Rejected by My Alpha Now He Replaced Me with a Copycat Luna novel Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Raven’s POV

The creek was soothing.

My head still thrummed with the faint echo of a headache, the repercussions of dropping my emotional shields. But it was better than it had been. The tea and food Joe had given me had helped, along with the dose of caffeine in the form of an iced coffee that Kael had brought me.

Quiet actions over words. Classic Kael.

I’d wanted to keep working, but the guys refused. Dexter said he’d help Joe for the rest of the day, and the other guys took me home. They’d been mostly quiet until we got there, and Nox had offered a movie or a game. I’d said I just needed a little time.

Thankfully, they’d given it to me. Now that the wards were strengthened, and Nox had laid new alarms around the borders, the territory was

safe. At least for now.

Footsteps sounded, then the crack of a twig and crunching dried leaves-someone not trying to hide their approach. I didn’t reach for my knife,

but when I scented Ezra, my muscles eased a fraction.

More relief came as he stepped into view in his wolf form. I wasn’t ready for human conversations, but comfort from Ezra’s animal half? I would

take that.

The jet-black wolf slowly sauntered over to me, blue-green eyes assessing and trying to decide if I was open to his approach.

I flipped my hand over in answer, palm up. Ezra read the gesture instantly, his steps growing less hesitant. He moved into my space, stepping

between my legs and sitting. My hands instantly went to his fur.

My fingers sifted through the softness-the complete opposite of his human half’s tough exterior. Ezra let out a rumbling sound that almost sounded like a purr.

One corner of my mouth kicked up. “You sound like Lulu.”

Ezra chuffed at that as if to say, “The hell I do.”

It only made me grin more.

Ezra leaned into me and rested his head on my thigh comfortingly. Gods, it felt good. And I needed it. The simplicity of the gesture, having nothing I needed to explain or talk about…just touch.

We stayed there for a long time, my hands running over his massive, jet- black form as I worked through the days’ events. It was like I was an archeologist on a dig, excavating layer after layer.

First came the fear. I had to work through the terror of Michael knowing where I was, the horror of possibly being back in his clutches. Then came the logistics. How had he found me? Was it Asher’s contact? Someone else? If there was a leak in Duston, we needed to find it. Finally, the

plan. How the hell did I deal with all of this?

Did I need to run? Hide? Start over yet again?

Something told me that’s what Michael expected me to do. And if he’d predicted that, he’d have a plan to go along with it. Likely men at all the routes into and out of town. The bus stations and the nearest airport, He’d hope I’d be stupid enough to venture out alone so he could snag me.

But I wasn’t going to play that game, Wouldn’t fall into his trap. I’d take my time. Think through all the possibilities.

The dull ache in my head intensified a fraction, and it took me a second to realize it wasn’t coming from me but from Ezra. His emotions raked

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Rejected by My Alpha, Now He Replaced Me with a Copycat Luna?

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at my shields as he rested peacefully against me. The ache spread from my head and went straight to my heart.

I understood why. As triggering as Michael being in Duston was for me, it had to be equally so for Ezra, just in a different way. His would be rooted in fear and guilt, the responsibility he felt for being unable to save his family.

My empath gift flared inside me, never wanting another creature to feel emotional pain. My hands continued their ministrations, sifting through his fur. I knew it was dumb, reckless even, but I lowered my shields just a fraction, enough to let in a sliver of Ezra’s pain.

His emotional wounds slammed into me, trying to widen the opening, but I battled them back. I only allowed a sliver, taking it into me as my hands slid over him in nonsensical patterns. A buzz started in my palms, my gift healing the darkness within him and easing it just a touch.

It wouldn’t be enough to change his makeup or mean he would be free of all the demons haunting him. But it was enough to take the edge off and make sure Ezra no longer felt like he was drowning.

A rumbling growl slid from Ezra’s throat. I instantly slammed my shields up again as I pulled my hands back. His wolf form began to vibrate. Bones cracked, and his entire being transformed.

A few seconds later, Ezra stood before me in his human form, naked but seeming completely unbothered by it. He glared at me, his eyes flashing. He didn’t speak right away, but the entire world slipped out from under me when he did.

“You’re an empath.”

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Rejected by My Alpha, Now He Replaced Me with a Copycat Luna?

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