Rejected by My Alpha Now He Replaced Me with a Copycat Luna novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Raven’s POV

“Coast is clear, your innocence preserved,” I quipped, fastening the last button on the borrowed shirt. The silence that followed was heavier than expected. “Earth to Dexter?”

He stood frozen, jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscle twitching. “You zoning out on me, or just mentally undressing someone, buddy?”

That snapped him back to reality, his nose wrinkling in distaste. “Buddy’? Really?”

I bit back a grin. “Got a better suggestion?”

He stroked his chin with exaggerated thoughtfulness. “How about ‘your worshipfulness”?”

“Yeah, not gonna happen.”

Something dark flickered behind his emerald eyes before he schooled his expression. “Seriously though-you alright?”

The question landed differently this time, weighted with unspoken concern that made my ribs feel too tight. “It’s just soda, not acid. Why?”

Dexter’s gaze turned searching, like he was trying to peel back layers I’d spent years cementing in place. “Nobody gets to treat you like that. Not in my bar. Not anywhere.”

The words caught me off guard. Eight years of running, and this was the first time anyone had looked at me like I was worth defending rather than just another problem to manage.

I forced a smirk, desperate to lighten the sudden gravity between us. “Relax, Romeo. I can handle my own bar fights.”

But Dexter didn’t bite. His expression remained deadly serious, that intense green stare pinning me in place. “Doesn’t mean you should have to. You’ve got people now, luv. Starting with me.”

Something dangerously close to hope swelled in my chest, threatening to crack my carefully constructed walls. The lump in my throat made my voice come out rougher than intended. “Dexter-”

“And for the record?” He finally broke the tension with a roguish grin. “Romeo’ works. Miles better than that ‘buddy’ bullshit.”

The laugh burst out of me like a cork from a champagne bottle. “Noted… buddy.”

I made a mental note to keep calling him “buddy” just to watch that adorable scowl appear. “Come on,” I said, grabbing my tray. “We’ve left Nox

alone too long.”

Dexter ran a hand through his already-mussed hair. “At this point, I’m just hoping he hasn’t accidentally turned the bar into a tech startup.”

The damp shirt slapped against the coat rack as I hung it up, the sound drowned out by the growing murmur from the dining area. When we rounded the corner, Nox stood frozen amidst a sea of customers, his wide-eyed panic so palpable I could almost taste it. The way he clutched his phone like a lifeline sent unexpected warmth through my chest.

“Help,” he mouthed, the single word dripping with existential dread.

I bit back a laugh as I sidled up next to him. “Hank’s old school-he’s not taking digital orders anytime soon.”

Nox winced, his fingers twitching toward his glasses like he wanted to hide behind them. “Right. Obviously.”

“Relax,” I murmured, quickly transcribing the orders onto my notepad with practiced efficiency. My voice carried easily as I verified each item

with the waiting customers-a skill honed from years of working loud venues.

Nox exhaled sharply when I handed him the completed ticket. “I’d rather debug a thousand lines of corrupted code than do that again.”

The raw honesty in his voice made my chest tighten. “You survived,” I said, giving his arm a quick squeeze. “Take this to Hank-I’ll handle the

rest.”

He nodded, that stubborn lock of hair falling across his forehead again. His gaze flickered to my borrowed shirt. “Are you… you know, okay after everything?” The question came out tentative, like he wasn’t sure he had the right to ask.

“Better than the alternative,” I said lightly. “Could’ve been margarita mix.”

Nox’s lips quirked, but his attention had already shifted to Dexter behind the bar. My gaze followed his, landing on Dexter’s picture-perfect smile-the one that didn’t reach his eyes. The one I was learning to see through.

I forced a casual shrug, though my pulse still hadn’t settled. “We’re fine. Though I did learn he has strong opinions about nicknames.”

Nox’s sudden laugh was sharp and bright-a sound so unexpected it startled me. “No way. Did you call him buddy? To his face?”

I batted my lashes with exaggerated innocence. “Is that a crime?”

“It’s beautiful,” Nox said, shaking his head. “Someone needs to knock him down a peg.”

A real laugh escaped me this time, the tension in my chest loosening. “Consider it my new mission in life.”

Nox hesitated then, shifting his weight like he was working up to something. When he finally met my eyes-really met them-it lasted just a second too long to be casual. “I’m… glad you’re alright.” The words came out quiet but deliberate before he quickly retreated toward the kitchen.

I stood frozen, watching him disappear through the swinging doors.

This shouldn’t be happening. Not after eight years of carefully constructed walls. These wolves-with their easy concern and unearned loyalty were dismantling my defenses brick by brick.

And I wasn’t sure I wanted to stop them.

(0)

0.0

(0)