The Moon Festival was a sacred tradition held on the eve of the full moon. It was nestled within a serene clearing of the forest behind the Elders institute and was a symbol of unity and reconciliation. Where rival packs set aside their differences for one night of shared celebration.

Despite being a celebration of reconciliation, lone wolves, like at the Elders' Ball, were not invited. But that didn't stop me or Selina from attending.

Selina had quickly disappeared to find alcohol while I kept myself hidden.

I lowered the peak of my cap as a group walked past. They hooted and cheered as I stepped deeper within the shadows. Music blared loudly from the woods and chanting could be heard.

Sneaking into the back of the institute was starting to become a common occurrence for me. Risky, but I couldn't miss out on the Moon Festival. It had always been my favourite day of the month, more so than the full moon.

I lit the end of my cigarette and took a long drag of nightmoss to hide my scent.

I hid within the shadow of a large pine tree, leaning against its trunk as I watched the party unfold.

As dusk descended, the clearing buzzed with anticipation. The air was thick with the scent of pinewood and barbecued meat. Wolves from all four rival packs gathered, their eyes gleaming with excitement and tension.

The festival began with a solemn ceremony. Led by the Elders of each pack, to honor the Lunar Goddess and pray for her protection during the full moon. Amidst the flickering glow of torches, offerings of flowers, food and alcohol were laid at the base of a towering statue of the goddess.

After the ceremony ended, the clearing erupted into a flurry of activity as the main event of the festival commenced: the fighting tournament. Under the watchful gaze of the Elders, wolves from each pack squared off in friendly but fierce combat.

The tournament served a dual purpose: to allow wolves to settle personal disputes in a controlled environment and to address grievances between rival packs. Despite the intensity of the matches, rules were strictly enforced to prevent serious injury, and disputes were resolved with honor and respect.

It was this tournament that I always came in second to Lucius. He always managed to defeat me and won as the strongest wolf in our age group. It's where our rivalry began, where I first met him five years ago, and where I would find him tonight.

My eyes scanned the festival but Lucius was nowhere to be found.

Alongside the tournament, various other activities unfolded throughout the clearing. Pack members engaged in friendly competitions of agility and strength, testing their skills in challenges of speed and endurance.

Meanwhile, food and drink flowed freely. Tables were laden with hot food and kegs of beer. Wolves gathered around roaring bonfires, sharing stories and laughing as they celebrated.

As the night wore on, the atmosphere shifted. The tension eased between the packs, music erupted and the party commenced. The wolves were no longer divided between four packs, they were one. Like the town used to be before they split into four.

It felt so primal watching as the packs fought and danced around the fire with their friends.

The bonfire grew in size and width as the night went on, built up to the size of a trailer. The orange flames licked the night sky, with embers of ash falling like glowing flakes of orange snow against the backdrop of the pine forest.

"Did you know the Lunar Goddess is actually a red wolf, not white?" Selina propped herself against the tree, frightening me with her sudden appearance.

"And she prefers beer as an offering." She nodded towards the statue. "The only accurate part about the statue is the headband and the moonstone pendant."

"I didn't know that."

I stared at the statue. It was about twelve feet tall, twice the size of the statue back in the institute's courtyard and made from pure white marble. The Lunar Goddess sat in her wolf form with a gold headband of a crescent moon atop her forehead and a carving of a crescent shaped moonstone pendant around her neck.

My hand consciously fiddled with my own moonstone pendant, of similar shape but the size of a quarter. I quickly tucked it away as Selina gazed upon it.

"Are you okay after what happened at the café?"

"I'm fine." I shrugged. I was anything but fine. "I just don't trust Lucius."

"If you give him a chance he might be able to explain himself."

Silence fell between us as we watched the festival unfold. The tournament finished with a clear winner, some beta from the Dark Moon Pack.

Without myself and Lucius in the tournament this month, other wolves actually had a chance at winning and took the opportunity to compete.

Donavan didn't even make it to the second round, which made me chuckle.

Though I was surprised Lucius hadn't entered the tournament like he usually did. I still couldn't find him.

"Is it a good idea for you to be here?" Selina asked.

"No." I took another drag from my cigarette for good measure and blew the purple plume of smoke up into the air. It should have hidden my scent, but Selina was able to find me easily.

"Then what are you doing here?"

My heart shrank feeling lonely. I wanted more than anything to belong somewhere, with someone. My thoughts raced to Lucius and his plea to stay with him.

"I love the Moon Festival."

Because Lucius would be here. I wanted to say but that would mean admitting out loud that I felt something for him.

I was tempted to take up his offer and stay with him, but no good would come from it. Not yet anyway. Not when I had doubts.

I still hadn't asked him what he was doing at the borders the night Hayley died and how he knew about Sebastian.

Then there was the Elders. They would never allow us to be together, fearing the power we'd hold that could potentially tip the scales of power. It happened before with fated mates.

Then there was the issue of us both being males. Never in Havenwood's history had an alpha being mated to a male. Would the Elders allow us to be together as a same sex couple?

Gay relationships were openly common amongst the packs. Even now as I gazed around the festival I saw a female couple kissing in the glow of the bonfire. But alphas and the positions they held didn't have that privilege. It was their duty to find a Luna and sire heirs.

It's why I'd never came out to family. Before my banishment I'd been my father's heir. The only people who officially knew about my sexuality was Selina, Chase and now Lucius.

If I accepted Lucius as my mate, we'd have to keep it a secret, and I wasn't sure if I could handle the emotional repercussions of keeping a relationship hidden.

My heart burned. It reminding me of the mated connection and the consequences of denying the bond. I wondered if Lucius could feel it.

I gazed around the Moon Festival in search of him, but I was disheartened to find he still wasn't here. I just wanted to see his face one last time before I left town.

I was over it. Him calling me a coward. I knew in my heart he didn't mean it. I just couldn't bear the thought of my heart being broken. Especially from my mate. Especially from Lucius.

Goddess, what the hell am I doing?

"You're looking for Lucius." Selina twisted off the cap to her beer and offered me one. "Aren't you?"

Her question startled me. She asked it like she'd answered my thoughts but she was just continuing our conversation.

Still, I blinked at her a couple of times wondering if she had actually heard my thoughts.

Her eyebrows raised, and she gave me a quizzical look as she shook the beer in her hand waiting for me to take it. I gracefully accepted with a nod and twisted off the cap, taking a deep gulp.

"No," I lied, and she smirked knowingly. "I just wanted to watch the moon festival one last time before I skipped town."

"You shouldn't leave town, it's not safe with Donavan out to kill you and Sebastian lurking the boundaries. This town is called Havenwood for a reason."

"Then how did Sebastian enter the town five years ago?" I pulled my hat off and scuffed my hair, my head all of sudden feeling itchy.

"Havenwood is special." Selina raised her beer to the statue of the Lunar Goddess. "During the war, the Goddess created this safe haven, a community for werewolves looking for peace and refuge from the constant fighting between the royal bloodlines."

"The Novaks and the Drakes?" I gritted my teeth. The two most powerful werewolf families.

Selina nodded. "The town is an enclave in their territory, protected by the goddess. Only those who were born here or have pure intentions may enter the town."

"Sebastian has anything but pure intentions." I shuddered from the thought.

"It really depends on your definition of pure."

"What?"

"Unfortunately, Sebastian found a loophole in the Lunar Goddess' spell." Selina frowned in annoyance as she raised her hands up into the air like a pair of scales.

"You can have purely good intentions."

She raised her right hand and lowered her left.

"Or you can have purely bad intentions."

She then lowered her right hand and raised her left.

"But as long as your intentions are pure, whether good or bad and not wavering, you may enter."

"That's bullshit."

"Tell me about it. Only Sebastian would find a way to make sugar taste bitter."

"What does he want with Havenwood?"

"Sebastian believes in asserting werewolf dominance through strength and aggression, advocating for the use of violence to maintain power. Havenwood possesses what he needs to accomplish his goal and finally defeat the Novaks to become the ruling family."

Me. He wanted me and my blood.

I shuddered from the memories of my time with Sebastian, having experienced firsthand what Selina was telling me.

When I first met Sebastian, I'd been a curious wolf, young and naive. I wanted to leave the safety of Havenwood's borders and explore the city. It was a right of passage most wolves from the town went through when they came of age.

At first, it was fun. Sebastian welcomed me into a world I could have never imagined, meeting other werewolf packs far greater than my own, whose territories expanded far across the state. It made the four packs of Havenwood look small and insignificant in comparison. It made me feel small.

Sebastian was extremely attractive, charming, and would say exactly what I wanted to hear to make me feel special and I fell in love with him and lost all common sense when it came to him.

Without question I did anything he wanted, so long as he could see I was useful to him, so he would love me back. But he was manipulative and toxic, and I realized he was not who I thought when he showed his true colors and became aggressive and controlling. Especially when it came to the use of my power.

It took time, and a lot of planning, but I managed to pull myself out and escape from his control.

"His views are very similar to the Wolf King, and he believes he will one day become the next Wolf King," Selina finished her story.

But there had to be more than my gift to heal that he wanted.

"What does he want with me?"

Selina took another sip from her beer. "He doesn't let anyone leave his pack unless he allows them to leave."

"But I wasn't a part of his pack."

"But you were his."

My heart shuddered, if my father hadn't saved me from Sebastian's attack, there was a high chance he would have killed me.

"Why's he left me alone for five years?"

"Who knows?" A smile curled around Selina's lips as she took a swig from her beer. She definitely knew the reason, she just wasn't telling me.

"It doesn't change anything." I shook my head. "Either way, I'm dead if I leave town and I'm dead if I stay."

"Or you can stay with Lucius." Her eyes focused on the fire. The orange glow made her golden skin shine brighter. "It's why you've been looking for him all evening. His presence makes you feel safe."

My heart thudded alarmingly and a knowing smile crossed Selina's lips.

"What?"

"Nothing." She shrugged; her smile widened in response.

"Tell me," I protested and folded my arms.

"Since the night of the ball it's all you have been thinking about. His tall frame, his strong arms, his long brown hair, his rugged good looks and his amber eyes that just make you want to–"

"Enough."

Selina laughed.

"I saw the way you looked at Lucius like he was a long lost lover. You can't deny it Nate, you like him, and a lot from the way you reacted. Red blushing cheeks, tucking your hair behind your ear to show off the features of your handsome face."

My heart thudded gently from her words and my cheeks burned. I didn't even realize I had tucked my hair behind my ears. That didn't seem like the sort of thing that I would normally do.

"He likes you too, more than you like him."

I shook my head in denial.

"I saw it in his eyes, he longs for you."

My heart pulsed with anticipation. Did Lucius Nightshade really like me that much? I'm nothing more than a banished wolf, while he was an alpha. He could have anyone he liked, so why did he want me?

"He's five years older than me." I continued to shake my head.

"I think it's a lot more than that."

"What?"

"Nothing." Selina shrugged. "Age is just a concept. You're both consenting adults, so what's the problem?"

"What if he turns out like Sebastian?" I argued.

"Forget about that arsehole," She sighed in frustration. "Lucius isn't Sebastian, he would never hurt you."

"Take up his offer and stay with him during the full moon, you won't regret it."

"What about the Elders?"

"It's none of the Elders' business who Lucius takes as his mate." She was getting annoyed now, as she gripped her bottle tightly. "The Lunar Goddess made you fated mates. Even the Elders must recognise your destiny."

"Why?" My chest tightened and I suddenly felt a burning sensation in my heart. "Why did the Lunar Goddess choose us as mates? Why are we so important?"

"Maybe your soul has unfinished business with Lucius from a past life." She prodded my heart.

I scoffed. "I highly doubt that."

"Believe whatever you want." Selina released a lengthy sigh and rubbed her eyes. "But when you learn the truth... Do not under any circumstances leave Lucius's side."

What the hell did that mean? Before I could ask, Selina stood up from her reclined position finishing the last dregs of her drink.

"Where are you going?"

"To grab some offerings." She lifted her bag and it jingled with beer bottles.

"Aren't they for the Lunar Goddess?"

"Yes." She smirked, brushing her long red hair behind her shoulder.

"Whatever," I shook my head.

"You should go and enjoy the festival." Selina nodded towards the bonfire. "Find Lucius."

Selina left me with my thoughts, and I sighed looking over the bonfire. I knew Selina said strange and cryptic things at times but tonight was different, and I didn't know what to believe from her.

"Unfinished business with Lucius from a past life," I scoffed again.

My heart thudded gently, and I felt a burning sensation within my heart. When I looked up I could see Lucius from across the bonfire, arguing with his beta, Xavier.

He was dressed in a black top. The sleeves were rolled back revealing his strong muscles as he hooked his jacket over his shoulder, and his brown curly hair was tied back in its signature bun.

Their argument came to an end and Lucius stormed off, and I couldn't help but wonder what that was about. I watched him carefully, his body was stiff, his hands clenched tightly, and a haze of anger flashed across his eyes. He was upset.

Lucius's head shifted, looking around the festival and pushing through the crowd searching for someone. He then looked past the crowd and through the bonfire until his eyes locked onto mine.

He confidently smiled, his eyes beaming with affection as his composure relaxed. He pushed his way through a group of dances, an eagerness in his movements as he made his way over to me.

I couldn't move, frozen to the spot. I wanted to run away, but my inner wolf forced me to stay. I sighed, pulling my cap down to shadow my face and agreed with my wolf to wait and hear Lucius out.

"You're here."

"I'm here."

"Does that mean you'll stay with me?"

"I–"

"A representative of the Black Wood pack would like to make an announcement!" Elder Thaddeus' voice boomed across the festival garnering everyone's attention and the festival fell silent, with only the music blaring in the background.

My grandfather made his way onto a platform in front of the gathered crowd, and was accompanied by Alpha Mailk and Xavier. I frowned. Why was Lucius's beta up there and not him? I gazed at Lucius with a questioning look as his face turned white.

"What's that about?"

"It's nothing. Come with me."

He grabbed my hand and took me away from the festival.