If you asked Leo how it felt to be standing on the edge of adulthood, he would answer in one word:
Terrifying.
Not that he would say it out loud.
Leo Thorne — eldest son of the Thorne bloodline, heir to the Silvercrest Pack — had known since the moment he could understand words that he would become Alpha. In Silvercrest, the firstborn of the Alpha inherited the power. It wasn't a question. It was tradition.
And Leo had accepted that.
He had trained for it. Bled for it. Prepared for it.
Today was his eighteenth birthday.
Tonight, under the blessing of the Moon Goddess, he would receive his Alpha inheritance. The power would settle fully into his bones. The bond would awaken. And he would learn the identity of his Luna — his destined Omega. The one who would stand beside him. Lead beside him. Rule beside him.
He was fine.
Calm. Collected. Poised.
Of course not.
Leo was internally losing his mind.
Do not misunderstand — leading the pack did not scare him. He had been shaped for that role since childhood. Strategy, strength, command — he could handle it.
What he could not handle was the single thought clawing at his chest:
What if his Luna wasn't…
He didn't let himself finish that sentence.
The Crescent Manor was glowing with celebration. Music drifted through the halls. Laughter echoed against the polished stone. Members of the Silvercrest Pack filled the grand space, offering congratulations to Alpha Ronan and Luna Vivienne.
His parents moved effortlessly among them, regal and composed, hosting the celebration of their heir.
And where was the heir?
Hiding.
Well — not visibly hiding.
Leo stood near one of the tall arched windows of Crescent Manor, half-shadowed by silver drapes, staring out toward the mist-covered forests of Crescentveil.
To anyone watching, he looked deep in thought. Serious. Controlled. Every inch the future Alpha.
He had mastered that expression years ago.
A perfectly blank face. Sharp posture. Unreadable eyes.
No one would guess that his heart was pounding like a war drum.
No one would know he was nervous.
Except his family.
And the one person he was trying very hard not to think about.
And that was exactly how his brother found him.
Adrien and Leo had always shared a bond that went beyond blood — the kind built on scraped knees, shared secrets, and silent understanding. So of course Adrien knew. He could practically smell the nervousness rolling off his elder brother.
Naturally, he did what any responsible younger brother would do.
He leaned in close and whispered loudly, "Boo."
Leo didn't even flinch.
Disappointing.
"Leo," Adrien sighed dramatically, stepping beside him. "I know you're trying to merge with the walls and become one with Crescent Manor, but you might want to mingle before people start assuming the future Alpha ran away."
Yes. That was Adrien. Supportive. In his own… irritating way.
He loved his elder brother fiercely. But teasing him? That was his birthright.
Of course, if you so much as looked at Leo the wrong way, you would quickly discover that Adrien Thorne could be far more terrifying than the future Alpha himself.
"Rien, please," Leo muttered, keeping his eyes forward. "No one thinks like you."
"Oh, I'm sure they don't," Adrien replied smoothly. "Though I do think you're hiding from the group of girls who've been circling you like hawks all evening."
If you grow up with a younger brother like Adrien, you learn to defend yourself quickly.
Leo shot him a flat look. "I think you're projecting."
But despite himself, Leo felt his shoulders loosen. Their banter was grounding. Familiar. Safe.
And then—
Two slender hands reached from behind and twisted both their ears at once.
"Ow—!"
"What are you two doing here?" came a graceful but firm voice.
They turned to find Luna Vivienne standing behind them, perfectly poised as always.
"Shouldn't you both be entertaining the guests instead of hiding in corners and arguing?"
Her tone carried mild reprimand — but her eyes sparkled with amusement.
After all, she knew her son.
She knew he would be nervous. She knew he would try to bury it beneath composure. She had watched him practice that blank Alpha expression since he was ten.
All she wanted was to stand behind him, no matter what.
"And tell me," she added lightly, glancing around, "where is our star?"
"Ma," Adrien gasped in mock betrayal, gesturing toward Leo. "Bro is right here. It's his birthday. He's the star."
Then his eyes lit up mischievously.
"Ohhh. I see. You're looking for your real son. Your Alex, right?"
Leo stiffened.
Vivienne raised one elegant brow.
"And what if I am?" she replied smoothly. "Alex grew up in this house just as much as you both did. I love him as my own. Do you have a problem with that?"
Her voice was playful.
Her truth was not.
Leo stepped closer and slipped an arm around his mother's shoulders in a half-hug.
"Ma," he said softly, "we all know you love him. And he will be here today, right?"
His mother smiled at him — not teasing this time, but understanding.
Leo wasn't reassuring her.
He was reassuring himself.
Alex would be here.
He wouldn't miss this night. Not for anything.
And then—
Vivienne's eyes flickered with sudden mischief.
Before Leo could react, a pair of warm hands covered his eyes from behind.
"Guess who?"
The scent hit him first.
Cedarwood. Rain. Something unmistakably Alex.
Leo didn't even hesitate. He reached up, fingers brushing over familiar wrists. "You're late," he said, though the relief in his voice betrayed him.
A laugh sounded near his ear. Soft. Bright.
Alex let go and wrapped his arms around Leo from behind in a quick, tight hug. "Happy eighteenth, future Alpha."
When Leo turned around, the world seemed to narrow for a second.
Alex Frost stood before him, smiling like he always had — like this was just another day they'd grown into together.
He looked… beautiful.
His green eyes sparkled beneath the chandelier lights of Crescent Manor. His dark curls had been tamed — barely — and he wore a fitted black suit with a deep red shirt underneath.
Red.
Fiery. Stubborn. Playful.
Just like him.
Alex then turned dramatically toward Vivienne and placed a hand over his heart. "Mama Vivienne, don't you look gorgeous tonight? Honestly, no one would believe it's your son's inheritance ceremony. More like your brother's. Elder brother, at that."
Vivienne gasped lightly, delighted. "Oh, you smooth talker."
"Yeah," Adrien muttered loudly, leaning in. "That's why Ma loves you. Because you can lie through your teeth."
Vivienne twisted Adrien's ear again without even looking at him.
"Respect your elders," she warned sweetly.
"Ow! I was respecting! I was just clarifying!"
Alex snorted. "You're just jealous you didn't think of it first."
"Please. I don't need cheap tricks."
"Cheap? That compliment was premium grade."
And just like that, they were bickering.
Alex had never once shied away from arguing with Adrien. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it.
Leo watched them — the easy laughter, the familiar chaos, the way Alex fit so naturally in this space.
In his home.
In his family.
The tight knot in Leo's chest slowly began to loosen.
The Moon Goddess. The inheritance. He could do this.
Because Alex was here.
And somehow… that made everything feel possible.