The Luna's Unscripted Rejection

After taking the herbal tea, Dion didn't return that night.

The storm raged, the moon phase was chaotic, and I was deep asleep when the buzzing of my communication crystal jolted me awake.

His commanding voice crackled through the connection.

"Bring my family's heirloom to the address I just sent you."

"But—"

Before I could say another word, he cut the link.

The storm was relentless.

Visibility on the road was near zero, and I nearly crashed twice.

When I finally arrived at the hotel room Dion had specified, it wasn't him who opened the door. It was Blair.

She stood at the door wearing his shirt, a constellation of fresh, dark marks dotting her exposed skin.

Beaming, she reached for the heirloom in my hands.

"You must be Iris. Dion mentioned how obedient you are. Thanks for making a special trip to bring this to me."

She looked me up and down.

"I really envy you, being able to handle everything so well by yourself. Unlike me."

"Last night, I tried to help Dion with his work and ended up cutting my finger."

She held up her bandaged finger, waving it in front of my face.

"He was so worried," she said sweetly.

"He told me not to lift a finger anymore, that he has someone at home to run his errands at a moment's notice."

She smirked. "I guess that must be you."

Her provocation worked. I couldn't take it anymore. I snatched the heirloom back.

She tried to grab it from me but quickly realized my grip was stronger.

Then, without warning, she lunged and bit down hard on my hand.

A sharp pain shot through me, forcing me to drop the heirloom.

It crashed to the floor, the energy contained within scattering across the carpet. A stray spark of it hit her bare thigh.

Feeling the burn on her leg, Blair shrieked and quickly released her bite.

Hearing her cries, Dion rushed out of the bedroom, bare-chested.

He pulled Blair into a protective embrace, his voice laced with a concern he never showed me. "What's wrong?"

The tenderness in his eyes was a dagger to my heart.

Blair said nothing, just pointed at me while cowering in his arms.

Dion's brow furrowed, and he snapped at me.

"What did you do to her? I asked you to deliver an heirloom, not start a fight!"

"If Blair hadn't hurt her hand last night, I wouldn't have had you come at all."

"She bit me first," I defended myself, holding up my hand, which was still dripping blood.

Dion was dismissive. "It's a scratch. Are you really going to make a scene?"

"She's kind and delicate. If I find out you've been bullying her, I'll cancel our bonding ceremony immediately."

He tried to slam the door, but I wedged my foot in the opening.

He glared down at it. "Do you want to lose your foot?"

I looked him straight in the eye. "Dion Hansen, are you cheating on me in front of my face?"

A flicker of panic crossed his expression, his voice losing some of its bluster.

"What are you talking about? She's an injured friend. I was just taking care of her."

With that, he pried my foot out of the way and shut the door without hesitation, leaving me standing alone in the hallway.

By the time I dragged my exhausted body back to the Alpha's residence, a message from Dion's mother was waiting for me.

"Iris, as the future Luna of the Pack, you will attend the Pack's Ancestors' Night celebration in three days."

I forced out a single reply: "Okay."

Attending the celebration as his mate-to-be would be my final public act as part of his pack.

Once it was over, it would be time for me to leave for good.