From Rejected Mate to Luna (Julia White) novel Chapter 194

Chapter 194

Matthew’s POV

My hand slid across Julia’s shoulder, savoring the warmth of her skin beneath my fingertips. Every inch of me ached to pull her closer, to lose myself in her completely. The throbbing in my side where Nathan had sliced me open seemed insignificant compared to the hunger !

felt for her.

But when my fingers brushed against the spot on her neck where my mark should be–where I desperately wanted it to be–something

more painful than my physical wound cut through the haze of desire.

I stopped.

Not because of the stitches in my side, but because of the sudden images flashing through my mind: Nathan’s bloody confession to killing

his own father, Emma’s desperate eyes as she recovered her connection to her wolf, and Julia standing tall and confident at the Star

Shadow pack meeting, her voice steady as she directed her people through the crisis.

“What’s wrong?” Julia whispered, her breathing still uneven, fingers lightly trailing across my chest.

I gently took her hand in mine, pressing my forehead against hers and closing my eyes, trying to clear my thoughts. Hati rumbled in my mind, a low warning growl that reminded me of my responsibilities as Alpha and the complicated reality of what was happening between

1. us.

In the moonlight filtering through the window, I studied Julia’s face. The transformation in her was remarkable. She was no longer the wounded girl who had fled to Spring Valley seeking escape. She had become someone who could stand before an entire pack and

comman

his

1. t. Nathan’s madness–poisoning his own father, preventing Emma’s treatment, and coming after me–all pointed to

nd him.

bit,” I murmured, the lie feeling hollow between us. Our bond made deception nearly impossible; she could sense

rawal as clearly as if I’d spoken it aloud.

ed to sense something deeper was happening. She gently pulled away from my embrace, sitting up on the narrow bed. The ght outlined her silhouette, and I was struck again by how she was no longer the vulnerable woman who needed my protection. athan’s actions had thrown Star Shadow into chaos, but Julia–his rejected mate–had shown extraordinary leadership in the midst of it

all.

The reality crystallized in my mind:

questioning his fitness to lead, ar

temporary leader. Nathan’s increasingly unhinged behavior had many

m had further weakened his position.

“What are you thinking ab

I took a deep br

reminder t

soft but firm, her eyes searching my face. “It’s not just your wound, is it?”

ainst the headboard. From the window, I could hear the distant sounds of the forest, a

waiting for us.

1/3

11:42 Fri, May 1

bout us, admitted yet, to nice rougher than 1 intended. About what Mathar than has done, about who you’ve become.”

VPH

rowed slightly. You on mean me accepting the temporary Alpha position? That‘ that just until the epidemic is under control—

ally think things will go

back to how they were?” I interrupted, my voice hours chavitse with emotion. “Nathan publicly admitted to

1. er. Emma knows, Ryan bom knows, others will know soon. The Council won’t let diet him continue as Alpha.”

me quietly, her brown eyes redes reflecting understanding as she processed this possibobsgibility. I could feel her working through the

this,” I gestured between us, in use’sikels like I’m taking advantage of you.”

age?” she repeated incredulouslylously.

smile. “I’m the Alpha of Spring Valley Valley, Julia. My responsibilities are there. And you.. pause paused, the words difficult to say. oing to become the official Alpha olsa of Star Shadow, not just temporary. We both know the dishendistance between our packs, what

eans for each territory.” for

of hurt in her eyes, quickly replaced byced day understanding. She was so intelligent, so perceptivceptive one of the countless reasons I

we’ll eventually have to separate?” Her votter voice was calm, but I could feel the turbulence benente tenth her words.

I answered honestly. “But I know what the are sperresponsibility of being Alpha means. I’ve gone through insgh losing a mate once, and his connection, yet can’t promise each other athena future…”

h the sentence. Hati howled in protest withinwithin me, rejecting the very idea, but my rational mind under understood our duties

n different directions.

for a long time. Then she shifted her body, leadinteaning against my uninjured side. She rested her head or anyos my shoulder, her

aced on my chest, feeling my heartbeat.beat.

d, “when I first escaped to Spring Valley, Whitley thought it was just a temporary shelter. I never imaginmagined being oing back to Star Shadow and becoming thing their leader, even temporarily.”

ead, looking directly into my eyes. “I don’t know what that tomorrow will bring, Matthew. I don’t know what decisidecision the ake, or if the distance between our packs is truly insurmosduntable. But I know that right now, in this moment, then i want to be

through my body at her words and the emotions she sent sent through our bond. The uncertainty of the future réme remained, but

ive calmed something within me.

about tomorrow, but let’s not let it steal tonight,” I whispered, and gently kissing the top of her head. “Whatever happensppens, we’ll ybe not right now, but someday.”

11:42 Fri, May 1

From Rejected Mate to Luna

Chapter 195

Entime’s POV

VPN

The neoonlight poured over the jagged edge of the cliff displike spilled silver, casting long shadows across the rocky outcrocky oute copat Stat on shadow pack’s territory. I stood there alone, the codboccam lorent breeze whipping through my hair, carrying the salty the salty ting

mived with the earthy scent of pine from the nearby woods woods,

My hands is trembled slightly as I arranged the herbs for the ancientncient healing ceremony–sage bundles, moonflower petalova petals, an

of wolt’s barne extract. It was supposed to be a ritual for renewalę bawat bgh tonight, it was my trap.

In my mind, to the memory hit me like a wave crashing against the rockebrocks below. “If he hadn’t stubbornly refused to step downstep down

been Alpha lutong ago, Nathan’d slurred, his eyes gleaming with that cotdat cold, calculated pride I’d somehow missed for years. hic years.

possibly have ave died if I hadn’t put poison in his tea? I was the one whone who deserved to be Alpha!”

My stomach bachoditwisted then, just like it did now, as the truth sank deeper deeper than any knife could reach. Robert, my mate, the faster t

son, murderedrey bis his own flesh and blood.

For years, I’d buried led my grief under layers of denial, smothering it with misthenisplaced motherly love for Nathan. But now, under this unde

moon, that numbnessess shattered. My wolf spirit, Astrid, stirred from her longesleeng sleep, her voice a low growl in my head: It’s time, Emma

Robert. For the packack.

I closed my eyes, feelinging the warmth of the moonlight on my skin, and reachededehed deep within to Astrid. Her presence flooded me like of warm blood, connectinging us in a way I hadn’t felt since Robert’s death, death.

Memories flashed–Rebeobertis laugh, his strong arms around me during our matebonatebond ceremony, the way his scent of fresh rain always calmed my storms. Tears stunging my eyes, but I wiped them away, my resolve hardeningdening/h couldn’t let Nathan’s poison spread any furt

Not to the pack, not to anyanyone else.

Through the mindlink, i sentette the invitation to Nathan. My voice came out weak, deliberdeliberately playing up the frailty from my recent m

recovery from the wolf flu.flu.

“Nathan, I’ve found an old cerememory to help with your Alpha strength. It’s under the fulthedod moon, at the cliff edge. Please, come alone.

your mother, I need to do this for you you.”

I let a hint of desperation seep in, imoniowing his ego would latch onto it. He was always hungryhungry for power, especially now that his posi as Alpha was unstable. His response sancame back sharp, laced with suspicion:

Fine, Mother. But if this is a trick.

I paced the cliff edge, my heart poundingingite tribal drums. The air smelled of salt and impending ring rain, heightening my senses. Natha scent hit me first–musky, with an undercarcerent of something rotten, like spoiled meat. Sqar

He emerged from the shadows, his tall frame me silhouetted against the moon, dressed in his usual tailored lored shirt and jeans that screame