All Chapters of The Forgotten Luna: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

ClareI stared at Joss as he stood beside the bed.Our bed.No.Not ours.It had belonged to Arielle for four years.But tonight, for the first time, I had something I had wanted since the moment I discovered he was my mate.I had him here.In the room.Beside me.And Arielle was gone.I could still see the conflict in his eyes.The guilt.The hesitation.He was thinking about her.Of course he was.Arielle was always there.In every photograph.Every memory.Every part of this house.She had four years of history with him.I had nothing.Except the bond.I slowly reached for his hand.“Joss.”His eyes met mine.“I know you’re hurting,” I whispered.His expression tightened.“I’m hurting too.”That made him look away.I squeezed his hand gently.“I don’t want to fight with her.”It was almost true.I didn’t want a war.I wanted something much simpler.I wanted him to choose me.Not all at once.Not tonight.I knew better than that.I needed patience.I moved closer.“I just want to kn

UnknownShe was hurting.I could see it.Even from the distance I kept between us, I could see the change in Arielle.The way she walked had changed.The way she held herself had changed.Even her smile was different.There was no light behind it anymore.I watched from the shadows as she stood near the window of the house, staring outside.She looked smaller somehow.Not physically.Emotionally.As though someone had taken the woman who had once seemed so certain of her place in the world and slowly stripped away everything that had made her feel safe.Joss had done that.No.Perhaps it wasn’t entirely Joss’s fault.But he was the reason.And Clare was the weapon.My hands curled into fists.I hated seeing Arielle hurt.But there was something else I couldn’t deny.Her pain gave me an opportunity.For months, I had watched her from a distance.I had learned her routines.Where she went.Who she spoke to.When she left the house.When she returned.I knew which paths she liked to walk

ClareJoss had been gone for hours.Pack work.Meetings.Warrior reports.One problem after another.Normally, I would have waited for him to come home.But today, something had been bothering me.Arielle.More specifically, Arielle’s room.I stood outside her closed door, staring at it.For three weeks, I had watched her slowly disappear from this house.She barely spoke to Joss.She avoided me.She spent hours outside or at Tori’s.And whenever she was home, she stayed in the guest room.It should have made me feel victorious.Instead, I was frustrated.Because despite everything, Arielle still had something I didn’t.Her history with Joss.Her place in this house.Her things.Her memories.Everywhere I looked, there were reminders that she had been here first.I pushed the door open.The room was immaculate.Arielle had always been like that.Everything had a place.I walked toward her dressing table.Jewellery was arranged neatly across it.A delicate necklace.Several bracelets.

UnknownI had never seen her before.Not until tonight.I had heard her name.Arielle.I had heard people talk about her.The Luna of Ice Lake.Joss’s mate.Beautiful.Kind.Respected.But none of those words had prepared me for actually seeing her.She was standing on the dance floor when I first noticed her.And for several seconds, I simply stared.She was beautiful.Not the kind of beauty that demanded attention.The kind that made you notice without meaning to.Her hair moved across her shoulders as she danced, catching the coloured lights from above.She smiled.At least, I thought she did.But then I looked closer.The smile didn’t reach her eyes.There was sadness there.Deep sadness.The kind that didn’t disappear simply because music was playing and friends were laughing around you.I watched her turn toward the woman dancing beside her.Tori.I knew who she was.Arielle’s closest friend.Tori said something that made Arielle laugh.This time, the sound seemed genuine.For a

ClareFor the first time since I had arrived at Ice Lake Pack, I felt completely at ease.Arielle was gone.Her belongings were mostly gone.Her presence no longer lingered in every room.And, most importantly, I had Joss almost entirely to myself.I couldn’t stop smiling.The house felt different without her.Quieter.Calmer.Mine.I walked through the kitchen, humming softly as I prepared breakfast.There was no need to wonder whether Arielle would suddenly walk in and interrupt us.No need to feel like I was constantly competing with her.No need to remind Joss that I was his mate too.She had finally removed herself from the situation.And I couldn’t pretend I was sad about it.I was relieved.More than relieved.I was euphoric.For weeks, I had watched Joss worry about Arielle.I had watched him rush to comfort her.I had watched him feel guilty every time Arielle looked hurt.But now?There was no Arielle sitting across the table with tears in her eyes.No Arielle disappearing w