Vengeance of the Rejected Luna

Chapter 5: Unraveling the Past – Secrets and Lies

Serena’s POV

Damon Blackwood is a mystery; he's more like a riddle hidden in shadows and quiet. The longer I observe him the more I see the gaps in my knowledge about him. To get what's going on in his mind, I must figure out the events that shaped who he is.

So, the investigation begins.

I start snooping around in a smooth way, slipping my inquiries into normal chit chat so it's not obvious how much I need those answers. It's not long before I catch hushed words—tales about a Luna who used to be at Damon's side but then disappeared leaving no clues behind.

Evelyn Blackwood.

People whisper her name as if it's taboo, like being too loud might jinx them. Rumors swirl. Some reckon she was snatched; others think she bolted. The true tale? That's a mystery, but here's what sticks: Damon's never found himself a new partner. He's an Alpha top dog, and has been riding solo for a stretch. Doesn't add up.

What made her ditch? And why's her spot still open?

I'm so deep in my own head, I don't even notice someone talking at me until their words hit me, jerkin' me outta my daydream like a sudden finger snap.

"Serena? You're staring into space like you're decoding life's grand puzzle or something." I snap my gaze forward as Elara shows up before me standing with her arms folded, her warm brown eyes shining with inquisitiveness. Since we were kids, she's been my rock—the one who didn't give me side-eye for being the odd one out. She isn't like the rest in our group; she doesn't bow down to Jaxon, nor does she tremble when Alpha Damon's around. Elara is always dancing to her own beat, smart and unshaken.

"Just doing some thinking," I say, trying to keep a straight face.

One of Elara's eyebrows goes up. "Oh yeah? And what's on your mind? 'Cause you were chatting with some of our senior pack folks, and it seemed like more than just chit-chat to me."

I pause just a bit, but it makes zero sense to fib to her. "Damon. And his mate." Her face gets a touch gloomy, and with a heavy breath, she pulls me toward a spot with less noise. "Just can't stop poking around, huh?" she whispers, voice dipping low.

"Look, Serena, you're already in deep waters messing with him. Now you're snooping into his history? That's cranking up the danger big time."

"I gotta understand, Elara. What made her bail? And how come he's still on the market? It's not clicking together."

Nibbling on her lip, she sneaks a look around before she spills the beans. "I'm fuzzy on the specifics, but according to what my mom says, Evelyn didn’t just vanish into thin air. She ditched him, Serena. Just up and left with no farewell. And get this, Damon didn’t even bother to look for her. He just let her walk away."

The news sends a nasty twist in my gut, a heavy mix of shock and doubt settling in.

An Alpha giving up on his Luna just like that? No way. That's not the dude I'm getting to know—the guy ruling our pack with an unbreakable will, the one whose mere vibe gets the fighters to tip their heads down in respect.

The type of guy Damon Blackwood is, he isn't one to take a defeat lying down. He stands his ground, never gives up, and always holds tight to what belongs to him. But the thing is... he just let Evelyn split without a fight? No clash, not a drop of blood spilled, no dragging her back home? It messes with my head, and I can't nail down why. What's the deal with a romance fizzling out like that? Plus, what's it say about this dude I'm messing around with?

"You're positive he didn't make a move to fetch her?" I'm grilling her eyeballing her for even a twitch of doubt. Elara's head moves in a no. "Not once. Nobody talks of her now. It's as though she vanished. But that's not to say he's moved on. Some hurts don't get better, Serena. They just get worse." I soak in her remarks, a weird vibe coming over me.

Damon's history seems way trickier than I think, and right now, I'm thinking maybe I never got just how much his wounds still hurt.

Later that night, I'm pulled to the Alpha again.

I keep telling myself it's not on purpose. But as I walk into the shadowy office deep down I know I'm there for a reason.

Damon props himself up on his desk and gives me this look like he saw me coming. Can't tell what's going on in his head, but there's this vibe he's throwing off that's kind of freaking me out.

"I caught on to you keeping tabs on me," I tell him, narrowing the gap between us.

"Have I?" He's all chill, with a hint of a chuckle hidden somewhere.

"Cut it out, Alpha. I know."

He lets out a breath real slow, taking his sweet time to think about spilling the beans or not. Then, at last, he's ready to dish it out. "You stood out. I could tell even when you were just a kid, that you weren't going to just blend in with the crowd. Way too fierce. Way too much grit. You had too much fight in you for the box they were trying to shove you into."

My breathing stops short. I didn't see that confession coming. "You used to know me," I whisper, kinda talking to myself more than to him.

"Yeah, I did. Plus, I was pretty sure you'd turn up one day wanting the lowdown." His remark lands on me, and all at once, this whole thing I thought was a game gets way complicated. But I'm not about to quit. I move right up close stopping just a whisker away from him.

"So, what now that I'm here?" His gaze grows intense, though his face doesn't give anything away.

"Time for you to pick a path." My heart's thumping wild.

"What kinda choice?" Then he goes and does something unexpected.

He plants a kiss on me. This ain't soft. Nor is it cautious. It's all about control and provocation, fiery and powerful. It snatches my ability to breathe right out of me. For a bit, I blank out on everything—Jaxon, vengeance, my meticulous strategy. It's just Damon, his touch, his warmth, how his hands land on my hips like he's challenging me to shove him off.

But that's not what I do.

I meet his kiss with equal force, with a fierce craving. It was meant to be a trick, yet when his lips collide with mine, something inside me changes. It's a thing I can't quite put into words.

When we stop, I'm left gasping for air shaking all over. Damon's smirk meets my lips, and he whispers, "You’re playing with fire, little wolf. I hope you don’t burn." It hits me. Maybe I'm already burnt from this whole thing.