From Rejected Mate to Luna (Julia White) novel Chapter 196

From Rejected Mate to Luna

Chapter 196

Jack’s POV

The full moon hung heavy in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the hunter’s cabin at the edge of my pack territory. I lay there on the rumpled bed, my

body still buzzing from the heat of our encounter, the kind of raw, animal need that hits you deep in your bones. Grace lay beside me, her skin bare except

for the silk ribbon around her neck. It was meant to hide something–the broken mark from her mate, Nathan.

I propped myself up on one elbow, my fingers tracing the edge of the ribbon. The air smelled of sweat and pine, mixed with her faint, intoxicating scent-

wildflowers laced with something sharper, like hidden danger. “Why do you still wear that?” I asked, my voice low, trying to keep it steady. My wolf stirred

inside me, restless, sensing the unease building in my gut.

Grace turned her head, her eyes glinting in the moonlight. She was beautiful, all curves and confidence, but there was a cold edge to her smile that made my

skin prickle.

I reached over and gently untied the ribbon, revealing the mark on her neck–the faint, permanent scar from Nathan’s claim. It was still there, untouched, glowing faintly under the moon’s light. A growl rumbled in my chest, unbidden.

“You told me you were done with him. That you two were over. But this…” I trailed off, my hand pulling back like I’d touched fire. The sight of it made my stomach twist, a mix of jealousy and disgust. “What are we doing here, Grace? If you’re still tied to him, then what the hell am I to you?”

She sat up slowly, her movements graceful as a predator. Her eyes met mine, dark and calculating. “Oh, Jack, don’t be so dramatic. Breaking the bond would hurt like hell. Why go through that when this is so much more fun?” She leaned closer, her breath warm on my face. “Think about it–being with someone else’s Luna, marked but still in your bed. Doesn’t that add a little thrill?”

Her words hit me like a slap. I recoiled, sliding back on the bed, my wolf instincts kicking in hard. The room suddenly felt too small, the air thick with her scent now tainted by something rotten, like spoiled meat.

“Fun? This is a game to you?” My voice came out harsher than I intended, edged with the raw edge of betrayal. I’d thought we were something real, a escape from the pack’s rules, but now I saw it for what it was–her using me, twisting everything into some twisted power play. My mind flashed with images: her laughing with Nathan in the packhouse, her eyes hungry for status, not love. I felt sick, my stomach churning as I realized I was just a pawn in her scheme.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, grabbing my clothes from the floor. “This is over, Grace. I’m done.” The words tasted bitter, but they were the only ones that felt right. My wolf paced inside me, urging me to bolt, to get away from this mess before it pulled me under.

Before I could stand, Grace let out a sudden, gut–wrenching scream that echoed through the cabin. Her body convulsed, twisting like she’d been struck by lightning. She clutched her chest, her face contorting in agony, breaths coming in sharp, ragged gasps. ‘Nathan! He… he’s dead!” she choked out, her words barely coherent as her body jerked violently.

I froze, my heart pounding. What the hell was happening? Through our brief connection, I’d heard whispers of pack drama, but this—this was something else. Her pain was real, raw, radiating off her in waves. I could smell it, the metallic tang of fear and suffering, mixed with the breaking of something deeper. The matebond. Nathan’s death must have snapped it like a frayed rope, sending shockwaves through her.

Instinct screamed at me to run, to leave her to her fate. But I hesitated, my mind racing. Was this another trick? Or was she truly in danger? Grace, what do you want me to do?” I demanded, my voice rough with confusion and anger.

She grabbed my wrist, her nails digging in like claws. “Save me… send me to the hospital! I can’t… I can’t breathe? Her eyes were wild, pleading, but there was a hint of manipulation in them that made my blood boil. I remembered her earlier words, how she’d played with fire for her own amusement. She deserved this, didn’t she? For lying, for using me.

I stared down at her, my wolf’s instincts battling with whatever scrap of decency I had left. Tell me where Nathan is,” I snarled, my voice dropping to a low

10:22 am

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Chapter 196

growl. “If you want help, give me that.”

Through her gasps, she whispered the location–the cliff edge, where he’d fallen. Rage surged through me, hot and unyielding. Fine. If she wanted to die with him, so be it. I shifted in an instant, my body transforming into my wolf form, fur rippling under the moonlight, muscles coiling for action. I hoisted her over my shoulder, her body limp and trembling, and bolted into the forest. But I wasn’t heading to the hospital. Not anymore.

The night air rushed past, filled with the scent of damp earth and pine, my paws pounding the ground in a rhythmic fury. Grace’s weak voice cut through the

wind. “This isn’t the way! You’re not taking me to the hospital!”

Through the mindlink, I shot back, my tone ice–cold. You and Nathan can rot together. As mates, you should die in the same place.

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