The Rejected Luna (Avery and Kaden) novel Chapter 88

**Between Then and Now by Mark Twain 88**

**Chapter 4**

**Selene’s POV**

As I sat in the backseat, time seemed to dissolve around me while Julian and Claire exchanged playful banter, their laughter echoing in the confined space. The atmosphere was thick with their shared joy, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing within me.

Before long, the car rolled to a stop in the driveway of the Blake Pack’s secluded estate, a place that felt both familiar and foreign to me.

With a heavy heart, I stepped out, my wolf stirring restlessly beneath the surface, an unsettling tension coiling within me.

Julian remained still, his gaze fixed ahead as if I were a mere afterthought.

He lowered the window, his voice casual, almost nonchalant, “I have a classmate gathering with Claire later. You’re carrying our pup, so it’s better you rest at home. Take care.”

The simplicity of his words stung, light and airy, as though he hadn’t spent the entire journey avoiding my presence, as if I were just a shadow in the backseat.

I chose not to argue.

Turning away, I walked into the house, my heart heavy, not daring to glance back.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a fleeting glimpse of the car speeding away into the darkness, a reminder that I shouldn’t expect him to return tonight.

Yet, when the phone rang in the middle of the night, slicing through the stillness of my room, my heart raced with an uninvited surge of anxiety.

I blinked at the screen, squinting at the unknown number that flashed ominously.

Deep down, I felt a sinking certainty about who it might be.

I answered, my voice steady despite the dread coiling in my stomach.

“Selene,” Claire’s voice dripped with sweetness, but I could sense the underlying urgency, “Julian’s drunk. Come pick him up.”

Before I could formulate a response, the line went dead, leaving me staring at the phone in disbelief.

A sigh escaped my lips as I tossed aside the covers, a sense of foreboding settling over me.

Claire wasn’t merely asking for help; she was orchestrating something, and I could feel it in my bones.

Fine. I thought, determination rising within me. Let’s see what she has in store.

**Chapter 4**

Fifteen minutes later, I found myself being led through the dimly lit corridors of a private lounge by a server, the air thick with the scent of expensive cologne and laughter.

We halted outside a door that was only slightly ajar, and I peered through the narrow gap, my heart pounding in my chest.

Inside, I caught sight of Julian and Claire engaged in a drunken party game, the kind that made onlookers cheer and howl with laughter. They were gnawing on opposite ends of a chocolate stick, their faces inching closer with each bite, the stick diminishing rapidly.

As the last remnants of the treat disappeared, neither of them pulled away.

In a heartbeat, Julian’s lips crashed against Claire’s, and time seemed to slow to a crawl.

For a brief moment, they both froze, surprise flickering across their faces.

Then, with her cheeks flushed, Claire pretended to shy away, only for Julian, intoxicated by alcohol and impulse, to grasp the back of her head and deepen the kiss, their bodies entwined in a moment that felt like a betrayal.

The room erupted into cheers, the sound ringing in my ears like a cruel mockery.

Outside the door, I stood frozen, a stranger to the man who was supposed to be my Mate.

The man who had always portrayed himself as steadfast and composed—the ideal future Alpha.

Now, he was merely another creature, lost to instinct and desire.

“We’re strangers,” my wolf whispered, her voice raw with disbelief and hurt.

Bitter laughter bubbled up within me, a cruel reminder of my own naivety.

Here I was, watching my Mate kiss another woman in full view of the Pack, standing outside like a fool, helpless and exposed.

I turned to leave, the bitter taste of humiliation clawing at my throat, but before I could slip away, a figure stepped into my path.

Claire.

Her lips were painted a vibrant red, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of her success.

“You saw that, didn’t you?” she taunted, her voice laced with feigned sympathy.

“You should realize by now,” she continued, stepping closer, “Julian’s heart was never truly yours. It was always mine. You’re just a placeholder—someone who resembles the girl he truly loved.”

My wolf snarled within me, baring her fangs at the insult, but I maintained my composure, a mask of calm on my face.

“Think about it,” Claire cooed, her tone dripping with malice. “Do you really want your pup growing up like you? Alone, unwanted, endlessly waiting for a Mate who never comes home?”

Her words were sharp, intended to cut me to the core.

“Julian will sever the Bond with you eventually,” she said, her smile cruel and triumphant. “You might as well leave on your own terms before he officially breaks the Mate Bond.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify