The reckless boy is his hidden luna

NOAH'S POV

The scent of pancakes and eggs filled the air as I sat at the dining table, absently pushing my fork through my food. Gavin was already stuffing his face like a starving wolf, while Lucas, as usual, sat stiffly, barely eating.

Breakfast at our house was usually loud, filled with Gavin's teasing and Lucas' occasional grumbling. But today, the air was heavy.

Lucas finally cleared his throat, setting his fork down. "Noah," he said firmly.

I paused, glancing up. "Yeah?"

He exhaled slowly, his fingers tightening around his mug. "From today onward, you'll be dressing as a guy."

I blinked. For a moment, I thought I'd misheard him.

"What?"

Lucas met my gaze for half a second before looking away. "It's for your safety."

My stomach twisted. "My safety?" I scoffed. "How exactly does pretending to be a guy keep me safe?"

Neither of them answered immediately. Lucas simply cut into his pancake with calculated calmness, avoiding my eyes.

A cold, bitter feeling settled in my chest. "You're not serious. Are you?."

"We are." Lucas said without hesitation.

Anger bubbled up inside me. "I've done everything you asked. I've hidden, I've followed every stupid rule you set, and now you want me to erase my identity too?" My voice rose. "Why? What are you not telling me?"

Lucas' jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

That silence was worse than any lie.

My hands curled into fists. "Of course. As usual, you won't say anything" I shoved my chair back and stormed upstairs, ignoring the way Gavin sighed.

~~~

I sat on my bed, staring at the wall, my chest heaving with anger. This wasn't fair.

What were they protecting me from?

I had spent my whole life in hiding, like a damn cage. Never allowed to go out unless they were with me. Always moving from town to town, never staying in one place long enough to make friends. I thought coming to Siege University would finally give me some freedom, but now, my brothers are shoving me into this ridiculous disguise.

Like I was some kind of criminal on the run.

Or worse..,like someone was hunting me.

I never even saw my father. He died before I was born. And my mother...

She only got to hold me just once.

She died giving birth to me, according to the story my brothers told me.

Gavin and Lucas never blamed me, but I always saw it in their eyes, the sadness, the pain. And now, instead of telling me the truth about why they were so desperate to keep me hidden, they were making me do this.

I pressed my fingers against my temples, trying to push away the frustration.

A soft knock echoed through my room.

I knew who it was before he even spoke.

"Pookie," Gavin called from the other side. "Can I come in?"

I didn't answer. He took that as a yes and walked in anyway, closing the door behind him.

"Look, I know you're pissed," he said, leaning against my dresser. "But you know we wouldn't do this if it wasn't for the best."

I turned away. "Then tell me why."

Gavin hesitated. "I... I can't."

I laughed bitterly. "Of course you can't."

He sighed, ruffling his already messy hair. "Listen, I get it. You feel like we're taking away your choices, and maybe we are. But it's because we love you and we're only looking out for your safety, Pookie."

I stiffened.

"We'll protect you with our lives," he continued, his voice softer now. "Lucas may not know how to say it, but we're scared. You mean everything to us."

My throat tightened.

I hated this. I hated feeling like a burden. I hated being deprived of freedom

I swallowed hard. "You swear it's for my safety?"

"On my life," he said without hesitation.

I closed my eyes, my chest aching. Then, finally, I let out a slow breath.

"Fine."

A grin spread across his face. "Knew you'd come around. Come here" he said, opening his arms

I rolled my eyes, hugging him but deep down, the uneasy feeling wouldn't leave me.

~~~

Staring at my reflection, I barely recognized myself.

Sharp jawline. Flattened chest. Loose hoodie. My thick black hair tied into a low ponytail beneath my cap.

I swallowed.

I looked... nothing like me.

A bitter smile curled my lips.

The disguise was perfect.

I turned just as Gavin strolled into my room, his cocky grin in place. "Hey, dude."

I shot him a glare.

He chuckled. "Relax, Pookie. Just act like me, and everything will go smoothly."

My stomach twisted. I didn't want to 'act like him.' But I had no choice.

He slung an arm over my shoulder, turning us toward the mirror.

"Damn. Handsomeness runs in the family." He let out a low whistle.

I didn't hesitate. My elbow slammed into his stomach.

"I hate you," I muttered.

He coughed dramatically. "Love you too, Pookie."

I rolled my eyes and headed downstairs. Gavin followed, still laughing.

Lucas was waiting, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

"Took you long enough," he said, his gaze flicking to Gavin.

"Pookie needed time to perfect the disguise," Gavin teased.

Lucas ignored him and turned to me. "Let's go."

I frowned. "Wait. I thought Gavin was dropping me off?" I instinctively moved closer to Gavin. Between my brothers, Gavin was the only one who didn't suffocate me with overprotection.

Gavin shot me a regretful smile. "I'd love to, Pookie. Watching the girls drool over you would be hilarious. But I've got somewhere else to be."

I narrowed my eyes. "Secret outing. Of course."

Rolling my eyes, I huffed. "Fine."

Lucas jingled his car keys, already heading for the door. "Noah. Now."

I sighed and followed, but I didn't miss Gavin's playful wink behind my back.

This was going to be a long day.

SIEGE UNIVERSITY

The campus was huge, the buildings towering like silent giants. Students bustled around, laughter and chatter filling the air.

I swallowed, adjusting my cap.

I could do this.

Just blend in. For my safety.

Lucas dropped me off near the entrance, his sharp gaze scanning the area like he expected an ambush.

"Be careful," he said.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm literally going to school, not a battlefield."

Lucas didn't answer.

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be careful."

Satisfied, he nodded. "Call us if anything happens and we will be there before you know it."

With that, he drove off.

Taking a deep breath, I took a chocolate lollipop from my backpack and turned toward the entrance

~~~

I walked through the university gates with a lazy smirk, an unusual rush of attention following me like a parade. Girls giggled and whispered, their eyes lighting up when I passed. A few of them are taking pictures.

"Woah! He's handsome."

He's a freshman."

"A hot lecturer and a hot freshman. Can today get any juicy!"

I smiled at them, flashing a wink.

They gasped, faces turning red, and I walked away, grinning to myself. Acting like Gavin isn't a bad idea after all

As I neared the lecture hall, I noticed a group of female students standing by the windows, whispering excitedly. Their voices a mix of excitement and dreamy sigh, their eyes fixed on something or someone inside the hall.

Curious, I slowed my steps. Who the hell has them acting like lovesick idiots?

Without caring whom it was, I stepped into the class with my usual confidence

Then, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Standing at the front of the lecture hall was the most illegally gorgeous man I had ever seen. I thought I had seen it all with my brother's handsomeness, but my eyes had just been opened. This man was everything.

Tall. Broad-shouldered. Effortlessly powerful aura.

The air around him felt different, heavier, charged with something I couldn't name. His golden amber eyes were sharp, cutting through the space between us like a blade, as if he could see straight through me.

Chiseled jawline. Messy dark brown hair. A perfectly fitted black sleeve shirt, that stretched on his abs.

Damn.

Then, his gaze snapped up and locked onto mine.

Everything shifted.

I froze.

The air in the room thickened, pressing down on me like a weight. A strange heat crawled up my spine, unfamiliar and unsettling.

What the hell is this?

His eyes,deep,dark, and unreadable,held me captive. Like he was searching for something inside me, something only he could see.

A flicker of something crossed his face. Something I couldn't place.

Recognition? Shock? Disbelief?

It was there for a split second. Then-gone.

Annoyance surged through me. Screw his gorgeous self.

I forced down whatever weird reaction my body was having and smirked, stepping further into the class with easy confidence, holding his gaze without hesitation.

I wasn't about to let some ridiculously hot lecturer shake me on my first day.

ARES' POV

The battlefield was quiet now, but the silence didn't bring peace, it never did. The only sounds were the crackling flames from torched bodies and the occasional groan of a dying rogue.

Blood soaked my hands, my claws, the ground beneath me. My warriors stood victorious, but there was no triumph in their eyes. This wasn't a battle won.

It was another warning.

Another message from the bastards who wanted to take everything from me.

The sharp metallic scent of blood filled my nostrils. My claws itched to tear into something–anything, but the fight was already over. They ran again.

Cowards.

They never stayed long enough to finish what they started. Just long enough to keep us on edge. To make sure I was too busy to search for her.

My mate.

The thought of her was the only thing keeping me from completely losing myself to the rage. I exhaled sharply, trying to steady my breathing.

She was out there. Somewhere. Unprotected

And every second I wasted in these meaningless battles was another second she remained unprotected.

My breath came in sharp, ragged exhales as I forced my wolf, Rex, to calm. But the rage was always there, simmering beneath my skin, waiting for an excuse to be unleashed

"Alpha."

Jaxon's voice pulled me back. I turned to face him, my Beta and closest friend. His usual cocky smirk was missing, replaced with exhaustion. His shirt was torn, soaked in blood, some his, most not.

"They retreated south," he reported. "Again."

Of course, they did.

I clenched my jaw, flexing my fingers to fight the frustration crawling under my skin. My wolf was restless, and so was I.

"This is the fourth attack this month," Jaxon continued. "They aren't trying to take territory. They're trying to slow you down."

I didn't need him to tell me that. I already knew.

They knew about her.

They knew that the moment I found my mate, the curse would be broken, and I would become more powerful than ever before.

So they wanted to find her first, before I even get to know her.

I turned to Jaxon, my Beta, who had just finished wiping the blood off his hands. His dark gray eyes flickered with concern as he stepped closer. "Alpha, you need to rest. This war is meaningless if you collapse before you even find her."

"I'm fine," I said, voice hollow.

Jaxon sighed, crossing his arms. "Fine? You don't sleep. You barely eat. And this," he gestured to the battlefield, "this isn't going to fill the emptiness inside you."

I clenched my jaw. He wasn't wrong, but I refused to acknowledge it.

The bond was already pulling at me, a maddening, unbearable ache. My Luna was out there, and my wolf, Rex, howled for her.

It was time.

I turned away from the battlefield and strode toward my tent. "Get everything ready," I ordered.

Jaxon frowned. "For what?"

"I'm leaving." I replied walking off

His eyes widened. "Ares..."

Jaxon followed, his footsteps quickening. "You're really going through with this?"

I didn't stop walking. "I have no choice."

His hesitation was clear. "You're going alone?"

"Yes."

Jaxon exhaled sharply. "At least take me with you. You don't have to..."

I spun around so fast he almost bumped into me. "I do have to." My voice was low, controlled, but filled with barely restrained frustration. "I can't go out there as an Alpha. I need to blend in. This isn't just about finding a mate, Jaxon. It's about protecting her. If anyone suspects who I am, she becomes a target."

Jaxon held my gaze, then sighed, reluctantly nodding. "Understood, Alpha."

~~~

The weight of my father's sins had been chained to me since the day I was born.

His betrayal was the reason for my suffering.

He had been given a fated mate-a gift from the Moon Goddess herself. A bond that was supposed to be sacred, unbreakable. But he had turned his back on her. Rejected and cheated on her

And the Goddess had punished him.

Not just him. His entire bloodline.

No Alpha born from his seed would ever find their mate. They would rule alone. Die alone.

And I had felt that emptiness my entire life.

I had spent my life watching others find their mates, feeling the bond snap into place like a lock turning for the first time. I had waited. Searched. Endured the emptiness. And now, the Goddess had finally relented. She had chosen to forgive. Chosen to give me a mate. One she specifically picked herself.

A Moon Guardian.

A divine being so rare, so powerful, that even the most ruthless beings in existence sought her out. The moment the messenger delivered the prophecy, I knew. My Luna was in danger, hunted not just because she was mine, but because she was the key to something greater.

But nothing came without consequences.

The moment I learned of her, my enemies learned too.

If I didn't find her first, I would lose her to them

I wouldn't allow it.

No matter the cost.

~~~

SIEGE UNIVERSITY

The human world was unbearable.

I had only been here for two days, but it already felt like a lifetime. The scents were overwhelming:

gasoline, sweat, artificial perfumes. The noise was constant, the air suffocating.

But beneath all of it, I could feel her.

She was here.

Close.

I stood at the front of the lecture hall, the weight of a hundred human eyes on me. But amongst these humans, I could smell wolves. As a powerful alpha, my sense of smell is ten times sharper than that of normal wolves and alpha. They whispered among themselves, curious, excited. Some of them were even attracted to me.

Pathetic humans. So easy to impress

I barely glanced at them as I adjusted my sleeves, rolling them up to my forearms. The role of a lecturer was beneath me, but it was necessary. If my mate was among these students, I needed a way to observe her. I look down at my fake name on the document in my hand; Rex Lutz. That's the name I will be using in the human world, to avoid any suspicion.

I inhaled deeply, searching for her scent.

Nothing.

A flicker of frustration burned in my chest, but I forced myself to remain calm.

She was here.

I just had to be patient.

Then the door swung open. And my world stopped.

The bond didn't just pull, it slammed into me, raw and unrelenting. My lungs seized. My vision tunneled. My wolf, who had been restless for years, suddenly stilled.

This was it.

This was her.

I turned sharply, breath catching,

But..,

No. No, no, no

A boy?"

He stood in the doorway.

Jet-black hair hair, a cocky smirk, eyes filled with mischief. He walked in with the kind of confidence, like he wasn't scared of anyone

My mate.

No.

No, that wasn't possible.

I had waited my entire life for this bond. I had dreamed of it. Begged for it.

And this was what the Moon Goddess had given me?

A boy?

I stood frozen, watching as the boy strolled into the room. His eyes met mine, unreadable, unaffected. No flicker of recognition. No jolt of awareness. Nothing.

My mate wasn't reacting.

Because my mate wasn't a boy."

There's no way my mate could be a boy.

I had never felt something like this before. A pull so strong it threatened to consume me.

But it had to be a mistake.

Because my mate wasn't a boy.

Which meant only one thing.

My mate wasn't him.

NOAH'S POV

The moment Professor Rex walked out of the hall, something in me urged to follow him. I had no idea why, maybe it was the way he had looked at me, like he was trying to see through me. Or maybe it was the intense aura around him

I hesitated, gripping my backpack strap. What was wrong with me? He was just a professor, a ridiculously good-looking, intense, and way too smart professor.

Then why did I feel hot air on my skin every time he looked at me?

I shook the thought away, trying to ground myself, but my focus shattered when a bright, chirpy voice interrupted.

"Hi! I'm Penelope, but you can call me Penny! And you must be Noah, right?"

I turned to see a petite girl with bright eyes and a contagious smile, standing far too close for comfort.

I hesitated, adjusting my voice to maintain a deep, masculine tone. "Yeah... that's me. Nice to meet you."

Penny beamed. "I knew it! New face, clueless expression, classic signs of a newbie. I know what you must be thinking, 'Oh, great, another girl crushing on me.' But don't worry, I'm not. You're cute, sure, but I'm engaged to a very good looking guy. You'll meet him sometime and I also have a hot bestie, I bet you both will get along pretty well"

She winked playfully, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

She talked fast, so fast I could barely keep up. Yet somehow, it wasn't annoying. There was something warm about her, like she carried the sun in her pocket and scattered pieces of it wherever she went.

"Then, as if suddenly realizing it, Penny sighed. "Sorry, I talk too much. she admitted with a sheepish grin. "My fiancé tells me that all the time."

I found myself smiling. "It's okay. It's kinda nice."

Penny's eyes sparkled. "Good! Because I'm officially your tour guide. Unless someone's already given you a tour?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Great! Let's start with the cafeteria. Food is life, after all!"

As we walked through campus, Penny filled every silence with details about Siege University;the best professors, the worst classes, hidden study spots, and, of course, the latest gossip. She made it easy to relax, even when I caught the occasional weird glance from some students. For the first time in a while, I felt normal.

Halfway through the tour, Penny suddenly squealed and grabbed my arm.

"Oh! There he is!"

I followed her gaze to a tall, dark-haired guy leaning against a pillar. His sharp gaze immediately locking onto me. His presence was intense, calm yet powerful, like someone who knew too much and spoke too little.

"Noah, meet Nathan, my bestie and the victim of my endless talking."Penny announced proudly.

Nathan's smirk deepened. "So, you're the new guy she has been bugging my ear about?"

I chuckled, shaking his hand" I can imagine."

His grip was firm, his eyes lingering a second too long.

"You're... different."

A cold shiver ran down my spine. "What do you mean?"

Nathan shrugged. "Just a feeling."

Penny rolled her eyes. "Ignore him. He loves acting mysterious, but he's really just being dramatic."

Nathan shot her a bored look. "Right."

Penny turned back to me. "Anyway, what do you think of our new lecturer, professor Rex? He's sexy, right?"

I froze. My thoughts immediately flashed back to professor, the way his golden eyes burned into me, the way my skin prickled under his gaze.

Sexy? Yeah. Annoyingly so. But there was something else beneath that sculpted face. Something dark. Something... lonely.

Nathan scoffed. "Oh, please. Noah and I are handsome too."

Penny rolled her eyes. "Obviously. But you don't have to be so cocky."

As they bickered playfully, I chuckled, shaking my head.

Yet, despite the lighthearted conversation, I couldn't shake the feeling that Nathan was watching me too closely, like he was trying to figure something out.

~~~

As the day went on, I felt it again, that sensation of being watched. It was subtle, just a whisper against my senses, but it was there.

When I glanced around, I caught sight of a familiar figure standing at the window of the faculty building.

Professor Rex.

He was staring.

Not in a casual way. Not in a way a professor should look at a student. His golden eyes were locked on me, sharp, searching, like he was trying to unravel something hidden beneath my skin.

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening.

Why was he looking at me like that?

Penny nudged me, drawing my attention back. "You okay? You looked kinda lost for a second."

"Yeah," I forced a small smile. "Just thinking."

I didn't glance back. I didn't need to. I could still feel Rex' gaze, burning into me even as I walked away.

~~~

By the time I reached home, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting shadows across the street. Our apartment wasn't anything fancy, just a small but cozy place my brothers had rented to keep us hidden.

I paused at the doorstep, hesitating.

Voices.

Angry voices.

I pushed the door open quietly, stepping inside just as I heard Lucas' sharp tone.

"Do you even understand what's at stake?" Lucas' voice was sharp, furious. "If Ares knew, he'd...."

Ares? Luna? Who is Ares? And what the hell were they talking about?

"If he knew, he'd protect her!" Gavin shot back.

Protect who? What the hell is going on?

My breath hitched. Were they talking about me?

Lucas growled in frustration. "And then what? She loses what little normalcy she has left? Becomes a Luna, locked in some...."

RING.

The sudden shrill of my phone cut through the tension like a knife.

Both voices stopped.

Shit.

Panicked, I scrambled for my phone, gripping it with trembling fingers. "H-Hello?"

A silence stretched on the other end before a familiar, teasing voice spoke.

"Penny here! Just wanted to make sure my new bestie got home safe."

I exhaled shakily, forcing a smile into my voice. "Yeah. I'm home."

I could feel my brothers watching me, their gazes heavy with something unspoken.

Penny giggled. "Great! Sleep tight, pretty guy. You've got a long day ahead."

As the call ended, I slowly lowered my phone.

Lucas and Gavin were still staring at me.

I opened my mouth, but no words came.

Because deep down, I knew whatever they had been about to say before my phone rang...

Held the answer to my unanswered questions.

Lucas' eyes narrowed. "How long have you been standing there?"

I swallowed hard, tightening my grip on my phone. "I just got here," I said, keeping my voice steady.

His expression didn't change, but the tension in his shoulders eased, just barely.

Gavin stepped forward, his tone lighter but laced with something unreadable. "How was your first day at school, Pookie?"

I forced a small smile. "It was fine."

That was a lie.

Nothing about today was fine.

Not the way Professor Rex looked at me.

Not the strange connection I felt toward him.

Not the way my brothers were arguing about something, about me, behind my back.

I needed space.

Without waiting for their response, I turned and made my way to my room, closing the door behind me with a quiet click.

Leaning against it, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

What were they hiding?

And why did I have the sinking feeling that whatever it was...

It would change my life forever?