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From Rejected Mate to Luna
Chapter 122
Nathan’s POV
I stared down at the silver handcuffs binding my wrists, the cool
metal a stark reminder of my temporary defeat. The enforcement
vehicle from Spring Valley pack rumbled beneath me as we
approached the familiar territory of Star Shadow. I kept my
expression neutral, my posture defeated, but inside my mind raced
with calculations.
“We’re almost there,” the enforcement officer said, his tone
professional but laced with disdain.
I nodded silently, playing the part of the subdued prisoner while
Shadow, my wolf, snarled within me. They’ll regret this humiliation.
Collins will pay for interfering with what’s mine.
Through the window, I could see the towering redwoods that marked
our territory, and as we approached the community center, my
father’s figure came into view. Robert Reynolds stood tall, his face a
mask of stern authority, flanked by several pack elders and security team members. I quickly assessed the situation, noting who was
present and cataloging potential allies and enemies.
Time to put on a show, I thought, adjusting my expression to one of
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shame and regret.
The vehicle stopped, and the officer opened my door. “Out,” he
commanded.
I stepped onto familiar ground, keeping my head slightly bowed, eyes
downcast–the perfect picture of a repentant son. But inside, Shadow
and I were in perfect agreement: this was merely a temporary
setback.
“Reynolds Alpha,” the enforcement captain said formally, “according
to protocol, we are returning Nathan Reynolds to your jurisdiction
after his violation of pack rules. Here is Alpha Collins‘ official report
of the incident and evidence.”
My father nodded stiffly. “Thank you for your professional handling of
this matter. Please convey my gratitude to Alpha Collins.”
I kept my face carefully blank, but Shadow growled at the mention of
Collins. He touched what’s ours. He interfered with our plans.
The Spring Valley officers departed, and I watched my father’s
controlled expression until their vehicle disappeared from view. The
moment they were gone, his hand shot out, grabbing my collar and
dragging me toward the community center. Pack members quickly
scattered, pretending not to notice as their Alpha manhandled his
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Chapter 122
son.
He shoved me into the interrogation room and locked the door
behind us. The sound of that lock clicking into place might have
frightened someone else, but I’d anticipated this. I knew my father-
knew his anger, his pressure points, and most importantly, his
weaknesses.
The slap came without warning, snapping my head to the side. The sting spread across my cheek, but I didn’t retaliate. Instead, I allowed tears to well in my eyes, maintaining direct but wounded eye contact
with him. His expression shifted from rage to momentary confusion,
exactly as I’d predicted.
“How dare you humiliate our family like this!” he roared, his Alpha
voice making the walls vibrate.
I didn’t flinch. Instead, I let a single tear fall, carefully calibrating my
response. “I only wanted to fix my mistake,” I said, my voice deliberately soft as I touched my reddening cheek. “You’ve been
saying I need a mate… I realized rejecting Julia was the biggest
mistake I’ve ever made. I wanted to tell her I was willing to accept
what fate had arranged.”
My father’s bitter laugh cut through the room as he threw down a
stack of files. “And you decided to ‘fix‘ it by breaking into her
residence, threatening her, and attempting to force a mating mark
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Chapter 122
after she clearly refused? The report shows you invaded her home,
threatened her, and tried to force a mark even after she explicitly
rejected you!”
I allowed my gaze to flicker, introducing just the right amount of
shame and defensiveness. This was the delicate part–mixing truth
with lies. “She humiliated me in front of Collins,” I said, letting
genuine anger color my voice. “She told me I wasn’t worthy of being
Alpha, that I’d never measure up to him… my wolf lost control. It was
wrong, I know that, but I never truly meant to harm her.”
“You injured pack members who tried to stop you,” my father
countered, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
“They attacked first,” I shot back with rehearsed indignation. “I was
defending myself!”
I could see doubt beginning to creep into his expression. Time to
deploy my most effective weapon–our shared history.
“Dad,” I said softly, deliberately using the familiar term rather than
the formal ‘father‘ I typically used in pack settings. “Do you remember when I was six? You took me deer hunting, and we got lost in the
forest.”
His expression shifted subtly, the anger giving way to something
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Chapter 122
more complex. I pressed my advantage.
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