Pursuing My Rejected Luna by Cara Anderson novel Chapter 244

Ch. 16

Noah

Donovan Reeves is becoming a festering thorn in my side I just can’t seem to pluck out. His latest territorial filing has been on my desk for the past week. I’ve been ignoring it just as long.

I’ve done all the right things-my response has been thorough, well-researched, and based on legal precedent that should have shut him down once and for all. But he just keeps filing the damn things like he can change the outcome by sheer force of will.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think he’s trying to force me into a war. And a fight right now is one thing I cannot fucking afford. Not that I’m not pissed enough to want to spill his blood all over the precious land he wants so badly. But I know that’s just the disease talking, and that scares the hell out of me.

That line of thought just sends me straight down the rabbit hole I’ve been trying to avoid. Since the second Dr. Lukas put a probable timeline on my RMS progression, I’ve been trying to keep it as an abstraction in my head. Two years. Maybe three. Maybe less. That’s a path I don’t have time to go down.

I force those thoughts aside, gather my files for the council meeting, and go be an Alpha.

The council goes exactly the way I expect it to go. At least that’s one constant in my life, even if it means I want to strangle Elder Voss on the regular. The man has opinions about everything I do and he shares them with the authority of a man who has been on this council since before I was Beta. For that reason alone, he garners a lot of respect and it’s a fine line to walk between the desire to put him in his place and coveting the support he could offer if I don’t.

“Eight days is a long time to let a territorial claim sit unanswered,” Voss spits out like an accusation.

would argue it’s not that long at all given it’s his third claim with only very subtle differences,” I say. “Reeves has been advised by someone who knows pack law. We don’t answer that with speed. We answer it with precision. We can’t afford to miss something.”

“Jaxon Vale would have-”

“Elder Voss:” I manage to keep my voice even this time when all I really want is to tell him where he can shove his references to my predecessor. “Jaxon Vale made good decisions and some fast ones. The fast ones occasionally cost him. I’m not trying to improve on his instincts. I’m trying to build a different kind of response.” I look around the table. “The claim is addressed. The boundary is protected. We’re not escalating beyond what the situation warrants. Does anyone have concerns about the substance of the response?”

Nobody has concerns. The headache that’s been building since breakfast flares along with my aggravation at the man who is just trying to rile me but I keep my expression neutral. Keep my voice even. Keep my attention on the ❘ room.

When Elder Voss’s follow-up question requires me to recall the specific eastern boundary coordinates from the documentation, I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly, hoping it covers the fact that the information isn’t coming to me as fast as it should.

I feel myself flush with frustration and embarrassment just as the facts pop into my head. Thankfully, nobody seems to notice the laps. Nobody except Cole, who notices everything.

The council clears out and, just as I predicted, Cole stays. He waits until the last council member is through the door before he says anything.

“Good meeting,” he starts with small talk but I know what’s coming. “It was a good response… to Voss” He

1/3

+15 Bonus

straightens the papers in front of him-a Cole habit, the tidying before a conversation he’s working himself up to.

You should rest.”

“I’m fine.” I growl, irritated.

“You’ve said that every day for three weeks, Noah. I get that you don’t want to talk about whatever it is but you’re very obviously not fine. ”

He watches me for a reaction. I don’t give him one.

“Voss’s question,” he continues. “About the boundary coordinates.”

“What about it? I answered him, didn’t I?” Even I can heat the defensiveness in my tone.

“You paused first.” He doesn’t add that he knows me well enough to know my brain is usually an encyclopedia of knowledge and I never hesitate when it comes to facts. Not ones I should know like the back of my hand.

“I was being precise.”

“Noah.” Just my name, in the voice that has been my check since the day I took this job. “You don’t pause for precision. You only pause when something’s off.” He sets his papers down. “What’s going on?”

I look across the empty council table at his worried expression. It’s almost enough for the truth to come spilling out, but I reel it back at the last second.

“You’re right. I’m dealing with something,” I admit part of the truth. “I’ll tell you when I know more.”

“Is it health-related?” He pushes a little.

I don’t answer and he reads my face, deciding how far to press the issue.

“Noah-”

“I’ll tell you when I know more,” I say more firmly. “That’s what I have right now.”

He wants to say that’s not enough. I can tell by the way he opens his mouth then closes it again, deciding not to say it. Not because he accepts my answer. Because he’s my Beta and he knows when to push and when to give me the room.

“Okay,” he nods sharply. “But Noah-”

“I know,” I sigh. “I know.”

He picks up his papers and leaves. I sit in the empty council chamber for a moment longer.

Thankfully no one knows it’s because my head hurts too bad to move.

Cara Anderson Author

Thank you for reading!

101

2/3

+15 Bonus