Chapter 365: Chapter 365: New Pack Members

An hour later, Eve had a much better understanding of what being Luna actually meant.

It wasn’t just ceremonial. It was active leadership, mediating disputes, welcoming new members, maintaining pack cohesion, supporting the Alphas’ authority while also serving as a check on it when necessary.

"The Luna is the heart of the pack," Brynn explained. "The Alphas are the head....making strategic decisions, providing protection, establishing hierarchy. But you’re the one who makes sure the pack feels like family instead of just a power structure."

"No pressure," Eve muttered.

"You’ll be fine." Brynn’s expression turned serious. "You’ve already proven yourself. The pack bonfire, accepting Maya, the way you’ve integrated into pack life, people have noticed. They respect you. Now you just need to formalize that respect into actual leadership."

"How?"

"By showing up. By being present. By making decisions when they need to be made." Brynn gestured to the list. "Start with the new members. Interview them, assess whether they’re genuine about wanting to join, make recommendations to the Alphas about acceptance. That’s classic Luna work."

"When?"

"Tomorrow morning. I’ve scheduled meetings with all three." Brynn’s smile was encouraging. "And I’ll be there to help guide you through the first one. After that, you’re on your own."

"Great," Eve said weakly.

Maya squeezed her hand. "You’ve got this. You literally reformed the entire Seraphim Court power structure. Interviewing pack applicants will be easy in comparison."

Eve hoped she was right.

That evening, Eve found her mates in the training yard exactly where Silas’s note had said they’d be. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

They were sparring....Damian and Damon circling each other while Silas observed from the sidelines, offering occasional commentary. All three were shirtless and sweating, and the sight of them made heat spike through Eve’s exhaustion.

Silas noticed her first. His eyes tracked over her carefully, assessing. "You’re moving better than I expected."

"The bath helped." Eve settled on the bench beside him. "Though I’m still definitely feeling yesterday. And this morning."

"Good." Silas’s smile was unrepentant. "That was the goal."

In the ring, Damian had Damon in a headlock. Damon twisted free with supernatural speed and landed a hit to Damian’s ribs that would have broken bones on a human.

"They’re going easy on each other," Silas observed. "Real fights are much more brutal."

"This is going easy?"

"Relatively. They’re not actually trying to maim each other. Just staying sharp."

The spar ended with Damian pinning Damon to the ground. Both of them were grinning, clearly enjoying themselves despite the violence.

When they noticed Eve, both immediately headed over.

"You’re awake," Damon said, pulling her into a careful hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore. Exhausted. Thoroughly claimed." Eve looked at all three of them. "And apparently I have Luna duties I’ve been neglecting. Brynn gave me a rather extensive list."

"The new pack applicants," Damian said with a nod. "I was going to mention that, but you’ve been... occupied."

"Deliberately," Damon added with a grin.

"Well, I’m unoccupied now. And I need to actually be Luna instead of just holding the title." Eve paused. "Which means I need to understand pack dynamics better. The hierarchy, the social structures, how decisions actually get made day-to-day."

"We can help with that," Silas said. "Though the best way to learn is by doing. The applicant interviews tomorrow will give you good practical experience."

"That’s what Brynn said. She’s sitting in on the first one to help guide me."

"Good. Brynn’s excellent at reading people." Damian settled beside her. "What else is on the list?"

"A territorial dispute that needs mediation. And apparently the pack pups want me to visit their school."

"The pups loved you," Damon said. "You should definitely visit. It’s good for pack morale when the Luna shows interest in the younger generation."

"Plus the kids are hilarious," Silas added. "Last time you were there, little Emma declared she wanted to be Queen when she grew up. You made quite the impression."

Eve felt warmth bloom in her chest. "Okay. I’ll visit the school. What about the territorial dispute?"

"That’s the Morrison and Chen families," Damian said, his expression turning serious. "They’ve been arguing about boundary lines for their properties for months. It’s not pack-critical, but it’s creating tension. Having the Luna mediate shows that leadership cares about resolving conflicts before they escalate."

"What if I make the wrong call? What if they don’t accept my decision?"

"Then you escalate to Alpha authority and we make the final ruling. But most disputes don’t need that. Most of the time, people just want to feel heard. Want someone impartial to listen and help them find fair solutions." Damian’s hand found hers. "You’re good at that. At seeing all sides. At finding compromise without making anyone feel like they lost."

"I hope you’re right."

"I am." His certainty was absolute. "You’re going to be an excellent Luna, Eve. You just need to trust yourself."

***

The next morning, Eve sat in the pack’s formal meeting room waiting for the first applicant to arrive.

Brynn sat beside her, relaxed and confident. "Remember....this isn’t an interrogation. It’s a conversation. You’re trying to understand why they want to join Blackwood specifically, whether they’ll integrate well, whether they have the temperament we want in pack members."

"And if I don’t think they’re a good fit?"

"You tell them politely and recommend they look elsewhere. Not every wolf is right for every pack. There’s no shame in that."

The door opened and a young woman entered, maybe early twenties, with nervous energy that reminded Eve of herself months ago.

"Luna," the woman said, bowing her head respectfully. "Thank you for seeing me. I’m Sarah. Sarah Matthews."

"Please, sit." Eve gestured to the chair across from them. "Tell me about yourself, Sarah. Why do you want to join Blackwood?"

Sarah settled into the chair, her hands twisting in her lap. "I’m currently unaffiliated. My birth pack dissolved three years ago when our Alpha died without an heir. Most members scattered to other territories, but I’ve been... drifting. Working human jobs, not really belonging anywhere." She paused. "I’ve heard good things about Blackwood. About the leadership. About how you treat pack members. And I want that. Want to belong somewhere again."

"What skills do you bring to the pack?" Brynn asked.