The Luna He Didn't Choose

Chapter 002: Unsettling Reunion

"Are you sure this is what you want, Eli?" I freeze, taken aback by Logan's voice as it pierces the atmosphere. In the training yard, he stands opposite me with his arms folded and a chilly, aloof stare as if I were a mere stranger.

I'm having trouble breathing. Logan used to mock me when I became too serious and laughed at my jokes, but this isn't the Logan I remember. No, that person's shadow is this man in front of me.

"I don’t have a choice, do I?" My remarks are sharper than I meant to be when I snap. The rage I've suppressed for years comes roaring back, and the animosity inside of me bursts to the surface.

A tight, unreadable smile curls his lips. Eli, you've never had an option. Not with your relatives. Not in the pack.

I don't want to admit how hard the words impacted me. They are raw and stinging. Logan is correct. The pack has always been about tradition, duty, and family. And I lost myself in it all sometime along the way. I didn't anticipate Logan reminding me of it, though, and saying it so bluntly and icily.

Before I can stop myself I blurt out, "You’re not the same," my voice shaking with annoyance. "You were once concerned. We—"

"Used to?" I can't quite identify it, but something frightening flashes in his gaze, and my heartbeat quickens. "Back then, Eli, we were kids. I've also matured. You ought to have followed suit.

I wasn't prepared for how hard the words hit. Logan had always been self-assured and confident, but now he has a steeliness in his eyes that makes him distant and unreachable. This Alpha-in-training, who has been tempered by the pack's responsibilities, has taken the place of the laid-back, flirty Logan I knew, acting as if I've become a bother.

With my heart racing, I step back. "I no longer know you."

Logan's expression softens for a second, as if he may say something—explain, apologize—but then he appears to catch himself. The frigid mask comes back on his shoulders.

He mutters, "Maybe you never did," as he turns away from me and moves toward the middle of the yard. The air reverberates with the distant clink of metal as someone practices with weapons.

As I watch him leave, my breath catches. We were inseparable—close, connected—the last time we were together. However, the years and distance have caused a gap between us that I am unable to fill. I'm not sure if I still want to.

My chest tightens as I gently release my breath. I never thought I'd return home like this. I expected to discover something comfy and familiar. Rather, I feel as though I am a stranger in my own life. A big part of me wants to go away once more.

My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind me, and I turn to see my mother standing just beyond the yard, observing me solemnly. Her eyes are unhappy, and her lips are pulled together tightly. She had been following me, but I was completely unaware of it.

"Eli," she murmurs softly as she approaches me. "You must comprehend something. Logan has changed since you last saw him. He has spent his entire life being prepared to be the Alpha of the future.

My chest gets constricted. That's it, then? Am I expected to simply accept this?

"Your father didn't make that choice lightly," she says, her voice shaking. "Logan is powerful. He is competent. He is the best option for this pack and for you.

As I attempt to take in what she is saying, my mind is racing. Logan. The right decision. Whose decision is the best? Not for me, of course. This is not how I want to be with him. His position, strength, or duty don't matter to me. I miss the child I loved, the boy who vanished and was replaced by a man who was completely different from him.

With my words almost audible above a whisper, I confess, "I don't even know who I'm supposed to be in all of this."

"You’re his mate," she declares as if that were the only response that counts. "Your location is next to him. This union is necessary for the pack.

I feel as though someone has hit me. Although I've always been aware that the pack has expectations, this? I feel like I'm being caught in an unavoidable web that keeps becoming tighter. Instead of being thrown into a life I never requested, I wanted to return home for closure.

With my wrath rising once more, I yell, "I'm not just some piece on a chessboard for your plans."

My mother doesn't apologize, but her eyes soften with sadness. "I apologize, Eli. I really am. However, we've found ourselves in a tight spot. This surpasses both you and the rest of us. The pack can only be saved in this manner.

My mouth opens to disagree, but Logan's voice breaks the tension before I can say anything.

"You ought to leave. Your mother is correct. You no longer belong here.

I narrow my eyes and turn to face him. "You have no right to say that."

Logan is positioned rigidly at the edge of the yard, staring at me as if I were an enemy. There is no mistaking the wrath in his voice. "Eli, I don't have to give you an explanation. I'm acting in the pack's best interests. Regardless of your feelings about it.

His words cause my chest to constrict. I don't recognize Logan like this; he doesn't care about me and would prefer to break off contact than face his history.

"Logan, I don't give a damn about the pack!" Before I can stop myself, I yell. "You are important to me! Or I used to, anyway.

His countenance is unreadable as he stares at me for a long, agonizing period. "Eli, you must go on. Yes, I have. You ought to as well.

There is a chilly hush between us. And during that quiet, I come to the realization that Logan no longer wants me, something I haven't let myself acknowledge up until now. Everything that we previously shared, including our connection, has vanished. Furthermore, I'm not sure whether I can make it through.

The anguish of rejection is more intense than I could have ever imagined, but before I can cope, something occurs that completely changes everything.

A howl reverberates through the forest.

I turn to the sound as my heart skips a beat. It serves as a warning. However, from what? Or who?

Logan's eyes narrow as he glances toward the trees, a scowl pulling at his lips. He murmurs, "It's not just the pack we need to worry about," in a low voice that seems to be carrying something I can't quite identify.

"What do you mean?" Panic rising in my chest, I ask.

Logan doesn't respond. Rather, his face is as hard as stone as he turns and walks toward the woods. "Remain here. Stay put.

I can't stay here, though. Not with that cry in earshot. Not when it seems like everything is going to fall apart.

I step forward, feeling a knot of uncertainty. There's danger ahead. Something that is out of our control. The past, present, and future suddenly intersect in a way I never anticipated.

I can't help but worry about what lies in the shadows as I follow Logan into the unknown.