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Lahat ng Kabanata ng THE REJECTED LUNA : Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

34 Kabanata

chapter 21

Silence settled over the room.The assassin's lifeless body lay sprawled across the marble floor while the shattered windows allowed the cold night breeze to sweep through the chamber.No one moved.No one spoke.Elsie's eyes never left Rowan.She could still picture them.Those golden eyes.For a brief moment, they hadn't belonged to the man she'd come to know over the past few weeks.They had belonged to something...Ancient.Powerful.Terrifying."...Your eyes," she whispered again."They changed."Rowan's hand was still wrapped gently around hers.He looked into her eyes, searching for fear.Instead, all he found was confusion.Curiosity.Concern."My Alpha."Frank's voice broke the silence."The palace must be secured."Rowan didn't look away from Elsie."Take the body.""Search every entrance.""No one leaves the palace until I give the order.""Yes, Alpha."Within moments, guards flooded into the room, carrying away the assassin while servants hurried to clean the broken furnit

chapter 22

The letter remained in Rowan's hand long after Frank had left.His silver eyes lingered on the elegant handwriting beneath Edward Blackwood's signature.Edward rarely acted without purpose.If he had decided to travel all the way to Nightcrest, then whatever brought him here was important.Or dangerous.Rowan folded the letter carefully and placed it inside his desk drawer.His gaze drifted toward the palace gardens below.Elsie was still there.She was sitting beneath one of the silver willow trees with Rose, laughing quietly at something the maid had said.It wasn't a loud laugh.But it was genuine.The sight softened his expression.For weeks, she had looked as though the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.Now...Little by little...She was smiling again.He had no intention of letting anyone take that away from her.Not even Edward.The following morning, Elsie woke to the sound of birds singing outside her balcony.Nightcrest mornings had become one of her favorite thin

chapter 23

The grand gates of Nightcrest creaked open slowly.A procession of black carriages rolled into the palace courtyard, accompanied by dozens of Bloom Pack warriors dressed in ceremonial armor.The Nightcrest guards immediately straightened, hands resting on the hilts of their swords.An uneasy silence settled over the courtyard.Elsie instinctively tightened her grip on Rowan's hand.He noticed.Without looking at her, he gently squeezed her hand back.A silent reassurance.I'm here.The first carriage came to a stop.Frank stepped forward, flanked by several elite Nightcrest warriors.The carriage door opened.Edward Blackwood stepped down first.He wore the black ceremonial robes of Bloom Pack's Alpha, embroidered with gold thread. His posture was confident, but the moment his eyes landed on Elsie...Everything else around him disappeared.She looked different.Healthier.The dull sadness that had once clouded her beautiful green eyes had faded, replaced by a quiet peace he had never

chapter 24

The sound of shattering crystal echoed through the banquet hall.Every conversation came to an abrupt stop.Dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward Jessica.She gasped dramatically before covering her mouth."Oh dear," she said with an apologetic smile. "How careless of me."A servant hurried forward to clean the broken glass.Within moments, the conversations resumed, but the lively atmosphere from before had noticeably faded.Elsie watched the woman quietly.Something about Jessica's smile unsettled her.It was warm.Too warm.Like someone pretending to be kind while hiding a knife behind their back."You've noticed."Rowan's low voice pulled her from her thoughts.She looked at him."Noticed what?""Jessica."Elsie hesitated before nodding."I don't think she likes me."A faint smile tugged at Rowan's lips."That's an understatement."Before Elsie could ask another question, the palace's master of ceremonies stepped into the center of the hall."My Alpha."He bowed respectfully."As

chapter 25

Elsie's fingers hovered over the crystal glass.Jessica's smile remained flawless.Warm.Welcoming.Almost convincing.Almost.For some reason, Elsie's heart felt strangely unsettled.Not because of Jessica's words.But because of the way she was looking at her.It wasn't the smile of a woman trying to make peace.It was the smile of someone waiting.Waiting for something to happen."My Luna!"Rose's voice cut through the music.Elsie instinctively looked toward her maid.Rose was walking toward them much faster than was considered proper etiquette, her face unusually pale.Jessica noticed immediately.Her smile stiffened for the briefest second."My Luna..." Rose said, slightly out of breath. "Alpha Rowan asked me to remind you that the royal physician wanted you to take your medicine after dinner."Elsie frowned."Medicine?"Rose blinked.Then quickly recovered."For... your headaches."Elsie hadn't complained of headaches.Not once.Something wasn't right.She looked back at Jessic

chapter 26

Edward remained hidden behind the curtain long after Rowan and Elsie had left the balcony.His fingers slowly loosened around the edge of the fabric as his shoulders slumped.He had seen enough.There had been no hesitation in the kiss.No uncertainty.No pity.Elsie had kissed Rowan because she wanted to.The realization settled over him like a crushing weight.He lowered his head and laughed bitterly."So this...""...is what regret feels like."For the first time since rejecting Elsie, Edward understood that he had not simply lost his mate.He had lost the only woman who had ever loved him without expecting anything in return.And now...She was learning to love someone else.Back on the balcony, Rowan reluctantly pulled away.Neither of them spoke.Elsie's cheeks glowed pink beneath the moonlight, and she suddenly became fascinated by the stone floor beneath her feet."I..."She smiled nervously."I think I should go."Rowan chuckled quietly."You've become very interesting all of

chapter 27

The atmosphere inside Rowan's study became unbearably heavy.Neither Rowan nor Frank spoke for several moments.The name alone was enough to stir memories better left buried.The Crimson Fang.An organization that had disappeared decades ago.Or so everyone believed.Frank broke the silence first."My Alpha... if they've truly returned, then someone powerful is backing them."Rowan nodded."They don't move unless they're paid.""And they don't kill for money alone.""They kill to erase bloodlines."Frank looked toward the closed doors."Should we tell the Luna?"Rowan's eyes hardened."No.""Not yet.""She has already been through enough."Frank hesitated."She deserves to know she's in danger."Rowan leaned back in his chair."I know."His voice was quieter now."But before I tell her anything...""I need answers myself."Meanwhile...Elsie had no idea the danger surrounding her had just doubled.She sat in the palace greenhouse with Rose, admiring the rare flowers Nightcrest gardene

chapter 28

The words echoed in Elsie's mind long after Rowan had spoken them."Your wolf never left."It couldn't be true.Ever since the day of her first shifting ceremony, everyone had watched in anticipation as one by one, the children transformed into their wolves.Everyone except her.She remembered the whispers."She's cursed.""The Beta's daughter can't shift.""The Moon Goddess abandoned her."For years, she had convinced herself those whispers were true.Yet Rowan was now telling her that her wolf had been there all along.Waiting.Within minutes, the palace was awake.Frank had assembled a small escort of Nightcrest's elite warriors.The stable hands saddled two magnificent black horses while servants hurried to prepare cloaks and supplies for the unexpected journey.Rose came running toward Elsie, carrying a thick fur-lined cloak."My Luna."She carefully fastened it around Elsie's shoulders."It's cold in the northern mountains."Elsie smiled softly."Thank you."Rose hesitated befor

chapter 29

The Moon Shrine fell deathly silent.Only the whisper of the mountain wind disturbed the stillness.Rowan stared at Elsie, unable to hide the shock on his face.Frank looked equally stunned.Even the elite warriors exchanged uneasy glances."The... Last Moonborn?" Frank repeated quietly.Elsie nodded, still trying to steady her breathing."My wolf told me that before everything disappeared."She looked at Rowan."You knew."It wasn't an accusation.It was a realization.Rowan lowered his eyes."I suspected.""You suspected?""I never had proof."Elsie's voice trembled."So everyone here knows something except me?"Rowan sighed."I was trying to protect you.""By keeping me ignorant?"His silence answered her.The group returned to their horses, but no one mounted.The weight of the revelation hung over them.Finally, Rowan spoke."There are stories passed down only among Alpha bloodlines."He looked toward the ancient tree towering over the shrine."They're older than any pack.""They

chapter 30

The silver pendant lay motionless on the ancient altar.No one dared to touch it.Elsie's eyes remained fixed on the crescent moon engraved into its surface. Something about it felt... familiar.Almost as if it had always belonged to her.The wind swept across the Moon Shrine, lifting her hair as she slowly bent down."Don't."Rowan's voice stopped her.She looked back at him."It could be a trap."Elsie swallowed before nodding.Frank cautiously stepped forward, examining the pendant without touching it."I don't smell poison."One of the Nightcrest warriors spoke."No hidden weapons either."Rowan remained unconvinced."I'll take it."Using the tip of his sword, he carefully lifted the silver chain before wrapping it inside a clean cloth.Only then did he hand it to Elsie."If we're going to learn the truth, we'll do it carefully."Elsie accepted it silently.Even through the cloth...She could feel warmth radiating from the pendant.The ride back to the palace was quiet.No one kne

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