The Luna He Rejected

The Point of no Return

It was quiet.

Ravenna moved closer , her heels making a clicking sound on the marble floor.

The noise made me feel uneasy.

The hall seemed small all of a sudden. Too hot. Too suffocating.

The guards standing next to me stepped back away bowing their heads as Ravenna approached .I could sense fear, respect and obedience.

Maybe it was the three .

Ravenna stopped in front of me, her sharp eyes scanning my face slowly like she was searching for weaknesses. An evidence!

"You've been hard to find, " she said softly.

I didn't say anything.

Her lips curved a little more, and for a moment, the smile reached her eyes.

"That attitude " she said quietly "it almost makes me miss when you used to beg."

My jaw clenched tight.

The people around us like servants and low ranked wolves kept their heads down pretending not to watch.. I could feel them listening.

They were always listening.

Ravenna walked around me slowly like in circles.

"Tell me Cassidy " she said "have you been hiding something from me?"

My heart started beating really fast.

I made sure my expression didn’t change, no matter what I felt inside.

"I don't know what you mean." I said

Her eyes flashed with anger.

Suddenly her fingers grabbed my chin, hurting me.

I stiffened away.

"You should, " she whispered.

The hall became silent, a kind of silence.

Then another scent drifted into the room.I recognised that scent

Cold.

Powerful.

Commanding.

The entire atmosphere changed before I even looked up.

It was Aarom

Every wolf in the hall stood up right away.

Even Ravenna let go of my chin.

My stomach twisted as footsteps approached from behind.

I hadn't really seen him for days .His presence still affected the air around him and me.Heavy. Tense. Like my body still recognized him before my mind could.

I hated that.

Slowly I turned around.

Aaron stood near the entrance dressed in black his expression unreadable. His eyes scanned the room once before landing on me and stopping there.

Something dark flashed in his gaze, not softness or concern. Something heavier and more dangerous.

Ravenna recovered first.

"My Alpha " she said smoothly stepping toward him. That statement stungged me so hard ."I was just questioning one of the servants."

His eyes never left mine.

"Questioning?" His voice was low and calm. Too calm.

Ravenna smiled faintly.

"She disappeared from her assigned duties this week. I found it suspicious."

My pulse quickened.

Aaron finally looked at Ravenna.

"And that required an audience?"

The sharpness beneath his tone made the room colder.

Ravenna's smile thinned a little.

"She belongs to this pack. If someone is hiding something shouldn't we know?"

Aaron was silent for a moment then his gaze shifted back to me.

I looked away because there was something unsettling about the way he was staring like he was trying to figure me out like he already sensed something was wrong.

"You, " he said suddenly.

My breath caught.

"Look at me."

Slowly I did.

His eyes narrowed a little.

"You look exhausted."

The words caught me off guard not because they were kind. Because they sounded genuine.

Ravenna noticed it too. I saw a flicker of irritation cross her face before it vanished again.

"She probably enjoys pretending to suffer, " Ravenna said lightly. "Some people become desperate for attention after falling from power."

That hit harder than I wanted it to. Before I could react Aaron spoke again.

"Enough."

One word, cold to cut skin.

The hall went silent again.

Ravenna's expression froze for half a second then she lowered her head slightly.

"My apologies."

Her eyes slid toward me and the hatred inside them nearly made my stomach turn.

He stepped too close. I could feel the heat from his body and the weight of his presence pressing into me.The body I once enjoyed was now against me .

"You were assigned to the wing?" he asked.

"Yes Alpha."

"You've been avoiding the grounds."

It wasn't a question.

I swallowed carefully.

"I've been working."

His gaze lingered on my face another second long then his hand lifted slightly toward me.

I froze. Before he could touch me a sharp voice interrupted from the end of the hall.

"My Alpha."

The doctor walked in quickly and controlled as always though I caught the tension in his eyes for a second.

Ravenna turned away.

"Perfect timing, " she said smoothly. "I was just informing Alpha Kael about today's examination."

The doctor's expression stayed neutral. My blood ran cold.

Aaron’s eyes sharpened.

"Examination?"

Ravenna nodded gracefully.

"There have been rumors among the ranks. I simply think it would be wise to confirm that no one has violated pack laws."

My breathing slowed dangerously, this was it, the beginning.

The doctor spoke carefully.

"It may not be necessary to involve everyone—"

"I disagree " Ravenna cut in instantly, her eyes flickering toward me.

"Especially when certain wolves have been behaving strangely."

Silence, deadly.

Aaron looked between us slowly then his gaze settled on me again and suddenly I felt exposed like he could hear every thing inside my head.

Ravenna smiled faintly.

"We'll begin before sunset."

My pulse slammed violently before sunset that meant I had hours left before everything shattered.

The doctor looked at me briefly as a warning, a reminder, Western gate tonight.

He finally spoke.

"Do what you want."

Then his eyes locked onto mine one time.

". If this turns into another unnecessary spectacle, Ravenna…"

The unfinished threat hung heavily in the air.

Ravenna lowered her head again.

"Of course, Alpha."

Aaron turned away but right before he left he paused and without looking he said quietly.

"Cassidy. Stay out of trouble."

Then he walked away. Somehow those words felt worse than cruelty because for one dangerous second they sounded like concern.

The hall slowly began moving after he disappeared whispers, footsteps, tension.

Ravenna stepped close for only me to hear her.

"You should've stayed broken, " she whispered.

Then she smiled.

". If you're hiding what I think you are…"

Her eyes dropped briefly toward my stomach.

"…you won't survive this pack enough to regret it."

Fear crawled up my spine. Beneath it something else rose too resolve, hard, sharp, alive.

Because suddenly the choice didn't feel impossible anymore it felt necessary.

Run, tonight or die here.

As Ravenna walked away smiling like she'd already won I realized something terrifying.

I wasn't afraid of leaving

I was afraid of what would happen if I stayed