Filed to story: In the Shadow of the Past Luna (Lily & James)
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We start Stephanie’s memorial event at 12:02 pm. We would have started sooner, but the Little Brat was not helping Nick and her father get her adjusted in her seat; she kept flopping over. They eventually had to swap out her folding chair for a chair that reclines so that they could get her positioned.
I
Even I have to acknowledge that getting Lily here and in the front row seat created more of a spectacle than was really warranted, but it is done now!
The memorial event finally begins, following its typical format of speakers and speeches.
Towards the end, Beta Robert stands and invites me to join him on stage. I hear buzzing in the crowd; no one had expected me to say anything today.
“Pack members, we have an important announcement to make that impacts all of you,”
Beta Robert begins. “As you know, my daughter has been gone for a long time. She would have made a fine luna, and she would have helped lead this pack to even greater greatness. No one will ever be able to fill her shoes. However, it has been six years, and we need to begin planning for the future.”
I step forward. “To that end, with the blessing of Stephanie’s family, I have decided that I will take a chosen mate.”
While a new set of murmurs work themselves through the crowd, I invite Sheila to step up to the stage. beside me.
“At this time next year, I plan to marry. My marriage will not erase Stephanie’s memory or her legacy, but rather continue it. The wedding will be officiated by Beta Robert, and my firstborn child will be named after Stephanie as well.”
I take a moment to stare at the Little Brat as I begin the next part of my speech. “I am not yet ready to announce who my chosen mate will be, but I assure you that whoever I pick, she will make an amazing luna who will bear me many pups.
the
As you know, beautiful Sheila here was Stephanie’s best friend. She is one of the top candidates luna position, although not the only one. What I appreciate about Sheila is that she has a wolf, she has never caused the death of any pack members, and she treats all pack members with respect no matter their rank. In fact, I especially appreciate her work at the pack orphanage –
Before I can finish, I see Lily stand up. I stop talking, because I am shocked to see her do so. I may have told the others that I thought she was faking, but there is no way that Lily could fake injuries that severe. I knew she could hear what was going on her heartbeats and tears told me that-but I never expected to see her stand up. I thought for sure she would need medical attention before she would even be able to speak.
“I apologize for the interruption, James,”
she says in a strong voice, loud enough for the entire pack to hear. “However, I have something to say.”
The strength of her voice is further shocking to me. Is it possible that she was faking this whole time?
After a minute, I decide that it does not matter. I will hate her the same no matter what.
“Go ahead and speak if you must.”
“I, Lily Brogan, forgotten and neglected daughter of Beta Robert and Margie Brogan, hereby reject you, James Anderson, future alpha of the West Mountain Pack, as my mate.”
(Lily POV)
There is only so much suffering that I can be expected to deal with, and there are only so many lies that I can be expected to tell myself to make it all okay.
I refuse to be punished any longer.
I am not Stephanie. Who f—ing cares! No one in this pack knew her the way that I did anyway. Perhaps if they did, they would be glad that I am not her. Or… perhaps they would still miss her. Who knows. At this
!
point, I am not sure that it matters anymore. At least it does not matter to me.
As of this moment, I will no longer live under Stephanie’s shadow. I will no longer allow my insecurities to convince me that I must accept the blame.
I am done.
I do not think that James has any appreciation for what he has done, or for what his so-called revenge is about to cost him.
Even after my mother gave me the absolutely worst beating of my life, I was willing to leave the pack quietly and peacefully.
Even after I discovered that my beloved father thinks that I do not have what it takes to be a Luna, and that I could only ever be a burden to a male werewolf, I was willing to leave quietly and peacefully.
Even after I was forced while bloody, bruised, and only half-conscious- to attend yet another one of Stephanie’s memorials, I was willing to leave quietly and peacefully.
And even after I discovered that James planned to take a chosen mate and use Stephanie’s memorial to taunt me with that fact, I was willing to leave quietly and peacefully.
But then… then James went a step too far. For him to seriously and publicly suggest that SHEILA BLACK could be a suitable Luna? A she-wolf who was ACTUALLY involved in what happened to Stephanie?
No.
No, no, no, no, no. In the name of all the pack members who have silently suffered because of the actions of Sheila Black, i will not go quietly…
And I will not go peacefully.
Nor will I wait for Rose to heal me. I will stand against this injustice on anger and adrenaline alone. My
“I, Lily Brogan, forgotten and neglected daughter of Beta Robert and Margie Brogan, hereby reject you,
James Anderson, future alpha of the West Mountain Pack, as my mate.”
(James POV)
As Lily says the words of rejection, I clutch my heart and fall to my knees. The pain that I am feeling is unlike anything that I have ever experienced. I feel as though half my heart has literally been ripped from my chest.
I do not understand what is happening. The female before me is bloody and beaten. Now that she is upright, I can see that at least one of her arms is broken, and her right leg appears to be broken too. How is she standing up, unsupported?
More importantly, why does it seem like the rejection is hurting me more than her?
As I continue to clutch at my chest, I reach out to Luke. I know he is angry with me, but I am confused and I need him. Thankfully, he responds.
“Luke, is…. is this Lily’s wolf in control?”
I ask.
“No. This is 100% her human part. She is angry. I think she is operating on adrenaline.”
“Adrenaline from what?”
“I do not know for sure, but I would guess the adrenaline is coming from her anger at what my dumba&& human has been doing all day.”
URGH. Of course Luke would say that. I should not have asked.
“She has no right to be angry!”
I fire back. “She deserves everything that I have given her. In fact, she deserves much worse!”
Strangely, the pain in my chest increases as my words travel through the link. It is almost as though my body is siding with Luke.
Ignoring the pain, and tuning Luke out once again, I force myself to lift my head. When I do so, I lock eyes with Lily.
With our eyes locked, everyone else in the event hall fades away. As far as my heart and my anger are concerned, Lily and I are now the only ones here.
My anger is continuing to increase by the second, but with our eyes locked, I cannot help but to notice just how beautiful Lily’s eyes are. Even swollen and bruised, they are absolutely captivating.
I shake my head to rid myself of these thoughts. I must remember that all positive thoughts about Lily are betrayals of Stephanie.
Taking a deep breath, I also remind myself that I have to finish this. I cannot afford to back down. I must keep my promise to my first love… no, my only love… and secure justice for her.
“Little Brat, I hope you know that I will not be accepting your rejection.”
Lily sneers.
“James, as always, you are wrong. You will accept the rejection. For both our sakes,”
she responds confidently.
I can feel Luke start to panic. “NO! DO NOT ACCEPT THE REJECTION,”
he pleads. “Please, James, no matter what you think you know, no matter how angry you are, PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT HER
REJECTION. PLEASE!!!!”
I ignore Luke’s pleas and sneer back at Lily. “You told Luke that you would give him time to fix things. I guess your pretend-wolf is just as much of a liar as you are.”