CHAPTER 08: NO PLACE TO CALL HOME

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• TO DENY A LUNA   CHAPTER 102: THREE KIDS

  DAMON'S POV"Are you done?" My voice comes out softer than expected, laced with the weight of everything unspoken.Kylie’s response is steady, measured, as though she’s spent the last few moments arriving at a firm decision. “Yes. I trust Velara and Elysia’s judgment when it comes to you,” she says, her tone calm but with an unmistakable edge of finality. Then her voice softens just a little as she adds, “Now, hand the phone to Riley. She won’t go with someone unfamiliar.”I nod in understanding, not bothering to speak. The gravity of her words hangs in the air as I move toward the little girl. Riley looks up at me warily, her posture tense, her small fingers curled around the strap of her bag like it’s an anchor. I crouch slightly and offer her the phone with gentle hands, hoping not to spook her.She hesitates, her gaze flickering between me and the screen, before taking the device with cautious fingers. She doesn’t say much—just a few brief, wh

• TO DENY A LUNA   CHAPTER 101: NOT KIDNAPPING, BABYSITTING

  DAMON'S POVKael’s voice broke through the silence as we moved down the hallway, a quiet blend of curiosity and unease threading through his words. “Where are we going, Dad?” he asked, lifting his gaze toward me with eyes that searched for reassurance.I didn’t slow my pace. My voice came out clipped, the edge of irritation evident. “Anywhere but here.” The corridor stretched ahead like a tunnel I couldn’t get out of fast enough, the dirty walls echoing the weight of my frustration. My steps were long, hurried, almost aggressive in their determination to put distance between us and the classrooms behind. It wasn’t until I glanced back and noticed the kids scurrying to keep up, Selene practically skipping and Kael struggling to match my stride—that I forced myself to ease the pace, even just slightly.“But today’s show and tell,” Selene whined, clutching her worn-out stuffed bear tightly against her chest, like it was a sacred relic. Her eyes were round wit

• TO DENY A LUNA   CHAPTER 100: DUST AND DISORDER

  DAMON'S POVSelene and Kael eagerly tug me through the dim, deteriorating hallways of their dilapidated school. The grime-streaked floors are scuffed beyond recognition, and I instinctively recoil at the sight, resisting the overwhelming need to scrub them clean on the spot. The classrooms are no improvement. Desks are chipped and splintered, some barely standing. A few students are even sitting on plastic milk crates instead of chairs. I scan my surroundings to make sure we’re really in a school and not in some makeshift shelter.Kael proudly leads me to his desk, which stands out as the only one that looks remotely tidy. From his bag, he pulls out a pristine white tablecloth and begins to set up his workspace with meticulous care. His pencils are laid out in perfect alignment, each one placed deliberately. Meanwhile, Selene dumps her pencil case upside down on her desk without a second thought. I see Kael flinch before casting her a disapproving look and immediat

• TO DENY A LUNA   CHAPTER 99: ROGUE'S TALK

  VELARA'S POVThe aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the room as Baltazar approached Damon with a respectful tone. “Coffee, sir?” he offered, holding out the steaming cup. Damon gave a small, silent nod of acknowledgment. But before Baltazar could fully retreat, his gaze shifted toward me.“Coff— Wait, what happened to your eyes?” he asked sharply, his voice thick with concern. The half-spoken offer fell away as urgency overtook him. He hurried past the table, knocking a chair askew with a loud scrape and clatter, barely noticing as it toppled behind him.“Allergies,” I replied, keeping my tone level despite the way his worried stare bore into me.Baltazar’s large, calloused fingers suddenly cupped my face, turning it roughly side to side as he examined me like I was made of glass about to crack.From beside me, Elysia let out a scoff—a sharp sound of irritation that cut through the air like a blade. Baltazar’s eyes flicked to

• TO DENY A LUNA   CHAPTER 98: WHAT FOUR YEARS COST

  VELARA'S POVYesterday drained me completely, and last night was even worse. I didn’t manage a wink of sleep. Every inch of me is sore from tossing in bed, restlessly tangled in thoughts I can’t escape. The bond with him intensifies each time we cross paths, and resisting it is becoming unbearable. The ache inside me grows heavier.I finally pull myself out of bed when I catch soft murmurs filtering through the hallway. Elysia must be up. Her voice carries from the next room, coaxing Selene to wake. Pushing myself upright, I swing my door open and catch a glimpse of her messy hair and sleep-creased face. She lets out a big yawn and offers me a drowsy smile.“Good morning,” she greets, then returns her attention to Selene’s door. But then she does a double take, eyes widening as she sees me properly. Without a word, she suddenly backs away.Selene’s just beginning to step out of her room when Elysia quickly shoves her back inside and shuts the door

• TO DENY A LUNA   CHAPTER 97: ALPHA'S RELUCTANCE

  DAMON'S POVWhat were the chances that fate would bind me to one of Alpha Viktor’s daughters? The irony stung. Of all people, not the one our families had tried to force me into marrying for the sake of politics. The entire situation felt absurd. My father had loathed Viktor for as long as I could remember, yet now they spoke as though they shared some buried camaraderie. Their sudden friendliness didn't feel natural. It felt calculated, as if Viktor held something over my father, something powerful enough to make the most dominant man I knew swallow his pride. My father never compromised with adversaries. He conquered them, ground them beneath his boot, and never looked back.The thought circled endlessly in my mind as I lay on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. My muscles were tense, my mind restless. Then the buzz of my phone jolted me from the tangle of thoughts. It vibrated against the bedside table, its light cutting through the dim room. I turned my hea