The Banished Shy Luna Chapter 130

Dawn broke like a bruise—soft light through gray clouds, the world holding its breath after everything that had been said.

I hadn’t slept. None of us had. The silence inside the pack house felt wrong; too quiet for a place full of wolves. I stood by the balcony window, fingers tracing condensation, the wind cold enough to sting but not enough to numb.

Somewhere downstairs, I heard low voices. Toren’s steady rumble, Tyson’s sharper edge, Talon’s tired sarcasm. For a second, I thought about staying where I was—pretending none of this was real—but the pull of the bond tugged me toward them.

The kitchen was dim, candles burned low, the smell of coffee strong enough to wake the dead. Toren stood leaning over the counter with a map spread across it. Tyson sat on the table because he never followed normal etiquette, and Talon was sprawled in a chair that looked like it had lost the will to live.

Three pairs of eyes turned toward me at once.

“Morning,” I said. My voice sounded rough, unfamiliar.

Tyson arched a brow. “That’s optimistic.”

Toren straightened. “You didn’t sleep.”

“Neither did you,” I countered.

He didn’t argue.

I crossed my arms, trying to hold myself together. “So. What’s the plan? Because pretending that the Council isn’t watching us seems like a great way to die early.”

Tyson tapped the table with one finger. “That’s exactly what we were discussing. The Council. Lucas. Douglas. All the delightful mess that comes with our family soap opera.”

Talon snorted. “You forgot ‘evil half-brother reveal’ and ‘legendary father who probably wants to dissect us.’”

“Right,” Tyson said. “Those too.”

Toren sighed. “We handle this the way we handle everything else—strategically. Douglas knows the Council’s inner workings better than anyone. If he’s really on our side, we use that.”

I frowned. “Use him?”

Toren met my gaze evenly. “Leverage his knowledge, Starlight. Not his loyalty. Loyalty takes time. But information we can get now.”

Talon tilted his head, smirking faintly. “Kinda funny, isn’t it? I spent half the night wanting to tear his throat out and now he’s technically my brother-in-law.”

Tyson barked a laugh. “Yeah, relax, Talon. Turns out you weren’t competing for your Luna’s heart—you were competing with her half sibling. Kinda kills the mood.”

Talon shot him a glare. “I still don’t trust him.”

“Good,” I said softly. “Neither do I. But we might need him.”

Toren nodded. “Douglas’s pack doubles our numbers. They’re disciplined, trained, and used to following an Alpha who doesn’t tolerate weakness. Having them under our banner gives us a fighting chance if the Council sends enforcers.”

Tyson leaned back. “And Lucas?”

The question dropped like a stone in water.

I stared at the map, tracing the borders around our territory. “He won’t stop until he gets what he thinks he’s owed. Which means we stop waiting for him to strike first.”

Toren’s brows drew together. “You’re suggesting an offensive?”

“I’m suggesting we remind him what happens when you come after what’s mine.”

For a heartbeat, none of them spoke. Then Tyson grinned, slow and dangerous. “Gods, I love when you talk like that.”

Talon groaned. “You love anything that ends with violence.”

“Not true,” Tyson said. “Sometimes I enjoy breakfast.”

The banter eased the tension, if only a little. That was the thing about us—we’d survived too much to fall apart quietly.

I moved closer to the table, scanning the map. “We’ll need scouts watching the eastern perimeter. If the Council’s sending anyone, they’ll come through the trade routes near Silver Run.”

“Already done,” Toren said. “Trackers are rotating shifts. No one gets in without us knowing.”

“Good,” I said. “Next, I want the Luna’s Den finished this week. If the Council wants to talk, they’ll come to me on my terms. Not yours, not theirs—mine.”

Toren gave a small approving nod. “You’re thinking like a leader.”

I smirked faintly. “I’m thinking like someone who’s tired of being hunted.”

Tyson poured me coffee and pushed the mug across the counter. “Drink. You’re about five seconds away from snapping at ghosts.”

I took it with a muttered “thanks,” though my hands still shook slightly.

Across from me, Talon rubbed the back of his neck. “So… Douglas.”

Tyson grinned. “What about him?”

Talon shrugged. “Still weird, isn’t it? Him being family. I mean, I was ready to kill him an hour ago.”

“Yeah,” Tyson said. “Good thing you didn’t. That’d be awkward at pack gatherings.”

“Right,” Toren added dryly. “ ‘Hey, remember that time Talon murdered his brother-in-law before breakfast?’ Great icebreaker.”

Even I laughed, quietly. “You three are idiots.”

“Your idiots,” Tyson said, leaning over to kiss my temple.

The warmth of it steadied me, but only for a heartbeat. Then the weight of reality settled again.

“We can’t afford mistakes,” I said. “Not with the Council. Not with Lucas. They’re not going to sit quietly while I build a stronger pack. They’ll come after us, one way or another.”

Toren nodded. “Then we be ready.”

Tyson’s tone darkened. “And if Mason Peir is behind them, we find out why. If he’s just watching, fine—but if he’s helping them, I’ll rip his empire apart stone by stone.”

The possessive fury in his voice sent a shiver through me—not fear, but recognition. Because part of me wanted the same thing.

Talon looked between us. “So the plan is: prepare defenses, gather intel, and pretend we’re not all having mental breakdowns.”

“Pretty much,” I said.

He nodded. “Solid strategy.”

Tyson chuckled. “You forgot step four—don’t push Kira before coffee.”

“Step five,” Toren added, “stop Douglas from scaring the Omegas.”

I smiled faintly, the sound of their teasing grounding me in a way nothing else could.

For a moment, it almost felt normal.

Almost.

Then the front doors slammed open.

Marianne’s voice echoed down the hallway, breathless and panicked. “Alpha! Luna! You need to come—now!”

All humor vanished. Toren was already moving, Tyson close behind. I followed, heart pounding.

She skidded to a stop at the foot of the stairs, eyes wide. “It’s Douglas,” she gasped. “He's hurt and he's not alone.”

Toren’s tone snapped sharp. “Who’s with him?”

Marianne swallowed hard. “Soldiers. Not ours.”

Tyson’s growl rolled through the hall. “Council?”

She nodded. “They’re demanding to see the Luna.”

The air went electric. Every wolf in the house stilled, heads lifting, instincts flaring.

I met Toren’s eyes. “Guess rest isn’t on the schedule after all.”

He nodded grimly. “No. But war might be.”