Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 244: You Make Sense

Chapter 244: You Make Sense

Mai’s P.O.V.

The pack dining hall was buzzing with warmth and energy, the scent of roasted meats, fresh bread, and spiced stew weaving through the air. The long wooden tables stretched across the grand hall, filled with my packmates, their chatter and laughter bouncing off the high stone walls. The massive chandelier overhead flickered with candlelight, shinning over the room.

I sat between Liam and Ollie, the warmth of their presence making me feel extremely happy. On the far end of the table, Eldur slouched in his chair, arms crossed, a deep scowl marring his features. Typical. He hated pack gatherings, but he had no choice tonight.

My mother sat beside my father, her soft brown eyes gleamed as she exchanged a knowing glance with him. Then, my father rose to his feet, his presence instantly silencing the room. The weight of his authority settled over us like a soft but undeniable force.

"We have an announcement," he began, his voice carrying through the hall.

The room stilled, everyone sitting up straighter, ears perked with curiosity.

"We will be holding a grand banquet tomorrow," he declared, his green eyes sweeping over the pack.

Murmurs erupted. A banquet? For what occasion?

"That’s not all," my mother added, her tone carrying its usual quiet strength. "After the banquet, we will have an all-night bonfire celebration."

Gasps of excitement rippled through the room. People turned to one another, whispering. Even Ollie perked up beside me, his eyes shining with enthusiasm as if he wasn’t aware of the banquet before it was officially announced.

"What’s the occasion, Alpha?" one of the warriors, Dax, called out, his voice tinged with curiosity.

My father smirked, taking a slow sip of his wine before answering. "The Moon Goddess has blessed our pack." He let the words settle, his expression unreadable. "She has given us prosperity, peace, and love. We will celebrate Her generosity."

He wasn’t lying. Not exactly. We were celebrating the Moon Goddess’s love. But only a few of us in this room truly understood why.

Still, his answer satisfied them. Cheers rang out, voices overlapping as people speculated about what kind of feast and entertainment would be planned.

Eldur leaned toward me, his silver eyes narrowed. "You’re lucky I don’t expose your father’s little half-truth."

I shot him an amused look. "You wouldn’t dare."

He smirked but said nothing.

Liam, beside me, exhaled a small laugh. "He probably would dare."

I elbowed him.

Liam grinned, but something flickered behind his blue eyes, something only I could read. He was anxious—about us, about everything that had happened today. And I realized suddenly that since we had discovered we were mates three hours, twenty-two minutes ago, we hadn’t had a moment alone.

I turned to him and whispered, "Meet me after dinner."

His eyes snapped to mine, and a slow, understanding smile curved his lips.

"Where?"

"Our spot."

He gave a smile and a small nod, and my heart pounded in anticipation.

Dinner dragged on, with Ollie excitedly listing all the foods he wanted to eat at tomorrow’s feast, Eldur sighing dramatically every time someone spoke to him, and Auntie Juliette and Papa Adrian engaging in their usual flirtatious banter. But my mind was elsewhere.

When the meal finally ended, I slipped away from the hall, my pulse racing. Liam followed moments later, his steps light and quick as we darted past the guards and into the woods.

The moment we were surrounded by trees, he grabbed my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. "I thought dinner would never end," he murmured.

I smirked. "I was starting to think you’d fall asleep in your stew."

He chuckled, squeezing my hand. "You wouldn’t have let me."

"No," I admitted. "I would have kicked you under the table."

The moonlight bathed the forest in silver as we made our way to our place that was once only Liam’s—the lake deep in the woods. The lake had somehow turned into our secret escape, our sanctuary away from the pack. And tonight, it felt more special than ever.

The moment we reached the clearing, Liam let out a breath. The lake was smooth as glass, reflecting the full moon above. Fireflies danced over the water’s surface, their golden light flickering in the dark.

"It’s beautiful," I whispered.

But when I turned to Liam, he wasn’t looking at the lake. He was looking at me.

"You’re beautiful," he said softly.

A warmth spread through my chest.

I took a slow step back, breathing in the crisp night air. "I want you to be the first person to see me try it."

Liam tilted his head. "What?"

I swallowed, my heart pounding. "Shifting."

His eyes widened. "Mai, are you sure?"

I nodded. "I need you to. I need to know I can do it."

Liam hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. I’m right here."

I closed my eyes, reaching for the new energy that had been unlocked inside me—the energy of my wolf. She had always been there, but she had been dormant, locked away. But now... now she answered.

Heat rushed through my veins, my bones stretched, my skin burned—but it was not pain. It was freedom.

A fierce wind swirled around me as my body shifted, my limbs changing, my senses sharpening. My vision blurred, then refocused. And when I opened my eyes again, I was no longer standing on two legs.

I was on four.

The world around me felt different, brighter, clearer. Every scent was sharper, every sound amplified.

I looked down at my reflection in the lake.

A pure white wolf stared back at me, her green eyes gleaming under the moonlight.

I let out a small breath—and then, unable to contain it, I howled.

A joyous, wild sound that echoed through the trees.

I heard Liam’s sharp inhale behind me.

When I turned, I saw him staring, his blue eyes wide with awe. "Mai..." His voice was barely above a whisper.

I tilted my head.

Then he smiled, his expression warm, filled with something I had never seen before—something pure.

"You’re incredible," he breathed.

I felt incredible.

I moved toward him, my paws light on the forest floor, feeling whole in a way I never had before. For the first time in my life, I felt like I deserved to be called a werewolf.

Then, Liam stepped back, his own smile turning playful. "I guess it’s my turn."

Before I could react, he shifted.

His change was smoother, more familiar, and in a heartbeat, a large gray wolf stood before me, his blue eyes shining in the dark.

North. His wolf

He was smaller than me—my wolf was an Alpha, his an Omega—but he moved with a quiet grace that made my heart ache.

I took a step forward. He did the same.

And then—

I ran.

He followed.

We ran.

Side by side, our paws barely touching the earth before we pushed off again, flying through the forest like streaks of wind. The crisp night air wrapped around us, filling my lungs, invigorating my limbs. The world felt different—sharper, more alive. Every rustling leaf, every distant hoot of an owl, every heartbeat pulsing in the forest was a song I could hear, feel, taste.

And Liam... he was beside me. Always beside me.

I turned my head for a moment, catching sight of his sleek gray coat, his blue eyes bright even in the dark. He looked at me and let out a soft huff, his version of a laugh. I snapped my jaws playfully in response before surging ahead, daring him to chase me.

He did.

The wind howled in my ears as we ran faster. The ground beneath my paws felt like it was alive, guiding me, welcoming me. This was what I was meant to be—wild, untamed, free. I had never felt so powerful, so weightless, so whole.

And through it all, the thought pulsed in my chest like a second heartbeat: The Moon Goddess gave me Liam.

She gave me the one person who made the whispers fade, the one who had always been there, even when he shouldn’t have been. I had burned him, left scars that would never fade, and yet, here he was. Loving me anyway.

The thought made my steps falter, and Liam must have sensed it because he slowed too.

We skidded to a stop near a massive oak tree, its gnarled roots twisting out of the earth like ancient fingers. My chest heaved, my fur damp with sweat. I turned to Liam, and he nudged me gently with his snout.

Ready? his eyes seemed to ask.

I nodded.

And just like that, we shifted.

Bones cracked and realigned. The air shimmered with raw energy as our forms changed. A burning heat spread through my limbs, and then—

I was human again.

Naked, breathless, alive.

Liam was in front of me, chest rising and falling, his blond hair a tousled mess, his lips slightly parted as if he were still caught in the magic of the moment. His bright blue eyes swept over me, not with lust, but with awe.

"You’re..." he began, voice hoarse. He shook his head, a slow smile creeping onto his face. "You’re incredible."

A blush crept up my neck, but I smirked. "I know."

He let out a breathless laugh, then collapsed onto the grass, leaning against the thick tree trunk. I joined him, curling into his side, my head resting against his shoulder. He was warm—solid, real.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. We just listened—to the rustling leaves, the distant chirping of crickets, the slow, steady rhythm of each other’s breathing.

Then Liam shifted, turning to me, his expression suddenly serious. "Mai..." He hesitated. "Are you happy?"

I blinked at him, caught off guard. "Happy?"

He nodded. "With this. With me."

Something in his voice made my chest ache. I reached out, tracing my fingers over the faint scars on his forehead, I had never been able to erase them. I had never been able to take back what I’d done.

But now...

Now I could show him.

I cupped his face, my thumb brushing over his cheekbone. "Liam, you are the only thing in this world that has ever made me feel calm." My voice was soft but certain. "You, made the whispers which had haunted me for years go silent. Everything makes sense when I’m with you. You make sense."

His lips parted, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. "Mai..."

I leaned closer, brushing my lips against his in the faintest touch. "I love you."

A sharp inhale. His hands found my waist, pulling me flush against him. "Say it again."

I smiled, pressing my forehead against his. "I love you."

His grip tightened. Then, suddenly, his lips were on mine, and all the air was stolen from my lungs.

The kiss was slow, deep, like he was trying to memorize every single second of it. His hands slid up my back, his fingertips tracing lazy patterns on my skin. I shivered under his touch, pressing myself closer, needing more.

His lips trailed down my jaw, his breath warm against my neck. "You’re mine," he murmured. "And I’m yours."

A soft moan escaped my lips as his hands tangled in my hair. My own hands wandered, tracing the hard planes of his chest, feeling his heartbeat—fast, erratic, mine.

We melted into each other, limbs tangled, breaths mingling. His mouth found my collarbone, and I gasped, arching into him. Every touch sent sparks racing down my spine.

I had never felt like this before—so consumed, so completely his.

And then—

"Mai?"

I froze.

Liam pulled back slightly, confusion flickering across his face. "What’s wrong?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My breath hitched, my body locking up. Because I had just heard something. Something that had never happened before.

"Mai, can you hear me?"

Ollie’s voice was in my head.

Panic surged through me. I scrambled to my feet, pressing a hand to my temple, my heartbeat thundering in my ears.

Liam stood as well, his brows furrowed. "Mai?"

I shook my head wildly. "I—I heard Ollie."

Liam blinked. "What do you mean you heard him?"

"Mai, please answer me if you can hear this."

I gasped, gripping Liam’s arm. "I think—I think I just mind-linked him."

Liam’s eyes widened. "That’s—" He hesitated. "Mai, you’ve never been able to mind-link."

I swallowed hard. "I know!"

It was the truth. My connection to the pack had always been severed, blocked by something unseen. My parents had tried everything to fix it, but nothing had worked. I bet everyone just assumed it had something to do with Laevira or my wolf being locked up.

A sudden excitement bubbled my blood.

Liam reached for me, his touch grounding. "What’s he saying?"

I focused, shutting my eyes, reaching for the voice in my head.

"Ollie," I whispered. "I can hear you."

Ollie completely went silent and then he scream, "Holy shit!"