After He Abandoned Luna Ritual, I Rejected Him

Chapter 2

Roman didn't come back to our room that night.

He'd given the master bedroom to Lena, so he crashed on the living room couch instead.

I lay on the rock-hard bed in the guest room, and the emotion thrumming across the mate bond was crystal clear—worry, worry that something might happen to her.

Every single hour, Roman got up to creep into the master bedroom and check on Lena, make sure she was still okay. I just lay there in the dark, eyes wide open, counting every time his footsteps crossed the floor outside my door.

A dull, throbbing ache squeezed tight around my chest.

Seven years. We'd been bonded for seven whole years.

Not once, in all those years when I was sick and burning up with fever, had he ever fussed over me like that.

When the first faint streaks of gray started bleeding into the night sky, I slipped out of the castle without making a sound. Before, I would've had to tell him in advance even if I was just heading into the city for a quick trip.

But now? None of that mattered anymore.

*****

Inside the administrative building, the Elder sat behind her desk, staring at the pack withdrawal application in my hand, and said nothing for a long, long time.

"Child, are you sure about this?" Her voice was rough and weathered with age. "Rejecting your Alpha comes with brutal consequences. Both of your wolf spirits will be badly damaged, and neither of you will ever be able to take or give a mark again for the rest of your lives. You'll be exiled from the entire pack, and the Owen family will be shamed because of your choice.

"On top of that," she lifted her head, her gaze boring right into me, "you and Roman have had this mate bond for seven years. It's rooted so deep in both of you it's part of your souls. If you force it to break, you'll feel like your very essence is being torn apart. Your inner wolf will fall into a deep slumber, and she might never wake up again. Are you positive you've thought this through?"

I held her gaze steady, each word firm and unwavering. "I've thought it through. I will never change my mind."

The Elder stared at me for what felt like an eternity, then let out a long, heavy sigh. "Your withdrawal application will be approved in three days," she said.

I nodded. Just three more days. I could tough it out that long.

She stamped her official seal on my application. "The Moon Goddess will bear witness to your choice," she said. "Good luck, child."

*****

After I left the administrative building, I headed straight for the city.

I got my passport processed and booked a flight departing in three days.

My destination was a tiny, remote coastal town far from here. No werewolves lived there. No packs. No Roman. No Lena. Just endless ocean, and warm golden sunlight.

After the ceremony three days from now, there would be no more Luna. He could favor Lena to his heart's content, no one to judge him, no obstacles in his way.

I got back to the castle around noon.

Lena was coming down the grand staircase in a gorgeous, flowing gown, and Roman was right behind her, holding up the train of her skirt carefully, as attentive as could be.

Even though I'd already made up my mind to leave, the second I saw that scene, my heart twisted so hard I could barely breathe. That gown was custom-made just for me. Roman had ordered it specifically for the banquet after the Luna ceremony. I never thought I'd see it on Lena instead.

"Willow, where were you all morning?" Roman spotted me and hurried over, his voice carrying a faint note of concern. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

My phone didn't have a single missed call or text from him. Not one.

"Just went for a walk," I tugged my hand out of his grasp, my tone ice cold.

He shifted his tone, softening it like he was trying to soothe a child throwing a tantrum. "Come on, don't be mad. I know you love this dress, but we've got the whole pack coming to the dinner tonight. Lena doesn't have anything decent to wear, so I'm just letting her borrow it for now. I'll get you an even nicer one custom-made later, okay?"

"Suit yourself." I turned to head back to my room, but Roman caught my wrist.

"Lena has a wound on her neck that needs covering up. Can you lend her your Luna necklace for a few days, please?" he asked.

The Luna necklace was a centuries-old heirloom of the Hood Pack, a betrothal token reserved exclusively for each generation's Luna. Three years ago, Roman had fastened it around my neck himself, promising it would only ever belong to me for the rest of our lives. And now? He wanted to take that sacred symbol of my dignity and status just to cover a wound on her neck.

I dug my nails so hard into my palm I almost drew blood, holding his gaze steady. "Take it. Not just the necklace, either. The Luna title too. She can have the whole damn thing."

Roman's smile froze on his face, then he huffed a disbelieving laugh. "There you go talking nonsense again. You're my only Luna. No one could ever take your place." He patted my head indulgently. "I was gonna leave you out of tonight's dinner so you wouldn't get worn out, but if you're going to be in a mood about this, you can come with me. I'll make sure the whole pack sees just how much I love you."

Behind him, Lena's face went sheet white, her fingers crumpling the fabric of the skirt so tight her knuckles turned white.

"I'm not going," I said flatly.

"Don't be difficult, now, be good." He laced his fingers through mine, his voice soft but edged with the unyielding authority of an Alpha.