Page 62 of Sun's Roar

The dais held two ornate chairs that might as well have been thrones, carved with intricate wolves and flames. Sol guided her up the three steps, then turned to face the assembly, his hand never leaving hers.

“My pack,” his voice resonated through the hall without effort, commanding and powerful. Helena felt a shiver run through her at the authority in his tone. “For centuries, I have served as your alpha, guided by the ancient ways of the Sunflare. Today, I stand before you completed.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

“The Moon Goddess has blessed us with what many packs never receive—a true Luna.” Sol lifted Helena’s hand to his lips, his eyes blazing with pride. “Helena Divata accepted the mate bond willingly and bears my mark. The fire of our ancestors burns within her.”

The whispers grew louder, excitement building like electricity in the air.

“Would you show them?” Sol asked her privately, his voice dipping into that intimate register that made her heart race.

Helena swallowed hard. She had only shifted once, and that had been in the privacy of the forest clearing. The thought of transforming in front of an audience made her palms sweat.

“I’m not sure—“ she began.

“Trust your wolf,” Sol whispered. “She knows what to do.”

Drawing a deep breath, Helena closed her eyes. She reached for that wild, new part of herself—the creature that had been dormant all her life until Sol’s bite awakened it. The transformation came easier this time, her body remembering the way. Heat rippled through her, bones shifting and muscles contracting. The beautiful emerald gown fell away as her form changed, her consciousness expanding into something primal and powerful.

When she opened her eyes, the world had transformed into sharper scents and sounds. She stood on four legs, her coat a brilliant russet red that gleamed in the chandelier light. The pack gasped collectively, then erupted in cheers and howls of approval.

Sol’s hand—now a paw as black as midnight—nudged against hers. He had shifted beside her, his massive wolf form radiating strength and protection. She felt his pride wash over her like a warm wave through their strong mate bond.

You’re magnificent, his thoughts touched hers.

Without planning it, Helena threw her head back and released a howl that rang clear and true through the ballroom. The pack responded, humans and wolves alike, their voices joining in a primal chorus that seemed to shake the very foundations of the castle.

With a playful nip at Sol’s ear, Helena leaped from the dais and darted through the crowd, which parted respectfully for her. She raced through the corridors, the exhilaration of acceptance and belonging flooding through her veins. She was Luna. She was mated. She was home.

Back in their royal chambers, she shifted smoothly into human form, her whole body tingling with the afterglow of transformation and triumph. As she slipped into a robe, she knew with bone-deep certainty that no one like Victor could ever touch her now. The entire pack would defend her to their last breath—not because she was powerful, but because she was theirs. And they were hers.

Later that evening, Helena slipped through the glass doors to their private balcony, the cool night air kissing her heated skin. The celebration had been magical—hundreds of shifters dancing, feasting, and howling their approval of their new Luna. She had never felt so accepted and so wanted, and yet a tiny part of her still felt adrift.

Leaning against the stone balustrade, Helena gazed at the vast forest bathed in moonlight. The estate sprawled before her, beautiful and wild—much like the new life she had inherited. Her fingers traced the mate mark on her shoulder, still sensitive to the touch.

“What happens to Helena the chef now?” she whispered to the stars.

A memory flickered to life suddenly—Lorelei’s shocking phone call a month ago. How could she have forgotten something so momentous? Her best friend from college calling in a daze, babbling about turning into a white wolf and finding her mate, an alpha named Draken from the Moonshadow pack.

Helena had thought Lorelei was joking at first. Then she had worried her friend had joined some bizarre cult.

“I can’t believe I didn’t remember that,” she murmured, the irony hitting her. Helena had been so overwhelmed by her own supernatural awakening that she had completely forgotten her best friend had experienced the same transformation.

Determined, she summoned Deina, who appeared almost immediately.

“Luna, what may I do for you?”

“I need a phone, please. There’s an important call I need to make.”

When Deina returned with the device, Helena wasted no time dialing a number she knew by heart. After three rings, a familiar voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Lorelei! God, I feel terrible. I just realized?—“

“That we’re both supernatural wolf queens now?” Lorelei laughed, the sound warm and familiar. “I’ve been waiting for your call since I heard the news today from Draken. Something about the Sunflare Luna awakening and her name being Helena Divata. You always did have to do everything I did.”

Helena slid down to sit on the cool stone, relief washing over her. “How are you handling all this? The powers, the pack, being mated to an alpha? Do you miss your old life?”

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