The Rejected Luna (Avery and Kaden) novel Chapter 63

**Chapter 7**

Ryan’s gaze was intensely focused on Tessa, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as if he were trying to peer into her very soul. For a fleeting moment, she felt as though time had stopped, a wave of sorrow washing over her, evident in the way her eyes dimmed.

With a deliberate effort, she turned her head away, forcing herself to nod in acknowledgment of his presence. It was a small gesture, but it felt monumental in the weight of their unspoken words.

The following morning, Tessa rose early, her mind still tangled in the events of the previous day. She accompanied Ryan to the hospital, a place that had become all too familiar yet still felt foreign. As she sipped her morning coffee, her phone buzzed with a notification that sent a jolt through her.

“Your custom cruise will arrive in two days. Please make preparations to board.”

Reading the message, her heart skipped a beat, a flicker of hope igniting within her.

“Babe, we should leave now!” Ryan exclaimed, his enthusiasm palpable.

“Okay,” she replied, tucking her phone away, a sense of urgency creeping into her voice.

When she turned to face him, she found him holding a bag filled with supplies he had meticulously prepared. He waved it in front of her like a child eager for approval, his eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

Tessa didn’t respond verbally; instead, she offered him a faint, bitter smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Babe, I heard there are a lot of blood tests today. I know how much you struggle with pain, but don’t worry. I’ll be right there with you, every step of the way,” Ryan assured her, pulling her into a tight embrace. The warmth of his body was comforting, yet she could sense the anxiety radiating off him, a stark contrast to her own numbness.

As Tessa stood in line, clutching the list of tests, she felt like a ghost, hovering between her past and the uncertain future. When the nurse called her name and she stepped forward, Ryan’s worried gaze followed her closely.

“Does it hurt? Don’t be scared, I’m here,” he said, his brow furrowed in concern as the needle pierced her skin.

In the past, his words would have wrapped around her heart like a warm blanket, but now, they fell flat, devoid of the comfort they once provided.

She nodded quietly, her expression a mask of emptiness. The sharp sting of the needle seemed trivial compared to the deep-seated pain of betrayal that gnawed at her insides.

In the image, Liam and Audrey beamed with happiness, while a figure sat in the corner, his face obscured but unmistakable. It was Ryan.

A wave of realization crashed over her: the family she had thought included her had been keeping secrets, weaving a web of deceit that she had been blissfully unaware of.

Her hands trembled as tears began to pool in her eyes, the truth settling heavily in her chest. She had known all along, hadn’t she?

This family had never truly embraced her. No matter how many times she had dared to hope for a change, it was abundantly clear that her feelings had never mattered. They were consumed by their own desires, leaving her in the shadows.

In that moment, she wished them all a lifetime of happiness and togetherness, far away from her.

Ryan didn’t return that night. Instead, he sent her a message that felt like a final blow: “Babe, I have to attend a pack meeting tonight. Don’t wait up.”

Even on the eve of their mating ceremony, he was still entangled with Chloe. A bitter irony settled in her stomach, but in that moment, keeping Ryan close felt disturbingly aligned with Chloe’s typical behavior. It was something she would do.