Semua Bab The Alpha's Regret: Chasing Back His Rejected Luna: Bab 21 - Bab 30

~ CASPIAN ~ Something about Lycena feels wrong, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It’s like that itch you can’t scratch. The one just out of reach. The smile that’s too wide. The laugh that ends too fast. The touch that lingers on me even when it’s clearly not wanted. And lately, her cruelty is something she doesn't even try to hide anymore. The luncheon spreads across the east courtyard behind the packhouse, where the sunlight trickles through a lattice of flowering vines hanging above the building. The long dining table stretches across the terrace, beautifully surrounded by ornate chairs already occupied by the elders and other noble heads of pack families in attendance. This luncheon was Lycena's idea of a ‘good time.’ I don't even know the purpose of it. Maybe she just wanted to exert some kind of stupid authority and influence as my Luna. We are just keeping up appearances. Nothing more. And she knows this better than anyone else. Plates full of fried chicken, seasone

~ JOCELYN ~ I'm not the same broken girl who was rejected by Caspian and fled the Nightfall Pack. This is one year. One year of abandoning that life and that pack. The time that has passed feels like I sprinted through a race of both forever and just a few minutes past seven this morning. But here I am. Sometimes, I wake up and still hear Caspian's voice. I won't lie that I don't remember his rejection and everything that happened that night. I still remember every memory like a film on repeat. I still remember the exact moment he shattered me in front of everyone in that pack. But I've learned how to live with the pain, because it never truly goes away. This one year taught me that. Also, I’m not the same girl anymore. I’ve changed. I’m stronger now. Faster. Sharper. My fighting skills are better now, and I command my burning light the same way it makes me feel whole and safe in my skin. I love the new me. The old Jocelyn would have stayed curled up in a corner last year, bulli

~ ELIAN ~ “So much for my birthday.” I laugh a little when Jocelyn says that, but there’s no humor in her voice. I just laughed to make her feel a bit at ease. I also needed to laugh to loosen the tension inside me too. She sounded like someone who wanted to be happy today because it's her birthday of course. She spoke like someone who has tried countless times to push the weight of fear off her chest just long enough to make space for complete happiness—and then, the world reminded her that bad things still exist. Bad things we still don't know much about. We are walking side by side down the corridor leading to the armory. We're so close now. Outside the windows, the sky is heavy with clouds. It’s her birthday, but the weather feels like it’s sad too. I don’t know why. Maybe it's the deaths from the attacks. Maybe it's our anxiety. Maybe both. “I’m really looking forward to your birthday cake,” I say, nudging her arm gently. That gets a small smile out of her. Just a faint

~ CASPIAN ~ Callan is the one driving. I'm sitting quietly beside him, watching the trees flashing past us. The road is quiet, the birds are chirping, and the sky is painted with soft oranges and deep purples, also glowing shades of gold with the sun starting to sink behind the hills. Nature will always have its magical beauty that can never be compared to anything else. We arrive at Callan's home just as the last streaks of sunlight vanish from the porch steps, welcoming the night. We park in front of the house and step out of the car. Reaching the porch steps, the scent of dinner hits me, wafting through the open windows—spices, veggies, roasted lamb, and melted cheese. The scent smells so fucking good I feel like I'm already devouring the warm, tasty meal. It smells like home. Judith opens the door, but before even sparing me her attention, she pulls Callan into a kiss. She doesn’t care that I’m standing right here with them. The kiss is unnecessarily long and too frenchy. L

~ JOCELYN ~ Done kissing my lovely dress, I rise from my bed and smoothen the dress on the bed before taking off my clothes and entering the bathroom for a shower. In there, I let the warm water wash away my distractions and little anxieties regarding the induction. I know I deserve to be inducted, but there's this jumpy feeling inside me that fills me with so much anticipation and makes my heart speed a little faster. After washing up, I dry my body and step out of the bathroom. I apply my body lotion and everything else I need, except my makeup. I'll be doing that after putting on my dress. Speaking of my dress, I stroll over to my bed and pick it up. Carefully, I put it on, letting it slide down my body before I pull up the zipper. Finished, I check myself in front of the mirror, brushing my fingers down the dress to smooth it out. I look amazing, so beautiful even without my makeup. One look at the wall clock has me dropping my ass quickly on my makeup chair. Without wasting