From Rejected Mate to Luna (Julia White) novel Chapter 122

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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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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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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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more complex. I pressed my advantage.

“That night, you told me that Reynolds men always take

responsibility for their choices, no matter the cost.” I met his eyes

directly, injecting emotion into my voice. “Why are you now willing to

believe an outsider’s report over your own son? I used to be the child

you knew best.” The tears came easier now, calculated but effective.

“Am I really as bad as they say? So beyond redemption?”

I watched his eyes change from hard to conflicted. He’d always had a blind spot when it came to our shared memories, and I’d just driven a wedge between his duty as Alpha and his love as a father–exactly as

intended.

My father’s shoulders sagged slightly, a nearly imperceptible surrender that only I would recognize. “Nathan,” he sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. “I want to believe you. But your actions violated pack rules and werewolf law. You will be confined to the special room in our family residence until I and the council

decide the next steps.”

I lowered my head, allowing relief to show on my face. “I understand, Father. This time will give me a chance to reflect. I’ll prove to you

that I’m worthy of your trust.‘

As security escorted me to my confinement quarters, I maintained my subdued demeanor. The guards watched me warily, but I gave them

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nothing to report. When the heavy door finally closed and I was

alone, I leaned against the wall, a satisfied smile creeping across my

face.

“Phase one complete,” I murmured to Shadow. “Soon, Father will

release me entirely… and then, Julia and her new protector‘ will learn

what real revenge looks like. No one takes what’s mine… even

something I no longer want.”

I stretched out on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Patience had never

been my virtue, but for this–for the sweet promise of retribution–I

could wait. After all, I’d been trained my whole life to think like an

Alpha. And Alphas always played the long game.

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