A Proposal For The Rejected Luna

Chapter 3: A New Beginning in Shadowfang Pack, But Old Wounds Remain

I stood on the edge of Shadowfang Pack’s territory, feeling relief and unease. This was my new home after everything at the Crimson Moon Pack. It was all different here, too different. It was sharp and cool air, and I could hear the hum of the pack’s energy in the distance. It was a vast territory, reaching deep into the forest, and sleek modern buildings that felt the opposite of where I was coming from.

I had left my past behind me, but it wasn’t enough. My heart was full of betrayal from Mason, someone I used to trust everything with. It hurt to leave him, to leave the pack. I didn’t know how to process it or how to move on. It was supposed to be a fresh start, and I could sense myself mentally shrinking into a smaller version of myself, the same heavy burden, in a different place.

Xander’s voice brought me back from my thoughts, turning to him as he walked toward me with that same calm presence. His face was warm, and he smiled at me. “Welcome to Shadowfang Pack. You’ve had a tough time here but can find peace here.”

Peace. It sounded so impossible to me right now. I nodded anyway, offering him a faint smile in return. I said, barely above a whisper, “Thank you.”

Xander brought me into the center of the pack’s territory, where the members were waiting for me. I hadn’t met many of them yet and didn’t know what to expect. Would they accept me? Would they see me as the broken, discarded wolf I had become in Mason’s eyes?

The pack showed me absolute respect, and I was surprised. The only thing in their eyes was acceptance, no pity. It was nothing like the icy stares I had gotten from my old pack. Shadowfang members seemed welcoming, and I felt a strange warmth. It wasn’t the warmth I used to think with Mason, but it was something. It made me feel that this new life wouldn’t be so bad.

A tall woman with striking silver hair came forward and smiled at me, one of the pack members. Her voice was soft but firm, and she asked, “Cassie, right?” “I’m Lyla. It's great to meet you finally. We’ve heard a lot about you.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. I said, “It’s nice to meet you too.”

Lyla and the others introduced themselves, and I felt a slight shift inside me. This could be home. I could fit in here. Yet deep down in my gut, something was still gnawing at me that wouldn’t let go.

Xander broke my thoughts. “Come with me.” He took me away from the pack to a less populated territory. After a moment, he spoke again, but in silence, we walked. I know it’s been hard, Cassie. I can’t pretend to understand your feelings, but you’ve been through a lot. I want you to know that you’re safe here, but. I’ll make sure of it.”

I wanted to believe him. I really did. The scars from my past barely healed, and the possibility of trusting anyone at all seemed impossible. “I’m unsure if I can do it,” I said weakly. “I don’t know how to let go of what happened.” “I don’t know how to move forward,” I said.

"" Xander said gently but insistently, "You don't have to do it alone." “I’m here for you. The pack is here for you. We’re not asking you to forget what happened. We’re just asking you to heal.”

My throat was tight with the weight of his words, and I swallowed hard. Healing. I couldn’t even think about that. It was too soon. Too raw.

We walked in silence a bit longer, and I couldn’t help but notice how Crimson Moon differed from Shadowfang. It was all so... controlled, the modern buildings, the organization, the quiet strength of the pack. It was so much more orderly than the chaos I’d left behind. The difference wasn’t just in the buildings or how the pack members acted. It was in me. I felt different here. I didn’t know if it was for the better, but I didn’t know if it was for the worse.

Xander stopped and turned to me as we walked down a quiet path through a forest. "He said, with an earnest face, 'Cassie, I need to talk to you about something.'"

I looked up at him and wondered what called for me so urgently that he could pull me aside. “What’s going on?”

Xander paused for a moment and looked at the ground. ‘I don’t know, there’s something about your parents’ death that doesn’t add up.’ I have been looking into it, and I think there is more to their deaths than we realized,” he said.

I froze. I felt a cold shiver run through me, and my stomach dropped. “What do you mean?” I could barely speak, I whispered.

Yet I don’t have all the details, but I think maybe their deaths weren’t just an accident. Something... bigger is going on. It’s something that connects both our packs.” Xander looked at me with a tiny, flickering spark in his eyes. “This is potentially the key to understanding why Mason did what he did,” Cassie said.

My heart pounded in my chest, and my hands shook. “What are you saying?” I asked, my voice shaking.

I’m saying that maybe there’s more to this than just a broken bond. Perhaps your parents’ deaths were part of a bigger plan. “Our packs are in on a conspiracy,” Xander said in a severely low tone. It might explain why Mason pushed you aside so quickly.” He might have known about it. Maybe he was even involved.”

The ground beneath me was gone. I thought the accident that killed my parents was a tragedy, something that no one could have prevented. What Xander was saying made my heart race. Could this be true? Was Mason involved in something so much bigger than I thought?

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” My voice was tight and panicked as I asked.

Xander was eyeing me with concern. “I didn’t want to alarm you too soon.” "Now, it seems like the right time." He wanted you to know the truth.”

I swallowed hard, trying to take it all in. I never imagined this, but my parents’ deaths had never felt like an accident. I never thought I could hide something this dark.

“Do you think Mason knows?” My voice was barely a whisper as I asked.

Xander’s gaze hardened. “I don’t know. But I plan on finding out. “I think you should help me,” I said.

My stomach twisted. How could I help? I was still trying to figure out what had happened to Mason. I knew this wasn’t just about discovering the truth about my parents, but somehow. This was about understanding Mason's why in terms of betrayal and what he had really been a part of.

“What do we do now?” I barely held back the flood of emotions threatening to spill over and asked.

Xander said, 'We keep looking.' We keep looking for the answers. No matter what, I’ll keep you safe.”

I nodded, but some of me figured nothing could ever keep me safe. My past had a habit of catching up with me, and now it was catching up with a vengeance.

The weight of what we’d uncovered hung on my shoulders as we stood there. I did not know what was going to happen next. I knew one thing for sure: things would never be the same.

What had really happened to my parents? What was Mason involved in that could cause all of this to come crashing down? I couldn’t deny the truth anymore. What if the truth was more dangerous than I could ever dream up?