Luna woke up as the first light filtered through her window, casting a soft glow over the familiar yet distant surroundings of her childhood room. She took a deep breath, letting the crisp Silver Hollow air fill her lungs, and tried to shake off the weight of her memories. Today marked the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
After a quick shower, Luna dressed in simple, practical clothes: a green tunic, dark leggings, and sturdy boots. She knew she'd need to gather supplies, both herbs and ingredients, to reopen her mother's clinic and to stock her kitchen. Pulling on her cloak, she stepped outside, breathing in the earthy scent of pine and damp soil.
The morning mist was still clinging to the ground as she made her way to the edge of the forest where her mother had once taught her to gather healing herbs. As Luna knelt, gently plucking sprigs of thyme and chamomile, she couldn't help but think about her mother and the wisdom she'd passed down to her. She tucked the herbs into her mother's old basket, her heart feeling heavier than it had in years.
After she'd gathered enough, Luna decided to head to the village market. Walking down the familiar cobbled streets, she noticed a few villagers casting her curious, guarded glances. She could feel the weight of their judgment, the memories of her hasty departure all those years ago hanging in the air.
She kept her head high and her eyes forward as she moved through the market, picking out bread, vegetables, meat, and a few other ingredients. She was wrapping up her purchases when a conversation between two older women nearby caught her attention.
"Poor Zane," one of them was saying in a hushed voice, as if gossip were her lifeblood. "To lose Liana like that and be left alone with the twins… Tragedy strikes him over and over. I saw him with the kids yesterday; they were giving him a hard time."
The other woman shook her head, her voice tinged with pity. "He's doing his best, but it's not easy raising two young ones on his own. His parents are helping him, but it's still a lot."
The first woman sighed, glancing over her shoulder as if Zane might appear at any moment. "And he refuses to marry again. Stubborn, that one. Doesn't want anyone stepping into Liana's place."
Luna's heart skipped a beat. Zane…married? She had tried not to imagine his life while she'd been away, but the reality still hit her like a blow.
The other woman lowered her voice even further, her tone thick with gossip. "You know, Zane's first fiancée ran off just days before the wedding, didn't she? And his parents, in their desperation, arranged for him to marry a female omega from the neighboring pack. Such a tragic turn of events…"
Luna flinched as she realized they were talking about her. She was the first fiancée, the one who had left after leaving a letter. She stood still, her heart pounding, as she listened to the rest of their conversation about Zane's wife.
The first woman nodded, her expression darkening with the weight of the story. "Yes, and look where it led. She was young, barely more than a girl herself, but Zane had no choice. They had the twins, those poor little ones, but she died giving birth to them. I heard it was a hard labor; she bled a lot. She was just 20, too young, really."
The other woman shook her head, a sympathetic frown crossing her face. "Five years old already... Time flies, but those children, they remind everyone of what he lost. Such a heartache for him to carry."
Luna learned a lot about Zane's wife from the women. Liana, an omega from a neighboring pack, had been his wife, and she had died in childbirth, leaving him to raise two young children alone. Luna felt a pang of regret, mixed with a sadness she couldn't quite place. She had left behind a boy, and now, in her absence, he had become a man.
After buying everything she needed at the market, Luna returned home, the cool morning air filling her lungs. She prepared a simple breakfast, her mind wandering as she stirred the pot, reflecting on what she had heard. She didn't know what to feel. Luna had never confessed her crush on Zane, afraid she would ruin their friendship. She sighed, thinking about him and his late wife. Did Zane like her wife? She thought to herself. Yes, if not, why would he have had kids with her?
In the city, Luna had learned that people could sleep with others without developing feelings for them, but they would never have children unless they were committed. If by chance they did get pregnant, they would have it removed.
Once she'd eaten, she packed her documents and headed toward the council chambers to request permission to reopen the clinic. The building stood at the center of the village, its stone walls a symbol of authority. Luna steadied her nerves, breathing deeply before stepping inside.
The main hall was spacious, with long benches and a raised platform where the chief sat at a table to work. Luna's heart skipped a beat as she recognized the man in the chief's chair. Zane.
Luna realized that Zane was now the chief, having stepped into his father's role.
He sat tall and poised, his dark grey eyes lifting from his paperwork to meet her gaze, exuding quiet authority. His black hair, longer than she remembered, was neatly swept back, and his features were more defined, his expression guarded. A new hardness had settled in his demeanor, a weight in his gaze that spoke of the burdens he now carried. The carefree boy she had known, the one who had laughed and run through the woods with her, was gone. In his place sat a man who not only held the title of chief but shouldered the heavy responsibility of leading their people.
"Luna Brightwood," he said, his voice low and formal. "You've returned."
She nodded, swallowing the knot in her throat. "Yes, I have." Her voice was steady, though her heart raced with the weight of the moment. "I'm here to request permission to reopen my mother's clinic. I've studied and trained as a healer in the city, and I believe I can offer my services to the pack. Here are my documents."
She stepped forward, placing the papers on the table before him. Her hands trembled slightly, but she held herself with a quiet strength, her resolve firm despite the emotions swirling within her.
Zane's gaze shifted from the documents to Luna, his dark grey eyes studying her with a mixture of curiosity and something deeper, an unreadable emotion that made her heart skip a beat. He didn't reach for the papers right away, instead leaning back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly on the table. The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.
Luna stepped back, holding her breath as she waited for his response.
Zane finally spoke, his voice low and steady, yet sharp. "You left Silver Hollow once. What's to stop you from leaving again?"
Luna froze, caught off guard by the question. She hadn't expected him to bring up the past when she was offering her future. The sting of his accusation hit her, but she forced herself to stay calm.
"I was sixteen, Zane. A girl, not a healer. My parents had just been killed, and I wasn't ready to be anyone's wife or carry the weight of the village's expectations. But now... I'm here because I'm ready. This is my home."
The silence stretched between them. Luna saw the muscles in his jaw tighten, a flicker of emotion passing through his eyes.
Finally, he nodded, his voice flat. "Fine. You have permission to reopen the clinic." He didn't even look at the documents before handing them back to her.
Luna felt a rush of relief, though it was tempered by the coldness in his gaze. "Thank you, Chief Frostclaw."
He flinched slightly at her formal address, and something flickered in his eyes, anger or maybe regret. She couldn't tell. Without another word, he gestured for her to leave, a silent signal that their conversation was over.
As she exited the council chambers, Luna's thoughts swirled. Zane's distant, almost hostile demeanor hurt more than she'd expected, but she couldn't blame him. She had walked away from everything, including him. Now, she would have to prove, through her actions, that she was here to stay and do her work as the healer.
The next few days were busy with preparations. Luna focused on organizing supplies and getting herbs and medicine ready in the clinic. She sorted dried plants, arranged them neatly on shelves, and labeled bottles of tinctures and creams to ensure everything was ready for the villagers. The clinic smelled strongly of lavender and rosemary, calming her nerves as she worked.
As Luna organized, the occasional sound of footsteps outside reminded her of the villagers watching her. Some passed by with casual curiosity, offering tentative nods, while others murmured quietly, no doubt gossiping about her return. She couldn't blame them; after all, she was back, reopening her mother's clinic.
She chose to ignore the gossip, focusing entirely on the clinic. There was no time for distractions with so much to do. Every corner of the space needed attention, and Luna wasn't about to waste a single moment. She became so absorbed in her work that she often forgot to eat, only stopping when her stomach growled in protest.
Finally, with everything in place, Luna stood back and admired her work. She was ready to open the doors to Silver Hollow Haven, the name her mother had once used for the clinic.
That evening, as Luna was writing in her diary at the table, she noticed a shadow cast across the clinic's doorway. She turned and saw Zane standing there, his silhouette outlined by the warm glow of the lanterns. His arms were crossed, and his gaze was fixed on her with that same unreadable expression he'd worn in the council chamber.
He wore a plain, faded grey shirt, the fabric soft from frequent use, and sturdy brown trousers that were slightly worn at the knees. His boots were rough-hewn and covered in dust, the marks of a long day's work. Over his clothes, he draped a simple chief's robe, deep green and trimmed with symbols of the village, its edges frayed but still proud. The robe added a sense of authority, a reminder of his position as chief, even as his attire underneath spoke of a man grounded in hard work and practicality.
Luna stood up to greet him, trying to keep her voice steady despite the sudden flutter in her chest. "Zane."
He stepped inside, his eyes scanning the clinic, the freshly polished counters, the neatly arranged herbs and tinctures, the instruments she'd painstakingly cleaned and laid out. "I wanted to see how things were going," he said, his tone neutral, giving little away. "Looks like you're ready to open."
"Yes, I am," she replied, her voice calm but hopeful. "From tomorrow, the clinic will be open to everyone." She hesitated, searching his face for a hint of the friend she'd once known. "Thank you, Zane. For allowing me this chance."
He looked away, his jaw clenched, as though her gratitude made him uncomfortable. "Don't thank me yet. Not everyone's happy to see you back." His tone was edged, almost as if testing her resolve. "Some people think you'll leave when things get hard, that you're only here because you don't have anywhere else to go."
A pang of guilt washed over her, but she forced herself to meet his gaze. "I understand that people doubt me," she said, her voice firm. "But I won't leave again, Zane. This is my home, and I'm here to stay, no matter what."
His eyes softened, just a fraction, and for a moment she thought she saw a flicker of something that went beyond his hard exterior. He studied her in silence, his gaze intense, as if he were trying to see through her words to the truth beneath.
"I hope you mean that," he said quietly, almost to himself.
Their eyes locked, a current of unspoken history passing between them. For a brief second, Luna saw the boy she had once adored, hidden beneath the man who now stood before her.
Then, as if catching himself, he broke eye contact and nodded curtly. "Good night, Luna."
Without waiting for her reply, he turned and walked out, his footsteps fading into the night. Luna stood in the empty clinic, her heart racing in the silence he'd left behind. She exhaled, pressing a hand to her chest as if to steady herself. She had returned to Silver Hollow prepared for skepticism, but nothing had prepared her for Zane's guarded gaze or the impact of his presence, which seemed to fill the room even after he'd gone.
Luna wondered what he thought of her. Had he truly believed she would leave again when things got hard, or was there more to his coldness than just doubt? She felt the sting of his uncertainty, but it was the ache of unanswered questions that unsettled her most.