The Alpha's Untamed Luna

Jasper's POV

The howling of a wolf echoed in the distance, snapping us out of our reverie. We slowly broke the kiss, still holding each other's gaze, our breaths mingling in the silence between us. I could see the question in her eyes, the storm of emotions swirling just beneath the surface. And I knew she could see the same in mine. There was no denying it anymore—we were meant for each other. That much was clear. We could feel it—not just the pull of the mate bond, but something deeper, something ancient and consuming that didn't need our wolves to make it real.

Yet, despite the magnetic connection between us, there were still walls—thick, stubborn walls—built high around our hearts. Walls of pride, pain, and unresolved battles. The future felt like a sealed book, one we were too afraid to open. There was so much uncertainty, so much neither of us could predict or prepare for.

I took a deep breath, feeling my heart pounding louder than ever, louder than any battle or confrontation I'd ever faced. Ever since I'd taken care of her in the hospital, something inside me had shifted. It wasn't just an attraction. No—it was more. It was a feeling that had never existed in me before, not even with Anna. It had erupted from somewhere deep within, awakening a part of me I never knew existed.

What pained me the most was not understanding how it came to be. This feeling that burned in my chest, this uncontrollable need—it wasn't the mate bond. It came before that. It was raw and real. It was a possessive ache, a desire so strong it frightened me. The feeling to always...

"Let's head back home," I mumbled, barely loud enough to be heard, but she caught it. She nodded softly, her eyes still holding pieces of the unspoken truth between us. I reached out to hold her hand, but she gave me a look—a mix of surprise and uncertainty—and I slowly withdrew my hand, slipping it into my pants pocket instead.

"Take this and wipe off the bloodstain on your forehead," I said, pulling out a clean handkerchief and handing it to her. She muttered a quiet thanks and used it to wipe her face gently, cleaning off the traces of our earlier chaos.

"I'll return this when we get home," she added, her voice soft, and I simply nodded as we began walking again. In the near distance, I could already see my car, parked where we had left it.

But as we walked, a heavy truth sank deeper into me.

I can't let whatever I feel for her interfere with my plans. I can't afford to let myself get weak. It's too late now—I've gone too far, made too many moves. The preparations I've made, the strategy I've put in place, everything I've sacrificed—I can't back out now because of a petty feeling. After all, claiming her had a purpose. That's the real reason I marked her in the first place.

After a while, we arrived at the car. I inserted the key and climbed into the driver's seat. She got in on the passenger side, and I drove off. The silence between us was deafening, awkward. Maybe it was because we had just shared such a heated kiss, or maybe it was because we didn't know what to do with what we were both feeling. Whatever it was, it weighed heavily between us.

I wondered, not for the first time, if we'd ever truly get along—like other couples. Then I scolded myself. Jasper, there you go again with your fantasies. I shook my head slightly to dismiss the thought and reached forward to turn on the music.

"My Alpha, your father just arrived," Grace mind-linked to me.

I immediately pressed harder on the accelerator. The last thing I wanted was for my father to wait. I glanced at Charlotte, who was now nodding her head softly to the beat of the music, her eyes watching the world blur past outside her window.

When we arrived at the gate, I pressed the brake and pulled up quickly. I stepped out immediately, and Charlotte followed behind. Without waiting, I rushed inside the house and climbed the staircase two steps at a time, heading straight to my room. My father preferred our conversations to happen in private, away from curious ears.

"Greetings, Grand Alpha of the Crystal Moon Pack," I greeted the moment I stepped in, my tone respectful and deep. "The man who speaks and nations listen. In your shadow, I build my empire. The great elder of the werewolf clan."

Just the way he liked it.

A broad smile spread across his face as he gave me a firm pat on the shoulder. "It's been up to a year since I last set eyes on you. And truth be told, you've really grown into a man. I love that," he said, pride reflecting in his eyes.

"How's my mother doing?" I asked casually, though the answer mattered more to me than I let on. She had left the Pack in a hurry after witnessing what Anna did to Charlotte. She probably feared being blamed or dragged into it.

"She's fine," he replied.

I walked to the refrigerator and pulled out some pickles and a bottle of scotch, then poured us each a glass before sitting beside him on the couch.

"That's good to know," I responded.

Then, he shifted in his seat and gave me that look—the one he always wore when he knew something serious was coming. "I heard you're embarking on a dirty mission."

I let out a loud laugh, the kind that could easily mask the truth. "Tell me about it," he said as he took a sip from his glass.

"I want to take the treasures. They're not doing anything with it," I began. "It's been sitting there for decades. They only brag about it—no interest in using it, investing it, or even selling it."

He turned slightly, eyeing me from the side. "Are they your enemies?" he asked. "You can't just attack a Pack that hasn't done anything to you."

And there it was—the hardest part. The justification.

"They are my enemies. They stole uranium from me and denied it, even after seeing my initials on what they now claim is theirs." I lied smoothly, watching his reaction. He nodded, seemingly convinced.

"Well, that's fair. What's the name of the Pack again?" he asked, adjusting himself comfortably.

"It's…" I trailed off.

Just then, I caught a familiar scent.

Charlotte.

What the hell is this woman doing behind my door?

"Someone is outside," I mind-linked him quickly, standing up at once. I opened the door, and there she was, nearly falling into the room.

"Ohh! So sorry about that... I-I came to return this," she said awkwardly, holding out my handkerchief with both hands like it was something sacred.

"Is that my daughter-in-law?"