Luna. Chapter 32

(Lyra's POV)

The morning of the exhibition arrived with gray skies and cold wind. I stood in front of my bedroom mirror, smoothing down the emerald green dress one last time. My hands were shaking.

I couldn't stop thinking about the research Sage and I had done. The birthmark. The resemblance to Christina. The timing of my adoption. Too many coincidences to ignore.

"You look beautiful," Magnus said from the doorway. He was wearing a formal black suit that made him look even more imposing than usual. "Are you ready?"

"No." I pressed my hand to my belly, feeling the baby move restlessly. "I feel like I'm about to walk into something that will change everything."

"Are you having second thoughts? We don't have to go."

"Yes, we do." I picked up the small clutch purse Sage had lent me. "If I really am connected to Christina somehow, if I really could help Moonlight Pack, then I need to know."

The drive took two hours through winding mountain roads I'd never traveled before. Magnus drove carefully, glancing at me every few minutes with concern.

"Tell me about the exhibition again," I said, needing the distraction.

"It's officially about Moonlight Pack's cultural history. Art, artifacts, traditions." Magnus slowed for a sharp curve. "But everyone knows it's really about finding a new Luna. Derek has been under pressure from the pack council for months."

"And you think tonight will be when they reveal information about Christina's family?"

"If the rumors are true."

I stared out the window at the passing forest. Dense trees, rocky outcroppings, streams that caught the late afternoon light. Something about the landscape felt familiar, though I was certain I'd never been here before.

"Magnus, can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"Do you think I'm crazy for believing I might be related to Christina?"

He was quiet for a long moment. "I think stranger things have happened. And I think the resemblance between you two is impossible to ignore."

"But?"

"But I'm worried about what happens if you're right. Being Luna of one pack is challenging enough. Being Luna of two packs would be..." He shook his head. “Arduous."

The baby kicked hard, as if responding to the stress in my voice. I rubbed the spot gently. "I'm not trying to become Luna of two packs. I just want to know who I am."

"And if knowing who you are means leaving Mountain Cross?"

The question hung between us like a weight. I hadn't let myself think that far ahead. What would happen if I really was Christina's sister? What would that mean for my life with Magnus?

"I don't know," I admitted. "But I can't keep wondering."

We crested a hill, and suddenly Moonlight Pack territory spread out below us. My breath caught in my throat.

It was beautiful. Rolling hills covered with wildflowers. A large lake that reflected the sky like a mirror. Buildings that seemed to grow naturally from the landscape, built with local stone and timber.

But it wasn't just beautiful. It was familiar.

I knew this place.

"Stop the car," I said urgently.

"What?"

"Stop the car. Please."

Magnus pulled over at a scenic overlook. I got out carefully, my pregnant belly making quick movements difficult. The wind carried scents that made my heart race. Pine and wildflowers and something else. Something that smelled like home.

"Lyra, what is it?"

I stared down at the pack territory, my hands gripping the stone barrier that separated the overlook from the drop-off. "I've been here before."

"That's impossible. You've never left Iron Claw territory except to come to Mountain Cross."

"I know it's impossible. But I remember this view." I pointed to the lake. "There's a small island in the middle. With a single tree. A willow tree."

Magnus followed my gaze. In the center of the lake, barely visible from this distance, was indeed a small island with a lone tree.

"You can barely see it from here. How could you know that?"

"I don't know." My voice was barely a whisper. "But I do."

The wind picked up, blowing my hair across my face. For a moment, I could swear I heard children laughing. The sound of splashing water. A woman's voice calling my name.

Not Lyra.

Isabella.

"We should go," I said quickly, moving back toward the car. "We'll be late."

Magnus caught my arm gently. "Lyra, talk to me. What just happened?"

"I heard something. Or remembered something. I'm not sure which." I looked back at the territory one more time. "Magnus, what if I really do belong here? What if this is where I came from?"

"Then we'll deal with that when we know the truth."

The pack house was even more impressive up close. Built into a natural amphitheater in the hills, it seemed to emerge from the landscape itself. Cars were already filling the parking area, and well-dressed wolves were making their way toward the main entrance.

"There are more people here than I expected," I said, noticing license plates from packs across three states.

"Word travels fast about potential Luna candidates."

We joined the flow of guests entering the building. The main hall was decorated with flowers and candles, creating an atmosphere that was both elegant and intimate. Tables displayed artifacts and artwork, each piece carefully labeled with information about Moonlight Pack's history.

But I barely saw any of it. The building itself was commanding all my attention.

I knew where the stairs led before I saw them. I knew there would be a small balcony overlooking the main hall. I knew the kitchen would be to the left, past a corridor lined with family photographs.

"Lyra?" Magnus's voice seemed to come from very far away. "You look pale. Do you need to sit down?"

"I need some air."

He guided me to a quiet corner where tall windows looked out over the lake. "Better?"

"A little." I pressed my hand to the glass, staring at the water. "Magnus, I remember being here as a child. I remember running through these halls, playing by that lake. I remember a woman who used to braid my hair and call me her little star."

"That could be anybody's memories. Childhood can be confused—"

"No." I turned to face him. "These aren't confused memories. They're real. This is where I grew up, at least for part of my childhood."

Before Magnus could respond, a warm voice interrupted us.

"Excuse me, are you the Luna from Mountain Cross?"

I turned to see a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and graying hair. She was wearing a simple black dress and a name tag that read "Marie - Event Coordinator."

"Yes, I'm Luna Lyra."

Marie's eyes widened slightly. "My goodness. The resemblance is remarkable."

"Resemblance?"

"To our late Luna Christina. Though I suppose everyone will be mentioning that tonight." Marie studied my face with obvious fascination. "You could be her twin sister."

"That's what I'm hoping to find out."

"Well, you're in for quite an evening then. Alpha Derek has been preparing for this night for months." Marie glanced around, then leaned closer. "Between you and me, I think he's finally ready to move forward. He's been holding onto the past too long."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see. The exhibition officially begins in twenty minutes, but the real presentation doesn't start until eight o'clock." Marie smiled mysteriously. "That's when Alpha Derek will address the gathering about Christina's family history."

After Marie left, I found myself staring out the window again. The sun was setting over the lake, painting the water gold and pink.

"I was happy here," I said quietly. "I remember being happy."

"And then what happened?"

"I don't know. The memories stop when I was maybe four or five years old." I placed both hands on my belly, feeling the baby settle into a calmer position. "But something happened. Something that made them hide me away."

"Or something that made them think you were dead."

The possibility made me shudder. What if I really had been presumed dead? What if somewhere in this beautiful place, people had mourned a little girl named Isabella who'd actually survived?

"Magnus, I need you to know something."

"What?"

"Whatever we find out tonight, whatever the truth is about my past, it doesn't change how grateful I am for everything you've done for me."

"You don't need to thank me."

"Yes, I do. You saved me when I had nowhere else to go. You gave me a home and a purpose when I thought my life was over." I reached for his hand. "I need you to know that whatever happens, you'll always be important to me."

The way his expression shifted told me he understood what I was really saying. If I really belonged here, if Moonlight Pack was my true home, everything would change.

"Let's go find out who you really are," he said gently.

As we walked back into the main hall, I caught sight of my reflection in a decorative mirror. The emerald green dress, the silver circlet Magnus had given me to mark my Luna status, the confident way I now carried myself.

I looked like a Luna. I belonged there.