Reborn Luna (Hope and Keith) novel Chapter 15

<11 The lie–1

+25 Points

11. The lie–1

Hope

“What the hell are you doing?” Ben says, the moment I walk through the warrior barracks.

I freeze mid–step, giving him my best bashful smile. “Did I get a chance to tell you how amazing you are? Seriously, like the best friend ever.”

His face sets into the hard line I imagine a brother would give his meddlesome sister.

“Hope,” he draws out my name.

I wanted to avoid this for as long as possible but Ben can’t be my partner if he isn’t aware of what’s going on. Plus I’m kinda tired of lying.

Tell him. He is a good male and can help, my wolf urges.

The fact that she wants help shocks me and serves as proof that this is harder for her than we realized.

For a moment, Keith’s scent brought her forward and the pain of longing for the Kieth I knew at the beginning of our mating ran through me. I had to remind myself what this was, who he turned out to be in order to step away.

That’s why I need Ben, at least until Keith leaves and goes back to the Lotus pack.

“I–I can explain,” I say searching for the best way to put it.

“Okay,” He drawls, looking thoroughly unimpressed. “Now would be kind of good, you know seeing as how I have Alpha Keith looking at me like he’s two seconds from challenging me because he thinks we’re dating.”

I wince. Okay fuck it. “What I’m going to tell you stays between us.”

“Not making me feel great here.”

“I’m serious Ben. Not even Tessa can know. At least until I decided to tell her myself,” I say quickly.

Ben raises a brow. “your starting work worry me.”

“Promise me,”

“Alright, I promise. Now tell me.”

“It’s–complicated but…”

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< 11 The lie–1

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I open my mouth. Close it again. There’s no way I can tell him the truth. That I died. That I was reborn. That Keith–the man I thought loved me–destroyed me in the end.

So I tweak the truth.

“Alpha Keith thinks I’m his fated mate.”

Ben’s eyes widen. “Seriously?” Then his face changes into confusion making his normally rugged features soften. “Wait, you said he thinks you’re his fated mate. Are you?”

I chew my lip. Here goes everything. “Yes.”

“What!” He exclaims.” And you told him I’m your boyfriend. What’s wrong with you? Are you trying to get me maimed?”

“No. Of course not. But that’s not all.”

“Goddess, there’s more,” he says, yanking his hand through his blond locks.

“I might have also told him I can’t feel the pull.”

He stops pacing, his posture going ridgid. I know what he’s thinking. For most shifters finding their fated mate is all they want in life. It’s rare for someone to walk away from them. They are the other half of your soul created for you by the goddess herself.

“Why would you do that?”

“I know it sounds crazy but you have to trust me. I’ve heard things. About him. I know you have too. The way his pack treats him and the power of his wolf. I won’t give myself to some

I don’t know, mate or not.

“Hope, you didn’t just tell him to take things slow or reject him, you’re pretending the bond doesn’t exist. So please tell me you’re not doing something so childish because of a few

rumors.”

Childish. That word rings in my ear and as much as I want to deny it a small voice in my head agrees with him.

That was not the best logic, my wolf agrees.

Well if you’re so smart what would you say? I snap back.

She doesn’t answer.

“It’s not… I’m not… I’m not sure I even want a mate Ben. And an Alpha at that. I’ll have to switch packs, take the place of Luna. I’m not ready for it.”

11. The lie–2

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11. The lie–2

I’m grasping at straws now and I know it but I don’t see another way of explaining it outside of the whole truth.

Ben’s face softens. “I get it. But I don’t think this is that way to do it. Just tell him you want to take things slow. Set your pace. He can’t force you into anything.”

He has a point. It’s not common for mates to hold off on the mating because of our elemental instincts but it can be done.

“You think Papa will support me?” I venture.

“Of course he will and Tessa and I will too. So will my mother. You’re not alone. Hope, we got you.”

“I know you do, but can’t you just give me time. Just pretend to be my boyfriend until he goes back to the Lotus pack then I’ll reach out to get everything sorted. Please just for a month.”

Ben’s expression freezes. For a moment, he doesn’t say anything. Then something flickers in his eyes–hesitation.

I can’t do that.”

I blink. “What?”

“I said no.”

“But–why? You’re single. I’m single. It’s not real. It won’t hurt anyone.”

Ben looks away, jaw tight. “It would hurt someone.”

I step closer. “Who?”

He hesitates.

“Ben,” I press, “tell me.”

Did he already approach Tessa?

He meets my eyes. “I found my mate.”

Oh shit. He recognized her, I realize. But it’s going to be weird if I know. I hide my excitement

for him and play the game.

“Is… is your mate in the Blue Rock Pack?”

A beat. Then: “Yes.”

11. The lie–2

A flush reaches the tops of his ears and he rubs his neck in embarrassment.

“When?” I whisper. “When did you find her?”

Ben’s voice is soft. “A month ago.”

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That can’t be right. In my past life, he never mentioned a mate. Not once. I’d assumed he only recognized Tessa after her marriage but what if I was wrong. Did he know all along and decide to put her wants before his right as a mate?

Goddess that made me love Ben more.

Made me want to fight for his and Tessa’s future more.

“She didn’t reject me,” Ben says, reading my thoughts. “But she hasn’t accepted me either.”

I study his face. The conflicted look. The weight in his voice.

“You love her,” I assert, certain of it.

He doesn’t deny it.

“I can’t pretend to be with someone else,” he continues. “It would feel like betrayal and I won’t do that. Not to her. Not even once.”

His words hit me like a knife in the gut. It’s the loyalty of a fated mate, the one I thought I had

from Keith.

I nod slowly. “Okay.”

“I’m sorry,” he says gently.

“It’s fine. I’ll find someone else.” I give his arm a squeeze. “Just please don’t tell anyone what I told you.”

Ben nods and gives me one last look, then turns and walks away leaving me alone in the warrior barracks.

The moment he’s gone, the weight I’ve been carrying all day slams down on me. I feel like I’m drowning, being held down by the constrictions of our society and this goddess damned mate bond.

My legs move on their own, taking me to the edge of the woods. The smell of cedar, pinecones and home calms my wolf. I lean against a tree and close my eyes.

Keith.

His name still burns in my lungs, my heart.

< 11 The lie–2

We were happy. At least, I thought we were.

But it was all a lie.

The betrayal still echoes–like a scream I can’t escape.

How could he? How could his wolf and our bond let him?

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I still see it so clearly: me, blind and broken. Listening to the servants whisper about Keith’s engagement to Princess Lilith. They didn’t know I was there. Didn’t know I could still hear.

It was his final betrayal, locking me away. Living yet not, trapped beneath his rule while he made his pull for power.

“He’s already planning the ceremony,” one of them had said. “Said he wants to marry Lilith

before the next full moon.”

“He’s forgetting Hope like she never existed,” another voice had added.

And just like that, the last piece of me shattered. I couldn’t stay there.

I open my eyes, grounding myself in my surroundings.

I’m safe.

I’m home.

This is my do over.

I won’t let it happen again. I don’t care what fate says. I don’t care if Keith’s supposed to be my mate. I refuse him.

My wolf whines when I think of the possibility of rejecting him.

The breaking of a true mate bond was painful and likely to leave both people with a hole that will never be able to be filled by another.

It will break my wolf, my heart too but I’d rather be alone than re–live that pain.

But now I need a new plan. I already introduced Ben as my boyfriend so using someone else would only highlight my lies. And if we’re not together I’m going to have to come up with another reason why our mating can’t work.

I guess it’s time to take our encounters into my own hands.

This isn’t love. This is war.

And I’m done playing fair.

Unable to resolve host “api.dreame.com“: No address a…

12. Ridiculous dinner–1

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12. Ridiculous dinner–1