Luna Forsaken (Arya and James) novel Chapter 37

37 Silver and Silence: Prayers Don’t Open Bars

Arya’s POV

James continued, his voice tightening as if each word tasted bitter.

“They swore by everything. Marcel demanded I had them overtly face his pack laws. They still maintained their story.”

My head shook again, frantic.

“That doesn’t mean it’s true,” I cried. “It means they were terrified!”

James’s gaze hardened.

“Some pack members testified to seeing you exit the kitchen,” he added, voice like a final

nail. “Why would you do this?”

My knees almost gave.

“What?” I whispered. “Who, who said that?”

James didn’t answer the question.

He stared at me, breathing hard through his nose, as if my denial was exhausting him.

I stepped closer to the bars again, but I didn’t touch them this time.

I kept my hands close to my chest, shaking.

“James,” I said, voice breaking, “you have known me since we were little.”

His jaw tightened.

“We have been together for years,” I pushed on, words spilling fast, desperate. “Travelled

harsh terrain. Survived together. Gathered our people. Built this pack from nothing,”

James’s eyes flickered again, not softening, but something moved there, pain, maybe.

I seized it immediately.

“You know this isn’t my style,” I said, shaking my head, tears falling. “You know I don’t do

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<37 Silver and Silence: Prayers Don’t Open Bars

this. You know I don’t poison women. You know I don’t attack from shadows. That’s not

me.”

James swallowed, throat working.

For a heartbeat, I thought, he’s going to listen.

Then his face tightened again.

“I know jealousy could make a woman ruthless,” he said.

The words hit me like a slap.

My mouth opened.

No sound came out at first.

Then I whispered, hoarse, “Jealousy?”

James stepped closer to the bars, eyes fierce and accusing.

“I told you that baby wasn’t mine,” he said harshly. “I promised you I wouldn’t touch her.”

My chest tightened.

“Yet you had to do this,” he continued, voice rising. “We were about to get what we want, the Union signing, and I would get Radimir’s approval, and you will be Luna again.”

I shook my head, tears falling faster.

“No,” I cried. “No, you don’t understand,”

James cut me off, voice sharp.

“You just had to be impatient and do this,” he said, like he was spitting poison. “You had to

ruin it.”

My hands flew up, palms open.

“I didn’t ruin anything!” I cried. “I didn’t poison her! I didn’t, James, you’re listening to people

who were beaten until they couldn’t think!”

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James’s eyes flashed.

“You think I don’t know that?” he snapped. “You think I don’t know they were beaten? And

still they said your name. Still.”

I shook my head violently.

“Because they were made to,” I sobbed. “Because they were scared. Because, because

someone wanted me blamed!”

James’s nostrils flared.

“And who?” he demanded. “Who wanted you blamed?”

I swallowed hard, heart pounding.

I remembered Leah’s scream.

The wolfsbane.

The way the hall turned on me in seconds.

The way Rebecca slapped me and said she didn’t need proof.

The way Marcel demanded justice like it was a business transaction.

My voice came out quick, urgent, grabbing for anything that might crack through his rage.

“The Union doesn’t guarantee protection,” I said, words tumbling out. “Lev told me so…”

James froze.

His eyes narrowed.

“Lev,” he repeated, voice dangerously quiet.

I nodded quickly.

“Yes,” I said. “Lev said it. The Union isn’t what you think it is,”

James’s jaw flexed.

I pushed on, faster, before he could shut me down.

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“Marcel did this,” I said. “To get me out of the picture. Don’t think he couldn’t see through your plans, James. Don’t think he couldn’t tell you wanted to discard Leah once you got

your signing. He knew. So he framed me. He, ”

James’s face twisted with fury.

“Enough, Arya!” he roared.

I flinched so hard my back hit the wall.

James leaned toward the bars, eyes blazing, voice thick with anger and disbelief.

“You want to believe Marcel will harm his own grandchild?” he shouted. “When that baby is

the very reason he allowed a Union between me and Leah?”

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

James’s voice grew sharper, more brutal.

“When that baby is the reason he is helping us get the Union deal?” he demanded.

My throat tightened.

Words failed me.

Because I didn’t have proof.

Because I didn’t have anything solid, only instincts, only the way Marcel’s eyes had looked

at me like I was something he intended to crush.

But instincts weren’t evidence.

And James was standing here with rage and political ruin choking him.

James stared at me, chest rising and falling hard.

His eyes glistened faintly, but the tears didn’t soften him.

They made him look more dangerous.

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Like pain had turned into a weapon.

“You ruined it all,” he said, voice low, cold.

I shook my head, sobbing.

“No,” I whispered. “No, James, please,”

James stepped away from the bars.

The movement made my panic spike.

“James,” I cried, stepping forward again.

My hands reached for the bars without thinking.

The silver burned my skin instantly.

I hissed, but I didn’t let go.

“James, please,” I begged, voice cracking. “Please. I’m innocent. You can’t,”

James turned back slowly, eyes hard.

I swallowed through the pain and kept pleading.

“They’re lying,” I sobbed. “Those women, Lisa and Margaret, they would never say that

unless they were forced! You know they were beaten! You know,”

James’s gaze tightened at the names.

For half a second, something flickered there.

Recognition.

Memory.

Then it was gone.

His voice came out colder.

“It is Alpha to you,” he said cold, and I realised what had just happened. I had lost him.

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