The Night Before

Emily's POV. The full moon hung low in the sky, a silent sentinel watching over the Windridge Pack as we made our way back to the Alpha house. My heart was still pounding from the intensity of the ceremony, the memory of our collective howl echoing in my ears. I felt like the magic of the night had seeped into my very bones. We approached the imposing structure of the Alpha house. How much had changed since I'd last walked through these doors? It felt like a lifetime ago that I was just Emily Blackwood, the awkward hybrid trying to survive high school. Talk about a glow-up. "Home sweet home," Luca chirped, breaking me out of my reverie. He slung an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close and nuzzling into my hair. "Mm, you smell like moonlight and magic." I rolled my eyes, but couldn't keep the fond smile off my face. "Pretty sure 'moonlight' isn't a scent, you dork." "It is when it comes to you," Leo rumbled, his hand finding the small of my back as we climbed the stairs. The warmth