Luna Forsaken (Arya and James) novel Chapter 209

209 String Her Along 3

James’s POVO

The words sat in the room like smoke. Leah’s face went white first, then hot with anger,

“That’s a lie,” she snapped. “That is Arya’s poison talking through you. She ruined

everything, ”

I laughed. It came out sharp and ugly, and it startled her quiet.

“One day,” I said, my voice cold now, “the truth will be out.”

She stared at me, breathing hard, her eyes moving over my face like she was searching

for the old James. The one she could still work on with tears and sweetness and threats

tied to her father. She didn’t find him. Not tonight. Leah swallowed.

“You’re accusing me.”

“I’m stating what I know.”

“You don’t know anything.”

I tilted my head.

“Do you want to test how much I know?”

Her lips parted, then closed again. Good. She stepped forward anyway, trying another

angle. Leah never stopped. She just changed masks until one fit. She moved toward the

bed like she had every right to share it, like she could force herself into the space Arya

used to occupy and make the room accept her by sheer nerve.

“James,” she said, softer now, too soft, “I’m your wife.”

My body went rigid before I could stop it. She reached for the edge of the mattress like

she meant to sit. I stood up so fast she froze.

“No.”

The word came out harsh. Leah’s eyes flashed.

“You won’t even let me sit?”

“No.”

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Her face tightened with fury, but she pressed it down into a pout, into wounded pride,

into that look she always used when she wanted to seem wronged instead of exposed.

“When will you make me Luna?” she asked.

There it was again. Always that. Not love. Not grief. Not partnership. Title. I looked at her

and felt something close to nausea.

“When your father keeps his promise,” I said.

Her eyes lit up at once.

“So you will?”

“When I join the Union officially,” I corrected. “Not before.”

She stepped closer.

“That can happen soon. My father, ”

“Your father,” I cut in, “needs to deliver.”

Her smile faltered. She tried to bring it back fast.

“I didn’t mourn my unborn baby,” she said suddenly, her voice changing again, softer

now, almost dreamy, like she was talking about hope and not death. “Because I was

glad. Glad I can have babies with you. I love you, James.”

She said it like it was meant to soften me. Like it was meant to wipe the board clean.

Jasper snarled.

She speaks of love like a tool.

I let out a breath that might have been a chuckle if I had any warmth left in me for her.

“There’s no way you love me,” I said.

Leah’s eyes widened, offended.

“How dare you,

“You love what I represent,” I said, my voice flat. “You love the idea of being Luna. You

love your father’s plans. You love control. You love gold and everything this land can

give. Not me.”

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She stared at me like I had slapped her. I kept going because stopping there would only

let her rebuild the lie.

“No matter what you do, I won’t give land to your father. And I won’t make you Luna

until I join the Union officially.”

Her breathing turned sharp.

“You’re punishing me.”

“I’m protecting my pack.”

She laughed then, bitter and ugly.

“Your pack. You always hide behind your pack.”

I didn’t answer that because she wasn’t fully wrong. I did hide behind Nightwind

sometimes. Behind duty. Behind title. Behind fear. And behind those shields, I had done

wicked things. Leah moved again then, softer now, desperate in a way that was still

selfish.

“I’m lonely,” she said. “I sleep alone at night. The least you can do is hold me.”

Jasper practically gagged in my head.

Repulsive.

I clenched my jaw. Here it was. The moment. If I kept rejecting her harshly, she would

run straight to Marcel with the story that I was pulling away, that she was losing her

hold, that he needed to tighten pressure. If I suddenly turned tender, she would suspect

something. Nixon had been right about that part. So I did what I had always been good

at when I wanted somebody to stay close without understanding why. I made it sound

like the choice was hers. I let my voice soften, not warm, not loving, just controlled

enough to sound reasonable.

“I’ll sleep in your room tonight,” I said.

Leah blinked. The change in her face was immediate. Surprise first. Then excitement.

Then that greedy relief of someone who thought she had just won something important.

“Really?” she breathed.

“Yes,” I said. “Tonight.”

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She smiled, bright and pleased, and for one second she looked like a girl who had gotten

what she wanted from a game she didn’t fully understand.

“Good,” she said quickly. “I’ll… I’ll get things ready.”

She moved toward the door with too much energy, then stopped like she suddenly

remembered she still had to look wounded.

“You should apologise,” she added, like she still needed to win the argument too.

I stared at her until she shifted.

Then she left, excitement in her steps. The door shut behind her with a soft click. The

room went quiet again, and the silence after it tasted like rot. Jasper surged in my head,

furious.

You’re going to lie beside her.

“It’s not what it looks like,” I muttered.

It’s exactly what it looks like.

I closed my eyes and pressed my fingers to my temple.

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