The Moon Pack’s territory slept uneasily that night. A storm prowled the horizon, low thunder rumbling like the growl of something ancient and restless. The scent of rain hung heavy in the air, mingled with pine and the faintest trace of blood from the training fields below.

You stood on the balcony of the packhouse, one hand resting protectively over your stomach. It was still too early to show, but you could feel it—life pulsing beneath your palm, quiet and fierce. His life. Your pup. The heir to the Moon Pack.

Zion Thorn moved like the storm itself—silent, contained power. His dark hair was damp from patrol, his shirt clinging to the carved lines of his chest. Even before you heard him, you felt him: the pull of his presence, the bond between Alpha and Luna humming in your veins.

When he reached you, his hand found your waist automatically, grounding you both. His eyes—silver under the moonlight—searched your face. “You’ve been out here too long,” he murmured, voice low, edged with worry.

You smiled faintly. “You’d rather I stay locked inside?”

“I’d rather you stay safe,” he said. The words carried more weight than usual. His gaze swept the forest beyond, where the tree line wavered in the wind. “We caught scent of rogues near the northern border. Too close.”

You felt the tension in him—the instinctive protectiveness that had only sharpened since he learned about the pup. “Zion,” you whispered, resting a hand against his chest. “You can’t guard the entire world.”

“I can guard you,” he said. “And I will.”

Before you could answer, a howl split the night. Not a patrol call—this one was different. Urgent.

Zion stiffened, eyes flashing silver. He turned toward the forest, every muscle coiled, the Alpha rising to the surface. “Stay inside,” he ordered, his voice a command that vibrated with power.

You caught his arm before he could move. “Zion, wait—”

His hand covered yours, fingers rough and warm, but there was a shadow in his gaze now. “I won’t let anything touch you. Not while you’re carrying our baby,” he said softly.

And then he was gone—vanishing into the storm as thunder rolled across the mountains and your heart beat in time with the one growing inside you.