All Chapters of The Banished Luna Returns!: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

•LEO•I walked out of the bedroom and shut the door behind me. I asked Luke to follow me to my home office because I couldn’t understand what he had said to me.He and I have been working together for over nineteen years. He was my best friend and the only person I could trust to fill the position of my Beta.No one else was as worthy of that as he was. I trusted him with my life and believed he’d never betray me for selfish reasons.I wouldn’t have given him that position if I hadn’t trusted him with everything I had.“Leo, I’ve made my decision,” he muttered after closing the door behind him. “This is something I’ve thought through for days, and I have someone in mind you can appoint to be your Beta.”“I reject your resignation as my Beta, Luke,” I replied, leaning toward him. “You made an oath under the moonlight to be my Beta until your dying breath, or have you forgotten?”“I am a family man, Leo, and I want to be there for them,” he answered, though I could see in his eyes that

•CATHERINE•“You still haven’t told me about what happened at the meeting you attended with the health director. Is he the reason this article was released?” Elias asked when he found me in my home office, pacing.I stopped and looked at him. “The health director did nothing. There’s someone else who is trying to taint my name and end my career,” I answered, trying not to answer everything because I didn’t want him to worry.I had tried several times since morning to call the number that had been threatening me before the health summit, but the calls wouldn’t go through.“Do you know who the person is?” He asked, leaning closer toward me.“I don’t know, Elias, but whoever they are, they don’t want me to run the hospital. They want to see it closed down,” I fumed. “There are so many people who still need my help, so I can’t give up on them.”“There are ways we can get the article down, but you don’t have to exhaust your energy. The hospital needs you,” he answered.“Yes, and that’s wha

•CATHERINE•First thing in the morning, Elias and I checked out of the spa retreat and went with Dan to his pack to heal his Alpha’s son.Elias had spent most of the night trying to convince me to go. In the end, I agreed. He said it would help clear my mind and, more importantly, save a life.When we arrived, the Alpha and his Luna were already waiting for us in the pack house with his beta and an elder.“You must be Dr. Vale,” the Alpha said as he stepped forward to shake my hand.“Yes, I am. And you must be Alpha Ronan Blackridge,” I replied, leaning back.“Yes,” he answered, then gestured to the woman beside him. “And this is my wife and Luna, Elara.” She pulled me into a warm hug.After I introduced Elias, they led us to their son’s room.Inside, we found Hunter lying on the bed while two medics chanted around him, sprinkling herbs over the sheets. They both stopped the moment we stepped closer.Elias set up everything quickly, placing my tools and medication on the counter befor

•MARY•When we got to the courtyard for the Beta test, Xander looked at me and reminded me through a mind link of our earlier conversation.‘Don’t forget what I said, little sister. Your perfect plan with a bastard son will be exposed, and the pack will throw you out, just like they did to their previous Luna. If I lose my position in this pack, you lose it as well, and we will both be exiled.’I was standing near Leo, with my hand entangled with his, hoping he wouldn’t sense my nervousness and panic that were rushing through my veins.I swallowed and looked away from Xander, watching as the Elders called Darius to the front. His mother cheered, while Luke shot me a deadly look.“You are called here in front of the pack, the Alpha and Luna, to witness your endurance to be the Beta, Darius,” the head council announced. “Your father, Luke, served with strength, loyalty, and wisdom, and so we all hope you hold the same strengths.”I took a deep breath and nudged Leo on the shoulder, and

•LEO•“Alpha,” Xander said, and came to bow his head before me. “I, Xander Whitlock, am at your service.”It was the most ridiculous thing to watch, and if I weren’t an honest man, I would’ve stopped this whole charade and called Darius forward.“Do you vow to be my Beta, and be loyal to me for the rest of your life?” I asked, barely looking at him.“I vow with my life.” He looked up as the moon was still visible. “I will lead and fight beside you for the rest of my life. My life is yours.”I took the beta ring that Luke and I had hoped would fit Darius’s finger and slipped it onto his right thumb.People cheered as he stood up and raised his hand to show the ring. He was supposed to be the man I’d trust with my life, but I felt as if I’d made a deal with the enemy.I looked at Mary beside me, cheering as if this were the best news she had ever heard. I clicked my tongue and left.I didn’t want to be there. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be.I headed to the pack house and wen