Alpha’s Rue: His Shunned Luna (Athena Enchanted) novel Chapter 438

I take Aeliana back to our room and sit her down on the bed. She immediately grabs a pillow and holds it to her chest, staring me up and down. “I’m scared, please take me back,” She whispers. “I don’t want to stay here with any of you.”

“Who do you not want here? Say the word, and they’re gone.”

“Everyone, all of you, me. I can’t do this, I lost my mind.” She swallows.

Her words gut me.

I wanted to fix things, I wanted her to get better and sending her to the institution was supposed to do that. I trusted the doctors to help her with things I didn’t know how to, but that one choice that felt right in that moment is the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life. My fears and doubts have broken her.

“You survived, Aeliana.”

“How many more times will I be able to?” She chokes out, “I can’t do this, I’m tired of fighting now, it’s over, King. Everyone wins, Sera, Audrey, James, you, you all win, is that not what you all wanted?”

“No,” I say, gently taking her hand. “I want you to be okay.”

“I’ll never be okay,” she snaps. “I’m tired of convincing myself I can when I keep suffering for every fraction of joy I experience.”

“You’ll never suffer, Ellie.” I gulp, caressing her hand to help ease her nerves. “I promise you, I swear on what I hold most sacred, you know what that is.”

Her gaze lifts to mine, tired and gone. “Me.” She whispers.

“Yes,” I nod. “I swear on you. You’re going to be okay, you’re going to be happy again. I won’t let you be sad for any longer.”

She shakes her head, her eyes gleaming with tears. “Give up on me again, please.” She begs. Everything about this feels wrong. I wanted Aeliana back. I wanted so desperately to protect her, but right now, it looks like I drowned her. Her spark is gone, and I did this, I let them dull her spark when I thought I was protecting her. “I’ve given up now.” She tells me, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

“No, no.” I catch it before it falls, gently caressing her cheeks. “We can’t give up, Siren. We have to fight, you have to fight. You have to be okay.” I beg, “If not for you or me, then try for our pup, won’t you?”

“No,” she shakes her head. “I can’t….what?” She pauses, jerking away from my touch. “What’s‐what did you just say?”

Now it’s my turn to freeze.

“Am I pregnant?” Her head tilts, “It’s a yes or no question.” I nod, slow and unsure about her reaction. “Really?”

“Yes, Evelyn called me to the institution after—”

The shock quickly morphs into disappointment. “Is that why you got me out?” She frowns, “For the baby? So you can keep it and throw me back in there after.”

“What? no.” I reach for her again, but she pulls her hand away. Her hands are visibly shaking now, and she has turned into someone that she wouldn’t recognise. “Calm down, baby. You’re not going anywhere.” I try to assure her, but she seems to be getting more rattled by the second. “I promise you, you’re not.”

She shakes her head, moving further away from me. “That’s why you did it.”

“I know it’s selfish of me to demand your trust, but is that what you think of me, Aeliana? That I would separate you from our child? Have I—”

“Yes,” she nods, unbothered with the rest of my sentence. “You have. You weren’t the type to let me go, but you did. Even when you claimed to hate me, you wanted me close, but this time, you made your choice, you gave up on me, King, and that hurts me.”

“I’m sorry, no amount of words or begging will ever change what happened to you, but I swear to you, I want what's best for you,” I tell her, my voice heavy with guilt and determination.