The morning didn't start with a gentle alarm or the sun on her face. It started with the sharp, sandpaper voice of her father, Alpha Harvey, echoing through the hallway.
"Leona! It's already eight in the morning, girl! Wake up! What am I going to do with you?"
Leona groaned into her pillow, her eyes burning. She had only closed them at four. For a couple of years now, sleep had been a stranger. She spent her nights in the quiet hum of her room, finishing logistics reports and mapping out expansion ideas for Lunar Logistics. It was the only time the house was quiet enough for her to hear her own thoughts. She did the heavy lifting at night so she could present polished, brilliant ideas to her partner, Stella, during the day.
She forced herself out of bed, showered quickly to wake up her magic, and headed downstairs.
In the dining room, her parents and grandparents were already gathered. It was a picture of domestic tradition that always felt a bit tight around Leona's chest. She moved around the table, hugging her grandparents and her mother. She skipped her father; Harvey wasn't a "hugger," and Leona had learned long ago not to offer affection where it would be met with a stiff shoulder.
"Morning Grandpa, Grandma. What's for breakfast?"
Richard patted Leona's head affectionately. "Just the usual, sweetheart. Bread, butter, and chai. Have you sat down to eat?"
Leona shifted her weight, already looking at the door. "You know I don't do breakfast, Grandpa. I'm getting late. Stella is waiting for me."
From the head of the table, Harvey mumbled through a mouthful of toast. "If you didn't sleep the day away, you wouldn't be in a rush. But no, Madam won't wake up early. There's no point in reasoning with her."
Leona's jaw tightened, but she kept her voice steady. She didn't mention the work she'd done while he was snoring.
Her mother, Sophie, appeared from the kitchen, blocking Leona's path with a glass of milk and a handful of almonds. "Oh, come on! How many times have I told you not to go out on an empty stomach? Have this, and I've packed a bag of food for you and Stella to share. Take care of yourself, Leona."
Leona groaned, but the look in her mother's eyes was pure "Mother Teresa" worry. She gulped down the milk and finished the almonds in record time before giving Sophie a quick squeeze. "Chill out, Mom. I'll eat. I'll be back home later, powered by your almonds. PS—it seems your husband woke up on the wrong side of the bed again."
"Shut up!" Sophie whispered, playfully slapping Leona's shoulder with a hidden smile.
Leona hurried out the door, nearly colliding with a disheveled Kael in the driveway.
"Watch where you're walking!" Kael snapped, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"Whose eyes were closed, Kael? Let it be. Some of us have work to do while others sleep until noon."
Kael's eyes snapped wide. "Wait... it's ten?!"
"It's eight," Leona corrected, checking her watch.
"Shit! I have a test today! Mrs. Smith is going to kill me!" Kael panicked, his self-centered nature kicking in instantly. "Can you give me a ride?"
Leona looked at her watch. If she waited for him to get ready, she'd miss her meeting. "No, ask Dad. I'm already late." She gave him a quick, pitying hug and jumped into her car.
She drove to the pack boundary—their usual meeting spot. Stella was already there, leaning against her car, but she wasn't alone. Her husband, Alpha Kevin, was practically wrapped around her.
Leona rolled down her window and teased, "Now, now! What's a big, busy Alpha like you doing here, Kevin? Can't stay away from Stella for even a minute?"
Kevin chuckled, unashamed. "What can I do when my wife is this beautiful?"
Stella blushed a deep crimson, pushing Leona toward her passenger seat. "Stop, you two!" She gave Kevin a lingering peck on the lips and a tight hug. "Bye, babe. I'll see you this evening."
Kevin looked like a lost puppy for a split second as Stella stepped away. "Don't worry, Alpha Kevin," Leona laughed. "I won't kidnap her. I'll make sure she's safely back before dark."
As they pulled away, Stella let out a long, happy sigh.
"So..." Leona prompted, navigating the winding road. "How is the mating life with a werewolf?"
Stella's face lit up. "Oh, Lord, Leona... it's awesome. He loves me so much, it's almost embarrassing. He treats me like I'm made of glass, but respects me like I'm his equal."
For the rest of the ride, the car was filled with Stella's gossip—the transition of being a human Luna, the sweetness of her new home, and the overwhelming affection of a fated mate. Leona listened, offering smiles and jokes in the right places, She felt a deep, warm happiness for Stella. But as she listened to stories of "unconditional love," she couldn't help but feel the cold silence of her own life. She lived in a house where love felt like a transaction, and here was Stella, living in a world where love was a given.
As the car wound through the lush, green outskirts of the pack territory, the happy glow coming from Stella was almost bright enough to light up the dashboard. Stella was talking about how Kevin had left a small note on her mirror that morning, but she stopped when she noticed Leona's grip on the steering wheel. Leona's knuckles were white. "Hey," Stella said softly, her voice losing its playful edge. "You're doing that thing again. The 'calculating the universe' face."
Leona let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Is it that obvious?"
"To me? Always." Stella shifted in her seat to face her. "Talk to me, Leo. What's going on in that brilliant, messy head of yours?"
Leona quieted the music. The silence in the car felt heavy. "I was just watching you and Kevin. It's... it's amazing, Stella. But it terrifies me. I look at how he looks at you—like you're the only person in the world who matters—and I wonder if that's even a possibility for someone like me."
"Why wouldn't it be?"
Leona gave a bitter little laugh. "Look at my life. At home, I'm the fixer. I'm the one who makes sure the bills are paid and the grain is moved and Kael doesn't fail his tests. My father sees a tool, not a daughter. I'm scared that if I find a mate, he'll just see another thing to 'manage' or someone to do his paperwork. I don't want to be someone's 'easy' option or their secretary. I want to be... seen."
She swallowed hard, her voice dropping. "What if he looks at a Hybrid—a War Mage who spends her nights overthinking everything—and decides I'm just too much work? What if I'm not 'soft' enough to be a mate?"
Stella reached over, placing a steady hand on Leona's arm. "Leona, look at me. You are a masterpiece of fire and logic. The right man won't find you 'too much'—he'll find you essential. He won't want to manage you; he'll want to stand beside you. You're not a project, Leo. You're a queen who hasn't found her kingdom yet. And you will find someone who looks at you the way Kevin looks at me. Maybe even better."
Leona wiped a stray tear before it could fall, giving Stella a small, grateful smile. "I hope you're right. Because right now, the clock is ticking. Twenty days, Stella. Only twenty days until the awakening ceremony."
"Are you nervous about the element?" Stella asked.
"Terrified. And excited," Leona admitted. "I've started my War Mage training again. Properly this time. I've been practicing my forms in the clearing behind the old mill at night. I need to be ready. In twenty days, I'll finally know which element my magic belongs to, and I'll finally meet my wolf. It feels like I've been living in a waiting room my whole life, and the door is finally about to open."
"And the King's Gala is right after," Stella reminded her with a wink. "A new wolf, a new element, and the most powerful supernaturals in the world in one room? That's not a waiting room, Leo. That's a launchpad."
Leona gripped the wheel again, but this time, her hands weren't shaking. "I just want to be whole, Stella. I want to know who I am when I'm not just 'Harvey's daughter' or 'Kael's sister.' I want to know who Leona is."
Stella nodded, looking out the window as the office building came into view. "Well, I have a feeling Leona is about to shock everyone. Including herself."