Rebirth of the Broken Luna A Second Chance at Luna's Heart novel Chapter 316

Chapter 316

XENOIS

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The morning air carried a crispness that reminded me autumn was settling in properly now, the kind of cold that made breath visible

and promised frost by week’s end. I stood by our SUV, watching Lumina finish loading the last of our bags while trying not to think too

hard about what awaited us back in Silver Creek.

Two months. We’d been gone two months, and in that time, everything had changed. Riley was medicated and emotionally distant,

bonded to a boy who’d been complicit in atrocities.

Ollie had spent those months feeling invisible to his twin brother. And Lumina and I had been forced to confront the reality that we’d

failed as parents long before Sophia had stolen our son.

“You know,” Zade’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, “you could always extend your stay. We have plenty of room.*

them dressed casually for the goodbye. Zade had his arm around Lyn’s

I turned to find him standing with Lyn and Lynn,

waist in that possessive way that made me alternately envious and amused.

After everything Lyn had been through—with Lake’s torture, with his own recovery-he deserved someone who would hold him like he

was something precious.

“I appreciate the offer,” I said, meaning it despite the sarcasm I was about to deploy. “But if we stay any longer, you might actually

have to be pleasant to us for extended periods. I’d hate to strain your capacity for basic courtesy, besides we stretched that limit to the

Max, asking you to let Lake stay in the same house with Lyn.”

“No,” Zade agreed bluntly.” But Riley needed him, and despite my personal feelings about the situation, I’m not going to punish a

traumatized kid for the crimes he committed under duress.”

The fact that Zade could acknowledge that-could separate his protective anger on Lyn’s behalf from a more objective assessment of Lake’s culpability-spoke to his growth as an alpha. The Zade I’d known years ago would have thrown Lake out regardless of

consequences.

Lyn stepped forward, his expression carefully neutral but not hostile.

“Take care of those boys,” he said.

“They’ve been through hell, and they’re going to need a lot of support to heal from it.”

“We will,” Lumina promised. “And thank you for being willing to talk to Lake. I know that couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t,” Lyn admitted. “But it was necessary. For both of us, I think.”

I was about to respond when Lynn caught my attention, gesturing me aside with a subtle tilt of her head. I excused myself from the

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Chapter 316

group, following her a few steps away where we could speak more privately.

“Before you go,” Lynn said, her voice pitched low, “I wanted to give you a heads up about something.”

My stomach tightened. Lynn didn’t do casual warnings-if she felt the need to pull me aside, it meant trouble. “What kind of

something?”

(92

“The Council has been asking questions about Riley,” she said. “About his abilities, about what happened with Andy and Sophia, about

whether he poses a threat to supernatural stability.”

“He’s five years old,” I said, unable to keep the defensive edge from my tone. “He’s a traumatized kid, not a threat.”

“I know that,” Lynn said gently. “And you know that. But the Council operates on fear and worst-case scenarios. They’ve heard rumors about enhanced abilities, about werewitch-level powers in a werewolf, about loyalty to a known terrorist. They’re going to want answers, Xenois. And they’re not going to be satisfied with vague reassurances.”

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaustion settling over me like a heavy blanket. Of course the Council would get involved. Of course they’d see my son as a potential problem rather than a victim who needed help.

“What do I do?” I asked, hating how helpless the question made me sound.

“Document everything,” Lynn advised. “Every ability he displays, every milestone in his recovery, every piece of evidence that shows he’s integrating back into normal pack life. Build a case that he’s not a threat before they decide to make him one.”

“And if they decide to intervene anyway?”

Lynn’s expression went hard. “Then you fight. You’re an alpha, Xenois. You protect your pack, and that includes your son. Don’t let them turn Riley into a political problem to be solved.”

I nodded, grateful for the warning even as it added another layer of stress to an already complicated situation. “Thanks, Lynn. For

everything.”

“That’s what friends are for,” she said, then smiled slightly. “Besides, Lyn would kill me if I didn’t look out for you. He’s got a soft spot

for disaster cases.”

I snorted. “Disaster cases. That’s what we’re calling it now?”

“If the shoe fits,” she said, but there was warmth in her tone that took the sting out of the words.

We rejoined the group, where I found Zade and Lumina engaged in what looked like a tense conversation. As I approached, I caught the tail end of whatever Zade was saying, his tone carrying that particular edge that suggested he was working himself up about

something.

-just saying that if things don’t work out in Silver Creek, you know where to find me,” Zade finished, directing his words at Lumina

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Chapter 316

with an intensity that made me raise my eyebrows.

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I couldn’t resist. “Lyn,” I said, injecting mock seriousness into my voice, “if Zade’s being a douchebag again, you’re always welcome in

my territory. I’d be a much better man for you.”

The look on Zade’s face was priceless-somewhere between outraged and deeply insulted. Lyn, to his credit, burst out laughing, the

sound genuine and free in a way I hadn’t heard from him in weeks.

“Xenois,” Lyn managed between laughs, “you’ve never kissed a man in your life. What makes you think you’d be better at it than

Zade?”

“Natural talent?” I suggested. “Overwhelming charm? The fact that I actually know how to communicate my feelings?”

“Oh, that’s rich,” Zade interjected, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “This coming from the man who was such a shitty mate to Lumina that I had to enter Silver Creek and rescue her and Ollie from his emotional neglect.”

The barb hit closer to home than I wanted to admit, but I’d learned to own my past mistakes rather than deny them.

“At least I was under a spell for six years,” I shot back. “I had an excuse for loving Sophia. Your excuse was what-you were allergic to confessing your feelings because you assumed you were straight?”

“That’s-” Zade started, then seemed to realize he didn’t have a good comeback for that particular truth bomb. His jaw worked for a moment before he visibly changed tactics. “At least I didn’t spend years pining like a pathetic teenager.”

“No, you just spent years being an emotionally constipated alpha who couldn’t recognize love when it was standing right in front of

you,” I countered.

Lumina appeared at my elbow, her hand on my arm a gentle reminder not to push too far. But there was amusement dancing in her eyes, suggesting she was enjoying this just as much as I was.

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Reborn From Regret A Second Chance at Luna’s Heart