Chapter 38
I’v been tossing and turning for many nights since that night I talked to Killian and my real Dad. They both see me as a tool to get what they want. And yet, now I found myself standing at the edge of Silver Moon Pack’s territory, my fingers gripping the straps of my bags as I stared up at the estate.
The place I once called home. The place I had been thrown away from. And now… I was back. I exhaled slowly, my chest tight. Yeah. After what I said to my father, my fate was sealed. There was no turning back now.
Two guards stood at the gate, their hands resting on their weapons as they eyed me with cautious confusion. I lifted my chin. “Call Tyler.”
The guards hesitated for a moment before one of them turned and disappeared inside. I forced myself to stay still, to stay calm. But my hands—they were shaking. I wasn’t afraid. No, I had stopped fearing Tyler a long time ago. But this? This moment, this decision?
It felt like I was walking into the lion’s den. A few minutes later, I heard the familiar sound of footsteps. And then—Tyler appeared.
His eyes locked onto mine immediately. He looked at me first. Then at the bags in my hands. And then back at me. For a long moment, he didn’t say a word. Neither did I. The wind was cold against my skin, but I didn’t move. Then, finally, I spoke.
“You gave me an ultimatum of a month.” My voice was steady, despite the war raging inside me. “But I’m here now. So are you going to take me in?”
A slow smile curled on Tyler’s lips. A smile that made my stomach twist with something I couldn’t name.
“Of course,” he murmured. “Come in.” He stepped aside, motioning for me to follow.
And just like that… I crossed the line. Tyler led me through the estate, his pace slow, controlled. He walked as if he had already won. As if I had just admitted defeat.
We reached the second floor, where he stopped in front of one of the rooms. He pushed open the door and stepped aside. “This will be your quarters.”
I looked inside. It was the same room I had once stayed in. The same walls. The same furniture. The same prison disguised as luxury. I turned back to Tyler, my face carefully blank.
“You made the right decision coming back,” he said, his voice smooth, confident. I didn’t respond. I just waited for him to continue.
“Because I know you, Aurora,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “You are a good person at heart. And a good Luna.”
His eyes flickered with something unreadable. “And good Lunas don’t start wars over nothing.”
I clenched my jaw.
So that’s what he thought. That this was about choosing peace. Not about being forced into an impossible situation. I nodded slowly, keeping my voice calm. “That’s correct, Tyler.”
His smirk widened slightly.
Then he lifted his hand and swatted me lightly on the arm. “Alright. Go get comfortable. I’ll notify everyone that you’ve come back.”
With that, he turned and walked away. Leaving me alone. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my unpacked bags.The room felt smaller than I remembered. The walls felt closer. Everything about being back in the Silver Moon Packhouse was wrong. This was the one place I had tried to escape.
The one place I had fought to leave behind. And yet—here I was. Again. I let out a slow breath, then stood and began unpacking my things.
One by one, I placed my clothes in the drawers, moving on autopilot. Because if I let myself think—**really think—I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle it. A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
I turned. Tyler. Again. His arms were crossed, his golden eyes glinting with something I couldn’t read.
“Tonight, we’re having a welcome party for you,” he said.
I frowned. “A what?”
He smirked. “A welcome party. To celebrate your return.”
I swallowed. “That’s not necessary.”
“It is,” Tyler countered. “You’re my Luna, and everyone needs to see it. Tonight, you will be reintroduced to the pack.”
