The Rejected Luna (Avery and Kaden) novel Chapter 81

**Chapter 25**

Ryan’s thunderous shout jolted Tessa from her spiraling thoughts, pulling her back into the heavy reality that surrounded her. She felt an overwhelming urge to escape the burden of caring for Audrey, her mother, who lay in a hospital bed, vulnerable and unconscious.

For the first time, a flicker of resolve sparked within her; she reached for her phone, her fingers trembling slightly as they hovered over Liam’s contact.

“It’s me, Tessa,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, yet laden with urgency.

“Mom collapsed. Could you come to Naples?” The words tumbled out, each syllable steeped in anxiety.

The moment Liam received the news, his world shifted. Without hesitation, he canceled all his pack meetings, abandoning his Alpha responsibilities without a second thought.

He booked the quickest flight to Naples, his heart racing with fear for Audrey’s well-being. Nothing in his life mattered as much as she did—his mate, his partner, the one who completed him.

As the plane touched down, he felt a surge of adrenaline. He dashed through the airport, each step echoing his worry, until he arrived at the hospital, breathless and frantic. The sight of Tessa froze him in his tracks.

Her face was a mask of worry, and his heart ached at the sight of her distress. He turned his gaze to Audrey, lying still and fragile, and a wave of concern washed over him.

After what felt like an eternity, he stepped outside, seeking solace in the hallway where Tessa sat, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

“This is the third time your mother has collapsed,” Liam began, his voice thick with emotion. “And every time, it’s been because of news about you.”

Tessa looked down, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “She carries so much guilt, always thinking she owes you everything. And she really regrets it.”

Even Liam, a seasoned warrior who had faced countless battles, felt the lump in his throat tighten as he spoke. “I’m sorry too. I’ve neglected you all these years. I’m truly sorry.”

Tessa remained silent, her heart a tumult of conflicting emotions.

“I know your mother probably told you a lot over the years, but I still want to say this: If you can, please come back to the pack. We all miss you.”

Miss her?

Tessa’s mind drifted back to when she was eighteen, a time when she had left for Alpha training at another pack, staying away for three or four long months. Not once did she receive a call or a message, not a single word of encouragement or concern.

It was as if expressing care for her had always been a monumental task for them, too heavy to bear.

Tessa had long believed it was her fault—that she must have done something to make her parents stop loving her. But deep down, she began to realize the truth: they had never truly held her in their hearts at all.

In those lonely days, the only solace she found was in her art, her drawings becoming a refuge from the pain of neglect.

Would they ever understand her struggles?

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