The Last Shadow Luna

Catherine’s POV

I stood frozen in the doorway like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head.

Mrs. Hargrove wrung her hands nervously beside me while Harold looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

the woman standing in the middle of the living room looked nothing like them.

She was tall and beautiful and every strand of her black hair sat perfectly in place. Her heels alone probably cost more than everything inside this house.

And the way she looked at me? Like I was dirt stuck beneath her shoe.

“Daughter?”

Amelia let out a scoff.

“Trust me, I’m just as shocked as you are.”

One of the suited men stepped forward to take her expensive coat but she waved him off impatiently.

“This place still smells,” she muttered. “Unbelievable.”

Harold sighed tiredly.

“Amelia…”

“No, seriously.” She crossed her arms. “You couldn’t renovate? Even a little?”

Mrs. Hargrove’s face fell slightly, but she forced a smile.

“We didn’t know you were coming.”

“Because I wasn’t planning to.”

The room went awkwardly silent and I shifted uncomfortably near the doorway, clutching my grocery bag tighter.

Amelia finally looked at me again.

“And who exactly is she?”

The question came out sharply.

Mrs. Hargrove brightened immediately.

“Oh. Catherine lives with us.”

“Lives with you,” Amelia repeated slowly.

“Yes,” Harold answered carefully. “She’s been with us for years.”

Amelia’s eyes narrowed.

“Cute.”

Something about the way she said it made my stomach tighten.

“She’s practically family,” Mrs. Hargrove added warmly.

Big mistake.

Amelia barked out a humorless laugh.

“Family?” She pointed at herself. “Interesting word choice considering you threw your actual daughter away years ago.”

Mrs. Hargrove flinched like she’d been slapped and guilt instantly crawled up my throat. I suddenly wanted to disappear into the kitchen cabinets.

“Amelia,” Harold said quietly, “that’s not fair.”

“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “You both wrote me off first. Don’t act heartbroken now.”

“You vanished,” Mrs. Hargrove whispered. “For twenty years.”

“Yeah and whose fault was that?”

“That’s enough, honey.” Another voice spoke calmly behind her.

My breath caught instantly as a man stepped into view from the hallway.

He tall with dark hair and in an expensive black suit molded perfectly against broad shoulders.. and his scent hit me immediately.

Werewolf…!

My weak dormant wolf stirred so suddenly inside me that it actually hurt.

His sharp gray eyes landed on me.. and narrowed.

Every werewolf could recognize another one eventually but powerful wolves sensed it almost instantly.

His gaze sharpened slightly and mine widened in panic.

Please don’t say anything.. Please.

Amelia walked over and looped her arm through his casually.

“This is my fiancé, Alex Granger.”

Fiancé??

Of course a man that rich-looking would be engaged to a woman like her.

Alex extended a polite hand toward Harold first.

“Good to meet you, sir.”

Harold shook it awkwardly and then Alex smiled gently at Mrs. Hargrove.

“Ma’am. Thank you for allowing us into your home.”

He spoke with such a calm and controlled. Nothing like the arrogant Alphas back in Silvercrest.

His eyes slid back to me again briefly and a silent conversation passed between us.

Wolf.

Hidden wolf.

Fear.

Recognition.

I quickly looked away before I embarrassed myself but Amelia noticed. Unfortunately.. her eyes narrowed immediately.

“Oh my God,” she said flatly. “Don’t tell me the replacement has a crush on my fiancé already!”

My entire face burned.

“What? No!”

“She doesn’t,” Mrs. Hargrove defended quickly.

“He gets stared at everywhere.” Amelia took a step towards me. “But keep dreaming bitch. She's mine!”

Alex sighed softly. “Amelia.”

“What? I’m being honest.”

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. Instead, I forced a weak smile.

“I’ll just… put the groceries away.”

“Good idea,” Amelia muttered as I hurried into the kitchen so fast I nearly tripped over a chair.

Gods… Rich people were terrifying.. especially rich werewolves.

A few minutes later, I returned quietly with tea for everyone mostly because I needed something to do with my hands before anxiety killed me.

Amelia barely touched hers.

“We’re getting married this weekend,” she announced suddenly. “Here in Oakhaven.”

Mrs. Hargrove blinked.

“So soon?”

Alex nodded politely.

“Business schedules.”

“Translation,” Amelia cut in, “his investors and political connections are ridiculously annoying.”

She reached into her purse and dropped an invitation card onto the table.

“You should come,” she said casually. “Alex insists on meeting family.”

The word family sounded bitter coming from her mouth.

Harold looked emotional already.

“We’d love to.”

“Great.” Amelia stood immediately. “Then that’s settled.”

Mrs. Hargrove looked heartbroken all over again.

“Amelia, can’t you stay longer? We have so much to talk about...”

“No.”

The answer came fast and cold.

Alex glanced at her carefully but she ignored him.

“I came because Alex wanted this awkward little reunion. We did it. Congrats. Everyone survived.”

Mrs. Hargrove’s eyes watered and my chest hurt for her.

Alex gently touched Amelia’s arm.

“Be nice.”

She scoffed.

“You know I don’t do that.” Then she turned to him.

“Come on. Let’s leave this shit hole.”

Harold’s jaw tightened while Mrs. Hargrove looked close to tears. But Alex only sighed tiredly like this happened often. Before leaving, his gaze found mine one last time.. then he walked out after Amelia.

***

The wedding day arrived way too fast and I already regretted coming.

I was nervous.. very nervous. Because ever since meeting Alex Granger, my wolf had been restless and if one powerful werewolf was attending this wedding… others would too. I knew it the second we arrived.

There were dominant wolves everywhere. My skin prickled immediately.

“Oh God,” I muttered under my breath.

Mrs. Hargrove smiled brightly beside me.

“Isn’t this lovely?”

No. It was horrifying.

Every instinct inside me screamed prey animal.

I kept my head down the entire ceremony.

The wedding itself blurred by. Amelia looked stunning and Alex looked calm and unreadable.

But the guests? Terrifying.

By the reception, I was already exhausted.

I stayed mostly near the shadows, pretending to enjoy the music while avoiding eye contact with literally everyone.

I didn’t belong here.. not even a little.

My champagne flute emptied too quickly.

“Okay,” I muttered. “One more drink then I vanish dramatically into the night.”

That sounded like a solid plan.

I wandered toward a nearby serving table and spotted a tray filled with dark red wine in crystal glasses.

I grabbed one carefully and took a sip.

Oh wow.

“That is dangerously good,” I whispered.

“You idiot!”

I nearly choked from the sudden yell behind me as a furious woman stormed toward me in a dark green gown.

Her red hair blazed under the ballroom lights while sharp green eyes burned into me.

“Who told you to touch that?!”

My eyes widened.

“I... I’m sorry?”

“That tray is reserved for VIP guests!”

Oh Gods.. not again. Why did rich people always have special trays? Was oxygen reserved too?

“I didn’t know...”

“Did you drink it already?” she snapped.

Something about her tone scared me instantly and fear curled in my stomach.

“N-no,” I lied quickly.

Her sharp eyes scanned my face and then thankfully she huffed.

“Good.”

Before I could react, she snatched the glass from my hand and dumped the wine into a nearby flower pot.

“You already contaminated this one too.”

Contaminated? What kind of reaction was that?

Another guest approached smiling nervously.

“Lady Helen Ashmoor, the northern delegates are asking for you.”

My eyes widened instantly.

Helen Ashmoor? The Helen Ashmoor?

Hope burst alive inside me before I could stop it.

“You’re Helen Ashmoor?”

She looked annoyed already.

“Yes?”

My smile spread immediately.

“Oh my God. I heard about you years ago. Some outcasts told me about your sanctuary for rejected wolves and outcasts and oppressed werewolves and...”

Helen stared at me blankly and I slowed awkwardly.

“You’re helping people,” I finished weakly.

Her expression didn’t soften at all. In fact, she looked irritated.

“People romanticize everything,” she muttered coldly.

Then she walked away without another word and I stood there stunned.

“…wow.”

That woman was rude as hell. How was she running a safe haven with that attitude?

I turned around awkwardly... and slammed directly into a solid chest.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry...”

The words died instantly and my breath caught.

It was him..!

Every sound around me faded at the sight of his tall and massive form with a dark suit stretching across a heavily muscular body.

He had golden eyes, scars visible near his throat and a terrifying aura.

The Lycan King.. Gerald Draven!

I had heard stories even hiding among humans. Monsters feared him. Alphas bowed to him. Women obsessed over him. And standing this close to him? I suddenly understood why.

“I... I...” I couldn't get the words out.

His deep golden eyes studied me calmly and then surprisingly… he smiled slightly.

“It’s alright.”

His voice slid over my skin and I nearly forgot how breathing worked.

He picked up a glass from the same tray Helen had guarded like treasure and held it toward me.

“Here. You need it.”

My fingers trembled taking it.

“T-thank you.”

His gaze lingered on me for one strange second and then he walked away.. just like that.

I stared after him like an idiot. No wonder women lost their minds around him.

I quickly drank the wine to calm myself.

Bad idea.. because minutes later, warmth spread strangely through my body and my legs suddenly felt weak.

“Oh no.”

The ballroom blurred slightly and sleepiness crashed into me hard.. something else too.. heat.

Deep between my thighs and my breathing hitched.

“What the hell…”

I needed to leave.. now.

Before somebody noticed something was wrong.

I hurried from the ballroom toward the private hotel rooms upstairs. Thankfully, the entire hotel had been booked for wedding guests.

My hands shook unlocking one random room. The second I got inside, I slammed the door shut.

My body burned.

“What is happening to me?”

I kicked off my heels desperately while every breath made the ache between my legs worse.

I stumbled toward the bed, tugging my dress down my shoulders shakily.

“Okay… okay… maybe I’m sick…”

But even I didn’t believe that.

A soft whimper escaped me as I touched my thigh.

Heat shot through me instantly.

“Oh God…”

My breathing turned shaky.

I rubbed myself desperately through my underwear, trying to ease the unbearable ache building inside me.

The feeling only got worse and needier and hotter.

My head tipped back helplessly and then...

The bedroom door clicked open behind me and I froze with a terrified scream left in my throat as I spun around…