Judy’s POV I watched Gavin walk away with Zachary, and even though I told him I was going to be okay and that it was fine for him to leave for a few minutes, a part of me wanted to pull him back. My wolf didn’t like being away from our mate in this strange place, even though I still felt a strange pull to this manor, like there were secrets here waiting for me to uncover them. The problem was, I wanted to uncover them with Gavin, not away from him. I told myself it would only be a little while, and I needed to keep breathing. I couldn’t be afraid of what was to come if I was expecting to be a brave Luna. “Judy?” Selene said, drawing my attention to her. “Are you coming?” I nodded, swallowing the lump I had in my throat. Selene led me into a smaller parlor off the main hall, sunlight spilling through tall windows and catching the dust like glitter. “This is where we will start,” she said. “We are going to focus on posture and stance for right now. Later, we will practice dining and proper conversation starters. We’ll even learn questions and answers because trust me, as a Luna, your packmates will be asking you a ton of questions, and they expect proper answers.” “Should I change clothes?” I asked, staring down at my oversized t-shirt and jeans, the only things that truly fit me comfortably now that I have a baby bump. I brought a dress with some heels, though they were comfortable and made me feel even fatter than I was. “That’s not necessary,” she told me with a small smile. “You’re pregnant and your body is constantly changing. It’s a delicate time, and your packmates will understand why you aren’t dressing up 24/7. There’s much more to being a Luna than what you’re wearing.” My cheeks flushed. “That’s what Gavin said too,” I told her. She smiled. “He’s a very wise Alpha,” she said. “You’re lucky to have him as a mate. Now let’s get started. You’ll find posture and tone are just as powerful as command.” She made it sound easy, like being Luna was learning to stand straight and not trip over your own feet. I mirrored her stance, trying not to think about it. I relaxed my hands, kept my shoulders back, and my chin up. She reached over and adjusted my stance slightly, lowering my chin slightly because, apparently, it was too high. “Good,” Selene said softly, circling me. “Grace isn’t about control, it’s about awareness. You don’t dominate the space, you move with it.” Her voice was smooth, but I couldn’t focus. The air in this manor buzzed, faint and low, like a whisper I couldn’t catch. Every few seconds, it grew stronger, like a soft hum beneath my skin, pulsing in sync with my heartbeat. I shook it off and straightened again. “Like this?” Selene’s eyes lingered on me for a moment too long before she nodded. “You seem distracted,” she commented. “I’m fine,” I said a bit too quickly. “Are you sure?” Her gaze was sharp and assessing. She could tell something was off; I must have been way too transparent. “Yes,” I told her. I think I’m just a bit tired. I don’t think I slept as well as I thought.” She nodded and then clapped her hands; much to my surprise, a couple of maids ran into the room on command. “Can one of you grab Miss Judy a glass of water?” Selene asked without even looking at them; her eyes remained on me. “Right away, Ma'am,” they both said in unison before trotting off. I blinked after them and looked back up at Selene, who only gave me a narrowed-eyed look. She commanded so much attention and power that it almost brought me to my knees. It didn’t take long for one of the maids to return with a glass of water for me. I politely thanked her before taking a sip. Selene watched me curiously, her mouth pressed together, and I felt like I was under her scrutiny. The pulse of the manor seemed to knock me off my feet because suddenly, Selene was by my side, ushering me into a nearby chair. “Sit down,” she told me. “Do I need to get the doctor?” She asked. I shook my head quickly. “No, it’s okay,” I told her, my eyes shifting from her to the doorway. I felt a strange sensation when my eyes locked onto the door, and suddenly, my wolf was itching to leave this room. She didn’t want to leave the manor, just the room. The tug was so strong and took me by so much surprise that I nearly shifted on the spot. I had to bite back a low growl to keep my wolf from taking control. It was something that had never happened before; I had never lost control of my wolf before, and I wasn’t sure what that meant. “Judy?” Selene said my name as if it weren’t the first time she had said it in the past few seconds. I blinked at her, realizing that I was ignoring her completely. “I’m sorry. May I use your restroom?” I asked her before I could convince myself that it was a bad idea to leave this room. She nodded, her frown deepening. “Of course. It’s just out of that door and down the hallway,” she said. “Do you want me to walk with you?” I jumped to my feet, placing the cup on the coffee table. “No, that’s okay. I can find it. I’ll be back.” Without another word, I darted out of the parlor, my heart racing in my chest. The halls stretched endlessly, lined with paintings that looked too alive. Every shadow felt like it was watching me. The floorboards creaked under my feet, making stealth impossible. Halfway down the corridor, my vision fuzzed. The air felt thicker than it was a moment ago… heavier. I braced my hand against the wall and swallowed hard. “Something’s wrong…” I whispered to myself, hoping that Gavin didn’t feel what I was feeling. The hum grew louder. It wasn’t sound… it was vibration, like a heartbeat deep in the walls; my fingers tingled, a faint warmth spreading through them. I pushed forward, rounding the corner, and ran smack into Lila Blackwell. She froze mid-step, just as shocked as I was, almost dropping whatever it was she was holding in her arms in the process. For a second, neither of us said a word. She was paler than I remembered, her blond hair pulled back too tightly, her eyes wide and restless. She clutched something wrapped in a small velveteen blanket to her chest, like she was hiding it… or protecting it. “Lila?” I asked, momentarily boggled. “W…what are you doing here?” She blinked, trying to recover herself. “I live here,” she reminded me. “The question is… what are you doing here?” “I… I’m here to see Selene…” I admitted, not sure what to tell her and what to keep to myself. “Why would you want to see my mother?” She asked, narrowing her eyes at me. “What business do you have with her?” “She’s giving me Luna lessons,” I decided to tell her. “That’s all there is to it.” She frowned at me, staring around my face for a moment too long before she looked past me. “I need to go,” she muttered. “Pretend you didn’t see me.” She started to step around me, but by instinct, I stepped in front of me. I had no idea what I was doing, but my body wouldn’t let her leave… at least not that easily. The pulsing around me had stopped the second I came into contact with her, and I got the feeling that whatever it was my wolf and body were looking for, it had found it. My eyes shifted to the blanket she held in her arms; it was apparent that something was hidden beneath it, and it took all of me not to grab the corner of the blanket and pull it away from her, to see what she was hiding. Noticing my gaze, she pulled the blanket closer, but light leaked through the fabric; it was a soft, silvery glow, faint at first, then it grew stronger. It pulsed like a heartbeat, steady and strong. The light seemed so familiar, and I couldn’t seem to look away from it. “What is that?” I asked, my voice coming out unfamiliar. I think I already knew what it was, but I needed her to say it out loud. “It’s none of your business,” she shot back. “It’s mine.” The glow flared, blindingly bright for a heartbeat. Lila hissed, jerking the blanket tighter. Smoke curled up from the fabric, and the smell of singed velvet filled the air. “Lila, you’re burning—” I tried to reach for the blanket again, but she ran around me before I could get the chance. “Don’t touch it!” She said, her tone panicked. “Just leave me alone. Forget you saw anything.” Before I could stop her, she was already running away, disappearing around the corner. What the hell just happened?”