The Rejected Luna's Awakening

Chapter 5

SETH

“You handled it so well, Son,” my father, Alpha Kazil, says, patting my shoulder as Uncle Dan carries Liora—my Liora—away.

The pain on my face stings from her claws, blood still dripping. These marks will leave scars, just like the pain in my chest.

She’s my mate, chosen by the goddess herself, and I hurt her. I turned her away, following my father’s orders after he had instructed Caroline and her group to attack her.

I thought he’d be happy when I told him this morning that I found my mate. I wanted to wake up next to Liora, hold her close, and tell her how much I loved her. Instead, I dressed in silence and went to him.

He was talking with Caroline, and I asked her to leave. I didn’t want her to know about Liora yet. When we were alone, I said I’d found my mate and wanted to end the arranged marriage planned years ago.

He wasn’t happy. Instead, he told me to hit Liora if she mentioned our bond during questioning. I was stunned and demanded to know what he meant.

That’s when he admitted he’d ordered Caroline to attack her.

I stood up, ready to stop them, but he used his alpha power to make me sit. I begged him to let her go, reminding him how her parents saved us, but he wouldn’t listen.

He said if I didn’t marry Caroline, Stormclaw would fall, and Liora would die.

“I’m going to my room,” I say, brushing off his hand. I can’t stay here, not after this. I barely held it together when I refused to hit Liora.

“You had no choice, Seth. Rejecting Caroline means her father would kill us,” my father says, his tone firm.

He’s right. Alpha Ivan Butcher, Caroline’s father, swore to destroy Stormclaw after my father killed his mate.

The pack is leaving now that the scene is over. I hear whispers about Aunt Maya and Uncle Dan leaving the pack. Aunt Maya, angry about Liora, gave up her role and cut ties with us. She said I’d regret letting Liora go and called me a fool for listening to my father.

She’s not wrong. I already regret it.

I asked if Liora got the Rejection Mark like I did, but Aunt Maya said Liora’s attack on me stopped it from appearing. Then she went after Uncle Dan. My aunt, my father’s older sister, should’ve been alpha, but Stormclaw only allows men to lead.

I glare at my father before heading upstairs, needing to get away.

“Seth, sweetheart,” a sickly-sweet voice calls from the sitting room. Turning, I see Caroline smirking. She’s healed, but I can’t stop thinking about Liora’s torn, bloodstained clothes, still smelling of wolfsbane.

“Is that stupid b***h gone?” she asks, grinning wider. Anger burns through me, and I grab her throat, squeezing it tightly as I stare her down.

She caused all of this. She’s always hated Liora and tormented her because we were friends.

Caroline’s obsession with me started when we were kids. At eight, she got her mother to kidnap me during a treaty meeting. My father killed her mother, but it didn’t end there. Alpha Ivan forced me into this marriage or threatened to destroy Stormclaw.

“She’s gone, because of you, you wench” I growl, my voice hoarse. This mess is her fault and her father’s.

“We’re engaged because of your father’s actions, but this is on you too. If it weren’t for you, your mother might still be alive,” I say, throwing her to the floor.

Caroline gasps for air, fear in her eyes as she trembles.

“You’ll act like my Luna and you'll act accordingly, or I’ll make sure to kill you myself. Got it?”

“Yes, Alpha,” she chokes out. I scoff and walk away. I’ll marry her to save the pack, but she’ll never mean anything to me. Never. Only one woman has that right.

In my room, Liora’s scent lingers, mixed with traces of Caroline and her group. They shouldn’t have been here, but my father sent them to provoke her.

My face aches as I clean the claw marks in the bathroom. The rejection mark on my neck burns, a constant reminder of my guilt.

Liora was my match—a beta wolf with alpha blood, stronger than any she-wolf I’ve known.

Under the shower, I close my eyes, letting the water wash over me. I see Liora in my mind—her laugh, how she felt in my arms. She gave herself completely to me, trusting our bond and I f****d it all up.

With a resolve to not regret my decision, I exit my bathroom only to be blindsided when a fist connects to my face, sending me sprawling onto the floor. Feeling the rage bubble inside me once more at the notion a pack mate would attack me—their future Alpha—I stand to my feet, fist raised as I am ready to take my anger out on my attacker, but stop mid-swing.

Before me is Luke Thorn, mine and Liora's best friend. I already hurt Liora; I can't hurt Luke.

"I get off of f*****g patrol only to find out Liora is your Mate and that you rejected her?!" he screams in my face, his rage boiling over. My fist lowers as I take in his accusation and spot the pieces of paper in his other hand. They smell like Liora.

"What are those?" I ask through clenched teeth, glaring at the wolf before me. I know he only punched me because I hurt her, but I am still pissed off. I am his future Alpha, and he has no right attacking me even if I deserved the punch.

"None of your God-damned business, Seth. Just know that Liora wrote everything in here, including the fact your f*****g father banished her as a Rogue."

I growl at his disrespect, but he growls back, the walls of the room shaking from our anger. Luke—like Liora—is a Beta wolf with Alpha blood mixed in. In terms of power, he is my equal, just like Liora is. Luke is the only other wolf that can keep me in check and will now become my future Beta with Liora gone.

"You are a moron for listening to your father and rejecting the woman that could have made our pack strong. You know this!" He continues, his words stinging.

"What did you expect me to do? Refuse to marry Caroline and allow her father to attack our pack?" I ask back, watching Luke stare at me with disappointment. This look—the disappointment my bestfriend has for me—hurts more than his punch did.

"Yes," Luke finally answers sadly.

"Liora would have trained and protected our pack from Alpha Ivan Butcher." His voice is quiet, but his words are filled with honesty.

"You don't know that. I did what I have to do," I scoff back, crossing my arms over my chest.

"No, Seth. You did what your father told you to do, and I hope you don't f*****g regret that!" With his final words said, Luke turns on his heels and marches out of my room, slamming the door when he leaves.

Left alone in my room with Liora's scent invading me, I crumble onto my bed and pull the pillow she slept on into my arms.

I won't regret what I did to her. It had to be done to protect Stormclaw. So why does my heart feel so broken?