The Luna They Burned Came Back

Chapter4

Alina's Point of View

I could hear Ryker calling my name behind me, but I ignored him. I climbed the stairs

quickly and shut our bedroom door harder than necessary.

My hands were shaking as I set my plate on the nightstand.

I needed air. I needed space to think.

I grabbed my jacket and slipped out through the back door. The cool night air hit my face as I

walked toward the medical center. I had left some files there that I needed to review anyway.

The building was dark and empty when I arrived. I used my key to get in and headed straight

to my office. But as I passed Ethan's office, I noticed the door was slightly open and a light

was on inside.

Strange. Ethan never left his office unlocked.

I pushed the door open carefully. "Ethan?"

No answer. The office was empty, but his desk lamp was on. Maybe he had forgotten to turn

it off before leaving.

I was about to leave when something caught my eye. A thick file was open on his desk, and I

could see official pack seals on the documents.

I knew I shouldn't look, but something about the way the papers were scattered made me

curious. Ethan was always so organized. This wasn't like him.

I stepped closer and my breath caught in my throat.

The header at the top of the page read: "SILVERPINE PACK ALPHA SUCCESSION -

CONFIDENTIAL"

My heart started pounding. Why would Ethan have Alpha succession documents?

I looked around quickly to make sure no one was coming, then leaned over to read the first

page.

"In accordance with pack law, the position of Alpha must pass to the rightful heir of the Alpha

bloodline. Current Alpha Ryker Hart obtained his position through the Alpha Challenge,

defeating the previous Alpha's son in combat..."

I frowned. Ryker had never mentioned defeating anyone to become Alpha. He had always

told me his father passed the position to him before he died.

I flipped to the next page and froze.

"Ethan Vale, son of former Alpha Robert Vale, was stripped of his right to challenge for the

Alpha position following accusations of his father's murder. Though evidence was

circumstantial, the pack elders voted to exile him from the succession line..."

My hands started trembling. Ethan was the former Alpha's son? That meant he was the

rightful heir, not Ryker.

"Alina?"

I spun around so fast I nearly knocked over the desk lamp. Ethan stood in the doorway, his

face pale with shock.

"I... I was just..." I stammered, trying to think of an excuse.

"You shouldn't be here," he said quietly, stepping into the office and closing the door behind

him. "And you definitely shouldn't be reading that."

"Ethan, I'm sorry. I saw the light on and thought you were here, and then I saw the

documents and..."

"Alina, stop." He walked over and gently took the file from my hands. "You don't understand

what you've stumbled into."

"Then explain it to me," I said, looking into his eyes. "You're the former Alpha's son? The

rightful heir?"

He was quiet for a long moment, studying my face. "How much did you read?"

"Enough to know that Ryker isn't the rightful Alpha," I whispered. "And that you were

accused of murdering your father."

Ethan's jaw clenched. "I didn't kill my father."

"I know," I said without hesitation. "I know you didn't."

He looked surprised by my certainty. "How can you be so sure?"

Because I know your heart, I wanted to say. Because I've seen the kind of man you are.

Because you tried to save me when everyone else wanted me dead.

"Because I know you," I said instead. "You're not capable of murder."

Ethan closed his eyes for a moment, as if my words caused him pain. "Alina, you need to

forget what you saw here. If Ryker finds out you know..."

"He'll what?" I asked. "Kill me?"

The words slipped out before I could stop them, but they carried more weight than Ethan

could know.

"He'll exile you from the pack," Ethan said seriously. "Or worse. Ryker doesn't tolerate

threats to his position."

I stared at him,"That's why you became a doctor instead of fighting for your birthright."

"I had no choice. After my father died and they accused me..." He ran a hand through his

hair, suddenly looking older. "I was seventeen, Alina. Seventeen and facing a pack that

believed I was a patricide.“

"But you never stopped believing you were innocent." It wasn't a question.

"My father was murdered," Ethan's voice turned hard as steel. "And someday, I'll prove it."

"Ethan," I whispered, "what are you planning?"

Before he could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. We both froze.

"Dr. Vale? Are you in there?" It was James, the night security guard.

Ethan quickly shoved the documents into his desk drawer and motioned for me to stay

quiet. "Just finishing up some paperwork, James. Is everything alright?"

"Thought I saw lights on. Just checking."

"All good here. I'll be leaving shortly."

We waited in tense silence until the footsteps faded away. Ethan turned back to me, his

expression grim.

"You need to go home, Forget what you saw here."

"I can't just forget—"

"You have to." He gripped my shoulders gently but firmly. "Promise me you'll act normal

around Ryker. Don't give him any reason to suspect you know anything."

The irony wasn't lost on me. Here I was, keeping secrets from Ethan about my own death

and rebirth, while he kept secrets about his true identity and plans for revenge.

We were both pretending to be people we weren't.

"I promise," I said quietly.

Ethan studied my face for a long moment, and Before I could process what was happening,

he leaned down and pressed his lips softly against mine.

For a moment , I was frozen in shock.

Then reality seemed to crash down on him. He jerked back, his face pale with horror.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, running a hand through his hair. "God, Alina, I'm so sorry, that was

a complete mistake. I don't know what came over me. You're married, you're Ryker's mate,

and I just…”

I silenced him by grabbing his shirt and pulling him back down to me, crushing my lips

against his with an intensity that surprised us both.

He was shock at first, But as I deepened the kiss, his arms wrapped around me, pulling me

closer as he kissed me back with equal fervor.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing hard. Ethan's eyes searched mine,

confusion written on his face.

"Alina, what—"

"I want a divorce," I said quietly.

Ethan blinked. "What?"

"I want to divorce Ryker." I stepped back slightly but kept my hands on his chest, feeling

his heart racing. "I know he's having an affair."

"Alina..." Ethan's voice was careful. "That's a serious accusation. Do you have proof?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. But I will find it." "And when I do, I'll make sure everyone knows

exactly what kind of man their precious Alpha really is."

Ethan was quiet for a long moment,

"Alina, if you're serious about this..." He paused, A divorce from an Alpha isn't just a

personal matter. It becomes pack business. Ryker won't let you go easily."

"I know." I stepped closer to him again, my voice dropping to a whisper. "That's where you

come in."

"Me?"

"Help me reclaim what's yours, Ethan." "The Alpha position. Your birthright. And I'll help you

expose the truth about your father's death."

Ethan's breath caught. "You're talking about taking down Ryker completely."

"I'm talking about justice." The word tasted sweet on my tongue. "You get back what was

stolen from you. I get my freedom. And Ryker... Ryker gets exactly what he deserves."

"You don't know what you're asking," he finally said,

"I know exactly what I'm asking." I reached up and touched his face gently. "I'm asking you to

trust me. I'm asking you to let me stand beside you instead of watching from the sidelines."

"If we do this..." "There's no going back. Once you move against an Alpha, especially with

accusations of adultery, it's war."

A smile curved my lips, the first real smile I'd felt since my rebirth. "Then let's give them a

war they'll never forget."

“Are you in or not? I asked him, surprised at how bold I have become.”

Ethan looked at me for a long while, considering his options. Then he gave a broad smile,

"I'm in," he said, his voice carrying a new authority I'd never heard before. "Let's do this."

Let’s take the people who hurt us down.