From Rejected Mate to Luna (Julia White) novel Chapter 8

Chapter 8

James’s POV

Shit. The moment the joke escaped my lips, I’d realized my mistake.

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thethomach clenched with that familiar dread–the kind that came from watching your best friend carry a grief so profound that most days I wondered how

he even get out of hed

Matthew bad lost his mate. Rachel. Dead for over two years now, killed in a rogue attack that had shattered him in ways the pack couldn’t see Most of

Spring Valley had no idea their Alpha had even found his fated mate, let alone lose her.

Only Oliviz and I knew the truth–wed been there that night, had watched Matthew cradle Rachel s broken body, had heard the sound that came from him

when the matebond severed. It wasn’t a howl. It was something worse, something that still woke me up sometimes in the middle of the night.

1 opened my mouth, scrambling for words that wouldn’t make this worse, but my mind was completely blank. What could I possibly say? Every apology felt

inadequate, every explanation hollow.

Then, like an answer to a prayer I hadn’t voiced, I felt Olivia’s presence through our matebond before I heard her footsteps. The office door opened, and my

pregnant wife walked in with that perfectly timed grace that had saved me from countless awkward situations over the years.

“Am I interrupting? Olivia asked innocently, though the knowing look she shot me through our bond said shed felt my distress and come running. Her hand

rested protectively on her rounded belly, now prominently showing under her flowing summer dress.

Matthew’s dangerous edge softened immediately, his expression shifting to mild surprise. “Why is your wife joining our meeting?”

I placed a protective hand on Olivia’s lower back, grateful beyond words for her intervention. “She’s being clingy lately Pregnancy hormones,” I said, trying

to meet some lightness back into the atmosphere

am at Olivia protested, playfully swatting my arm in a performance I recognized–she was deliberately creating normalcy, giving Matthew something

else to focus on besides my spectacular foot in mouth moment. Im actually interested in hearing about the scholarship program. She nestled closer to me, and upped my arm around her shoulders, silently thanking the Moon Goddes for this woman.

desit pushing the playful baster further, needing to cement this shift forum sun i was only at of the house for what, an hour? And you were already

way from dangerous territory. Just admit it–you can’t stand being away sing me so badly you had to come find me.”

Can a mye, but i fell her warment through our band She knew exily what I was doing

has the diamatically, and I saw him force a amir Seriously have to do this in front of a single guy? Have some merey

pering teghea chance to say thing right for oner today You to theirs in mary solution to that problem. Either find a mais ar gi

decat celem a Salle far out, meet people bouze still young. Mattbor

I sighed, rectly abandoning the ty though pulau yoked or made by poison to the back of the inco

T

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15:00 Mon, Jan 26 G D G

Chapter 8

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coming up soon. We need to finalige all the arrangements. The venue is confirm but we still need your approval on the guest fut and ceremony detaile

Matthew Wipped through the first folder id prepared, scanning the details about tward retirement ceremony. The whole situation had been avleward from The start. When Matthew became Alpha a year and a half ago, it hadn’t been planned bis father had stepped down early, forring the leadership transition

mere month afte Rachel’s death

Tondered why. The former Alpha had watched his son spiraling into grief, loving his will to live day by day, and had made a calculated gamble: hind

Matthew with responsibility, give him something he couldn’t abandon, use duty an anchor when love had been ripped away

And once Matthew, took on the Alpha mantle, hed immediately insisted I take the Beta position instead of Edward He simply couldn t hear the thought of

Bis, tomche–figure becoming his subordinate, reporting to him daily with the formal deference Edward had always maintained toward pack leadership.

We ended up with this strange arrangement–Edward remaining the nominal Bete while I actually performed the duties It had taken months of proving

well before Edward finally, last month, deemed me fully qualified and decided to officially pass the position to me

“Bi hen do we need to have the selection completed? Matthew asked, his focus new entirely on the scholarship folder

“Next month, I replied my posture relaxing as we settled into the familiar rhythm of work. “The Elders want the scholarship awarded before the fall

semester starts.

“Understood. I’ll find someone to draft the examination questions, Matthew said making a note.

“Our annual scholarship program, he continued, more to himself than to us. Every year, Spring Valley pack established scholarships for exceptional

students at State University, helping talented individuals while also increasing packs visibility in academic circles

I nodded. It was one of the things I genuinely admired about our packs approach. Unlike many other packs that remained isolated and traditional, Spring

Valley had embraced a more modern and open philosophy

Wir actively encouraged pack members to pursue higher education and welcomed university graduates to join our community, bringing fresh perspectives and skill. The program had been one of Edward’s initiatives that Matthew had expanded after becoming Alpha.

As Obers began explanong her vision, I felt a small measure of relief through our bond. Maybe I’d screwed up with my thoughtless comments, but at least we’d managed to sedirect to something productive. And watching Matthew actually engage with something beyond his grief, even if just for a moment, made

The awards worth it

Still, (made a mental suce to think before I spoke next time. My best friend had been through enough without me accidentally twisting the kile