Luna. Chapter 200

（Lyra's POV）

The suitcases were lined up by the front door like soldiers. Two large ones, one medium, and Nova's diaper bag that could probably hold supplies for a small army.

I stood in the hallway, trying not to cry.

This was temporary. A visit. We'd be back in a few weeks.

But it felt like goodbye.

"Mama, are you sad?" Asher asked, tugging on my sweater.

"A little bit, sweetheart. It's hard to leave home."

"But we're coming back, right?"

"Of course we are. This is just a visit to meet your pack family."

Asher nodded solemnly. At five, he didn't fully understand what this trip meant. What we might be deciding. He just knew we were going on an adventure.

Elena appeared in the kitchen doorway, holding Nova. Her eyes were red.

"You don't have to cry," I told her. "We'll be back before you know it."

"I know." She wiped her eyes with her free hand. "I'm just going to miss them so much."

"We'll video call every day. Nova will probably say her first word while we're gone, and you'll get to see it."

Elena managed a smile. "She better not say it without me there."

Kael came down the stairs with the last bag. "Car's loaded. We should head out soon to beat traffic."

"Five more minutes," I said.

He nodded and went to check on something outside.

Elena handed Nova to me, and I held my daughter close. She smelled like baby shampoo and the lavender lotion Elena always used. Safe smells. Home smells.

"Take care of yourself," Elena said quietly. "And call me if you need anything. Anything at all."

"I will."

"I'm serious, Lyra. If it doesn't feel right, if anyone makes you uncomfortable, you come straight home."

"I promise."

Elena pulled me into a fierce hug, careful not to squish Nova between us. "I love you. All of you."

"We love you too."

Victor appeared from the living room, looking just as emotional as Elena. "The house is going to be too quiet without these little ones."

"Maybe you'll get some peace for once," I joked.

"Peace is overrated." He ruffled Asher's hair. "You be good for your parents, okay buddy?"

"I will, Uncle Victor. I'll send you pictures of all the wolves!"

"I'd like that."

Kael came back inside. "Ready?"

I looked around our house one more time. The Christmas tree still up in the corner, lights twinkling. Nova's toys scattered across the floor. Asher's art projects taped to the refrigerator.

Home.

"Ready," I said.

The goodbyes at the door were hard. Elena cried openly now, kissing Nova's cheeks over and over. Victor hugged Asher tight and whispered something in his ear that made our son giggle.

"Drive carefully," Elena told Kael. "And call when you get there."

"We will."

I was the last one to hug Elena goodbye. "Thank you," I whispered. "For everything. For being the mother I never had."

"You'll always be my daughter," she whispered back. "No matter where you live."

Finally, we were in the car. Asher in his booster seat, chattering about all the things he wanted to see. Nova in her car seat, already drowsy from the motion. Kael behind the wheel, quiet and focused.

I watched our house disappear in the side mirror.

"You okay?" Kael asked.

"I think so."

"We can turn around anytime. If you change your mind."

"I know."

But I didn't want to turn around. I was scared, yes. Terrified, actually. But I was also curious. And hopeful.

Maybe this could be good for us. Maybe Iron Claw Pack could be home again.

The drive would take most of the day. We'd planned stops for Nova's feeding schedule and Asher's energy breaks. A family road trip.

"Music?" Kael asked.

"Please. Something cheerful."

He turned on a playlist of kid-friendly songs. Asher immediately started singing along to the first song, making up his own lyrics when he didn't know the real ones.

I reached over and took Kael's hand. "Whatever happens, we're doing this together."

"Together," he agreed.

"And if it doesn't work out..."

"Then we come home and pretend this never happened."

I squeezed his fingers. "Deal."

Outside the car windows, the familiar suburbs gave way to countryside. Rolling hills and farmland. The landscape of my childhood, before everything went wrong.

It was beautiful. I'd forgotten how beautiful.

"Look, Mama!" Asher pointed out his window. "Horses!"

"I see them, baby."

A whole field of horses, running together like a herd. Free and wild and magnificent.

Maybe that could be us too. Free to choose our own path. Wild enough to take risks. Magnificent enough to build something new.

"Are you excited?" I asked Kael.

"Nervous. But excited."

"Me too."

In her car seat, Nova made happy babbling sounds, like she was excited too. Like she could sense we were going on an adventure.

My little pack. My family.

Whatever waited for us at Iron Claw Pack, we'd face it together.

The road stretched ahead, full of possibilities.