No Longer Be your Luna (Jane and Xander) novel Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Aftermath.

*Jane*

I couldn’t sleep.

Xander was fast asleep beside me. He’d had no trouble nodding

off, obviously not very concerned with the fact that he’d

singlehandedly ruined my night.

I traced the sharp line of his jaw with my eyes, trying to search

for evidence of his betrayal.

Just say a word, a name. That was all I want.

But there was nothing. Not even a twitch.

Of course not. Xander was extremely calculated, even in sleep.

He always wanted to control everything, me included.

My eyes drifted to the dresser, where his phone kept lighting up. I

looked back at Xander. Before I could convince myself not to, I

reached for his cell.

It felt like I was committing a serious crime as I tapped my finger

against the screen. It lit up, but Xander had taken the extra

precaution by setting his notifications to private.

Chapter 2: The Aftermath

The only thing I could see was the sender, and all twenty- something texts… and counting were coming from the same person. I peered down at the profile picture. It was a tiny, blurry picture even though it looked like Mia.

I spent the entire night spiraling, replaying that horrible birthday

party in my head, wondering what was really going on between

Mia and Xander.

I eventually gave up on sleep, and dragged myself to the kitchen.

By 6 a.m., I’d consumed three cups of coffee.

I looked up when the smell of mints came to my nose. Xander

appeared in the kitchen doorway, dark hair disheveled, rubbing

his temples.

“Morning,” he mumbled, shuffling toward the coffee pot. “Last

night was great. You good?”

Was it? I wanted to ask, but instead, I answered, “Just tired.” I’d

tried to keep my voice steady, but the bitterness still managed to

slip out.

Xander paused mid–sip, his gray eyes narrowing slightly over the

rim of his mug. The kitchen suddenly felt too small, and the tiny

peace I’d felt here has vanished completely.

“What’s wrong, Jane?” He dropped his voice, sounding more

Chapter 2. The Aftermath.

concerned than he really was.

What’s wrong? I almost laughed. I gripped my mug tighter. “I’m.

Fine.”

He frowned again and set his coffee down. “You don’t sound

fine.” He reached for the coffee pot, refilled his mug and slid into

the chair beside me. “Talk to me Jane.”

I turned to look at him. My husband. He was devastatingly

handsome. Xander was almost a whole foot taller than me,

towering over most of the pack. His dark hair fell in tousled waves, still messy from sleep. A lifetime ago, I would have buried my fingers in the silky strands and planted a sweet kiss on his full

lips.

Now when I looked into his gray eyes, it felt like I was looking at

a stranger. Even the strong line of his jaw, his usual early morning stubble that used to make my knees weak did nothing

to me anymore.

As he gazed at me innocently, I found myself transported back to

how we’d met at the Werewolf Academy. Eighteen–year–old

Xander had been leaning against the brick wall right outside the

dining hall. I’d barely even noticed him as I walked past, but he’d

spotted me immediately and declared, “You’re mine.”

And like every typical sixteen year old would, I laughed in his

Chapter 2: The Aftermath.

face. I’d believed he was feeding me some elaborate line, toying

with my feelings. I didn’t even sense any sort of partner

relationship between us.

“You’re lying,” I’d told him flatly. “You don’t

ven know me.”

But that didn’t deter him. He spent months pursuing me

relentlessly. He would slip notes into my textbooks, get me

coffee, escort me to and from class. He was attentive, caring… just

perfect.

I finally cracked and agreed to be his girlfriend. But with a condition. “If I find my destined partner when I turn eighteen, I’m breaking up with you,” I’d said to him. Xander grinned with so much confidence I almost took the words back. “Agreed. But you

won’t want to.”

He was right. On my eighteenth birthday, when my wolf finally roared to summon her mate, I’d felt that unique sensation directed at none other than Xander. It made me the happiest

person in the world.

Now, that memory tasted bitter in my mouth. It was tainted by his involvement with his Beta and how that had turned me into a laughing stock.

“You embarrassed me last night,” I finally blurted. I set my mug down hard enough that coffee spilled over the rim. “And what

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