The Alpha Who Rejected Me Begged for His Luna Back

"Move those crystal glasses to the main table, Aria. And don't smudge them this time."

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and grabbed the heavy tray. "Yes, Helena."

My mother-in-law sneered, adjusting her expensive silk shawl. "Eight years since the Moon Goddess cursed my son with a fated mate, and you still can't manage a simple pack celebration. You have the stamina of a weak human."

"I've been setting up this hall for three days straight," I said, my voice tight. "Alone. The servants were reassigned to the border patrols."

"Because that is all you are good for," Helena snapped. "A Luna without a wolf is just a glorified maid. If you cannot protect this pack, you will serve it."

The grand double doors swung open. My seven-year-old son bounded into the room, his eyes bright.

"Grandma! I pinned two older boys in the sparring ring today!" Elliot cheered.

My heart swelled. I set the crystal tray down and took a step toward him. "Elliot, that’s wonderful! Can I come watch your afternoon session?"

He stopped smiling. He took a quick step backward, hiding behind Helena’s skirt.

"No," he muttered, staring at the floor.

"Why not, sweetie?" I asked, forcing a gentle tone.

"The other pups will laugh at me." He finally looked up, his expression hardening into something too old for his face. "You don't even have a wolf, Mom. You're an embarrassment."

A sharp pain pierced my chest. My own son.

A deep voice echoed from the doorway. "The boy is right."

Ronan strode in. My fated mate. The Alpha of the Blackthorn Pack. He didn't look at me; his eyes were entirely focused on our son.

"He needs to train with true wolves, Aria," Ronan said, resting a heavy hand on Elliot’s shoulder. "Not be coddled by someone who doesn't understand our nature."

"I am his mother," I shot back, my hands curling into fists. "And your mate."

Ronan finally met my gaze. His eyes held zero warmth. "A mate on paper. A mistake of fate. Finish the centerpieces. The guests arrive in two hours."

He turned his back on me. He walked out, taking my son and my mother-in-law with him.

I stood alone in the massive hall. My ribs ached.

I picked up a massive silver candelabra. My arms shook from the weight and the lack of sleep.

Then, I heard it.

*Aroooooo.*

I spun around. "Who's there?"

Empty room.

The sound didn't come from the woods outside. It vibrated against my sternum. It came from inside me.

"What is happening?" I gasped, dropping the candelabra. It hit the floor with a loud clang.

A searing heat ripped through my veins. I clutched my chest.

*We are awake.*

The voice wasn't human. It was ancient. It echoed in my skull, rattling my teeth.

I fell to my knees. "Help!" I screamed.

No one came.

A brilliant, blinding silver light erupted from my chest. It blasted outward, shattering the crystal glasses on the tables. The sheer force of the glow illuminated the entire Blackthorn estate, turning the afternoon shadows into pure daylight.

The pain vanished, replaced by an overwhelming surge of raw power.

Then, the world went black.

***

A steady beep pulled me awake.

I blinked against the harsh fluorescent lights of the pack medical bay. My throat felt like sandpaper.

"Ronan?" I croaked.

A chair scraped against the linoleum floor. It wasn't my husband.

"The Alpha is gone, Luna," Clara, a junior pack servant, said quietly.

I pushed myself up on my elbows. "Where is he? Where is Elliot? I exploded with light, Clara. Something happened to me."

Clara wouldn't meet my eyes. She stared at the heart monitor. "Alpha Ronan brought you in. He stayed for exactly four minutes."

"Four minutes?" I asked, a bitter laugh scraping my throat. "I could have been dying."

"He received a mind-link from the border patrols," Clara explained, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Celeste Laurent crossed into Blackthorn territory an hour ago."

My stomach plummeted. Celeste. Ronan’s first love. The she-wolf he actually wanted to marry before the Fated Mate bond forced him to take me.

"She's back?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

"Yes, Luna." Clara twisted her apron strings. "The Alpha went to retrieve her."

I sank back into the stiff pillows. "Fine. Let him play welcoming committee. I need to speak to the pack doctor about what happened in the hall."

"Actually," Clara interrupted, her face turning pale. "The Alpha left strict orders for you."

"Orders? For a patient who just woke up from a magical blackout?"

"He said you are to be discharged immediately."

I stared at her. "Excuse me?"

"Alpha Ronan said Celeste is exhausted from her long travels," Clara recited, clearly terrified to deliver the message. "He demands you return to the estate right now. You need to prepare the east guest wing and cook her favorite roast for dinner."

I didn't scream. I didn't cry.

Instead, a cold, sharp smile stretched across my face. It felt entirely foreign.

"He wants me to play maid for his ex-girlfriend?" I asked softly.

"Yes, Luna."

I ripped the IV needle out of the back of my hand. A drop of blood welled up, but it healed instantly.

Clara gasped. "Your skin... it healed."

I stared at my flawless hand. The silver energy hummed beneath my veins, waiting.

"Tell my husband I'll be right there," I said, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. "But I won't be cooking."