The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon (Celine and Bastian) novel Chapter 49

Chapter 49

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He could have taken her away. More than once, he seriously considered getting her out of that house and taking her to live with him, far from Darius, from Beatriz, from her siblings, and from all the damage that family had caused her.

He could have given her a better life, protected her, and offered her something resembling peace. But if he did that, his mother would die of sadness. The old woman could barely endure spending a few days without seeing her, and Celine was the only thing she had left of Juliet. Separating them would have meant tearing away the last piece of her deceased daughter,

The old woman could barely endure the days she spent without seeing her, and Celine was the only thing she had left of Juliet. Separating them would have meant destroying one to save the other.

So she stayed. She remained in the Alpha residence, watching the years pass, helping Celine in silence whenever he had the opportunity, and convincing himself that he was doing the right thing. He told himself that at least he could keep an eye on her, make sure she had something to eat when she was punished, or intervene when her injuries became too severe to ignore. But none of those excuses managed to ease the weight he carried on his shoulders.

That was why his niece’s words continued to haunt him even now, echoing in his head every time he thought about her. Although he had tried to help her in every way he could, part of him knew that Celine was right. He could have done more He could have stood up to Darius. He could have risked his position within the pack. He could have stopped settling for small acts of help that barely eased the damage.

And the worst part was that he no longer had any opportunity to change any of it. Celine was gone, she was building a new life far away from that place, and he would have to carry the guilt forever of not having been brave enough when she needed him most.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Christian stopped in front of the heavy iron bars. On the other side, he could detect the scent of Darius, Cassius, Beatriz, and Anne mixed with the unpleasant smell of confinement.

His fingers closed around the ring of keys as he stared at the cell in complete silence for several seconds.

The family that had once ruled the pack was about to regain their freedom. The looks they directed at him were pure rage. Three days had passed without food, water, or any place to relieve themselves.

That had been his own order, so they could experience the same humiliation his niece had been forced to endure so many times without justification.

“Looks like you finally remembered your Alpha.” The fury in Darius’s voice was so intense that the warriors instinctively took a step back, their shoulders tensing as the acrid scent of his anger spread through the room like a suffocating cloud. “What are you waiting for to get us out of here, you damned idiot?!”

“First, you’re not an Alpha anymore.” Christian took a step closer to the bars. The shadows seemed to harden around his figure as his eyes ignited with an impossible red glow, bright and fierce, making it clear who now held power within the pack. The air vibrated with the pressure of his authority, forcing even some of those present to lower their eyes. “Second, Darius Miller, you and your disgusting family are no longer part of this pack. The king has ordered your banishment, and you will only be allowed to take the essentials. No jewelry or valuables. Your accounts have been frozen, so you have nothing left.

Christian listened to the complaints of the former Alpha’s children and Beatriz’s exaggerated crying, her sobs echoing off the stone walls with an irritating theatricality.

“You can’t do this to us!” Anne complained, her face flushed and her eyes wide with indignation. “Why are we being thrown

out?”

The new Alpha fixed his gaze on one of the main people responsible for his niece’s suffering. A cold smile filled with contempt barely curved one corner of his mouth.

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The Second Chance Of The Rejected Moon

“Because you deserve it.” His answer came wrapped in a low growl. “You deserve to be humiliated the same way Celine was Do you remember when you threw her out of here? That day, Celine had turned twenty-two years old. She had gone to the cemetery to leave lilies for her mother, and when she came back, she learned that my mother, the only person who had ever truly loved her, had died. What did any of you do for her?!”

His gaze shifted first to Cassius. Christian’s jaw tightened so hard that the muscles in his face stood out beneath his skin. For a moment, he wished the bars were open so he could give him the beating he had deserved for years.

“You beat her, dragged her into the house by her hair, and threatened her.” His voice dropped to a dangerous tone before turning toward Anne, Beatriz’s daughter, who did not even share his blood. “And you, when Tanner broke the engagement, joined the trash you call a brother and sent a group of criminals to abuse her in the worst possible way and then kill her That is why you will leave here with nothing.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Christian?” Darius stepped forward. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and the veins stood out along his forearms. “That’s a lie. My children are cruel, but they would never go that far.”

Cassius and Anne lowered their heads almost at the same time, unable to meet their father’s gaze. The silence that followed was more revealing than any confession.

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