Rejected by My Alpha Now He Replaced Me with a Copycat Luna novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Raven’s POV

Every genuine act of kindness from Kael made it harder to maintain my defenses. That was dangerous. The last thing I needed was to let my guard down around an Alpha-especially one who smelled like fresh snowfall and evergreen forests.

Stepping outside, I inhaled sharply, hoping the crisp night air would wash away his lingering scent. But no matter how deeply I breathed, traces of him remained-subtle yet persistent, like the memory of a dream.

“Ready?”

That voice-rough around the edges yet warm-did things to my pulse I refused to acknowledge.

I didn’t answer. Just started walking, grateful my apartment was close. Three blocks. That’s all I had to endure.

Kael matched my pace effortlessly, his presence both comforting and unnerving. The silence between us stretched until he finally broke it.

“So, Duston treating you alright?”

I shot him a sideways glance. “That’s the best small talk you’ve got?”

A low laugh rumbled in his chest, the sound vibrating through me in ways that had nothing to do with the chill in the air. “Fine. How about this-nice night for a walk.”

I couldn’t argue. The air was cool but not biting, the kind of April evening where the sky stretched endlessly above, clear and speckled with stars. Not that I needed the weather to be kind-my shifter blood kept me warm regardless.

When we reached the back of Jack’s, I dug into my bag for my keys.

Kael frowned. “Why are we stopping here?”

“Because I live here.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Above the bar?”

Irritation flared. “Yeah. Got a problem with that?”

His jaw tightened. “Just thinking about safety. You shouldn’t let customers know where you sleep.”

I met his gaze, unflinching. “I’ve managed just fine on my own, thanks.”

Something flickered in his expression-respect, maybe, or something softer. “I don’t doubt it.”

“Good. So you can head back now. I don’t need an escort to my own damn door.”

I expected him to smirk, to tease. Instead, his voice dropped, quiet but firm. “Indulge me, Little Warrior. Let me see you inside.”

The nickname sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine.

Damn him.

Damn this whole night.

And damn the part of me that didn’t hate it.

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

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A stranger’s nickname shouldn’t have slid so easily between my ribs. Yet here we were my wolf silent when she should have snarled, my pulse steady when it should have raced with warning. Arguing would only prolong this dangerous proximity, so I pushed through the door, letting the weight of Kael’s presence follow me inside.

The dim hallway lights Joe kept burning through the night cast elongated shadows across the worn floorboards. These small beacons were the closest thing to welcome I’d known in years – no family, no pack, not even a stray cat to rub against my ankles. Just these fragile pools of amber light I collected like scattered coins.

His boots echoed behind me, each step resonating through the empty space with a rhythm that somehow felt intimate. The realization that I found the sound attractive made my back itchy. Clearly, it had been too long since I’d let off steam with anyone.

At my door, I moved with practiced efficiency key in the lock, body blocking the threshold before he could misinterpret this as an invitation.

“Congratulations, Mr. Bodyguard, I’m home and still in one piece. Look at that, your mission’s accomplished beautifully.”

Kael’s eyes traced my face with unsettling focus, as if committing every detail to memory. When he reached for his wallet, my muscles coiled

instinctively. The card he extended was heavy stock, embossed lettering gleaming under the hallway lights: Emberclaw Security, C.E.O.

The title made my throat tighten. Security firms meant networks, resources, hunters who knew how to track what didn’t want to be found. Yet

my fingers closed around the card before I could stop them.

“Thank you,” I said, the words automatic – the fastest route to ending this encounter.

His knowing smile told me he saw right through the politeness.

“You’re not going to use it, are you?”

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

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