Chapter 134
Days passed in the pack house, each one colder than the last. Jake hadn’t spoken to me since he brought me back, his stoic walls firmly in place. When I tried to find him, he was always busy, shuffling between meetings or disappearing into his office with a curt “not now.”
The bond between us, once a thread of warmth and potential, now felt like a frayed rope. Worse, whispers followed me wherever I went, quiet murmurs that cut like knives.
“She’s just an omega. What does she know about being a Luna?”
“She can’t even protect herself.”
“Jake deserves better.”
I tried to ignore them, but their words clung to me, festering in the quiet moments when I was alone. The pack, which had once welcomed me with open arms, now seemed to regard me with suspicion. My presence in the halls was met with polite nods, not the warmth I’d grown used to.
Even Fatima had grown distant. She was always quick to make excuses—“I’m busy, Ayla. I’ll come find you later”—but she never did.
I spent most of my time in my room, staring out the window at the sprawling pack lands, wondering where I had gone wrong.
\---
That morning, I decided I couldn’t take the silence anymore. Jake might be the Alpha, but he couldn’t keep avoiding me.
I found him in his office, hunched over a stack of papers, his brow furrowed in concentration. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing the strong, corded muscles of his forearms. For a moment, I hesitated, struck by how handsome he looked, even when he was brooding.
“Jake,” I said, stepping inside.
He didn’t look up. “Not now, Ayla.”
“Not now?” I snapped, my frustration boiling over. “That’s all you ever say to me anymore!”
He sighed, setting his pen down and finally meeting my gaze. His eyes were dark, tired, but his expression was unreadable. “I’m busy.”
“You’re always busy,” I said, my voice trembling. “You won’t talk to me, you won’t let me near the twins—”
“That’s for their protection,” he said sharply, cutting me off.
“From me?” I asked, my chest tightening. “Do you really think I’d hurt them, Jake?”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond.
I stepped closer, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. “You saved me, but ever since then, you’ve treated me like a stranger. Like I don’t belong here.”
He stood abruptly, towering over me. “Because I don’t know if you do,” he said, his voice low but firm.
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I took a step back, my breath catching in my throat.
“Jake…”
“This pack needs a Luna who’s strong,” he said, his gaze unwavering. “Someone they can trust to lead them, to protect them. And right now, they don’t see that in you.”
“And you?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Do you see that in me?”
For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—regret, maybe, or guilt—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
“I don’t know,” he admitted.
The honesty in his voice was almost worse than if he’d lied. I turned on my heel, not trusting myself to speak, and left the office without another word.
\---
The pack house felt stifling, its walls closing in on me. I needed air, needed space, but even as I stepped outside, I couldn’t escape the weight of the rumors that had spread like wildfire.
Two young women passing by stopped talking the moment they saw me. They offered tight-lipped smiles, but their eyes betrayed their judgment.
“Good morning,” I said, forcing a polite tone.
They nodded, muttering half-hearted greetings before hurrying away.
I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to scream. How had everything fallen apart so quickly?
I found myself wandering to the edge of the pack lands, where the forest began. The towering trees provided a sense of solace, their branches forming a canopy that shielded me from the prying eyes of the pack.
I sank onto a fallen log, burying my face in my hands.
“I thought you’d fight harder than this,” a voice said, startling me.
I looked up to see Sophie standing a few feet away, her arms crossed over her chest.
“What do you mean?” I asked, frowning.
“You’re letting them win,” she said, stepping closer. “The pack, Jake, all of them. You’re letting them push you into a corner.”
“I don’t know how to fight back,” I admitted. “Everyone’s already made up their minds about me.”
“Then change their minds,” she said, her tone firm. “Show them that you’re more than the rumors, more than what they think an omega is.”
“And Jake?” I asked, my voice cracking.
Sophie hesitated, her expression softening. “Jake’s… complicated. But I know he cares about you, even if he’s too stubborn to admit it.”
I wanted to believe her, but the memory of his words—I don’t know if you belong—echoed in my mind.
“Just don’t give up,” Sophie said, crouching in front of me. “You’ve come too far for that.”
Her words stayed with me long after she left, a small flicker of hope in the sea of doubt.
\---
That evening, I tried to find Fatima.
She wasn’t in her room or the common areas, so I went to the kitchen, where I’d often find her snacking or chatting with the pack members.
“Have you seen Fatima?” I asked one of the cooks.
“She left earlier,” the woman said, avoiding my gaze.
I thanked her and walked away, my chest tightening. Fatima had been my closest friend, my ally in the chaos of the pack house. But now, even she seemed to be avoiding me.
I found myself in the nursery, staring at the door to the twins’ room. I hadn’t seen them since I’d returned, Jake’s orders keeping me at arm’s length.
“Miss Ayla,” one of the caretakers said, stepping out of the room. “Is there something you need?”
“I just wanted to check on the twins,” I said, forcing a smile.
“I’m sorry,” she said, glancing around nervously. “Alpha’s orders.”
I nodded, the rejection cutting deeper than I expected. “Of course. Thank you.”
As I walked away, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was my new reality—isolated, mistrusted, and alone.
That night, I sat by the window in my room, staring at the moon. Its light bathed the pack lands in silver, a stark contrast to the darkness I felt inside.
A knock at the door startled me.
“Come in,” I called, half-hoping it was Fatima or Sophie.
To my surprise, it was Jake. He stepped inside, his expression unreadable as he closed the door behind him.
“What do you want?” I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I came to check on you.”
“Why? So you can remind me how I don’t belong here?”
His eyes darkened, but he didn’t respond to my jab. Instead, he sat down on the edge of the bed, his presence filling the room.
“You’ve been through a lot,” he said finally. “I know this hasn’t been easy for you.”
“Then why are you making it harder?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“I’m trying to protect you,” he said, his tone firm.
“By keeping me away from the twins? By avoiding me? By letting the pack think I’m weak?”
His jaw tightened. “It’s not that simple.”
“Then make it simple,” I said, meeting his gaze. “Tell me what you want from me, Jake. Because I can’t keep living like this.”
For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then he stood, his expression unreadable.
“Goodnight, Ayla,” he said before walking out of the room.
As the door closed behind him, I felt the weight of his silence settle over me, heavier than ever.
And I realized that, despite everything, I was still fighting alone.
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