The Alpha’s Forgotten Luna

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Valerie POV

A snore broke the silence, and I bolted upright. My skin felt cold, mostly bare to the morning air. I scanned the trees until my eyes landed on him—the man from last night. He was still asleep, his broad shoulders relaxed and his chest exposed.

Seeing him brought the memories back in a rush. I could still feel the weight of him and the way his mouth had been all over me. It was a taste I’d never known before, and for a second, I just stared, wanting to go back to it.

Then reality hit. I thought of my mate, my stepsister, and the mess I was in.

I scrambled away, out of his line of sight. I could not even look at the stranger who had taken my virginity before I turned and ran.

The forest was thick and quiet. I pushed through the brush, the branches scraping against my arms as I tried to find the path. I reached up to pull my hair over my shoulders and realized I was missing half my clothes. I turned around, looking at the wall of green behind me.

Everything looked the same. The road was gone, and there was no sign of the man or my gown.

"You can do this," I whispered, then slapped my own face to stop the panic. I took a deep breath, ignored the sting on my cheek, and kept moving.

Eventually, the trees thinned out, and I reached the edge of a paved road. Cars blurred past, kicking up dust and heat. A group of kids on bicycles slowed down as they passed me, their eyes trailing over my messy hair and bare skin.

"Look at her. What an ugly thing," one of the boys called out. His friends broke into laughter.

I lowered my head, using my hands to cover the birthmark on my face. I walked for another hour, my feet throbbing against the hot asphalt and the sun burning the back of my neck.

By the time I reached the front of the house, my legs were shaking.

I stood at the door, my fingers twitching against each other. I didn't know how to explain being gone all night.

"Get in here. Everyone is waiting."

My father’s voice boomed from inside. It was thick and heavy, the sound of a man looking for a reason to snap. I twisted the handle and stepped into the living room…

"You little slut!" Viva, my stepmother, hissed from the sofa.

Beside her, Sera sat on the edge of the cushion with a smirk on her face. She already had her phone out, the lens pointed directly at me as she recorded.

The light from the screen made me squint. My father stood in the center of the room, his fists clenched at his sides. He didn't say anything at first; he just kept tapping his foot against the floor.

"Where were you?" Viva yelled.

I looked at them, and all I saw was hatred. It was the same look they’d given me when I left for the moonlight ceremony….. The pleasure from the night before was gone, replaced by a dull, aching weight in my chest.

"What, are you dumb now?" Viva stood up and walked toward me. I instinctively took a step back.

"You useless child," my father said, his voice cracking. "How could you be so heartless? You’re dragging our name through the dirt." I saw a tear roll down his cheek, but his eyes were hard.

I wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.

"Mom, she probably ran off to a rogue," Sera chimed in, crossing her arms. "She probably spent the night in some animal’s bed."

I dug my nails into my palms, trying to keep my hands from trembling. The pain helped me stay focused.

"Ungrateful b***h!" My father lunged forward. He grabbed the top of my torn gown and slammed me against the wall. His large hand moved to my throat, squeezing until the air stopped reaching my lungs.

I stared into his eyes, looking for the man who used to care for me, but he wasn't there. He squeezed harder. My vision started to blur, and hot tears spilled over my eyelids. I couldn't even find the breath to cough.

"Where were you?" he demanded.

I couldn't answer. I just looked past him at Viva and Sera. They stayed on the sofa, watching me struggle like they were watching a movie.

"Don't make me ask again!"

He let go of my throat only to backhand me across the face. The force of it sent me spinning, and I screamed as my cheek hit the floor. Sera’s laughter echoed through the room. She moved to sit closer to her mother, her eyes locked on my bruised face.

My father raised his hand to hit me again, but his phone buzzed in his pocket. He stopped, checked the screen, and shoved me back down with his boot. He walked out of the room to answer the call without looking back…

I stayed on the floor, gasping for air. My face was throbbing, and my heart wouldn't slow down. I clutched my chest, trying to force the air into my lungs.

Viva walked over and knelt down beside me. She had a wide, cruel smile. She leaned in close, her breath hot against my ear.

"This is just the beginning," she whispered. "Next time, you won't be so lucky, trash." She spat on the floor next to my head, stood up, and walked toward the hallway.

Sera stayed behind, watching me from the sofa. She opened her mouth to say something, but the front door opened, and my father walked back in. He didn't look at me.

"Where's your mother?" he asked Sera.

"She went to her room. Do you need anything, Dad?" Sera asked, her voice suddenly sweet and innocent.

He didn't answer. He gave me one last look and walked back out into the sunlight.

"Get up," Sera snarled, pointing a finger at me.

"You have chores to do."

An hour later, I was in the kitchen. I stood at the sink, scrubbing the grease off the breakfast dishes. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Sera leaning against the doorframe.

She was wearing a white top and blue shorts, her lips painted a bright, blood-red. She looked like she was heading out for the day while I was stuck in the dirt.

"When you’re done with those, wash my clothes," she ordered.

"Do it yourself," I said, not looking at her. "I'm not doing it."

Sera stepped into the kitchen, her eyes narrowing.

"What did you say to me?"

"I said no. I'm done with this," I said, my voice shaking with anger. I turned to face her, my wet hands trembling. "The hatred, the pain—what did I ever do to you?"

Sera let out a short, dry laugh. She clicked her tongue, and before I could react, she lunged. She tackled me to the kitchen floor, her weight pinning me down.

I felt her sharp nails dig into the skin of my face, and I screamed as she started to claw at me.