By admin Abandoned Luna’s Revenge Novel Ch 7
288 Vouchers
The days after I first caught Selene’s scent were absolute torture. Lorne craved her, he yearned. Day and night, he paced in my mind like a caged beast, howling every time I tried to think of something else. It was as if the scent had sunk its claws into us both and refused to let go.
One morning, I was supposed to meet Sylvia in her room. I wasn’t in the mood, but I forced myself to go.
Halfway through the hallway, I caught Selene’s scent again, Lorne snapped. My feet started moving before I even re- alized what was happening. I was running, fast, following the fading trail of her scent deeper into the packhouse.
We stopped in front of a door. Her scent was thick at the entrance. She was inside the room, my hand shot up to the doorknob like it had a mind of its own. With a grunt, I reached up with my other hand and grabbed my wrist, locking it in place. I stood there, frozen, trapped in a tug of war with Lorne who wanted nothing more than to see her.
Lorne snarled in frustration. I could feel his fury rattling my ribs. But I did finally calm him down. It took me twenty agonizing minutes.
I was breathing hard, sweat clinging to my neck as I backed away from the door. Lorne whimpered once, then quiet- ed, but I could still feel him sulking. I hated doing this to him. To myself. But I had no choice.
Selene was an outcast. No matter how badly Lorne wanted her, how badly I wanted her, I couldn’t accept her. Not openly. Not with what was at stake. If I took a mate like Selene, I would lose all chance at ever holding a meaningful position.
Sylvia had made sure of that. When she came to me with the offer, I should’ve seen it for what it was: a trap dressed as opportunity. She told me that while I was next in line to be Beta, there was so much more I could become.
She said I had Alpha blood, I was a natural born leader and knew the pack better than anyone. And all I had to do to claim my rightful palace was bind myself to her.
At first I thought about it. I didn’t want a strategic alliance. I wanted what every wolf dreamed of, a fated mate. Some- one the Moon Goddess had carved from the same soul. I thought I’d know the moment I found her.
And I did. I just didn’t want it to be Selene.
One night, while we were alone in her room, Sylvia told me that Selene liked me, I almost fell off the bed. She told me that she had seen Selene sneaking peeks at me and it was clear she had a crush.
But nothing prepared me for when she said she knew Selen was my fated mate. My heart stopped. She said it like it was some cosmic joke. She even laughed about it, and said I was so unlucky. She told me that if I accepted Selene, the pack would see me as weak. That no one would follow an Alpha who chose a failure as a mate. That I’d be laughed out of the ranks and never amount to anything.
0.0 %
07:43
Chapter 7
288 Vouchers
All that seemed to matter little when I caught Selene’s scent again at the clearing. It was right after I saw her fall from a tree. I immediately stopped caressing Sylvia’s naked body and got to my feet.
Lorne howled in my mind. She’s here. Selene’s here, oh no, but she’s hurt. Go to her now!
I put on my clothes and rushed to Selene’s side. You hurt her. This is your fault, Lorne said over and over.
He wasn’t wrong. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow. I dropped to my knees beside her and gently brushed her hair away from her face. My hand trembled.
I’d never been this close to her before. Her skin was so soft beneath my fingers, delicate, like porcelain. I swallowed hard as the realization hit me, this was the same girl who used to sneak glances at me back in high school, always blushing, always looking away when our eyes met.
She was quiet, gentle. I remember thinking she had a beautiful smile, but she never showed it often. And even then, I knew she liked me. It was obvious in the way she’d freeze every time I walked past her locker or stammer if we ended up near each other during training.
Back then, I didn’t give it much thought. She was an outcast. Her own family shunned, and even if I had noticed her, I couldn’t afford to. Not with the position I was working toward.
If I wanted to become Alpha, I couldn’t be with her. I immediately started thinking of ways to keep Selene around even after I became alpha. I wouldn’t tell anyone, especially Sylvia.
It wasn’t uncommon for an Alpha to have a mistress, Sylvia’s father had one and Sylvia herself liked to keep a few men around, for her bed chambers.
I could get an apartment for Selene in a human town, far from here. I’d visit her from time to time and we could even raise children together. Who knows, maybe someday the two of us might end up ruling the pack.
Stop daydreaming, Lorned snarled at me there’s no way she’d ever agree to any of that. He was right, Selene would never accept it.
I knew she’d fainted because of what she saw. I could only imagine how much it hurt for her to see her fated mat be with another woman. I winced at the thought.
I was supposed to reject Selene tomorrow, after Alpha Ashford announced me and Sylvia as mates. I was going to end it cleanly. I thought I had time. But Selene found out in the worst way.
Lorne was pacing inside me, growling. She hates us now. You made her hate us. You’re a coward. I didn’t argue. I deserved it.
Sylvia’s voice called from behind, but I didn’t answer. I didn’t even turn. I was too focused on Selene, watching for the slightest movement, willing her to open her eyes.
We should never have touched Sylvia, Lorne said, his tone softening. We belong to her.
I closed my eyes, trying to imagine a different version of this moment, one where I had chosen Selene from the begin- ning. I opened my eyes just as Selene stirred.
24.4 %
07:43
Chapter 7
288 Vouchers
Her eyes fluttered open, glassy and confused at first, then sharp and filled with pain as they locked onto mine.
God, she looked like she wanted to cry… or slap me. I reached for her cheek again, but she flinched, and I stopped. My hand hovered in the air.
Sylvia stormed into view, shouting something, I barely heard her. Because all I could do was stare at Selene.
I felt the pull in my chest, that aching need to mark her, to protect her, to claim her. It was primal and raw. It drowned out every political strategy, every calculated move I had made so far.
But then I remembered Sylvia had demanded I reject Selene the second she woke up. Her words echoed in my ears. “You’re going to reject her as soon as she wakes up”
Lorne roared so loud I nearly staggered. Don’t even think about it. I won’t let you. You’re not rejecting our mate.
I didn’t know what to do. I stared at Selene again, pleading silently. I wanted her to give me a second chance, to be- lieve I could change, that we could leave this place together and start over.
But then Alpha Ashford, his Luna, and four warriors in uniform walked into the clearing and I knew. They were here for Selene.
And when Alpha Ashford gave the order for his men to seize her I lost all hope. Suddenly Selene transformed into a massive jet-black wolf, larger than any I’d ever seen.
Gasps erupted from the clearing. Even the warriors stumbled back. Everyone thought she had no wolf, including her parents.
Before Alpha Ashford could bark another order, Selene ran.
Alpha Ashford growled a command, and in seconds, his men shifted and gave chase. So did his Luna. And Sylvia.
My heart was pounding. I couldn’t let them catch her. Without thinking, I shifted. Lorne howled, determined to reach her before they did.
The chase dragged on. But Selene was fast. We were nearing the Shadow Blade border. I expected her to slow when the high fence came into view, but she didn’t slow down.
She ran harder. And then, she jumped. Time seemed to pause as her massive wolf form soared through the air, clear- ing the fence like it was nothing.
She landed on the other side, gracefully. I shifted back into human form when I got to the fence, there was no way I was making that jump, but maybe I could climb, I reached for the fence but Sylvia grabbed my wrist and yanked hard.
My eyes didn’t leave Selene. She was still in so much pain, she needed me. We were on opposite sides of the fence but somehow she felt a million miles away.
I watched her definitely challenge her father and wondered, how I had screwed up so badly.
The arguments dragged in, but after all was said, Selene turned to leave.Alpha Ashford’s face twisted with rage. He barked an order for his men to go after her.
49.3 %
07:43
Chapter 7
286 Vouchers
They moved quickly, stepping toward the fence, but before they could reach, a tall, broad-shouldered man emerged from the treeline. His presence was impossible to ignore. He carried himself like someone who’d seen war and didn’t flinch from it. Shadow Blade warriors flanked him on either side. It was clear this man was someone powerful and he stepped protectively in front of Selene.
Alpha Ashford’s warriors froze. None of them dared cross the border now. The tension thickened like a storm cloud. For a moment, I thought Alpha Ashford might still command an attack, but he didn’t. Both men spoke for a while, be- fore Alpha Ashford commanded us to fall back.
Leaving that place… it felt like abandoning a part of me. Every step away from that fence, from her, felt like a betray- al. Lorne whimpered in the back of my mind, restless and aching. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. If I did, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep walking.
On the way back, Alpha Ashford addressed us without looking anyone in the eye. “Not a single word of what hap- pened today leaves this group,” he said, “If anyone even breathes a hint of what really happened, I will have the leak- er arrested and his entire family tortured to death.”
There was no hesitation in his threat. He meant every word.
Then he turned to me” Tomorrow, I’ll be announcing you and my daughter as fated mates so prepare yourself” I had no words to respond.
“What will we tell the pack when they ask about Selene?” Luna asked.
He turned to face us now, “I’ll also make an announcement and tell them that Selene went mad and died after tres- passing into Shadow Blade territory.” No one protested his decision.
My fists clenched, but I didn’t say anything. Lorne was howling inside me, furious and ready to rip something apart. I couldn’t speak. I was choking on guilt, on helplessness. How had I not seen this monster for what he truly was?
The rest of the walk back was a blur. I couldn’t look at Sylvia. I couldn’t even feel my feet hitting the ground. When we returned to the packhouse, Sylvia was smiling like none of this mattered. She kept trying to slip her hand into mine, but I pulled away each time.
“Stop,” I muttered the third time.
She blinked at me like I’d slapped her, but said nothing else.
I closed the door to my room and leaned against it, sliding to the floor. My hands shook. My whole body felt wrong. I’d spent so long trying to convince myself I was doing the right thing, that this path would lead to some sort of ful- fillment. But now, all I saw were broken pieces. And Selene was one of them.
I laid on my bed wishing I could go back in time and refused Sylvia’s offer. I would mark Selene instead. I wouldn’t have this hole in my chest. Sylvia slid into bed next to me, she began kissing my neck and running her hand up my thigh, but I moved away from her.”Sylvia please, I just want to be alone right now”
She was clearly angry, but didn’t say anything. After she left my room I sank back into my thoughts. If only I could get out of the contract, but I already knew there was no way out.
Selen was right, we’d all face a reckoning someday and I guess this is mine.