(Audrey’s POV)

The young pup looked about three or four moon-cycles old, dressed in stylish territory clothes, and appeared as delicately crafted as a moonstone figurine. He gazed up at me with eyes that could melt any she-wolf’s heart. I waspletely caught off guard by the “Luna Aunt” title he used so casually.

I crouched down, trying to process this unexpected intrusion into an alreadyplicated day. The little boy’s bright eyes shone with innocent recognition, as if we’d met many times before.

“Luna Aunt?” I repeated, gently touching his soft hair.

The little boy’s chest puffed up with pride as he introduced himself. “I’m Leo Stormhowl!” His voice was adorably soft and clear, showing remarkable poise for a pup his age.

I couldn’t help smiling at his perfect manners. Most pups his age were wild little creatures, but this one stood with surprisingposure, almost like a miniature Alpha in training.

“Hello Leo,” I said, staying at his eye level. “But…” I paused, ncing up at Florian who sat watching us with an unreadable expression. “Is he Cassandra’s son?”

Florian nodded, seeming oddly casual about the whole situation. “Yes. She’s leaving for the Western Territories tonight. Business trip.”

“And you’re…” I looked between the pup and Florian, confusion evident on my face.

“She asked me to look after him,” Florian exined with a shrug. “He has pack training to attend, and there wasn’t anyone else avable.”

I couldn’t hide my skepticism. Florian Stormhowl, the man who could barely take care of his own injured leg, was nning to look after an energetic young pup? It seemed like a disaster waiting to happen.

“Are you sure you can manage?” I asked, eyeing his wheeled healing chair pointedly. “With your leg…”

Before Florian could answer, Leo suddenly flung himself at me, wrapping his small arms around my neck with surprising strength. He nted several sloppy pup kisses on my cheek, his affectionpletely uninhibited.

“Luna Aunt!” he eximed, his eyes wide with hope. “Please take care of me! Uncle Florian is boring and grumpy all the time!

The unexpected disy of affection caught me off guard. My wolf instinctively softened toward the little pup despite my confusion. I looked up at Florian questioningly.

“Why is he calling me ‘Luna Aunt’?” I asked, trying to keep my voice level despite the turmoil of emotions this simple title stirred in me.

Florian waved his hand dismissively. “Just pup talk. Don’t take it seriously.”

I gently unwrapped Leo’s arms from my neck and held him at arm’s length, trying to exin. “Leo, you should call me ‘Pack Friend Audrey.’ ‘Luna Aunt’ would be for your uncle’s future mate, and my rtionship with your uncle is just…’

Before I could finish my careful exnation, Leo’s face lit up with excitement.

“I know!” he interrupted, bouncing on his toes. “If wolves like each other very much, they form a mate bond! And Uncle Florian likes you very much! He always looks at your pictures on his cell phone when he thinks nobody’s watching!”

Florian’s eyes widened in rm. He quickly reached forward and covered Leo’s mouth with his hand.

“That’s enough,” he said sternly. “You don’t understand anything about mate bonding.”

Leo squirmed free from Florian’s grasp, his small face scrunched in defiance. “I don’t like you!” he dered, turning back to me and throwing his arms around my waist. “Luna Aunt, can I go to your territory den instead? Please?”

My heart meltedpletely at his pleading expression. The instinctual part of me that had been denied motherhood responded strongly to his innocent request. For a brief moment, I imagined what it would be like to have this adorable pup around, filling a territory den withughter and energy.

“I’m sorry, Leo,” I said, stroking his hair gently. “I’m currently staying at a territory hotel, not a territory den.”

Florian’s brow furrowed. “Why aren’t you staying at the territory den in Moonlight Towers?”

“I…” I hesitated, not wanting to admit that I’d been avoiding the ce because it held too many memories. “I forgot the scent -lock code.”

Florian’s lip curled into a mocking smile. “Just like you forgot your own moon-turning day, which happens to be the code to the territory den I gave you two years ago.”

Heat rose to my cheeks at his urate usation. He remembered the small detail I’d shared with him years ago – that I’d always used my birth date as my security code because I was terrible at remembering numbers.

“It didn’t feel right to stay there,” I admitted finally.

“Anything you gave me in the past was far more valuable than a territory den,” Florian said, his golden eyes fixed on mine with surprising intensity. Then, his expression shifted to a teasing smirk. “Or do you have too many rare hunting grounds and want to give me some to im?”

“Dream on,” I retorted, ring at him before turning my attention back to Leo. I pinched his chubby cheek gently. “I’ll tell you what, little wolf. I’ll move into my territory den this afternoon – it’s actually just one floor below your uncle’s. You cane visit me anytime you want.”

Leo’s face brightened instantly. He nted another wet kiss on my cheek, his eyes sparkling with joy. “You’re such a pretty she -wolf, Luna Aunt!”

I noticed Florian’s expression darken at the pup’s innocentpliment. His jaw tightened visibly.

“Leo,” he said, his voice carrying an unmistakable warning.

The young pup turned to him with wide, innocent eyes. “What, Uncle Florian?”

“We’ve talked about this. You can’t go around giving kisses to every she-wolf you meet,” Florian scolded, though his tonecked real harshness.

Leo looked genuinely puzzled. “But she’s pretty! Haven’t you ever kissed a pretty she-wolf, Uncle Florian?”

The question hung in the air between us like a challenge. Florian’s eyes darted to mine for a split second before he looked away, his ears turning slightly red at the tips. I felt my own cheeks warm as memories of near-kisses and charged moments from our past shed through my mind.

Thankfully, we were saved from responding by the sound of a door opening. grandma emerged from her healing chamber, looking remarkablyposed despite her condition. Though her mind was clearly still foggy from medication, her natural pack dignity remained intact. Her silver-streaked hair was neatly arranged, and she wore a beautifully crafted pack elder robe that emphasized her status despite her illness.

Her eyes brightened upon seeing us, and I was relieved to note that she seemed to recognize both of us clearly today.

“Why have you twoe so early?” she asked, her voice stronger than I’d expected.

Florian immediately straightened in his wheeled healing chair, showing the respect due to a pack elder. He patted Leo’s head and instructed in a low voice, “Greet the pack elder properly.”

Leo stepped forward with perfect poise, offering a small bow that would have made any etiquette trainer proud. “Good morning, Pack Elder! I’m Leo Stormhowl! It’s an honor to meet you!”

grandma’s face softened at the young pup’s formal greeting. She reached out a slightly trembling hand to touch his head fondly. “What a well-mannered young wolf you are.”

“Leo is Cassandra’s pup,” Florian exined, skillfully directing the conversation away from his injury. “He’s staying with me for a few days.”

I watched as Florian’s entire demeanor shifted in the elder’s presence. He seemed determined not to let her worry about his leg condition, focusing instead on herfort.

“How are you feeling today, Elder?” he asked with genuine concern.

Seeing us both together brought a smile to grandma’s face that seemed to erase years of illness. Her eyes shone with a happiness I hadn’t seen since my return. For a moment, I could almost believe that everything was as it should be that I was Serena Shadowcrest, standing beside my intended mate, just as had been nned since our childhood.

Then, grandma suddenly changed the subject, her voice bing surprisingly clear and direct.

“Florian, when are you going to form a mate bond with our Serena?”