Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 391

Nolan’s POV

The next night, Marco, Della, Talia, and I walked to the clearing together. Moss and leaves muffled our footsteps, making us nearly silent.

Della suddenly said, “I don’t know why Arya insisted on this. Am I the only one bothered by this?” She glanced between us, her brow furrowed, clearly seeking agreement.

“No, Della, you’re not the only one,” Talia responded.

“She’s going to be naked with your mate. It’s mortifying. How can you be so calm?” Della asked. “I wish I had never come up with that stupid game.”

“That’s because Nolan and I talked everything through,” Talia said. “I packed spare clothes for her, and I won’t be too far away if something happens.”

Della scoffed. “That doesn’t mean he has to be the one to help her with her first shift.” She pointed at me as she spoke.

“Arya’s still young, Della. Having Nolan there will make it easier for her, even more than if Walden helped,” Talia said.

I knew I could use my Alpha aura to help Arya feel better, but I didn’t want to. If it had been Maggie, I would have helped her without a second thought because she was like a sister. But Arya was a stranger, and I felt awkward, almost as if I was being pushed into it. The whole situation was uncomfortable.

‘It’s too late to regret it now. Be glad our mate is so understanding,’ my wolf huffed.

‘I kind of wish she wasn’t so understanding,’ I replied.

‘She puts the pack before herself,’ my wolf said. ‘But that doesn’t mean this isn’t hard for her. We’ll need to make it up to her later.’

We left the woods and saw a big bonfire lighting up the group of warriors. Walden stood with Arya, his arm around her shoulders. The warriors cheered for her, showing how much they cared. Arya had bonded with them quickly, and they definitely spoiled her.

Arya saw us and her face lit up. She hurried over, unable to hide her excitement. “I am so glad you came, Alpha, Luna. I am excited to see my wolf.”

I nodded, but Arya looked past me to Talia, looking for approval. Talia smiled and nodded, encouraging her. Arya’s face relaxed with relief.

“Will you run with me afterward?” she asked.

She gripped my hand, desperate as pain shook her small body. I let my Alpha aura flow out, trying to soothe her. “You’re strong, Arya. You can do this,” I told her.Slowly, her body shimmered, bones twisting and fur growing.

With one last, painful cry, Arya’s wolf appeared. She was sleek, brown, and stronger than I expected. She lifted her head and howled at the moon, wild and triumphant. The pack answered her, their howls filling the night to celebrate Arya’s first shift. Arya nuzzled by my side and said through the pack link, ‘Thank you, Alpha.’

I stepped behind a tree and shifted. We ran into the night together. The forest blurred by, wind rushing in our ears. I felt Arya’s laughter through the pack link, a pure joy at being alive and belonging. We ran for what seemed like hours, finally stopping by a stream. We were out of breath and happy. Arya shifted back first, and I turned away. I heard her bouncing with excitement before she said, “We should go swimming next.”

‘Get dressed,’ I told her through the pack link before I took the clothes prepared for me and stepped behind a bush to shift back. When I came back, Arya was wearing a loose t-shirt and leggings. Her hair was damp with sweat. She smiled at me and repeated, “We should go swimming next.”

‘No,’ my wolf growled, and I agreed. We needed to set clear boundaries. Doing anything more would be crossing a line. If these moments turned into something else, the pack would see it as disrespectful, and it could hurt my bond with Talia.

“No. We should go back,” I said firmly. “You need to rest.”

“Okay,” Ayra agreed, but then added, “Can we stay out here a little longer?”