I wasn’t sure I could hold myself back if we shared a bed.
“Good. My mother already said you should feel free to make changes as you see fit. She said to consider it a gift for the future luna.”
“A gift?”
“Yes. She wants you to feel at home here. Even when we share the alpha’s quarters, this will always be your private space. If you ever need a quiet place to read or if you just need some space from me for a while,” he muttered as if the thought bothered him. “This room will always be at your disposal.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He put a hand under my chin, tilting it up so I was looking in his eyes. “Get some sleep, Shade,” he said in a low voice. “I’m right across the hall. Don’t hesitate to come get me if you need anything in the night, okay?”
He pressed his lips to mine in a slow, sweet kiss before pulling away.
“Goddess,” he groaned. “I’d better go before I lose control. Good night, Shade”
“Good night, Caelan,” I whispered as I watched him walk away.
I flopped back on the bed as he shut the door, letting out a sigh and thinking I should probably flip the lock.
It’s not that I don’t trust him. It’s that I don’t trust myself not to crawl into bed with him in the middle of the night.
***
“Caelan filed the paperwork to have you officially transferred to Harvest Moon this morning,” Taffy said over breakfast the next day. “Aren’t you excited?! You’re finally going to be one of us!”
“I am, but I’m also a little nervous,” I admitted.
“What’s there to be nervous about?” she said with a shrug. “You’re going to be luna and the pack is going to love you just like I do.”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the idea of having to start over,” I replied. “It’s a whole new pack, a whole new rank, a whole new life. I grew up on the outskirts looking in, and now I’m going to be in charge. It’s a lot to take in.”
“You’re going to do great,” she offered with a smile. “And don’t forget, you’ve always got me.”
“I know. I’m just worried that I won’t make a very good luna. Caelan thinks I’ll do great, but I’m not so sure. And there are things about me that might make the pack uncomfortable.”
“You mean your curse?” she asked.
I sighed. I hadn’t told Taffy about my ability.
“There’s something about me you don’t know,” I explained. “Something besides the curse.”
I told her about my amplification and how it had led to my pack fearing me before I learned how to properly control it.
“That is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard!” she exclaimed. “You’re like some kind of superhero!”
I snorted. “Kind of a lame superpower, don’t you think?”
“No! It’s a true gift from the Goddess. She must favor you,” Taffy marveled.
“I doubt that,” I huffed. “If the Goddess favors me, then she has a funny way of showing it. Her so-called ‘gift’ only made my life more difficult and led to my curse.”
“All great heroes must struggle, Shade.” she shrugged. “You’ve been watching those superhero movies with Caelan. It’s basically a requirement. There is no great reward without great adversity. Oh my Goddess!” she gasped. “Maybe Caelan is your reward! Aww! So cute!”
“I’m no hero, Taffy,” I replied, shaking my head. “I haven’t done any good for anyone.”
“News flash, Shade,” she replied matter-of-factly. “You’ve protected Thunder Moon and saved Sunny from being kidnapped a bunch of times. That’s exactly what a hero does.”
“That was my duty.”
