Luciana hadn't been alone for more than five minutes when the door opened with a soft creak.
A man with a sober appearance, clad in a dark robe trimmed with silver, his hair tied back in a long braid, entered with a steady stride. Around his neck hung a pendant bearing the symbol of the moon and intertwined fangs—the sacred emblem of the lycan healer caste.
"Your Highness," he greeted with a respectful bow. "I am Harkan, royal physician of the North. His Majesty King Kilian sent me to assist you."
Luciana tried to smile, though her body still buzzed with a strange energy. She nodded and motioned toward the chair.
"Please, doctor. I'm… fine. Just a bit confused. My body feels like it's on fire and I don't know whether I want to hide or throw myself against a wall."
Harkan offered a faint smile.
"That is perfectly normal, Your Highness. You are awakening. Your inheritance has begun to manifest, and that brings with it certain physical and emotional effects… rather overwhelming, at first."
"Does this happen to everyone?" she asked, nervously.
"To all moons, yes. The destined mates of alphas," he explained as he opened a small leather case and pulled out a pair of glass vials filled with dried herbs. "But your case is unique. Your awakening occurred in the middle of a diplomatic event, and your scent… was released uncontrollably."
Luciana flushed.
"My scent?"
"Yes," he said, with professional kindness. "A moon's body emits a unique scent that we lycans perceive as a call. Like a flower in heat announcing its ripening. You cannot control it… not yet."
He pulled out a small pouch of dried herbs and offered it to her.
"Drink this as an infusion twice a day. It will dampen your scent, at least partially. It will prevent the lesser wolves from losing control. The king is already doing quite enough, restraining them one by one."
Luciana stared at him, wide-eyed.
"Kilian is restraining them?"
"He is. Your scent calls to them, your body repels them, but your wolf… your wolf screams. For most of us, your presence is like a blade in the flesh. Only the Alpha King's authority can command us… but constantly subduing so many, even for him, is painful."
She pressed her lips together.
"I didn't know I was causing so much harm…"
"Neither you nor your alpha are at fault. The bond has not yet been sealed, and that causes instability."
Luciana lowered her gaze, as if the weight of such a wild power was too much to bear.
"And what does it mean exactly… to 'seal the bond'? The mark?"
Harkan looked at her with respect, then answered plainly:
"When the king marks you, he establishes an ancestral link. It is both spiritual and carnal. In doing so, his wolf will recognize you as his before the entire pack. You will become the Queen of the North, the Alpha Moon. Your scent will change. Your body as well. You'll gain strength. Instinct. Even longevity."
Luciana swallowed hard.
"Does it… hurt?"
"The first time, yes. The mark is placed on the neck, near the collarbone. But it's not just a bite. It is an intimate, savage act… and sacred."
Luciana felt her skin prickle. The heat returned. Slower. Deeper.
"And what happens if I refuse?"
"Nothing," he said firmly. "The bond cannot be completed without your consent. The king knows that. He would never mark you unless you truly wished it. But I warn you, Your Highness… the two of you have already been touched by the bond. The desire will grow. Instinct will sharpen. And if you do not manage it carefully… it can become a torment."
Just then, the door opened again.
Luciana looked up. Her breath caught.
Kilian.
He stood in the doorway, gazing at her as if not a single minute had passed since he last held her in his arms. Tall, dark, wild even with his expression restrained. His very presence seemed to stir the air.
"Forgive me for interrupting," he said in a deep voice. "But I could no longer wait outside."
Harkan immediately stood and nodded respectfully.
"I'm finished, my king. I've left instructions for the infusions. She'll need guidance… and patience."
"She will have both," said Kilian, never taking his eyes off Luciana.
The physician bowed and exited the room.
The door closed.
Silence.
Luciana didn't dare move.
Kilian remained at the far end of the room… for a minute, at least.
But the air shifted. Again.
He began to approach.
Luciana felt it. Each step was like an electric shock. As if the world shrank with every movement he made toward her. Her heart started pounding. The heat rose from her abdomen to her chest. The scent slipped from her skin like sacred incense smoke.
And he smelled it.
The wolf responded.
Kilian inhaled deeply. A low growl rumbled in his throat. His feet moved on their own, pulled by something beyond reason.
Luciana took a step back.
"Stop…" she said softly, her breath uneven.
Kilian halted. His eyes glowed with a fevered gold.
"Abigail…" he whispered.
She shook her head, chest rising and falling as if she'd just been running.
"I'm a virgin…" she said, voice trembling. "I want you too, I know. I feel it. It's like my body already knows yours. But this… can't get out of hand."
Kilian stared at her. His jaw trembled slightly. He stepped back. The effort cost him more than any battle.
"You're right," he said, hoarse, as if speaking against his own blood. "It won't happen… until you choose it."
Luciana lowered her eyes. Grateful. And trembling.
"Thank you."
Kilian remained there, still, fists clenched at his sides. Watching her like she was the only thing that existed in his universe.
"You are my moon," he said softly. "But you're also a woman. And I will not take you until you want me to… even if it kills me every second I wait."
Luciana closed her eyes. Her heart thundered in her chest. And for the first time… she wasn't afraid.
Only full of contained desire.
And a bond that was just beginning.