Rejected by My Alpha Now He Replaced Me with a Copycat Luna novel Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Raven’s POV

My eyes felt gritty, like someone had poured sand into them as I slept. It was the kind of feeling you got after an especially hard sleep. I blinked against the light in the room.

The first thing I saw was Nox. He sat on the bed, propped against the pillows, looking down at me with concern. “How do

you

feel?”

My brows pulled together in confusion, but then it all came back to me, memories from the night before flashing in my mind: the lights going out, feeling like I was back in the pit, fighting Nox, and then Dexter.

I quickly scanned the room. They were all here. Heat hit my cheeks as I remembered Dexter holding me in the bathtub.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

“Luv,” Dexter said, his voice firm. “You don’t have to apologize for a damn thing.”

I swallowed the burn in my throat, acid coating my esophagus. Shame.

That’s what fueled the pain.

The mattress dipped as Kael sat. He squeezed my leg through the blankets. “We all have stories, Little Warrior. We all have demons.”

I toyed with the edge of the sheet. “I’m not great with darkness. Between that and the storm… I’m sorry.”

A growl sounded from the chair in the corner, and I saw Ezra’s eyes flash silver. “No. More. Apologies.”

I snapped my mouth shut.

Kael squeezed my leg again, reassurance in his touch. “His wolf is on edge. He’s worried about you.”

I pressed my lips together but nodded. Guilt swirled through me. I didn’t want to cause any of them pain, even Asher, who might deserve a shot

to the balls.

“Raven,” Kael began, and my gaze moved back to him. “Can you do me a favor and drop your scent shields for a moment?”

I stiffened. The guys might’ve scented my supernatural sides before, but I didn’t make a habit of allowing it. I’d trained myself to keep the barriers up so none of my secrets could be discovered. The training was so ingrained in me that it had become second nature.

“Why?” I asked, suspicion lacing the word.

Nox shifted next to me, taking my hand in his and squeezing. “I did some research while you were out. There have been cases where true mating bonds were blocked because of certain shields. The wolves didn’t realize they were true mates until the shield was dropped.”

A buzz lit in my muscles, and shock coursed through me. I couldn’t deny that I felt a pull toward all five men. One so strong it didn’t make logical sense, given the short time we’d known one another. I’d considered the possibility that we might be potential mates, but true mates?

I shook my head. “There’s no way.”

“Then there’s no harm in seeing,” Kael said calmly, his hand not leaving my leg.

I’d heard the stories. How with one skin-to-skin touch, you’d instantly know it was the mate the universe had destined you for. And in that moment, you would get a glimpse of what your future would hold.

Chapter 63

My breaths came quicker as fear and anxiety swept through me. I was terrified of either outcome.

Nox leaned in, placing his forehead against mine. “It doesn’t matter if we are or aren’t,” he said softly. “I want you. You have me, all of me.”

A fresh burn lit behind my eyes. “Okay,” I whispered.

I closed my eyes and focused on my shields. The scent and emotional shields were separate, but I had to be careful not to lower both, or it

would overload my empathic gift. Grabbing hold of the metaphysical fabric of the scent shield, I let it fall.

The second it did, electricity zinged through my veins-fire and ice and deep knowing. My lips parted on a gasp as a moving picture flashed in my mind: Nox in a field of flowers, but he held the hands of a toddler. A little girl with dark-brown curls and light-blue eyes the same shade as Kael’s. He beamed down at her as she struggled to walk toward me, babbling out nonsensical chatter. My arms were outstretched, ready and waiting.

And then the image was simply gone.

Grief and pain swept through me as my eyes flew open. Because I wanted it back. Wanted to feel that pure joy again.

Nox looked at me, wonder in his gaze. “Mate,” he whispered. And then his mouth was on mine. His tongue stroked in, his spicy-chocolate taste exploding in my mouth. I let out a soft moan as comfort and heat spread through me until a throat cleared.

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