Rejected Luna Of The Cursed Alpha

The Broken Woman

Aria’s POV

The next morning began with sunlight sipping through my window. For a moment, I lay still, staring at the ceiling. I couldn’t remember where I was.

It only took a few seconds, but the memories came rushing back in.

Valemont.

The ceremony.

Leo.

The long journey.

The strange castle.

My breath caught in my throat before I finally pushed myself off the bed. The room was still unfamiliar, although now it no longer felt as impersonal. Perhaps it was because I actually slept here, or maybe it was because for the first time in days I was able to get more than a few hours of sleep without waking up in a cold sweat.

I walked to the window, peering outside. The castle grounds were already bustling with activity.

Servants were running back and forth, carrying baskets of goods. Two boys played chase around the herb garden until a scowling old woman shooed them off, pointing sharply at the fresh sprouts they nearly trampled over.

One of the boys snickered.

The other immediately sent an apologetic look before tugging his companion back.

Unbeknownst to me, I was smiling.

Life here was nice

There was no tension in the air, like there was back home.

Home?

I shook my head, it wasn’t home anymore, maybe it never was home.

No one was furtively watching everyone else, hoping to say the right thing at the right time. They just were… I barely had time to process this before a knock echoed at my door.

“Still asleep? Well, I’m coming in regardless.” Nora’s cheerful voice floated through the wood and into my ears before the handle turned.

She pushed the door open, beaming as she entered the room, a basket nearly as big as her in her arms. “I brought breakfast.”

“You could’ve waited for me to open the door.”

“I could’ve,” she admitted easily, setting the basket down on the table before turning to me. “You slept.”

“Indeed.”

“I was beginning to think you cried yourself to sleep.”

I blinked at her. “Was I that transparent yesterday?”

She gave me a sad smile. “You looked like someone whose heart was made of glass.”

“I’ve had better days.”

“I figured as much.” Nora wasted no time emptying the basket onto the table, revealing warm bread and butter, honey, slices of apple, and a pot of herbal tea.

“You didn’t have to do all of this.”

“My father says it’s inauspicious to begin a journey on an empty stomach.”

I chuckled at that. “Your father sounds like a dear.”

She grinned. “Until you burn his bread.”

I gasped in mock offense, earning a real laugh from the other girl. “There we go.”

Nora nodded in satisfaction. “That laugh sounds better every day.”

“I didn’t realize you were keeping count.”

“Oh, I am," she interjected, laughing. She poured two cups of tea before handing me one. “My orders are to make you laugh at least once per day.”

“That’s quite an ambitious mission.”

”I’ve always liked impossible tasks.”

We ate in comfortable silence for a while. The two of us talked about inconsequential things again, such as the weather, the herb gardens, and the castle grounds.

It was oddly nice, having someone to talk to. While I was at Valemont, I never really had someone to talk to.

Not even my husband.

Nora eventually set her cup of tea down with a sigh. “Oh! I almost forgot.”

“What?”

“Tonight is the Moon Harvest Festival.”

“The what?”

She stared at me like I had just announced that the moon had swallowed Valemont whole. “You’ve never heard of it before?”

I shook my head.

“We barely had festivals in Valemont.”

“Then you definitely haven’t experienced this.” Nora leaned forward eagerly. “Every year, the pack holds a festival after the harvest season. There will be music and dancing and food stalls and contests…” She trailed off, ticking off on her fingers. “…children’s games, lantern lighting, storytelling…”

Her excitement was contagious.

“It sounds lovely.”

“It is.” She beamed. “And you’re coming.”

The smile slid off my face as I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know anyone.”

“You know me.”

“Nora…”

She crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly. “No.”

“No?”

“No hiding behind this room.”

“I wasn’t hiding!”

“You were.”

“I’ve only been here for one day!”

“Exactly.”

Nora gestured sharply at the window. “The longer you stay cooped up here, the more difficult it will be when you finally do go outside.”

I looked down at the untouched tea in my hands.“What if they don’t like having me around?”

She followed my gaze. “They will stare.”

“I know.”

“They also stared at me.”

“You grew up here.”

“Yes.” She shrugged. “I was the baker’s daughter who tripped on her own feet while dancing at the festival.”

And there was nothing I could do but smile because she was right.

“Surely, they will have something else to talk about soon enough.”

“And if they don’t?”

Nora leaned across the table and held my hand. “Let them.”

And for some reason, her words found themselves in my chest. Up until that point, I lived in fear of being noticed and then used because of it.

I had tried so, so hard to be perfect.

I had tried so, so hard to be good enough.

But where had it gotten me?

Rejected, humiliated and left with nothing.

Nora stood, smoothing her skirts as she did so. “I will come for you this evening.”

“Nora…”

“No objections.”

She was already halfway to the door. “Besides, you should wear something comfortable, which is where I come in, I will make sure your dress is ready by then.” Nora added airily. “You’ll be dancing.”

The door shut before I could remind her that she was out of her mind. I looked around the room one last time before turning my gaze to the busy courtyard.

Perhaps Just for tonight…

I could pretend that I was not the broken woman who lost everything.