From Rejected Mate to Luna (Julia White) novel Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Matthew’s POV

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I stood frozen, my coffee cup halfway to my lips, completely blindsided by Julia’s sudden outburst. My eyes widened slightly as I watched

her stand there, hands braced against the table, face flushed with emotion.

I’d only meant to make polite conversation-the kind of small talk that filled awkward silences in professional settings. Instead, I’d

apparently stepped on a landmine.

.I

From the corner of my eye, I noticed several heads turning in our direction. I gave a subtle shake of my head to indicate everything was

fine, though it clearly wasn’t. I instinctively took half a step back, giving Julia space while trying to process her reaction.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-* I began, keeping my voice low.

“We broke up,” Julia cut me off, her voice dropping to a tired, defeated tone. “Over Christmas break. Everyone keeps asking about him like

I’m just some… appendage. Like I don’t exist without Daniel attached to my name.”

Tears gathered in her eyes, but she stubbornly blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. Her shoulders slumped slightly as the fire of her outburst dimmed, leaving behind what looked like exhaustion and embarrassment.

Julia glanced around, suddenly aware of the other attendees pretending not to watch while failing miserably at their attempt to look busy with their phones and papers. Color rushed to her cheeks as she sank back into her chair.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, staring down at her notes. “I shouldn’t have exploded like that. Very unprofessional.”

I remained standing, completely motionless. My mind replayed my previous interactions with them, the protective stance Daniel had taken whenever I was near Julia. The pieces were falling into place-Daniel’s absence, Julia’s tense demeanor, the dark circles under her

eyes that makeup couldn’t quite hide.

Inside my mind, Hati stirred with interest. She’s unattached now, my wolf observed unnecessarily.

A cold wave of panic washed over me at Hati’s sudden interest. My wolf had been dormant for so long when it came to women-years of shared grief over Rachel. This awakening felt like betrayal.

Images of Rachel’s smile flashed through my mind, followed by crushing guilt that squeezed my chest until I could barely breathe. Was I really standing here, while my wolf considered Julia’s newly single status as some kind of opportunity? The thought made me physically

ill.

Not the time, I replied silently, pushing Hati back with more force than necessary.

Without Daniel serving as a convenient buffer, I suddenly found myself exposed, uncertain how to interact with Julia on my own. Professional discussions about rural healthcare were safe territory, but this raw display of emotion? I had no roadmap for this, no protocol to follow. I’d spent years building walls around myself, and in one moment, her vulnerability threatened to create cracks I couldn’t afford

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Chapter 66

to have.

My fingers absently traced the rim of my coffee cup as I debated how to respond. Part of me wanted to ask what had happened, to offer some kind of comfort. Another part-the part that had kept me isolated for years-warned me to maintain professional distance.

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The professional part won.

*I should check some documents before we continue,” I said, not acknowledging her apology or her revelation. With a short nod, I turned and walked back to the front of the conference room, leaving Julia alone with her cooling coffee.

Real smooth, Hati commented sarcastically. She opens up and you run away. Stellar performance.

I ignored my wolf’s commentary as I shuffled through my presentation materials, not really seeing any of the pages.

Professor Andrews approached, asking about the next portion of the presentation. I was grateful for the distraction, throwing myself into preparations for the remainder of the meeting. I deliberately avoided looking in Julia’s direction as everyone returned to their seats.

“If we could reconvene,” I said, my voice carrying across the room with practiced authority. “I’d like to discuss the implementation timeline for the community health screenings.”

Throughout the second half of the meeting, I maintained a careful distance, referring to “Ms. White’s earlier point” when necessary and directing questions to the group rather than to specific individuals. I shortened the planned discussion portion, opting instead for a brief Q&A session that kept interactions formal and brief.

Each time my gaze inadvertently crossed Julia’s, I quickly redirected it. I noticed her expression had shifted to something carefully neutral, though a hint of hurt flickered across her face whenever I deliberately avoided addressing her directly.

She needs support, and you’re acting like a coward, Hati commented from the edges of my consciousness.

I’m being professional, I countered, focusing intently on a question from one of the hospital administrators,

Is that what we’re calling it now? My wolf’s tone dripped with sarcasm.

As the meeting concluded, I gathered my materials quickly, engaging Professor Andrews in conversation to avoid any possibility of being caught alone with Julia again. I watched from the corner of my eye as she efficiently packed her notebook and pens, her movements precise and controlled,

“The project starts next Monday,” Professor Andrews was saying. “The students will be divided into teams, with Julia leading the preventative care initiative. Her group will be visiting Spring Valley next Friday for an on-site assessment of the community’s needs and

existing resources.”

I nodded, only half-listening as I watched Julia slip out the door without looking back. An unexpected sense of disappointment settled in

my chest.

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You barely know her, I reminded myself. Her relationship status is irrelevant to this project.

But as I drove back to Spring Valley that afternoon, my thoughts kept returning to the vulnerability in her voice when she’d said, “We broke up. There had been something raw and wounded there that resonated with me more than I cared to admit.

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I’d recognized that pain-had lived with it myself for years. The difference was that Julia was still fighting, still showing up, still standing her ground even when it crumbled beneath her. Whether I wanted to acknowledge it or not, that kind of strength demanded respect.

And perhaps, though I wasn’t ready to admit it, something more.

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From Rejected Mate to Luna