Chapter 39
It felt like the whole world had turned against me.
I could still feel the coldness in Alpha Jeremiah’s eyes from earlier, his words echoing in my mind like a cruel reminder of everything I had done wrong. Every breath felt like I was inhaling shards of glass, each one cutting deeper than the last. His hatred was suffocating, and no matter how many times I apologized or tried to explain myself, he just wouldn’t listen.
I stood in the hallway, staring at the door to his office, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I had to try again. I couldn’t leave things the way they were. Not like this. I had to make him see that I wasn’t trying to hurt his pack, that I wasn’t trying to make things worse.
With a deep breath, I knocked on the door.
"Come in," his voice was sharp, clipped, like he didn’t have time for me. But I pushed the door open anyway and stepped inside.
He was sitting at his desk, papers scattered in front of him. His brow was furrowed, his jaw clenched. He didn’t even look up at me.
"I... I wanted to talk," I began, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to stay calm. "Jeremiah, please—"
He slammed his hand on the desk, cutting me off instantly. His eyes finally met mine, and the sheer coldness in them sent a shiver down my spine.
"What do you want now, Astrid?" he snapped, his tone harsh. "Haven't you done enough? My aunt is dead. My grandmother is clinging to life. And you stand here like you have something important to say?"
I flinched at his words, my heart sinking. "I... I didn’t mean for any of this to happen," I whispered, barely able to hold back my tears. "I was only trying to help. I never wanted anyone to get hurt."
Jeremiah leaned back in his chair, his arms crossing over his chest as he glared at me. "Help?" he scoffed. "You call that helping? You’ve done nothing but cause problems since you got here, Astrid. You disobey me at every turn, and look where it’s gotten us. My family is broken, my pack is suffering, and it’s all because of you."
I opened my mouth to argue, to defend myself, but the words wouldn’t come. What could I even say? He was right. I had made a mistake, a huge mistake, and now everything was falling apart.
"I’m sorry," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I’m so sorry."
He didn’t respond right away, just stared at me with that same cold, emotionless gaze. Finally, he stood up, walking slowly toward me.
"You know what your problem is, Astrid?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You think you can do whatever you want because you’re 'his' daughter. A little princess but not here Astrid. You are my mate But being Luna means something. It means loyalty. It means following orders. It means protecting this pack, not tearing it apart."
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I forced them back. I didn’t want to cry in front of him. Not again. "I never wanted to tear anything apart," I said, my voice shaking. "I just wanted to be useful, to be a good Luna—"
"You're not," he cut me off, his words like a punch to the gut. "You’re not useful. You’re a liability."
That was it. The final blow. I felt the weight of his words crush me, the pain so sharp and deep that I couldn’t breathe. I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I understand," I whispered. "I’ll... I’ll leave you alone."
I turned and left the room, his cold gaze burning into my back as I walked away. My heart felt like it was breaking all over again.
As I made my way through the packhouse, I could feel the stares, the whispers. The blame. It was like the entire pack had turned against me. People who once greeted me with respect now looked at me with disdain, like I was an outsider, someone who didn’t belong. Even the servants seemed to avoid me, their eyes full of judgment as they hurried past.
I felt like a ghost, haunting a place I didn’t belong in anymore.
Just as I was about to head to my room, I heard a voice behind me.
"You think you’re something special, don’t you?"
I turned to see her—Selene, the girl who had always hovered around Jeremiah ever since I got here, always glaring at me like I’d stolen something from her. Her long red hair framed her sharp features, and her green eyes were filled with malice as she approached me.
"You think you can just waltz in here and take him from me?" she sneered, her lips curling in a twisted smile. "You don’t deserve him. You’re nothing but a nuisance."
I took a step back, trying to keep my voice steady. "I’m not trying to take anything from anyone."
Selene laughed, a cold, hollow sound. "You already have. But don’t worry," she whispered, stepping closer, her voice dripping with venom. "Jeremiah will realize soon enough that you’re not worth his time. And when he does, you’ll be gone. I’ll make sure of it."
Her words hit me like a slap in the face, but I didn’t respond. There was no point. I just wanted to get out of there, to be alone. I turned and hurried toward my room, my heart pounding in my chest.
As I neared the hallway that led to my quarters, I felt a presence behind me—someone watching me. My skin prickled, and I quickened my pace, but before I could reach my door, something grabbed me.
A hand wrapped around my arm, yanking me into the shadows.
I gasped, my heart leaping into my throat as I struggled against the grip. The figure was tall, cloaked in a dark hood. I couldn’t see his face, but the strength in his hold was unmistakable. It was him. Jeremiah’s nephew.
"Let go!" I cried, trying to pull free, but he was too strong. He slammed me against the wall, his breath hot against my ear.
"You think you’re clever, don’t you?" he hissed, his voice low and menacing. "But you don’t belong here, Luna. You’re a danger to this pack, and we don’t need you."
Fear shot through me, but I refused to back down. "I haven’t done anything wrong!"
He laughed darkly. "You already have you witch!"
Before I could react, he shoved me to the ground, his boot pressing down on my back. I cried out in pain, my body trembling as I struggled beneath his weight.
"You don’t belong here," he repeated, his voice filled with hatred. "You’re nothing but a burden. And soon enough, everyone will see that."
Tears stung my eyes as he finally let go, disappearing into the darkness. I lay there for a moment, gasping for breath, my body aching from the attack. My mind was spinning, fear and confusion battling for control. Why? Why was this happening?
I dragged myself up, limping to my room. I knew I had to tell Jeremiah, but when I finally found him and explained what had happened, his reaction was worse than I could have ever imagined.
"You expect me to believe that?" he spat, his eyes narrowing in disgust. "You’re trying to turn me against my own blood now? How low can you go, Astrid?"
My heart shattered as he dismissed me with a wave of his hand. "This is ridiculous. Don’t waste my time with your lies."
I stood there, speechless, as he walked away from me again, leaving me alone in the cold silence of the packhouse.
I didn’t know how much longer I could survive this.
Everything was falling apart.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
