novelraw No Take-Backs:
No Take-Backs:
[POV: Hayden]
The cheers of my pack swirled around me like wind through trees—wild, echoing, joyful. But all I could hear was the soft staccato of her breath.
Aria still stood frozen, barely blinking, staring at the crowd like she might turn to stone at any moment. Her fingers clutched the stem of her glass so tightly I thought it might shatter.
Her eyes—usually full of fire or softness—were now wide with disbelief. Her gaze swept across the sea of celebrating wolves, then darted to me.
My smile tugged wider as I moved toward her, weaving through the crowd, never taking my eyes off Aria.
She looked like a doe surrounded by wolves, utterly unaware that she had become the most powerful creature here.
When I reached her, I cupped her cheek gently with one hand, letting my thumb brush the edge of her jaw. Her skin was warm, flushed, her lips parted in what I could only call stunned horror.
“Hayden—” she started, voice barely a whisper. “What did you—? I don’t— did you mean—?”
And I didn’t let her finish. I leaned in and kissed her. Right there, in front of the entire pack.
It wasn’t slow or hesitant—it was grounding. Claiming. The kind of kiss that said: I’ve chosen you. I’ll keep choosing you.
She responded almost instantly, her body softening, her lips moving with mine like she’d been waiting for this moment without even knowing it.
When I finally pulled back, her face was bright red and she immediately buried it into my chest like a shy little pup.
A low chuckle rumbled through me, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, holding her close as the applause roared on.
Aaron raised an eyebrow from across the clearing. Noelle looked like she might burst into delighted tears, and Emmett and Russell exchanged wide-eyed glances like they’d just witnessed the end of an age-old prophecy.
A few members of the pack came up to congratulate me—or more accurately, to poke and prod with curious smiles.
“When were you going to tell us?”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Is she moving into your wing now?”
I offered a few smirks and vague responses, but when Aria's hand found mine and tugged hard, I followed.
She led me through the garden, away from the lights, the whispers, the celebration—until we were alone again, under the shadows of the pine trees, far from prying eyes.
The moment we stopped, she turned, her eyes wide, fierce, storming.
“Hayden.” Her voice trembled—not with weakness, but with a mix of emotion I couldn’t yet name. “What the hell just happened?”
I waited. Because I knew the rest was coming.
“You kissed me in front of everyone. You named me your Luna. Publicly! Was that— Was that some kind of joke?! Because if it was, it wasn’t funny at all!”
Her hands gestured wildly as she paced. “I don’t understand—why would you do that? You didn’t warn me. You didn’t say anything. What if I wasn’t ready? What if I made a fool of myself? What if— What if you regret it? Do you even realize what it would mean for me if you change your mind?”
I stepped in, gently grabbing her hands, holding them between us.
“I’m not changing my mind, Aria.”
She shook her head, breathless. “You don’t get it. I’m not the strongest. I’m not the most respected. I’m still learning to control my powers. I’m not—”
“You’re exactly what I need,” I cut in. “And what this pack needs.”
“But if you—”
“No,” I said again, firmer this time. “You don’t get to doubt yourself like this. Not with me. You earned your place here. You earned me.”
Her voice cracked. “And if I’m not enough?”
I stepped closer, closing the final inches of space between us. “Then I’ll spend the rest of my life proving you are.”
My hands slipped to her waist as I leaned down, brushing kisses across her cheek, her jaw, the soft spot just beneath her ear.
“Because I’ve already made my choice,” I murmured. “You’re not getting rid of me now.”
She let out a shaky laugh. “That sounds more like a threat than a promise.”
I smirked. “Then you’d better take it seriously. Because the Moon Goddess has rewarded you.”
I let my lips trail lower, teasing the curve of her neck.
“With me,” I growled playfully.
She gasped, her eyes fluttering shut. “Hayden…”
I kissed her again—this time, deeply. Her arms wrapped around my neck, her body arching into mine like she was trying to crawl under my skin. When we finally came up for air, her eyes were glassy with tears—and something else.
Joy. Relief. Love.
“I still can’t believe this is real,” she whispered.
I grinned wickedly. “Then let me make it more real.”
Before she could blink, I bent, wrapped my arms around her thighs, and tossed her over my shoulder.
“Hayden!” she yelped, laughing.
“No more interruptions tonight,” I said, striding toward the packhouse. “The next time I kiss you, it’ll be in private—and longer.”
She giggled, pounding her fist lightly against my back. “You’re insufferable!”
“And you’re mine.”