Pursuing My Rejected Luna by Cara Anderson novel Chapter 252

Ch. 24

Noah

Lack of sleep is becoming an unpleasant theme in my life. It’s 6 AM and I haven’t slept a wink all night/Most nights, it’s the RMS that keeps me awake, the bitter cold seeping into my bones. But the last three nights, it’s been because of her.

After two nights of trying, and failing, to sleep in that damn chair, I forced myself to return to my own bed. My wolf wouldn’t let me leave when she was unconscious, insisting we watch over our mate until her recovery was certain. He tried to force me back there last night but I just managed to edge him out.

Yeah, he’s going to be a problem. Even more so because I’ve decided to let her stay.

Not because I’ve forgiven her. I haven’t and I won’t. For some reason, I feel the need to keep repeating that to myself. I have not forgiven Cassandra Winters for what she did to me and our mate bond, to Jaxon and Skye. And most of all, to Liam. I don’t forgive her. I’m not even close to forgiving her.

But I’m going to let her stay anyway.

I wish I could say that makes me benevolent, that it makes me a better person than her. But it doesn’t. And I won’t lie to myself about that either. My motives are purely selfish.

The RMS is progressing. Dr. Lukas’s two-year timeline is at the optimistic end of the spectrum and we both know it. The progression has been slow but it hasn’t stopped-it’s been moving, marker by marker, in a straight line that leads to my untimely death.

Then she showed up out of nowhere and I haven’t had a headache since. It’s been three days. That’s the longest stretch I’ve had without a headache since the symptoms started. stre

The cold is less severe. The fatigue that’s been sitting in my bones like something permanent has-not lifted completely, but eased significantly. To the point I actually feel like the alpha I’m supposed to be again.

I haven’t discussed it with Dr. Lukas yet, but I know what she would say if I told her who Cassandra is to me. She’d say it’s the fated mate bond doing what it’s apparently still capable of doing even in rejection-responding to closeness, providing whatever the biological equivalent is of what I’ve been losing.

Cassandra Winters showed up at my door out of the blue, thinking she was asking the impossible of me. Little did she know I’m the one who needs saving in this scenario. She doesn’t need to know.

And I don’t have to forgive her to use her presence to my benefit.

Two can play at this game. She ignored me, ignored our bond, in favor of pursuing Jaxon. Well I can ignore her, pursue Piper, while using her presence in Ironwood to my benefit.

I don’t have to forgive her. I don’t have to trust her. I just need to keep her here under terms that protect me- protect the pack, protect what I’ve built-while the biology of our bond provides what I need to function, to survive. And the best part is, she doesn’t even have to know I’m using her.

Meanwhile, I have Piper. Warm, uncomplicated Piper. Cassandra staying in Ironwood will give me time to see if choosing her as my mate is something I can live with long term, maybe even come to desire..

I don’t have to decide that today. Now I’ve got time.

Cole is already in his office at seven when I stop by. It’s usually him coming by to see me but today, I seek him out, dropping into the chair across from his desk and throwing my leg over the arm. He raises his eyebrow and scowls at me.

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“I’m going to tell Cassandra she and Liam can stay.” I inform him. His expression doesn’t change, the scowl still

mly affixed in place. “The official reason,” I continue, “is that Liam deserves stability and that having her inside the pack boundary is more controllable than having her outside it.”

“Mmhmm.” He mutters. “What’s the unofficial reason?”

“I just told you. The official reason,” I repeat.

The look of cynicism on his face tells me he’s not buying it. “Right. Is this about the bond?”

“It’s about practicality.” I hold my ground.

“Goddess Almighty, Noah.” He shakes his head. “You saw what she was like last time she was here. And she doesn’t have many fans in this pack. They loved Skye and in their minds, she’s still the reason their Luna left.”

I don’t respond right away. He’s right and I don’t have a counter-argument. But I also have my own agenda that I’m not ready to share just yet.

“The pack is going to have opinions,” he prompts again as if I didn’t hear him the first time.

“The pack will adjust.” I revert to my mainstay response, the one I pull out when he tries to use the court of public opinion against me.

“You keep saying that.” He grumbles.

“And so far it keeps being true.” I smirk and he rolls his eyes at me.

“Fine. What are the terms of little miss Blond Ambition staying in our hospitable accommodations?” Heavy on the

sarcasm.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle the terms.” I grin.

“You always handle the terms.” He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms. “Meanwhile I have to manage the pack’s questions. What’s the official story for them?”

“I already told you the official story. Twice. You’re a little slow today, man. Maybe you need another cup of coffee. “I chuckle, standing to leave.

He looks at me disapprovingly but mutters a reluctant “Okay.”

“You’re the best!” I call over my shoulder as I leave.

He says something I can’t quite hear as I’m walking away.

And that’s probably for the best.

Cara Anderson Author

Thank you for reading!

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