The Second Hand Luna

2.Run

IRIS

Reject your rejection.

The words kept replaying in my ears like a tape on repeat.

I waited, hoping that I had just misheard Ronan instead. But he only stood there, his hand still pressed against the door of my car, his eyes locked on mine.

We were still locked in that stare down when I heard footsteps approaching from behind Ronan. I looked past Ronan’s shoulder and my heart dropped. My parents stood behind Ronan, both looking pale and shaken.

My mother’s hands were clasped tightly to her mouth like she was holding back a scream while my father held onto her looking older than I remembered, his shoulders bowed under.

“Iris,” my mother whispered, already moving toward me. The rest of the pack, who had moved even closer, watched in shock and curiosity. The Alpha’s mate had just rejected him in public.

I couldn’t breathe.

“I don’t want to talk,” I said quickly. “I’m leaving.”

“Iris, please,” my father said, his voice breaking. “Just…just come home. Talk to us.”

It was all too much and I did the only thing I knew how to do.

I fled.

“Move.” I snapped at Ronan, who simply stepped back, but his eyes were still locked on mine.

I yanked the door shut, slammed the key into the ignition, the engine roared to life, and I pulled away before anyone could say another word. I sped forward, desperate to escape.

I made it thirty meters. Thirty pathetic, humiliating meters.

Then the pain hit. It started in my chest, sharp and painful like someone was sitting on my chest and I could not breathe. It then spread through my ribs, my lungs, my spine and somehow in my veins. I hunched over the wheel, gasping, clawing for air that would not come. My vision blurred as my hands shook violently.

My wolf screamed inside me, panicked. We can’t leave him. We can't. Too far. Too far. Go back.

“No,” I choked, fighting against the bond. “I won’t stay. I can’t. I shouldn’t.”

But the bond was stronger. Newly found mates needed each other. They needed to soothe the bond. They needed to be close to each other and around each other's scents so that it would settle. But I had tried to leave. Now it was punishing me.

Tears streamed down my face as I fought for air, every instinct screaming at me to turn around to go back to my mate. I had no choice.

Hands trembling, vision blurred, I forced the car back into gear and turned around, humiliation flooding me. The whole pack had been witness.

My mother had collapsed against my father, sobbing openly now. Ronan stood still with his arms on his side as if holding himself together. And I hated myself for the way my wolf quieted the moment his gaze found mine.

I stumbled out of the car, my knees weak and pride shattered.

“Happy now?” I demanded, while walking towards Ronan. “You win. You proved your point.”

Ronan did not answer, but I did not miss the movement of his jaw. He was holding himself back.

“Reject me,” I whispered hoarsely, my voice breaking. “Please. I need to leave. I have a life. I have somewhere to be.”

Ronan’s eyes softened, but his jaw remained firm. He didn’t answer right away. He only studied me, as though searching for something in my face. Then finally he spoke,

“You eat first,” he said calmly. “Then we’ll talk.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“What?”

“You’re shaking,” he continued, “You haven’t eaten. We’ll talk after.”

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving my parents staring after him and the pack whispering again.

I stood there, trembling and angry. Eat first? Was he serious?

My wolf whined, desperate. Mate. Please. He is ours.

“No,” I hissed, retreating to the car. “He is not ours. He was hers. He will never be mine.” I slammed the door and sat there. Now that the adrenaline had drained I could feel the hunger pangs but there was no way I was going to let him win.

My hands shook as I unfolded the eulogy Phoebe had given me earlier.

There she was. Elara. Smiling. There were photographs of her with Ronan, with the pack, with our parents. There was her coronation as Luna, their mating ceremony where they both looked so in love.

And then the childhood pictures, ones I remembered vividly. Even in these, I was missing. Cropped out just where I existed.

The ache was familiar. The same ache I had carried as a child, watching my twin sister shine while I was hidden in the shadows. Forgotten. Unwanted. It hurt just as much as it had back then.

I pressed the paper to my chest, my throat burning and tears blurring my vision.

“You always had everything,” I whispered to no one. “And even now, you take this too.”

I was not sure how long it was but outside, the crowd began to disperse. Pack members bid Ronan farewell and I watched from the car. When he finally passed by, I honked.

He turned, his expression unreadable, and gestured for me to follow.

What was he doing? Where was he leading me? Against my better judgment, I followed, my car trailing his. And then I realized. He was leading me to his house.

How dare he? How dare he drag me into the place that had been hers? The home she had shared with him?

When we arrived, I slammed the car door and stormed toward him. “Enough,” I spat. “It’s time. Reject me. I’m done with your games.”

He turned, his eyes locked on me but his voice calm. “It’s late. It’s going to rain. You don’t need to be driving in the dark.”

“I don’t care,” I snapped. “I have somewhere to be. I’m not staying here.”

“You could sleep over,” he said simply, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

My wolf whimpered, desperate for me to agree. She wanted to be close to him.

But I clenched my fists, forcing the words out. “No. I’m not following you anywhere. I’ll sleep in the car until morning.”

His jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with anger. “Suit yourself,” he growled, before turning and walking away.

I marched back to the car, slammed inside, and locked the doors. The first drop of rain hit the windshield seconds later. Then another before the sky completely opened up.

I curled into myself, wrapping my arms around my knees, staring at the house. I was hungry and exhausted but I would not give in even if everything was working against me.

My phone lit up, the screen glowing in the passenger's seat.

Leo.

Hey love. How was it? Are you on your way home tonight? Want me to wait up?

I squeezed my eyes, a curse escaping from my lips.

How could I explain this to him?

Sorry, dear. The Moon Goddess just assigned me my werewolf husband, and he is holding me hostage.

One thing was certain. I had fuc.ked up.