Reclaim the rejected Luna's Heart

CHAPTER 3

Lyra

I winced at the harsh tone.

"I need your help, Liam."

The line suddenly went silent. I thought he had hung up on me, but he hadn't. I swallowed. Hard. And continued.

"My dad had an emergency." My throat tightened with emotion, and I wiped at my damp eyes. The weight of everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours was beginning to crash down on me. "he's in bad shape, and the doctors had to start the surgery. He's still in the operating room and—"

"Spare me the pity story, Lyra." Liam cut in impatiently, and I winced again at the unfeeling words. "If you think I'm going to fall for your lame excuses and traps, think again."

Trap?

What was he talking about?

"This is not a trap. My father's illness is not an excuse!" I insisted, anger rising at the thought that he believed I could stoop so low. I forced myself to take a deep breath and speak more calmly. "Liam, Dad's in surgery right now, and the hospital is demanding full payment. I already deposited the last of my money. I don't know if you can loan me the rest so I can settle the bill?"

"Seriously?" Liam's laughter was cold, with no hint of humor. "Lyra, you must really think I'm a fool. Let me make myself clear; you are not getting a dime from me."

"What? Why?"

"I would rather watch that old man die and rot in his grave than give him my money. I will not help you, Lyra. And I sure as hell would not help that geezer."

The callous words cut deep.

How could he say that about a man who had taken him under his wing and supported him in the past? Surely, he was just mincing words.

"How can you say this, Liam?" I asked, my voice trembling, "My father has been nothing but good to you..."

The line beeped. He hung up.

I stared at my phone in disbelief. How could Liam be so cruel as to wish death upon the man who had once been his strongest ally?

If I disgusted him, fine. But my father had done nothing to deserve this. He had been one of the few Alphas willing to mentor young and inexperienced Alphas. He had given Liam a chance when the other, more established pack leaders had shunned him.

My breath hitched as I fought back tears, a wave of anger surging through me.

Had all of that meant nothing? Had Liam merely used my father only to abandon him in his time of need?

I didn't know when the tears spilled over until I felt a wet liquid run down my cheek. My feet moved on their own accord, and my heart, broken and shattered into many tiny pieces, I turned and fled to the restroom.

I slammed my head against the nearby wall, again and again, venting my frustrations and anger on the cold block. I was angry. Angry at Liam for treating my father like s**t, angry at fate for reducing a once powerful alpha to a shadow of his former self, thanks to an accident and a strange illness. Angry that he refused me and chose Evelyn. For so many times.

"Damn you, Liam." I cursed, rummaging in my purse for tissues. "If you were the one in need of help, my father would have moved heaven and earth to help you."

I wiped away my tears.

My fingers brushed against something that made a soft clinking sound. Even before I pulled my hand out, I already knew what it was.

My moonstone ring.

The ring that once symbolized the eternal love between us, holding so many special memories. Liam had gifted it to me on the night he proposed.

I still remembered the way his fingers had grazed my skin, igniting desire the way he always did, as he slid the ring onto my finger. The moonstone had shone, casting a warm white light.

Back then, I had thought that light was a sign that the Moon Goddess was blessing our marriage. If only I had known better.

"I wanted to propose with something timeless," Liam had whispered after getting down on one knee and looking me in the eye. "Something that reflects how I feel about you. You're my moonstone, Lyra, my treasure. I will always protect you."

I drew in a shaky breath, fresh tears streaming down my cheeks, and I had to cover the ring with my other hand because it hurt too much to see it—a mocking reminder that our love was not timeless after all.

Our love was lost.

Everything was irrevocably wrong.

Just then, an idea struck me.

Sell the ring and get money for Dad's bills