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THE REJECTED MATE - 008

مؤلف: Billie Patsy
last update تاريخ النشر: 2026-03-04 15:44:08

ELENA'S POV

The trial was small. Just the council. Four old wolves who'd served Caden's family for decades. Serena sat at a table with her evidence. Caden stood near the window, watching everyone.

I stood in the center. Alone. No chains. They didn't think I'd run.

They were right. I was done running.

Serena spoke first. Her voice was calm. Controlled. The perfect victim.

"I trusted her. Gave her access to my rooms, my food, my private life. And she used it all against me."

She held up the herbs
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  • LUNAR TEMPTATIONS - SHORT STORY COLLECTION   THE REJECTED MATE - 008

    ELENA'S POVThe trial was small. Just the council. Four old wolves who'd served Caden's family for decades. Serena sat at a table with her evidence. Caden stood near the window, watching everyone.I stood in the center. Alone. No chains. They didn't think I'd run.They were right. I was done running.Serena spoke first. Her voice was calm. Controlled. The perfect victim."I trusted her. Gave her access to my rooms, my food, my private life. And she used it all against me."She held up the herbs. The ones from my bag. The ones planted while I packed."These were found in her possession. The healer confirmed it. Slow poison. Designed to stop conception. I've been taking it for months without knowing."The council members looked at the herbs. Looked at me. Their faces hard.Councilor Vance spoke. "You have anything to say?"I opened my mouth. But Serena kept going."There's more." She pulled out the photos. Lily's face. Plain. Forgotten. "Found these in her bag too. Old pack photos. From

  • LUNAR TEMPTATIONS - SHORT STORY COLLECTION   THE REJECTED MATE - 007

    ELENA'S POVSerena found me in the kitchen at dawn."Pack your things. You're gone by noon."I looked up from the dishes I was washing. She stood in the doorway. Arms crossed. Face hard."No reason," she said before I could ask. "I don't need one. You're done."I dried my hands. Nodded."Yes, Luna."She blinked. Surprised I didn't fight. Didn't beg. Didn't ask for another chance.I walked past her. Went to my room. Started packing.It was fine. I'd been here long enough. Learned enough. The plan could continue another way. From outside these walls. From somewhere safe.I folded the few clothes I owned. The box under the dresser caught my eye. Old photos. I pulled them out. Looked at Lily one last time.Plain. Forgotten. Dead.I put the photos in my bag. Left the room.Mira met me in the hall. Eyes wet."I can't believe she's doing this. You're the best assistant she's ever had.""She has her reasons.""What reasons? You did everything right."I touched her arm. "It's okay. I'll be fin

  • LUNAR TEMPTATIONS - SHORT STORY COLLECTION   THE REJECTED MATE - 006

    ELENA'S POVThe house was quiet at night.I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn't come. It hadn't come easy since the slap. Since Caden grabbed Serena's wrist. Since everything shifted.My cheek had healed. The redness faded after two days. But the memory stayed.He defended me.I didn't ask for it. Didn't want it. Didn't need it.But he did it anyway.I touched my face in the dark. Lily's face. Elena's face. Sometimes I forgot which was real.Footsteps in the hall. Soft. Careful.I froze.They stopped. Right outside my door.I didn't move. Didn't breathe. Just listened.Silence.Then breathing. Light. Someone standing there.I knew who it was. Felt him through the door. Through the walls. Through the bond that shouldn't exist.Caden.He didn't knock. Didn't speak. Just stood.Minutes passed. Five. Ten. I lost count.My hand reached for the door handle. Stopped.What would I say? What could I say?I stayed in bed. Stared at the door. Waited.Then footsteps again. Walking

  • LUNAR TEMPTATIONS - SHORT STORY COLLECTION   THE REJECTED MATE - 005

    ELENA'S POVAfter that night, everything changed.Caden started watching me.Not in a creepy way. Not the way men watch women they want. Different. Confused. Like he was trying to solve a puzzle and couldn't find the pieces.I felt his eyes everywhere. At breakfast when I served. In the halls when I walked past. At dinner when I cleared plates. Always watching. Always thinking.I kept my head down. Kept moving. Kept being invisible.But invisible was harder now.Three days after the celebration, I was organizing Serena's closet when I heard voices in the next room.Caden and Serena. Arguing."She's just an assistant," Serena said. "Why do you keep asking about her?""I'm not asking about her.""You asked where she's from. You asked how long she's worked here. You asked if she had family. That's asking."Silence. Then Caden's voice. Calm. Careful."Something about her. I can't explain it.""Try."Another silence."I don't know. She feels... familiar. Like someone I knew a long time ago

  • LUNAR TEMPTATIONS - SHORT STORY COLLECTION   THE REJECTED MATE - 004

    ELENA'S POVThe pack celebration came without warning.Serena told me the morning of. "Tonight. Big gathering. Every important family in the territory. I need you serving drinks. Don't mess up."I nodded. Like it was nothing. Like my heart didn't drop.Crowds. Noise. Him everywhere. No way to hide.I spent the day preparing. Extra herbs. Double the normal dose. Checked my reflection a dozen times. Stranger's face. Safe face. He wouldn't know.He couldn't know.By evening, the house was full. People everywhere. Laughter. Music. Rich clothes and fake smiles. I moved through them with a tray of drinks. Invisible. Useful. Nothing.Serena shone in the center of it all. Beautiful dress. Perfect smile. Playing the perfect Luna while her husband stood across the room, barely looking at her.Caden was drinking.I noticed early. He never drank much. Too controlled. Too careful. But tonight, glass after glass. Whiskey. Straight. His jaw tight. His eyes darker than usual.Something was wrong. Pac

  • LUNAR TEMPTATIONS - SHORT STORY COLLECTION   THE REJECTED MATE -003

    ELENA'S POVTwo months passed.I learned the rhythm of the house. Woke before dawn. Reported to Serena. Listened to her complaints. Ran her errands. Served at dinner. Fell into bed exhausted. Did it again the next day.It was easy. Easier than I expected.Serena talked constantly. About everything. About nothing. She told me which pack members she hated. Which dresses made her look fat. Which servants she planned to fire. She didn't see me as a person. Just furniture that listened.Perfect. Furniture didn't get noticed.I was careful. Always careful. The blockers my grandmother gave me were strong. Herbs I took every morning without fail. They hid my scent completely. Made me smell like nothing. Like Beta. Like anyone.I stayed away from Caden. Served his food without looking at him. Left rooms when he entered. Kept my head down and my mouth shut.He didn't notice me. Why would he? I was nothing. Staff. Invisible.Two months. Safe. Hidden. Waiting.Then everything shifted.It was a Tu

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