No Longer Your Luna: A Mother's Reckoning

REBIRTH

SELENA’S POINT OF VIEW

Mia and I packed our belongings, preparing to leave. Sadness washed over me knowing she had to endure this ordeal because of me, but there was nothing I could do to change it now. The entire family had gathered at the entrance, forming a small crowd to witness our departure. Smirks and satisfied smiles spread across their faces, their eyes gleaming with barely concealed triumph. I suspected they viewed this day as a celebration, a victory they had been anticipating for far too long.

Then I spotted my son among them. Unlike the others, he wasn't smiling. His small face appeared troubled, his eyes downcast. A flicker of hope ignited in my chest, perhaps he still cared, perhaps this wasn't what he wanted. Without thinking, I walked toward him, my arms already extending for an embrace. I needed to feel that connection one last time, to know that some part of our bond remained intact.

What I didn't expect was for him to push me away with surprising force. He turned and wrapped his arms around Isabella instead, clinging to her as though I carried some contagious disease.

The rejection hit me like a physical blow, stealing the breath from my lungs. Had I misread his expression entirely? Was the sadness I had seen merely a reflection of my own desperate hope? My arms hung uselessly at my sides as I stood there, frozen, watching my son seek comfort in someone else's embrace.

"I am not going with you. You are nothing," Leo yelled in my face.

His words hit me like a physical blow, stealing the breath from my lungs. For a moment, I stood frozen, unable to process that my own son had spoken to me with such venom. My hands trembled at my sides as I tried to find something, anything, to say that might reach him. But his eyes held only contempt, a mirror of his father's coldest expressions.

Finally, I straightened my spine, forcing myself to maintain what little dignity I had left. Without a word, I turned and walked away, tears blurring my vision until the hallway became nothing but shapes and shadows.

I caught up with Mia and took her small hand in mine, her fingers clutching back desperately. With my other hand, I pushed our bags forward, the wheels scraping against the marble floor like a countdown to our departure.

Without anywhere to go or anyone to call, I found myself dialing Sofia, my best friend. Since that painful conversation when she had told me about Victor's infidelity, I had avoided her calls, too ashamed to face the truth she had tried to show me. Right now, though, I was desperate for her help, for anyone who might still care.

Sofia answered on the second ring. She didn't ask questions, didn't demand explanations. "I'm coming to get you," she said simply, and I nearly sobbed with relief.

We waited at the front gate of the Grey estate, two figures huddled together against the cold. Mia cried softly beside me, and I pulled her close, stroking her hair as I whispered reassurances I wasn't sure I believed. She was heartbroken about leaving her brother and father behind, the only home she had ever known.

"Do you want to stay?" I asked her gently, giving her the choice even though it terrified me. "I would understand."I lied. I wouldn't understand if she chose to stay. I wanted her to stay with me. She was the only one giving some sort of hope to live. I needed her by my side caring for her. I had nobody else to care for at the moment.

She shook her head fiercely, burying her face against my coat. "I want to be with you, Mama."

My heart swelled with bittersweet gratitude. At least one of my children still wanted something to do with me.

Soon, Sofia arrived and drove us to her cafe. She even offered the attic above it as our temporary home until we could figure out our lives. Her generosity overwhelmed me, and I felt a lump forming in my throat as I thanked her.

The attic was surprisingly clean and cozy, with slanted wooden beams and a small window overlooking the street. Sofia helped me carry our luggage up the narrow stairs, her arms laden with Mia's smaller bags. I insisted she return to her customers downstairs, feeling guilty for pulling her away during the busy afternoon rush. After all, I had called her in the middle of her workday, and she had dropped everything for us without hesitation.

"Don't worry about it," Sofia said, brushing off my concerns. "I have workers handling everything. You're more important right now."

Her words nearly broke me. I hadn't realized how desperately I needed someone to care.

Once we had brought up all the bags, exhaustion finally claimed Mia. She collapsed onto the small bed in the corner, her tear-stained face relaxing into sleep. All that crying had drained her completely, leaving her small body limp with fatigue. I sat beside her, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath. Gently, I ran my fingers through her tangled hair, smoothing it back from her forehead. She looked so peaceful now, so innocent.

My heart ached. She was far too young to endure this kind of upheaval, too small to understand why her world had been turned upside down. The weight of what she had witnessed, what she had lost, pressed heavily on my conscience. No child should have to go through this.

"Are you okay, Sel?" Sofia's voice cut through my thoughts, and I turned to face her. The moment our eyes met, tears spilled down my cheeks. I couldn't hold them back any longer. For so long, I had forced myself to stay strong, to keep everything bottled up inside. But with Sofia, I didn't need to pretend. She was the one person who made me feel safe enough to fall apart.

She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around me. "It's going to be okay," she whispered, her breath warm against my ear. I sobbed harder, my body shaking as weeks of pent-up emotion finally broke free. "It's okay, you can cry now. You've been through enough. That bastard Victor is dead to us now." She paused, then added with deliberate disdain, "He wasn't even that great."

Despite my tears, I chuckled involuntarily at her words. The sound surprised me, laughter and hurt mixing together in a way that felt both strange and necessary.

"He's the father of my kids, unfortunately," I said, pulling back from her embrace so I could see her face. I needed her to understand the whole truth. "I didn't leave because he cheated. I left because the woman he cheated with framed me, and I was kicked out." The words tasted bitter, but saying them aloud felt like releasing poison from my system.

"Oh girl, you should have left first," Sofia said, her eyes flashing with anger on my behalf.

"I know." The admission came easily. "But I had kids to consider first. I couldn't just think about myself."

"I know," she replied, her expression softening as she wiped the tears from my cheeks with gentle fingers. "So Leo was left behind, huh? They can't let go of their heir."

My throat tightened. "Actually, Leo hates me now. He really likes Isabella." I bit my trembling lip, fighting against a fresh wave of tears. The pain of my son's rejection cut deeper than anything Victor had done to me.

"Wow, now I want to beat this Isabella," Sofia said, her protective fury making me feel less alone in my grief.

“It’s okay. Mia and I are going to be fine. Thanks for giving us this place to crush. I’m so grateful.” I said smiling and Sofia embraced me.

Later, she returned to her job after ensuring I was okay. I watched her go, grateful for such a steadfast friend. She had proven herself someone I could rely on without question, and I desperately wanted to become someone she could depend on in return.

Starting tomorrow, I resolved to help out in her cafe, not for payment, but as gratitude for the sanctuary she had provided my daughter and me in her modest attic. The thought of contributing something, anything, filled me with purpose. I would speak with her later about learning the ropes of cafe work. Money didn't matter, repaying her kindness did.

Days had passed since I moved into Sofia's attic, and life had transformed in ways I hadn't dared imagine. The time I had spent away from the Grey family had brought an unexpected gift, peace.

No one yelled at me here. No one belittled my worth or made me feel small. The silence itself felt like a balm on old wounds. Even Mia had noticed the change. She had told me, her eyes bright with honesty, that living in this cramped attic made her happier than all the space in the Grey's sprawling mansion ever had. Hearing those words from my daughter's lips made my heart swell. Her happiness mattered more than anything.

Sofia had welcomed my help around the cafe, and her praise for my work warmed me in ways I hadn't expected. Each compliment reminded me that I was capable, that I had value beyond what the Greys had allowed me to believe. She had done so much already, given us shelter, covered our meals, asked for nothing in return. I didn't know how to adequately thank her. Words felt insufficient for such generosity.

The following day, in the middle of my shift, my phone buzzed with a familiar number. My stomach tightened. I hesitated, my finger hovering over the screen, but the thought that it might concern Leo pushed me to answer.

The voice on the other end was formal, detached. I was being summoned, summoned, as if I were still part of that world, by my mother-in-law to an emergency meeting held by the Urban Werewolf Council. My hand trembled as I lowered the phone. Whatever peace I had found was about to be tested.

I had gone to the council hall only to discover that the summons was about signing the divorce papers. Signing them wouldn't have been an issue, I was ready to move on. But when I read the humiliating terms laid out before me, my hand froze. They expected me to forfeit all property rights. Worse still, they demanded I relinquish all visitation rights to my son.

My son.

The words blurred on the page as anger and despair welled up inside me. How could they possibly take that away from me? What kind of mother would I be if I agreed to never see my own child again? I needed those visits. I needed to watch him grow, to be part of his life, even if our time together would be limited. No amount of pressure from the Grey family could make me sign away my right to love my son.

I walked outside the council hall, my legs carrying me faster with each step, eager to escape the suffocating energy of the Grey family. The weight of their judgment, their cold indifference, pressed down on me like a physical force.

I couldn't fathom how I had survived nearly a decade in their presence. These past few days away from them had opened my eyes. The contrast was stark, the difference between drowning in their toxicity and breathing freely without them. Now that I had tasted peace, I knew I could never go back.

In my haste to reach the fresh air outside, I collided with something solid. Someone, rather. A man, to be precise. The impact jolted me, and I immediately registered the hard muscle beneath his shirt, the warmth radiating from him. I stepped back quickly, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," I said, lifting my gaze to meet his eyes.

The moment our eyes locked, everything changed. A spark ignited deep within my chest, spreading warmth through my entire body. That unmistakable zing, the one that happens when you meet your mate, coursed through me like electricity. My breath caught in my throat. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not here.

Before I could fully process the overwhelming sensation, the man reached out and took my hand. His touch was gentle, reverent even, sending another wave of tingles up my arm.

"I have finally found you," he said softly, his voice filled with wonder and relief.