From Rejected Mate to Luna (Julia White) novel Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Julia’s POV

I sat in Matthew’s office, my face pale, hands clenched into fists so tight my knuckles had turned white. I stared at Matthew across his

desk, unable to believe what I’d just heard.

“You’re letting him in?” My voice came out as a whisper, too shocked to even raise my volume. “You’re letting Nathan into Spring Valley?”

The very thought sent a wave of dizziness through me. Images flashed through my mind unbidden–Nathan’s claws tearing into Daniel’s flesh, blood spattering across the forest floor. The mocking tone of his voice in my head during our mindlink: Did you really think

you could hide from me forever?

Matthew leaned forward, his expression calm but resolute. “I understand your concerns, Julia. But there are precautions in place.”

“Precautions?” I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the hardwood floor. “This is Nathan we’re talking about! He nearly killed Daniel. He attacked James. He brought rogues to your territory!” My voice rose with each statement, trembling with emotion. “What possible precaution could make that okay?”

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“Wolfsbane tincture,” Matthew replied simply.

I froze. “What?”

“He drank wolfsbane tincture in front of me and James. The entire

vial.”

I slowly sank back into my chair. Wolfsbane was one of the few

substances that could temporarily weaken a werewolf. It was used in

emergencies, to subdue violent shifters when necessary. The effects

were brutal–nausea, weakness, and most importantly, a complete

inability to shift for hours.

“That doesn’t make sense,” I whispered. “Why would he do that?”

“To prove his sincerity,” Matthew explained. “The wolfsbane severely

limits his strength and completely prevents shifting. He’s essentially

surrendered his wolf temporarily–it’s as close as our kind can come

to becoming human.”

I moved to the window, staring out at the security team patrolling the

grounds below. My mind raced, weighing possibilities.

Nathan wouldn’t willingly weaken himself. Not unless he had something

to gain.

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But what could he possibly gain by making himself vulnerable? If he

genuinely couldn’t shift, couldn’t access his wolf’s strength, then he

truly was at their mercy.

Part of me–the rational, logical nurse–understood that the

wolfsbane created a genuine safeguard. But another part–the

terrified girl who had endured Nathan’s cruelty for a long time-

couldn’t accept that he would approach without an angle, without a

plan.

“The security team thoroughly searched him,” Matthew added, as if reading my thoughts. “No weapons. And this is the first time he’s willingly come forward since he escaped detention. He could have remained hidden, continued launching attacks from the shadows.”

I turned back to face him. “You can’t possibly trust him.”

“I don’t,” Matthew replied firmly. “But I do trust the wolfsbane. And I

trust our security measures.”

I wrapped my arms around myself. Unbidden, the memory of Matthew’s confession days earlier flooded my mind–how he’d lost his mate Rachel, how the pain of that loss had nearly destroyed him. How some wolves never recovered from losing their mates.

At least Nathan and I are both still alive, I thought suddenly, then

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immediately felt ashamed for even considering it. After everything Nathan had done, how could I even contemplate giving him another

chance?

“You’ll have complete control of the situation,” Matthew said, moving closer but maintaining a respectful distance. “Jason and Rick will be with you the entire time–two of our strongest warriors.”

“Jason from security?” I recalled the friendly security team member who had helped me when I was drunk in the bar.

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