KAIRAN:
The office was quiet, only the ticking of the clock heard. I leaned back in my chair, staring out at my pack beyond the glass. From up here, the world looked small, manageable, like I had control over everything.
But I didn't. Not really.
No amount of power or success could silence the memories that haunted me, and no matter how far I tried to run from them, she always found her way back into my mind.
Serin. My Luna.
It's been twelve years since I left her behind in the magic kingdom, and yet, I can still see her as clearly as if it were yesterday. Her pale skin glowing in the sunlight, her white hair catching in the breeze, and those brown eyes,warm and full of life, but sharp enough to cut through anyone who underestimated her.
She was fifteen when I left. For everyone she was a gifted omega. But to me, She was… everything. I let out a breath, leaning forward and running a hand through my hair. The memory of that day, two months before my eighteenth birthday, refuses to leave me. I can still see her sitting by the stream, waiting for me. Her feet dangled in the water, and her hair looked like spun silver under the sun.
The way she looked at me when I told her I had to leave, God, I can still feel the weight of it. She smiled, of course. Serin always smiled. But her eyes told me what her lips didn't.
"You're really leaving?" she said. No accusation, no anger. Just sadness.
I didn't want to go. I wanted to tell her that. But what was the point? My father had made the decision for me. It was time to grow up, to prepare for the life he'd mapped out long before I even knew what I wanted. So I just nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.
I can still hear her laugh from that moment, soft and small, like she was trying to make it okay for both of us. She always did.
"Fine. Leave. But you owe me."
I didn't understand at first. "Owe you?" I said as I raised an eyebrow.
She turned to me, her brown eyes shining with something I couldn't name. "Yes. When we meet again,because we will meet again" she said jabbing a finger at my chest "you have to kneel in front of me and call me princess."
Princess.
Even now, the word makes me smile. It was such a Serin thing to say, turning pain into something playful.
I remember tugging at her hair lightly. "Have you looked at yourself" trying to play along. She slapped my hand and I laughed "I won't forget" I promised her smiling.
But the way she smiled back at me then, it wasn't the playful grin I was used to. It was something else. Something sadder. She turned away too quickly, brushing off her dress and standing like she was ready to leave first. Like she needed to protect herself from whatever goodbye would come next.
"Good" she said over her shoulder, letting out a breath. "Because if you do, I'll find you and make you regret it."
Twelve years. It's been twelve years since that moment, and I can still hear her voice. I can still see her face, the way her eyes held so much sadness even though she tried so hard to hide it. I can still feel the ache in my chest every time I think about the way I left her behind.
She was my best friend. My anchor. My light in a world that often felt too heavy.
And I left her.
I drag a hand down my face, trying to shake the memories away, but they won't go. They never do. I've spent years telling myself that she's fine, that she moved on.She found her mate. She probably forgot about me by now.
But the truth is, I haven't forgotten her.
Those nine years we spent together are as clear in my mind now as they were the day I left. The way she used to laugh when I teased her, the way her nose scrunched when she concentrated, the way she'd always find some excuse to stick to me like a shadow.
I grip the edge of my desk, my jaw tightening. The thought of finding her tempts me every day, but I always stop myself. What if she doesn't want to see me? What if I'm not the person she remembers?
But what if she's waiting for me?
"Luna" I whisper to the empty room. Her name feels like a prayer on my lips, a piece of the past I can't let go of.
Twelve years is too long. Maybe it's time to stop running. Maybe it's time to find her.
"Enigma?" A knock shook me out of my thoughts. I straightened in my chair, schooling my expression into the calm, controlled mask everyone expected of me.
"Enter" I called.
The door opened, and the Alpha Commander stepped in, his face set in that no-nonsense expression I had come to expect. He saluted briefly before speaking, his voice clipped. "Alpha Kairan, news from the northern border. A neighboring pack has drawn our attention."
I raised a brow, motioning for him to continue.
"It's led by an omega," he said, as if the very idea was offensive. "The council believes it's only a matter of time before their weakness becomes a liability. They've recommended we intervene, force them to merge with our pack. An omega has no business leading, after all."
The words hit me like ice water, and a low growl rumbled in my chest before I could stop it. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay composed. The audacity of their arrogance boiled my blood.
"An omega is unfit to rule" he repeated, as if he hadn't noticed my reaction.
I wanted to tell him how wrong he was. How idiotic it was to measure strength by rank alone. I wanted to tell him that omegas were far more than they were given credit for,especially one omega. But instead, I leaned back, keeping my voice even. "And why care about this omega, if unfit to rule then what's the threat?"
The Alpha Commander hesitated for a moment, clearly uncomfortable with the next part of his report. "This omega is said to be… special. Rumors suggest she has abilities, magic, perhaps, though we haven't confirmed it. The scouts say her pack reveres her. They call her a blessing from the Moon Goddess herself."
My breath caught, my mind racing.
Special. Magic. Moon Goddess.
It couldn't be.
But my thoughts betrayed me, dragging me back to her. Serin. The little girl who could make flowers bloom with a flick of her hand, who could command the wind to carry her voice, who was more powerful than anyone gave her credit for.
The pieces clicked together, and I could barely keep the excitement from showing on my face.
Could it really be her? Could she be the omega leading this pack?
"I'll lead the expedition myself" I said abruptly, cutting the commander off before he could say anything else.
His eyes widened in surprise. "Alpha, with respect, there's no need—"
"I'll go" I repeated firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument. "If this omega truly is special, we need to handle this carefully. I'll ensure it's done right."
The Alpha Commander nodded, clearly uncertain but unwilling to challenge me further. "Very well. I'll arrange for the team to be ready by morning."
"Good" I said, already dismissing him.
As soon as the door closed behind him, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. My heart was racing, the thought of Serin consuming every part of me.
Could it really be her? Could fate be bringing us back together after all these years?
I bit my lip to hide a smile, the first real smile I'd felt in years. If it was her, if the omega ruling that pack was my Luna, then the council had no idea what they were walking into.
Because Serin wasn't just any omega.
She was a force of nature. A piece of the Moon Goddess herself.
And if she thought for one second that I'd forgotten my promise to her, she was in for a surprise of her own.
"Princess" I murmured to myself, leaning back in my chair. "It's been too long."