A cub for the Luna

Glaring at these women, Morgan’s eyes flashed with anger, and she quickly stepped between them and the boy, her voice firm. “That’s enough.”

The women froze, their faces paling as they realized who they were speaking to. “Luna, we didn’t mean—”

“I said that’s enough,” Morgan repeated, her tone leaving no room for argument. She turned her attention back to the boy, who was staring at her with wide, fearful eyes. She crouched down again, her expression softening. “What’s your name?”

The boy hesitated, glancing nervously at the two women before whispering, “Benji, Luna.”

“Benji,” Morgan said with a gentle smile. “You didn’t ruin anything, okay? And you don’t need to give me your marbles. You keep them.”

With trembling lips, Benji’s eyes filled with tears, and he nodded quickly, clutching the bag of marbles to his chest. “Thank you, Luna.”

Glaring up, Morgan stood and faced the two women, who were now nervous from fear. “Is this how you treat all the children here?” she asked, her voice cold.

The women fidgeted under her gaze, one of them stammering, “N-no, Luna. We—we didn’t mean to upset him. It’s just…he’s always getting into trouble.”

“That’s no excuse for speaking to him like that,” Morgan replied sharply. “These children deserve kindness and respect, just like anyone else.”

The women nodded quickly, their faces flushed with embarrassment. “Of course, Luna. We—we’ll do better.”

“You will,” Morgan agreed, her voice firm.

The women’s faces turned ashen as they realized the severity of Morgan’s words. They immediately began to stammer out apologies, their voices quivering with fear. “Luna, please, we’re so sorry! We’ll never speak to the children like that again. We promise.”

Morgan’s eyes were cold as she looked at them. “You’ll do more than promise. I’ll be making unexpected visits to this orphanage from now on, and if I hear even a whisper of you mistreating these children, I will personally ensure that you’re locked up for a long time. Do I make myself clear?”

The women’s eyes widened in terror, and they nodded furiously, their words tumbling over each other in their desperation. “Yes, Luna! We understand! Please, have mercy, Luna!”

But Morgan had already turned away from them, her focus now on the boy at her side. Benji clung to her leg, his small frame shaking, but he looked up at her with wide, grateful eyes.

She gave him a reassuring smile before heading to the receptionist’s desk. The receptionist, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, quickly straightened up, trying to mask her own nervousness as Morgan approached.

“We’re here to find out about a pup who was brought to the orphanage during the war,” Morgan said. “His parents died in the conflict.”

The receptionist glanced nervously at the two women who had just been reprimanded, then back at Morgan. She cleared her throat, trying to compose herself. “Luna, that describes many of the children here. The war left a lot of them without families.”

Turning over to look at Sophie, Morgan stared at her a moment and then said, “What were your uncle and aunt’s names?”

Sophie, who had been standing quietly beside Morgan, stepped forward, her voice trembling slightly as she answered, “Their names were Thomas and Lydia, Luna.”

As soon as the names were spoken, all three orphanage employees exchanged glances before their eyes settled on Benji. The realization hit them all at once, and the receptionist looked back at Morgan with wide eyes. “Luna, you’ve already met him.”

With trembling lips, Sophie gasped as she turned to Benji and blurted, “Benji... you’re... you’re my cousin.”

His innocent face lifted as he blinked up at her, his expression a mix of confusion and surprise.

"Cou...sin?” he mumbled.

As Sophie dropped to her knees, her face broke into a wide smile, pulling Benji into a tight hug. “Yes, Benji! I can’t believe it... I found you!”

With a big smile, Benji wrapped his small arms around Sophie, holding on tightly. After a moment, he pulled back, looking up at her with hopeful eyes. “Does that mean you’ll take me with you?”

Instantly, Sophie’s smile faltered, and she glanced at Morgan before looking back at Benji. She gently cupped his cheek, her voice soft but sad. “Oh, Benji... I wish I could, but I can’t right now because of where I’m living. It’s not a place where I can take care of you the way you need. But I promise I’ll visit you often, okay?”

Benji’s face fell, and he looked down at the ground, his small hands clutching the bag of marbles tighter. “Okay,” he mumbled, his voice tinged with disappointment.

Seeing the sadness in Benji’s eyes, Morgan felt a surge of protectiveness and guilt she had never felt before. She couldn’t bear to see him heartbroken, knowing he was suffering because of something that wasn't his fault. Stepping forward, she placed a hand on Benji’s shoulder. “Benji, listen to me.”

Pouting, he looked up at her, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“I’m going to adopt you,” Morgan said firmly, her voice filled with warmth. “You’ll come live with me, and you’ll be part of my family. You’ll have a home, and you’ll never have to feel alone again.”

His big eyes widened, as Benji stared at her, sniffing, “Really? You want me?”

Smiling, Morgan knelt down, cupping his face in her hands. “Yes, Benji. I want you to be my son. If you want that too.”

Tears welled up in Benji’s eyes, and he nodded fervently. “Yes, Luna! I want to be with you!”

Immediately, Morgan pulled him into a warm embrace, feeling his small arms wrap tightly around her neck. “You’re going to be safe with me, Benji,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I promise.”

The room fell silent, and everyone turned to look at her in shock. Sophie quickly pulled away from Benji, her expression a mix of excitement and concern. “Luna, you don’t have to—”

Looking back at her, Morgan raised a hand to stop her. “Sophie, I’ve made my decision. Benji deserves a family, and I’ve already fallen in love with him. He’ll be my son.”

Even though Sophie hated the thought that crossed her mind, her eyes filled with tears as she spoke it out, her voice trembling. “But, Luna, our family… we’re not... We’re just common wolves. We’re not worthy to be part of the royal family.”

"Sophie, it’s not about worthiness. It’s about love and giving Benji the life he deserves. He’s already part of this family, and nothing will change that.” Morgan said, her gaze softening.

Silence settled between them, and Sophie looked like she wanted to argue further, but before she could, she hesitated, glancing around as if searching for the right words. Finally, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “What about Alpha Alex? What will he think?”

A sense of fear clutched Morgan's heart at the thought of how Alex would respond to Benji, but then her expression hardened slightly, her tone firm. “That’s not your concern, Sophie. This is my decision, and it’s final.”

Looking away from Sophie to focus on Benji, Morgan thought, 'If Alex can't accept an innocent pup whose life was ruined by his and mine's pack, then he's not worth being a father to my unborn cubs.'