Filed To Story: Chasing the Rejected Luna's Heart (Clara & Liam) Book PDF Free
Damon and Jax both seemed surprised by my response. Evidently, if Liam had told them anything about our last encounter, they hadn’t believed him.”He’s using this as an excuse to go to war with the Lycan Ridge pack,” Jax pressed. “He’s wanted to for years, but with him being on the way out, he could never get the traction or the support to do it. Now that he’s declared himself de facto leader for life, that’s changed.””Still not my problem,” I said with a shrug. I wanted to be surprised that my father was willing to go to war when we’d fought so hard to keep peace for decades, but I wasn’t.”It’s your pack,” Jax snarled.”Not anymore,” I reminded him.
His eyes narrowed, but before he could say anything else, Liam added, “Your father is going to get a lot of people killed. People you used to care about. You can pretend like it doesn’t bother you all you want, but I know better.”
My nails dug into my forearms a little as I tried to suppress my irritation. He could read me better than anyone. I hated it. “So take another mate and call his bluff. I’m sure you won’t have any trouble wooing some other chick into thinking you actually give a shit about her. You’re good at that. You even more than them.”
I could tell my words hit their mark from the fire that flashed in Liam’ gaze, but he held his tongue. “He’s not going to let that happen. You don’t understand the way things have changed since you left. Everyone’s afraid to cross him, and even if we did take another mate, I can all but guarantee there would be a ‘tragic accident’ before she could get to the ceremony.”
I frowned. “He wouldn’t kill a she-wolf just to stay in power.”
Liam’ eyes narrowed in challenge. “Wouldn’t he?”
I swallowed hard. All of a sudden, I wasn’t so sure. Every time I made the mistake of thinking someone from my past had disappointed me in every way possible, they always found another to prove me wrong. “He was willing to let you take me as your mate before he found out what I was.””That’s because you were his direct line,” said Damon. He hesitated, growing awkward. “He thought, anyway.””He’s right,” Jax chimed in. “He would’ve still had an inroad to power, especially when you had an heir. He knows he won’t have any sway now if he lets us take the reins.””So challenge him.” I shrugged. “It’s old-school, but it’s still on the books.”
They all stared blankly at me, and I said, “What, you think I just spent all my time learning the finer points of dinner etiquette and never did my own research?””We’re hoping to avoid that,” Liam said carefully. “He still has plenty of loyalists, and while we’ve got our own, it would turn into a civil war. It could destroy the pack from the inside before the Lycan Ridge pack ever gets the chance.”
I considered his words, but my attempts at not letting them drag me back into all this shit emotionally were falling flat. “And what do you think I can do about any of this?” I asked. “He wasn’t interested in listening to me before about anything, and especially not now that everyone knows I’m not his real daughter.””That’s the thing,” said Damon. “He hasn’t told anyone.”
I frowned. “What do you mean? He kicked me out. I disappeared overnight, and you’re telling me no one asked why?”
They were all silent, which of course gave me even more reason to be unsettled.”What?” I demanded. “What did he tell them?””That you ran away,” said Jax.
I stared at him, waiting for the punchline. When I realized there wasn’t one, I laughed anyway. It was a strangled, hoarse sound that got caught in my throat. “Excuse me? He said Iran away?” I gave them all an accusatory look. “And I guess you went along with it, right? Of course you did.””It was for your benefit,” Jax argued.
I wanted to call him on it, because I was sure that was bullshit, just like everything else. Instead, I shook my head, telling myself to focus. It didn’t matter. “Why would he do that?””Because the truth would damage his reputation,” Damon answered.
I grimaced even though I knew he was right. My existence was an embarrassment to him. A liability. Of course he’d find some way to cover it all up. To make it look like I was just some flaky runaway girl who had abandoned all her responsibilities. Much easier to tie up and wrap it with a bow that way.”So as far as the pack knows…””You’re a pureblooded wolf,” Damon answered. “And his daughter.”
I blew a puff of air through my nostrils. “Of course.” I turned to Liam. “And you didn’t think it was important to mention that?””You didn’t exactly give me a chance to talk about much of anything,” he shot back.
I clenched my jaw, trying not to give any of them the satisfaction of a reaction. Even with tears burning my eyes, I wasn’t sure it was anger, pain, or both.”It’s been ten minutes,” I said, pushing up from the table.
Jax grabbed me by the wrist, and I froze. It took everything I had not to deck him square in the jaw right there. And if it wasn’t for the other customers in a coffee shop I really didn’t want to get banned from for life, I would have. It would’ve been more than he bargained for, since I was pretty sure he didn’t know I’d spent the last couple of months training.”We’re not finished here,” he said in a low tone I once would’ve found intimidating if not sexy. Maybe both. Now it just filled me with rage, and when I wrenched my hand away from him, he looked startled by how much force I had used.”What do you want from me?” I demanded, lowering my voice to a hiss. I folded my arms, hugging myself against a chill I knew wasn’t coming from the temperate shop.”You need to come back,” said Liam, his gaze boring into mine. “Not just because of your father, but because of what’s happening to you, too. If we do this… if we complete the mark before the full moon and take you back, he won’t have a choice but to recognize the union. Not with the entire pack seeing it before their eyes.”
Another laugh of disbelief escaped me, and I found myself shaking my head again. I didn’t know why, but even with everything they were saying, I had never imagined this was what it would come to. No matter how many times I had wished for something similar to happen in the beginning, no matter how many times I had wished they would come rescue me, and realize they wanted me after all…now that it was actually happening, it just felt empty.
No, not empty. Degrading.
If there had remained any lingering doubt within me that I was nothing more than an object to them–an object to be used and thrown away and recollected as they saw fit–it vanished in that moment.
Now I knew.”Go fuck yourselves. All of you,” I said, planting a hand on the table and leaning in. I didn’t know what it was they saw, but the fact that Damon actually leaned back a little was proof I looked as pissed as I felt. And that was nothing compared to the beast clawing at the walls of my chest, feeding off my rage and pain. I purposely lifted my jacket enough to reveal the blade at my side, the sigils carved into the handle now visible. “And I suggest you stay gone, because the next time I see you, it won’t be a friendly conversation.”