The Moon Goddess’ Cursed Lovers

Chapter 7: Emptiness

I slammed the door to my room harder than I intended, the wood rattling in its frame as I locked it. My breath came in ragged bursts as I leaned against the door, my back sliding down until I hit the floor. Everything was too much—the way they looked at me, the shock in their eyes, my mother’s fear. The power I had felt moments ago was draining away, leaving behind exhaustion and confusion.

I pulled my knees to my chest, burying my face against them. My heart was pounding, but not from fear. I was furious. Furious at Ryder for how he shrugged me off, furious at our parents for constantly comparing me to him, and most of all, furious at myself for letting them get to me. For caring so damn much about their approval when they never gave me the respect I deserved.

A soft knock at the door startled me out of my thoughts. I didn’t answer. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. Not now.

“Faye, it’s Ivy.” Her voice was quiet but full of concern. “I just wanted to check on you.”

I clenched my jaw, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I appreciated Ivy, but I couldn’t face her right now. I couldn’t face anyone.

“Please, Faye, I know you’re upset. I’m on your side. Just open the door, okay?”

I stayed silent, not moving from my spot on the floor. After a long moment, I heard Ivy sigh softly and walk away. I hated that I couldn’t even muster the strength to respond, but the weight in my chest was too heavy. It was like everything I had been holding in for years had come pouring out, and now there was nothing left.

A few minutes later, there was another knock, this time more insistent.

“Faye,” Lucian’s deep voice called from the other side of the door. “Come on, let me in.”

I pressed my palms harder against my knees, willing myself to block him out. He didn’t get it. No one did. They hadn’t lived with this constant pressure, the burden of always being second-best. Even if Lucian could sense something in me, he wasn’t part of my world.

“Faye, I’m not leaving until you open this door,” he said, his tone gentler now. “You’re stronger than this. Don’t shut people out.”

I closed my eyes, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. He had no idea what I was feeling. None of them did.

“Fine,” Lucian muttered after a moment of silence. “I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready.”

The sound of his footsteps fading down the hall made my chest tighten. I knew they meant well, but I didn’t want their pity or concern. I just wanted to be alone.

I thought it would end there, but a few minutes later, my mother’s voice broke the fragile silence. “Faye, open this door right now.”

Her tone was cold, demanding. Just like always.

“Don’t you dare think you can hide away after that display,” she continued. “You embarrassed this family tonight. Ryder is going to be Alpha, and you need to understand your place.”

I gritted my teeth, biting back the urge to scream at her. She didn’t care how I felt—only about appearances. Only about what everyone else thought.

“Open this door, Faye,” she ordered again, her patience wearing thin. But I stayed silent. Eventually, she let out an exasperated huff and stomped away, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she left.

The room was quiet again, but my head was anything but. My thoughts swirled in an angry, confused mess, and I buried my face deeper into my knees, hoping to drown them out.

And then, another knock came. Softer this time, hesitant.

“Faye?” It was Ryder. His voice wasn’t demanding or frustrated like the others. It was… uncertain.

I swallowed hard, my hands tightening around my legs. I didn’t want to talk to him. Not after how he had treated me earlier. But something about the way he said my name made me hesitate.

“Faye, please… let me in.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, the anger and hurt bubbling up inside me again. Why now? Why did he care now, after pushing me away for so long?

Another soft knock. “Please, Faye. I’m sorry.”

I don’t know what made me move, but my body acted before my mind could stop it. Slowly, I stood and unlocked the door, pulling it open just enough for him to slip inside.

Ryder stepped in cautiously, closing the door behind him before turning to face me. His expression was tense, his usually confident posture slightly slouched. He looked almost… nervous.

We stood there in silence for a long moment, the weight of everything hanging between us. I was the first to break, tears slipping down my cheeks before I could stop them.

“Why, Ryder?” I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why did you push me away? We used to be so close. We were best friends, and then one day, you just… stopped caring.”

He looked away, running a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. “Faye, it’s not that simple…”

“Not that simple?” I interrupted, the hurt in my voice sharp. “You shut me out, Ryder! Like I didn’t matter anymore!”

“I didn’t want to,” he said quietly, finally meeting my eyes. “But Mom and Dad… they made me.”

I blinked, taken aback. “What?”

“They told me it was giving the wrong impression,” he explained, his voice tight. “With me becoming Alpha, they said I needed to focus on finding a mate, on setting an example for the pack. They thought if I stayed too close to you, people would get the wrong idea.”

I stared at him, my mind reeling. “The wrong idea? What the hell does that even mean?”

“They didn’t want me to be seen as weak,” Ryder said, his jaw clenched. “They didn’t want people thinking I was relying on you too much.”

I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. “So, you just… abandoned me because they told you to?”

His face crumpled in guilt, and he stepped closer, his hand reaching out for mine. “Faye, I didn’t want to. You have to believe me. It killed me to distance myself from you, but I had to do what was best for the pack.”

I pulled my hand away, my chest tightening with a mix of anger and sorrow. “What about what was best for me? Did they ever care about that?”

He was silent for a long moment, his eyes filled with regret. “No,” he finally admitted, his voice barely a whisper. “They didn’t. And I’m sorry, Faye. I’m so, so sorry.”

Tears streamed down my face now, and I didn’t fight them. “I needed you, Ryder. I needed my brother. And you weren’t there.”

He took a step closer, his eyes pleading. “I’m here now. I know it doesn’t fix everything, but I’m here.”

I stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust that he would be there from now on. But the hurt ran deep, and it wasn’t something that could be erased with an apology.

Still, in that moment, I let him pull me into his arms, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself cry. Cry for the brother I had lost, for the family that had let me down, and for the girl who had been forced to be strong for so long.

“I’ve got you,” Ryder whispered, holding me tight. “I promise, Faye. I’ve got you.”

But deep down, I wondered if that promise would be enough.