I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 50

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**Chapter 50**

**ARIA**

“Luna Aria?”

The voice broke through my swirling thoughts, and I lifted my gaze to see Grandmother Rose standing nearby. Her face, etched with the lines of time, radiated a warmth that contrasted with the fatigue lingering in her eyes.

“Are you alright, child?” she inquired softly, concern threading through her words. “That was quite an ordeal you just survived.”

“I’m fine,” I replied instinctively, but then the weight of my emotions crashed over me like a wave. “No. I’m not fine. Ivory’s hurt because of me. The pack is torn apart over whether I should even hold the title of Luna. And I-I don’t know if Kael truly chose me or if I was merely the most convenient option once his curse was lifted.”

Grandmother Rose settled onto the bench beside me, letting out a small, weary sigh. “May I share something with you that I’ve gleaned from my many years of observing Luna ceremonies?”

I nodded, my heart aching for any glimmer of wisdom that might help me navigate this tangled mess.

“The bonding is never the end of the story,” she began, her voice steady and reassuring. “It’s merely the beginning. Yes, the ceremony seals the bond, but it does not forge the relationship. That comes afterward, through shared struggles, small acts of kindness, and the conscious decision to keep choosing one another, even when the path becomes treacherous.”

“But what if he doesn’t want to choose me?” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. “What if he wishes he had bonded with Ivory instead?”

“Has he ever said that to you? Has he given you any indication that he regrets marking you?” she asked, her gaze piercing through my uncertainty.

I reflected on the fight, the way Kael had stood up for me against Damon, his fierce protectiveness igniting a warmth within our bond when he called me his. I remembered the look he had given me during the ceremony—not the frantic obsession Damon had displayed, but something steadier, something more genuine.

“No,” I finally confessed, the truth settling in my chest. “But Ivory—”

“Loves him, yes,” Grandmother Rose interjected, her bluntness surprising me. “She has loved him since they were children, probably. But, dear child, loving someone does not mean they are destined to be your mate. Ivory understands that well. That’s why she safeguarded your ceremony—not just for Kael’s sake, but because she recognizes that his needs and her desires do not align.”

“How do you know that?” I pressed, seeking clarity amidst my swirling doubts.

“Because I know Ivory,” Grandmother Rose replied simply, her eyes softening with fondness. “I helped bring her into this world. I watched her grow, witnessing her stubbornness, her strength, and her unwavering loyalty. But she is not foolish. If she had wanted Kael romantically, if there had been even a flicker of hope that he might feel the same, she would have made her intentions clear long ago. The fact that she didn’t speaks volumes.”

I yearned to believe her. I wanted to cling to the notion that Ivory’s sacrifice stemmed from pure altruism, a selfless act of friendship rather than the pangs of unrequited love.

Yet, I couldn’t shake the memory of the junior healers’ glances, the pity lacing their voices as they whispered about Ivory’s decision to act as a decoy. They clearly believed she had sacrificed her own happiness for Kael’s benefit.

“What if you’re wrong?” I challenged, my heart racing. “What if she does love him that way, and I’m unwittingly standing in the middle of something that should have belonged to them?”