Page 6 of Sun's Roar

He raised his arms in victory, accepting the adulation of his pack with the confidence of a ruler born to command.

Then it happened.

A sensation like lightning striking water coursed through his body. Sol’s spine straightened as if pulled by an invisible force. The air around him charged with a power ancient and familiar, yet somehow brand new.

The massive bonfire at the center of the gathering suddenly flared twenty feet into the night sky, flames twisting into shapes that resembled wolves in mid-hunt. The pack members gasped. Several of the younger ones backed away while the older ones stood transfixed, their expressions a mixture of awe and understanding.

Sol’s wolf slammed against the cage of his human form, demanding release, howling with such ferocity that Sol had to clench his jaw to keep from physically crying out. The fire in his blood that had been simmering for weeks now blazed like a supernova.

Joshua went completely still beside him, his eyes wide with recognition. “Sol,” he whispered. “Is that what I think?—“

“Your Highness.” Mitesh appeared before them, the elderly royal advisor moving with unexpected swiftness. His weathered face was illuminated by the still-pulsing bonfire, his eyes reflecting centuries of wisdom. “After centuries...”

Sol couldn’t speak. His throat had closed around words that wouldn’t form. The burning sensation that had plagued him transformed into something entirely different—a tether, stretching away from him toward some unknown destination.

“Your Luna has awakened,” Mitesh confirmed, his voice reverent yet firm. “The Moon Goddess has blessed you at last.”

The pack had gone completely silent, every member seeming to feel the shift in their collective power and waiting for theiralpha to acknowledge what they all sensed—the awakening of his Luna.

Sol remained immobile, centuries of waiting crashing down on him in a single, perfect moment. After endless years of patience and solitude, somewhere in the world, his Luna had finally come of age.

She was ready. She was his. The wolf inside him howled in triumph.

Sol stood on the edge of the volleyball court, sand still clinging to his bare feet as the warm summer air caressed his skin. The sensation coursing through his veins was unlike anything he’d experienced in his centuries of existence—a liquid fire that burned without consuming, a perfect fusion of pleasure and pain that centered him in this moment beneath the full moon.

“Yes,” he finally said, his deep voice resonating with certainty as he met Mitesh’s knowing gaze. “The Moon Goddess has indeed blessed me tonight.”

The words felt sacred leaving his lips, a truth he’d waited lifetimes to speak. His wolf prowled beneath his skin, no longer restless but purposeful, ready to claim what was rightfully theirs.

Joshua patted him on the shoulder, his eyes bright. “After all this time, brother.”

Sol’s mouth curved into a smile that transformed his usually stern features. The pack members gathered closer, drawn by the palpable shift in their alpha’s energy.

“For centuries,” Sol addressed them, his voice carrying across the castle grounds, “I’ve ruled the Sunflare Pack alone. I’ve watched each of you find your mates and build your families.” His gaze drifted briefly to Joshua, thinking of his sister Claire and their three pups—the family bond he’d only experienced as an uncle, never as a mate or father.

The burning sensation centered in his chest pulled like a compass pointing north. Somewhere—not too far, he sensed—she was waiting. Whether she knew it yet or not.

“Tomorrow at dawn,” Sol announced, drawing himself to his full height, “I leave to find her. To find the woman the Moon Goddess has chosen to be my Luna, to be the mother of the next generation of Sunflare royalty.”

A cheer erupted from the gathered pack, glasses raised in celebration. But Sol’s mind was already racing ahead. After centuries of patience, his time had finally come. The flickering mate bond inside him would eventually lead him to her—his perfect match, the one woman in all the world whose spirit called to his wolf.

“For the Sunflare Pack,” he called out, raising his glass. “And for our Luna, whoever she may be!”

“For our Luna!” the pack echoed, their voices rising into the night sky.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

THREE

HELENA

Helena slid her key into the front door lock of Ember & Spice at precisely 5:30 AM the next morning. As she pushed the door open, the restaurant sat in morning darkness, still holding the subtle scents of last night’s closing service—garlic, white wine, and a lingering hint of smoke that made her stomach tighten.

She flipped on the lights and made her way to the small office tucked behind the kitchen. The kitchen had been her sanctuary for years, the place where chaos bent to her will. Unlike the strange incident with the birthday candles that still prickled at the edge of her thoughts.

She settled into her chair and opened her laptop, the blue glow illuminating her tired face. Sleep had been fitful, her dreams filled with dancing flames that called to her rather than frightened her. She shook her head and focused on her morning routine—checking inventory, reviewing reservations, and scrolling through emails.

Her finger froze mid-scroll.

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