The Rejected Luna (Avery and Kaden) novel Chapter 73

**Chapter 17**

Chloe felt the heat rush to her cheeks as she fought against the vice-like grip that Ryan had on her neck, her hands flailing in a desperate attempt to pry his fingers away.

“No…” she managed to gasp, her voice barely escaping her lips.

With a cruel smirk playing on his face, Ryan suddenly released her, the coldness in his eyes piercing through her. “Never mention her in front of me again. You’re not worthy!” His words hung in the air like a dark cloud, suffocating any hope she had left.

“And wasn’t this the outcome you were hoping for?” she shot back, her heart racing.

Without another word, he turned his back on her, leaving her alone in the hospital, the sterile smell of antiseptic and the beeping machines her only company.

Days passed in that lonely room, each one dragging on as she waited for someone—anyone—to come visit. But nobody did.

Finally, when the time came for her discharge, Chloe returned to the Silvermoon Pack’s house, her heart heavy with dread. As she stepped inside, she found Olivia already seated in the living room, her demeanor surprisingly warm.

“Back already? Are you feeling better?” Olivia’s unexpected concern caught Chloe off guard, making her pause.

“Yeah, better,” Chloe replied, her voice devoid of enthusiasm, like a shadow of its former self.

Ryan lounged on the couch, an air of indifference surrounding him. He seemed more worn down than ever, but only he understood the turmoil raging within. Each passing day intensified his yearning for Tessa, and the restlessness of his wolf was becoming unbearable.

Chloe, feeling utterly drained, began to make her way to her room, hoping for a moment of solitude. But Ryan’s sharp voice cut through the air, stopping her in her tracks.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his tone laced with irritation.

“Going to my room,” she replied, fatigue weighing heavily on her words.

Ryan closed his eyes, a smirk creeping onto his lips.

“Room? There’s no room for you here anymore.”

Chloe froze, her heart dropping as she processed his words.

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly, a flicker of fear igniting within her.

“Literally what I said. There’s no room for you here. Can’t you understand that?” His tone was chilling, devoid of any empathy.

Chloe let out a bitter laugh, the sound echoing in the tense atmosphere. “Don’t forget, you’ve already acknowledged me as your Luna in front of the pack. You’ve marked me.”

Olivia regarded her with a casual indifference, then rose from her seat, her smile unwavering.

“Chloe, we’re here to discuss removing that mark.”

Chloe’s heart sank as she grasped the implications of Olivia’s words. Without a child, her worth to them had diminished significantly.

But she wasn’t ready to surrender just yet.

Ryan had callously taken away her child, a betrayal she had never anticipated from him, especially given the tenderness he once displayed.

Now, she realized that she had been the fool all along, blinded by her own hopes.

“I refuse to give up my position as Luna,” Chloe declared defiantly, though doubt lingered in her heart.

Olivia’s voice cut through her resolve like a knife. “Even if you cling to Ryan and insist on being our Luna, we won’t accept you anymore. We’ll expel you from the pack.”

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