---

Hailey stood at the edge of the stream, the cool breeze brushing her cheeks as the clear water shimmered under the sunlight. It called to her like a siren’s song, teasing her with its gentle flow, the way it sparkled against the stones. She couldn't resist. The peacefulness of the stream, combined with the laughter of the women splashing and chatting nearby, was too tempting.

Lina, standing a few steps behind her, wore an expression of pure dread. "Hailey, don’t even think about it," she warned, her voice carrying a mix of exasperation and anxiety.

But Hailey had already kicked off her shoes, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Lina, come on. It’s just water. I’ll only dip my toes in. It'll help me relax." She put on her best puppy-dog eyes, batting her lashes at her friend.

Lina groaned, her hands finding her hips in a stance of defiance. "Don’t you dare use those eyes on me, Hailey. You know Varian told you to rest. And if he finds out about this—"

"He won’t find out," Hailey said quickly, cutting Lina off with a playful tone. "We’ll be back before he even notices." She took a step closer to the water, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

Lina glanced around nervously, half-expecting Varian to appear from the trees at any moment. "You are impossible," she muttered, running a hand through her braids. "What if something happens?"

"Nothing is going to happen," Hailey reassured her, giving her a quick wink. She crouched down at the edge of the stream, dipping her fingers into the cool, refreshing water. A delighted gasp escaped her lips. "See? Perfectly harmless."

Lina rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Fine, but if the Alpha shows up, you’re on your own, Luna."

Hailey splashed the water lightly with her hands, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned closer to the stream. "Come on, Lina. You have to admit, this feels nice."

Lina huffed but stayed where she was, arms crossed as she kept her guard up. "Yeah, it looks relaxing, but I’ll relax once we’re safely back at the mansion."

Unbeknownst to them, Varian had returned home much earlier than expected. After finishing his business in the village, something had gnawed at him—a feeling, a worry that had lodged itself in his chest. His Luna wasn’t one to sit still, and that fact alone made him uneasy.

When he’d arrived back at the mansion, his worst fears were realized. Hailey was gone.

Varian's heart pounded, his mind racing as he stormed into the courtyard, his eyes blazing with fury and fear. "Where is she?" His voice cut through the air, startling the guards stationed at the gates. His hands clenched into fists, the veins in his neck taut with tension.

One guard, a nervous young man barely out of training, stepped forward, stammering, "W-We didn’t see her leave, Alpha. We thought she was resting—"

Varian didn’t let him finish. In one swift motion, he slammed the guard against the wall, his eyes glowing with the faint hint of his wolf. "You were supposed to be watching her!" he roared, his voice so sharp it sent shivers through the courtyard. "If anything happens to her—"

The guard whimpered, clearly terrified, and Varian’s grip loosened. He stepped back, running a hand through his hair as he fought to control the rising panic in his chest. He couldn’t let the wolf take over. Not now. Not when Hailey needed him.

With a sharp breath, he barked out orders. "Search the entire pack. Check every corner, every path. Now!"

---

Back at the stream, Hailey was fully immersed in the moment, her feet now in the water, ankles submerged in the cool flow. Lina, however, was pacing, her nerves frayed. "Hailey, we need to go back. We’ve been here too long."

Hailey looked up, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, come on, just five more minutes." She wiggled her toes in the water, giggling like a child. "This is exactly what I needed. You should try it."

Lina groaned loudly, hands on her head. "You’re going to get me killed. Do you know that? If Varian finds us—"

"I told you, he won’t find us," Hailey interrupted again, splashing a bit of water toward Lina.

Just as the words left her lips, a distant howl echoed through the trees, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. Lina’s eyes widened in panic. "Oh no. Oh no no no. That’s the search patrol. Hailey, we need to leave now!"

Hailey blinked, glancing back toward the forest. "Search patrol? For what?"

"For you! Varian is probably tearing the mansion apart looking for you by now!"

Hailey sighed dramatically, standing up and stepping out of the stream, though she didn’t seem particularly concerned. "Alright, alright. Let’s head back. We’ll just act like we went for a little stroll. No big deal."

Lina, on the verge of a meltdown, muttered under her breath, "A stroll? You dipped your feet into the Alpha’s worst nightmare."

---

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Varian was a storm of emotions. His chest heaved as he barked orders left and right, his men scrambling to search the pack territory. Theo, his Beta, was at his side, watching his Alpha with a worried expression.

"You need to calm down," Theo said cautiously, though he knew Varian wasn’t exactly in the mood for calm.

"Calm?" Varian snapped, his eyes flickering with the primal glow of his wolf. "She’s out there somewhere, and I don’t know if she’s safe."

Theo raised his hands in surrender. "I get it, but you scaring the hell out of everyone isn’t going to help us find her any faster."

Varian gritted his teeth, forcing himself to take a steady breath. His mind raced with images of Hailey—hurt, alone, needing him. He couldn’t let that happen. He wouldn’t.

---

As Hailey and Lina made their way back to the mansion, Lina kept glancing around nervously. "I swear, if we make it back without getting caught, I’ll never complain about your crazy ideas again."

Hailey chuckled, shrugging. "See? It wasn’t so bad. You worry too much."

Just as they reached the mansion gates, they spotted the search patrol. Lina froze, her eyes wide with fear. "Oh, we’re so dead."

Before Hailey could respond, the massive front doors of the mansion swung open, and there stood Varian, his eyes locked on her. The moment his gaze landed on Hailey, something changed. His shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, and the intense rage that had gripped him softened, if only by a fraction.

Theo, standing beside Varian, blinked in disbelief. “Well, I’ll be damned,” he muttered under his breath. “The cold-hearted Alpha turns into a puppy when his Luna walks in.”

Varian ignored the comment, his focus solely on Hailey. "Where have you been?" he demanded, his voice sharp, but there was an undeniable relief in his tone.

Hailey offered a sheepish smile, but before she could answer, Varian’s eyes narrowed at Lina. "And you," he said, his voice turning cold again. "You were supposed to make sure she stayed in the house."

Lina held up her hands, her face pale. "I tried, Alpha. I really did. But she—"

"Enough," Varian snapped, turning his gaze back to Hailey. "You disobeyed me. I told you to rest, and instead, you sneak off into the woods."

Hailey, sensing the tension, tilted her head slightly and gave him the most innocent look she could muster. "Varian," she said, her voice sweet, "you’re raising your voice at me."

Varian’s jaw clenched, and he took a step closer to her, his eyes softening for just a moment. "Don’t try that with me, Hailey."

But before she could respond, Varian scooped her up, tossing her over his shoulder effortlessly. Hailey let out a yelp, her arms flailing for balance. "Varian!"

Lina, wide-eyed and still stunned, could only stare as the Alpha strode toward the mansion with his Luna in tow. Theo stood off to the side, a grin creeping across his face. "Well, that’s something I never thought I’d see."

As Varian carried Hailey into the mansion, Theo turned to Lina, shaking his head. "You’re lucky, you know. The Alpha only gets like this for her."

Lina sighed, still processing what had just happened. "Yeah, I figured."

---

The mansion doors closed behind them, and Varian set Hailey down gently on the couch, his stern expression softening as he knelt in front of her. "You scared me, Hailey," he admitted, his voice quiet but full of emotion.

Hailey, still trying to catch her breath from the unexpected trip over his shoulder, gave him a teasing smile. "I didn’t mean to. I just needed to stretch my legs a bit."

---

Varian sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face as his expression softened even further. "Stretching your legs? Hailey, you went on an adventure. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

She gave him a playful nudge, trying to lighten the mood. "Worried? You? I thought Alphas don’t worry, they command." Her teasing was met with a gentle scowl, though she could see the corners of his mouth twitching, as if he was fighting a smile.

"You’re impossible," Varian muttered, though the tension in his shoulders had mostly evaporated. "But you’re my impossible."

Hailey smiled triumphantly, knowing she’d managed to break through his icy exterior. "See? I’m fine. Nothing happened. I just wanted to breathe a little, you know? Being cooped up in the mansion isn’t exactly my style."

Varian ran a hand over his face, the weight of the day finally catching up to him. He knew she wasn’t built to sit still, but that didn’t change the fact that his heart had been in his throat the entire time she was gone. He wanted to scold her more, but the sight of her safe and sound took the edge off his anger.

"Hailey," he began, his voice softer now, "I understand you need freedom, but when I tell you to rest, it’s for your own good. I don’t want to see you hurt."

Hailey’s eyes softened at the concern in his voice. She placed her hand on his cheek, her thumb brushing against his stubbled jaw. "I know, Varian. I do. But you also have to understand that I can’t sit still all the time. I’m not fragile."

Varian stared at her for a long moment, the fire in his eyes dimming as he let out a resigned sigh. "No, you’re not. But that doesn’t mean I won’t protect you, even from yourself."

Just as Hailey was about to respond, the door creaked open slightly, and Theo poked his head in, his grin as wide as ever. "Everything good in here?" he asked, clearly amused by the turn of events. "Or should I call the pack healer for a certain someone who got carried off like a sack of potatoes?"

Hailey shot him a glare, but Theo just laughed, leaning against the doorframe. "Seriously though, I think we all need a moment to breathe. Varian’s been on a warpath ever since he found out you were missing."

Hailey tilted her head at Theo, a sly smile forming. "A warpath, huh? And here I thought I was the one in trouble."

Theo chuckled, crossing his arms. "Oh, you were. But seeing the Alpha practically melt the moment he saw you? Let’s just say the rest of us were lucky to witness it. Never seen him that soft before."

Varian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Theo, go bother someone else."

Theo raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, I’m going. But I’ve got to say, this whole ‘puppy dog Alpha’ thing is really working for you, Varian." He winked at Hailey before slipping out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Once Theo was gone, Hailey looked at Varian, who seemed to be torn between frustration and relief. "Puppy dog Alpha, huh?" she teased, reaching for his hand.

Varian narrowed his eyes at her, but his lips quirked upward in a faint smile. "Don’t get used to it."

Hailey leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But I like it when you’re all soft and mushy."

"Hailey..." Varian warned, though his tone was far from threatening.

Before she could tease him any further, Lina burst through the door, her face flushed with embarrassment and panic. "Luna, Alpha, I’m so sorry!" she babbled, wringing her hands together. "I tried to stop her! I told her it was a bad idea, but she wouldn’t listen and—"

"Lina," Varian interrupted, his voice stern but not unkind. "It’s fine. I already scolded both of you."

Lina’s eyes flicked to Hailey, who gave her a sheepish smile. "Don’t worry, Lina. I’ll take the blame for this one."

Lina’s shoulders sagged in relief, though she still looked nervous. "Thank you, Luna. I thought for sure I was going to be banished or something."

Varian shot her a look. "I’m not that terrifying, am I?"

Lina hesitated, then nodded quickly. "A little bit, Alpha. But...in a good way?" She winced, realizing how ridiculous that sounded.

Hailey snorted, trying and failing to hold back her laughter. Varian rubbed his temples, muttering something under his breath about his Luna being a bad influence.

"Okay, Lina," Hailey said, once her laughter had subsided. "You’re off the hook. But next time, remind me not to drag you into my trouble."

Lina blinked at her. "Next time?! Oh no, Luna. There won’t be a next time. I’ve learned my lesson. No more sneaking around with you. Ever."

Hailey pouted playfully, but Lina wasn’t having it. "I’m serious, Hailey. You’re too good at causing chaos, and I value my life."

Varian couldn’t help but smirk at the exchange. "Smart choice, Lina. I might need you to keep an eye on her from now on."

Lina looked between the two of them, unsure whether to take that as a compliment or a curse. "Uh...sure, Alpha. Whatever you say."

---

As the evening settled in, the mansion grew quiet. Hailey and Varian found themselves sitting together by the fire, the crackling flames casting a warm glow across the room. Hailey leaned her head on Varian’s shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed as the day’s excitement finally caught up to her.

Varian wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the world outside forgotten.

"You really scared me today," Varian murmured, his lips brushing against her hair.

Hailey opened one eye, peeking up at him. "You scared me too, you know. Coming home all angry and shouting. I thought you were going to tear someone apart."

Varian chuckled softly. "I almost did."

She smiled, nuzzling closer to him. "Well, I’ll try not to scare you again. But no promises."

He sighed, resting his chin on top of her head. "I’ll take what I can get."

For now, at least, everything was peaceful. But they both knew that life in the Crescent Pack was rarely quiet for long.

As they sat by the fire, with the soft glow illuminating their faces, Varian realized that no matter how much chaos Hailey brought into his life, he wouldn’t trade it for anything. She was his Luna, his heart, and the one who always kept him on his toes.

And, despite all his grumbling, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

---

---

Thank You for Staying with Me!

Dear Amazing Readers,

Well, we did it! I finally managed to write a chapter long enough to give your scrolling finger a workout. If you need to do some finger stretches, I totally understand; you’ve been clicking “Next” like a champ!

First off, thank you for your patience and unwavering support. I know I took my sweet time with this one, but I assure you it was worth it. I poured my heart, soul, and a hefty amount of caffeine into crafting this adventure. It’s packed with twists, turns, and at least three times where I hope you yelled, “No way!” at your screens.

You might have thought I was lost in the Bermuda Triangle of writer’s block, but really, I was deep in the trenches, battling plot holes like a hero in an epic quest. My characters have been begging for attention, and I finally threw them a massive party in this chapter. They danced, they cried, they even attempted karaoke (which, trust me, is something no one should have to endure).

So here’s the deal: the fun has only just begun! If you thought this chapter was wild, just wait until you see what I have in store next. More chaos, more laughter, and possibly an appearance by a very confused llama.

Thank you for being the best readers a writer could ask for. Your enthusiasm fuels my creativity, and I can’t wait to continue this journey with you. Stay tuned for more shenanigans because the adventure is far from over!

With heartfelt gratitude and a promise of more madness, [Pearly Starr]

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜