every explosion. She helped me clean the afterbirth from my legs and neither of us spoke but we both understood that something was wrong.

As I fed my daughter, another explosion stronger than the first rattled our windows, breaking one.

My pup paused in between her feed and blinked towards the sound.

The omega left to look at the chaos, I could smell her fear, if it came down to it, she was weak and her wolf was useless in battle.

When she returned, her face was pale.

"It's the humans," she spoke but was barely audible. "It's a war."

I swallowed, my body still felt raw and weak. My wolf was quiet and exhausted from the birth, but the smell of burning wood and blood in the air told me I may have to fight.

I looked at my daughter. She was so small and unaware of the situation.

"Go," I told the omega girl. "Find somewhere to hide or run. Don't come back unless it's safe."

"But Luna Celine..."

"Do as I say,"

She left.

I wrapped my daughter in the softest swaddle, then kissed her head one last time.

"I'll protect you," I whispered as I kissed her forehead again.

As I stepped out through the back door, the night was red.

There were burning houses and screams echoed through the town. I could see the pack house burning in the distance.

I crept into the garden between our home and our neighbors, flowers we had tended together.

My legs trembled, it was obvious I wasn't strong enough but I'd have to do something until Fred returned.

My wolf stirred weakly, as I made an opening in the flower bushes and placed my daughter inside it. She just looked up at me with curious eyes.

"Stay quiet, my heart." I told her. "May the Goddess be with us."

Then I stood up and shifted, passing through the front of the house.

Pain went through me, my limbs were too weak but I had to do this.

I noticed a group of people approaching, they were young townsfolk, they held weapons but they were made of silver.

I had no time to try to understand how a town we had lived for years in unity could be this prepared for a war right under our noses.

I didn't snarl, I didn't show aggression.

I spoke to them instead.

"Turn back, this isn't right. We live in peace, this doesn't have to happen this way."

They didn't listen to me.

The first man rushed at me with a knife.

I dodged him, using my claw to tear at his calf, injuries that could be tended to. I didn't want to kill anyone, I pushed the next one down before he could attack with his spear, the third threw a firebomb against the side of the house.

I fought them off now, and I was winning.

Until something happened.

There was a sharp pain in my chest.

My wolf howled, staggering as some strong pain nearly blinded me.

It was from my bond.

Fred was hurt badly and I felt it in my bones. I was distracted... they took the opportunity.

The silver spear plunged into my side and pierced my heart.

I gasped as the pain caused me to shift back, I collapsed on the floor, bleeding with my mouth still open with a silent cry for my mate.

I looked to the garden, I couldn't see my daughter from here but I knew she was there.

They wouldn't find her.

With my last breath, I said a prayer to the Moon Goddess.

"Watch over her, hide her and let her live."

As I closed my eyes for the last time, the only image in my head were her curious eyes.

Maya's POV

My parents never talked about their son.

But I knew him, not just his face from the photos hidden in the basement. I knew him from the heaviness in Dad's voice when he said goodnight to me and hesitated at the door opposite mine, like he wished he could go in and say it to someone else.

And how Mom always stood at the door of the room opposite mine longer than she needed to.

I knew grief... grief was contagious.

And I had caught it, not in the dramatic way people would imagine, not screaming or crying endlessly.

No, this grief was quiet. It was everywhere in the house and it had settled into the walls and furniture and into my skin until I couldn't tell which was mine and which was theirs.

I didn't replace him, I was only a placeholder for the love they lost, someone that held a piece of their love, a way to keep going.

When people spoke about me being the face of the Anti-Werewolf Youth Club, when Zelda rolled her eyes as I spoke yearly at different anti-werewolf fairs. They didn't know what they were talking about.

They didn't understand the grief like I did. They may have grieved and moved on but I lived in mine.

"Maaaaaaayaaaaaaa." Zelda dragged my name like an annoying song. "Are you driving to school today or is Mr. Hawke dropping you off in the sadmobile?"

I didn't stop walking, I didn't spare a glance at her, that was my first rule with dealing with Zelda all my life.

Don't feed into her bullshit.

She matched my pace. Her strong floral perfume filled my senses as she walked faster to catch up to me.

"Oh come on. You're going to be speaking today right? Shouldn't you be looking... better? I mean you're our tragedy queen but you're a queen nonetheless."

In front of us, two shadows came out of their houses and fell into strides behind Zelda.

Lila and Tessa or Tessa and Lila, I couldn't tell but they laughed like they had heard what Zelda said.

"Zelda, why aren't you in your car to school?" I asked.

"How do I start the new semester if I don't find our brooding war orphan and walk her to school?"

I stopped walking.

I had to breathe, to remind myself there was no need to answer her, she wasn't worth the energy it would take to push her into an incoming car.

Zelda smiled.

I wanted to wipe that sick smile off her face.

"You don't have to try so hard, you're already the mayor's daughter. That should count for something but it seems you'd prefer to be the war orphan."

The laugh Zelda gave sounded like a shriek. "You really don't get it, do you?"

I waited for her reply.

"You'll never be me. You can lead fairs, and make speeches but this town? It belongs to me. You're just the sad little girl we let play on the stage because it makes everyone feel better."

Her words weren't new, but they hit deep today. She didn't know it but she was talking about more than she could see.

She was talking about the void inside me, the one left by the family I never knew and the family I had that only existed partially.

I said nothing to her but I kept my head up and kept walking.

***

The school parking lot was buzzing with life, tables were stacked with pamphlets and banners were strung up.

It was the semester where the Blood War memorial would take place and the entire town was buzzing with anti werewolves paraphernalia.

I hated most of it.

But I hated the werewolves more.

Even though I'd never seen one and I wasn't really present the day the Blood War burned half the town. I hated them for what they did, for the lives they took. For the way my parents stared off into nothing sometimes, probably picturing their son's death.

My parents loved me.

Just not in the way everyone expected.

There were no warm hugs in the morning, game nights or movie nights. But they remembered the important things, food, warmth, quiet and cakes on my birthday. But joy was a foreign language that my parents had forgotten how to speak.

And I didn't blame them.

***

"Maya!" Mr. Cartwright waved me over, alongside Ms. Decker, "We've got your speech set for ten and we need you ready backstage before that, you're on right after the Principal."

I nodded.

"Alright ma'am"

Then she handed me a t-shirt with bold letters:

Never Forgive, Never Forget

I took it and went to the bathroom to change, the shirt felt uncomfortable, scratchy but I had to wear it.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I looked calm.. as always.

Even though I didn't feel calm at all.

***

Zelda showed up in the school gym.

She had changed into a T-shirt similar to mine and had someone filming her as she pretended to hang flyers around. Her smile was picture perfect, it was no wonder why the camera and almost the whole town loved her.

She found me near the podium, where I was rehearsing the approved speech. I hated speeches and I usually preferred to skip it but according to Ms. Decker, it was my responsibility.

"Are you ready for your close-up?" She asked sweetly. "You might want to let the camera catch your good side, if you have one."

I kept my eyes on the paper. "You don't have to be here, you can go back to swooning over boys on tv screens and pretending you matter."

She blinked, taken aback by my statement. "Excuse me?" Her statement held venom.

"You heard me."

Zelda narrowed her eyes, making sure no one was watching. "Do you know what your problem is, Maya? You think your problems make you special. It doesn't. Everyone just pities you because you and your family walk around like you invented grief."

I looked up.

"That's what you don't understand." I said, holding her gaze.

"I walk around like someone who has to live with grief but who gets jealous because their family didn't die?---Only Zelda."

When I said that, she didn't have a comeback.

***

The gym filled up with solemn music as kids handed out flyers to parents and guardians. Teachers stood at different spots for donations to the town memorial fund. Older people who fought in the war gave speeches and got somber nods.

It was my turn to speak, my heart hammered and my fingers clenched around the paper.

When I opened my mouth to speak, it wasn't the words they had given me.

"My name is Maya," I said. "Some of you know me as the girl who lost her parents in the Blood War. Some of you know me as the girl the Hawkes adopted, but most of you just know me as the girl who really hates werewolves."

There were nods and slight chuckles. The Mayor smiled.

"I do," I continued. "I hate them but that's because they took away a family I never got to meet and left behind ghosts that can't be buried. I live with two of the kindest people ever and I can't still get them to smile like I know they used to."

There was silence in the gym.

I looked at the crowd. I could see Zelda seething as I connected with the crowd.

"I hate them," I repeated. "Hating them is better than feeling nothing."

The gym erupted with clapping.

Later when the booths had shut down and students part of our club packed up fliers and other equipment.

Someone sat beside me.

I knew that scent, it was my mom.

"You spoke well," she said softly.

I nodded.

She didn't say anything else. Just sat there, waiting for me to be done.

She didn't need to say anything else...I had already heard her.

Maya's POV

There are some days that already feel like shit before they even start.

This was one of those days.

The air felt weird and the sky was bright and the sun burnt too hot.

"Class," Mr. Cartwright said, adjusting his glasses and waving towards the door. "We have a new student, Maya, would you please take him around on your way to the office and get him his class schedule?"

Of course.

Because why not add tour guide to my growing list of responsibilities in school?

I stood up slowly as the door opened. A tall figure stepped inside, and just like that the entire classroom went silent.

The boy didn't look nervous as every new student would be.

He looked like he was already bored.

But not in a bad boy way... just in an 'I guess I have to be here' way.

Like none of us mattered.

But still, he had that aura like he knew he commanded the room and he wasn't performing.

No, he looked like he genuinely didn't care if anyone liked him or not.

His eyes were the thing that held me steady, they were the kind of eyes that make you forget what you were doing.

"This is Louis," Mr Cartwright said. "Louis, this is Maya. She'll show you around today, she's in charge of the Anti-Werewolf Fair, so you're in good hands."

Louis looked at me.

Like he was reading me, like he knew something about me that I didn't know.

"Hi," I said..

He nodded once but didn't smile.

***

We walked down the hall, I was slightly ahead of him. I kept my pace even, my arms full of flyers and buttons.

The silence was thick, like something was waiting to be said but no one wanted to say it.

"So," I spoke first, "where'd you move from?"

Louis shrugged. "Here and there."

Keeping the mystery.

"Okay. This is the library," I pointed, "but no one really uses it unless they're going for a quick nap or to get away from Zelda."

He smirked. "You say that like it's personal," he said.

I blinked. "What?"

"Zelda. You say the name like it has a bad taste."

I turned slightly to look at him.

He was watching me intently, like a puzzle he was trying to solve and he was almost done.

"She's not my favorite person," I replied honestly.

"Why not?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You like asking questions a lot don't you?"

He didn't answer.

But he looked like he was enjoying himself.

I kept walking.

***

We arrived the Principal's office and the secretary had that fake smile that was permanently glued to her face. She handed Louis his schedule and transfer papers while giving him a look.

I felt weirded out by how she batted her eyelashes at him.

Did I forget to mention he was drop dead handsome?

As we turned to leave, I saw the wicked witch of Houston.

Zelda.

She had on bright red lipstick, that wasn't there this morning.

"Oh, Mr Evers," she gave the principal a blinding smile. "I just heard about the new student! How exciting!"

"Zelda, my dear." The principal beamed.

"Perfect timing. Maybe you can help Maya show Louis around. You're both the top students of the school."

I opened my mouth, ready to speak.

"Actually," Zelda cut in. "This is more my forte and Maya has a lot on her plate with the upcoming fair and memorial. I think I can take the new student off her hands for a bit."

The principal didn't even look at me before agreeing.

"You're right! Maya, you're excused. Zelda will handle it."

My jaw tightened.

Louis didn't say anything, but when I glanced at him, he looked slightly pissed.

He didn't even look at Zelda.

"Whatever," I muttered under my breath before brushing past Zelda.

I told myself I wasn't jealous.

It was just Zelda. Getting her way with her charm.

It had nothing to do with Louis.

***

The day was slow.

I didn't see Louis again, not during lunch and not in the halls. I didn't even see him after school and I didn't think much about it. At least that's what I told myself every time I scanned a group of students and didn't see him.

I walked home, my backpack on my shoulders. The Hawkes would be home late today. They had therapy appointment, I think, or maybe they had visited the cemetery.

I wasn't sure which... the only blank spaces in our schedule board were those that had to do with their son.

As I crossed the street, I heard footsteps behind me.

Not fast. But close. Too close.

I stopped and so did the footsteps.

I turned around, my heartbeat faster.

Louis.

He was just standing there.

Walking, at the same pace with me and in my street.

"Are you following me now?" I asked, I was more annoyed than afraid after finding out it was him.

He didn't flinch.

"No," he said calmly. "I'm just going home."

I scoffed. "Are you going into the woods? Because I know everyone on this street."

He jerked his head towards the house next to mine.

He walked past me without another word, opened the gate beside my house and stepped inside like he'd lived there forever.

I stood frozen with shame.

He looked back and his eyes met mine.

"I guess you don't know everyone on this street then, neighbor." He said.

Then he turned around and went inside.