From Rejected Mate to Luna Chapter 116

Matthew's POV

I watched as Julia stared at her buzzing phone, her finger hovering hesitantly over the screen. The name "Daniel Wright" flashed repeatedly, and I felt my wolf, Hati, stir with a possessive growl. Julia's scent had changed instantly—a hint of anxiety mixed with something I couldn't quite place. Guilt? Uncertainty?

My first instinct was to take the phone and silence it, to protect what we had just shared in this peaceful forest clearing. But that wasn't right. That was what *he* would have done—Nathan. I refused to be anything like him.

"You should answer it," I said, keeping my voice gentle. "It might be important."

Julia's brown eyes met mine, searching. "Are you sure?"

I nodded, though Hati protested inside my head. *She's ours now. Why should she talk to another male?*

*Because we trust her,* I answered silently. *And because she deserves to make her own choices.*

Julia took a deep breath and swiped to answer. "Daniel? Hi... Is everything okay?"

I watched her face carefully, trying to read her expression as she listened. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and a smile spread across her face.

"Really? Oh my God, Daniel, that's wonderful!" She looked at me, her smile brightening the entire forest. "When did this happen? Who is she?"

The tension in my shoulders eased as I realized this wasn't a call to win her back. Still, I couldn't help feeling a twinge of curiosity about this man who had once held Julia's affection.

"He wants to tell me about his mate," Julia whispered, covering the phone briefly. "Do you mind if I put it on speaker? You should meet him—well, sort of."

The fact that she wanted to include me rather than take the call privately meant more than I could express. I nodded, and she switched to speakerphone.

"Daniel, I'm actually here with Matthew... Matthew Collins. I have you on speaker."

There was a brief pause before a warm, deep voice responded. "The Alpha of Spring Valley? Well, that's unexpected. Nice to meet you, sir."

"Just Matthew is fine," I replied, trying to sound casual while Hati preened at the respect in the young man's voice. "Julia tells me you have good news?"

"Yes! I met my fated mate last week. Her name is Leila, she's from the Cascades pack. I was doing a medical rotation there, and... it just happened. That pull, you know? I've never felt anything like it."

I did know. With Rachel—ours had been a fate though we hadn't made it—but I'd witnessed it enough times. And now, with Julia... I looked at her, wondering if she felt even a fraction of what I was beginning to feel.

"That's incredible, Daniel. I'm really happy for you," Julia said sincerely.

"Thanks. She's transferring to my program next semester. I can't wait for you to meet her." Daniel paused, and his tone shifted slightly. "So... you two, huh? Are things serious?"

The question hung in the air. I felt Julia tense beside me, her scent wavering with uncertainty. For a moment, my heart stopped. Was she unsure about us?

Before I could spiral further into doubt, I spoke clearly: "Yes. If Julia will have me, I intend to mark her as my mate when she's ready."

I heard Daniel's surprised intake of breath, but my eyes were fixed on Julia. Her momentary hesitation melted into a smile that made my chest ache with something dangerously close to love.

"Well, that answers that," Daniel chuckled. "Julia, I'm happy for you. Really. You deserve this."

After a few more minutes of conversation, they said their goodbyes, and Julia ended the call. For a moment, we sat in silence, the forest sounds filling the space between us.

"Thank you," she finally said, her voice soft.

"For what?"

"For encouraging me to answer. For not being jealous. For..." she trailed off, then looked directly into my eyes. "For being you."

I took her hand, intertwining our fingers. "Let's head back. I think it's time everyone saw us together, don't you?"

Julia nodded, squeezing my hand as we stood. Walking hand-in-hand through the forest toward the community center felt right in a way I couldn't articulate. After years of feeling Rachel's absence like a physical wound, this simple connection was healing something in me I hadn't realized could be mended.

As we approached the center, I felt Julia's hand twitch in mine. Sophia was standing near the entrance, scrolling through her phone. When Julia spotted her sister, I felt her attempt to subtly withdraw her hand from mine.

I tightened my grip gently but firmly. *No more hiding,* I thought. This wasn't just about us anymore—it was about Julia believing she deserved to be chosen openly, proudly.

Sophia looked up as we approached, her eyes widening momentarily before a sly grin spread across her face. "Well, look who finally decided to make it official," she drawled, tucking her phone away. "I was wondering how long you two would keep sneaking around."

Julia's face flushed crimson. "We weren't—I mean—how did you—"

"Please," Sophia rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'm eighteen, not blind. You practically glow every time he walks into a room." She turned to me with a surprisingly mature expression. "Just so we're clear, Alpha or not, if you hurt her, I'll find a way to make your life hell."

"Sophia!" Julia gasped, mortified.

I couldn't help but smile. This fierce protection was what pack was really about—not control or tradition, but love and loyalty.

"I would expect nothing less," I replied seriously. "And I promise I won't."

Sophia nodded, apparently satisfied, then turned back to her sister with a mischievous glint in her eye. "By the way, you have pine needles in your hair. Just saying." With that, she sauntered away, calling over her shoulder, "Tell Jason I said hi when you see him!"

Julia buried her burning face in my shoulder. "I'm going to kill her," she mumbled.

I laughed, wrapping my arm around her waist. "She loves you. And she's observant. That's a good quality in a future photographer." I reached up with my free hand, carefully picking pine needles from her hair.

As I removed the last needle, I leaned closer to her ear. "By the way, don't forget to take your pill today. And I promise I'll wear protection from now on until you're ready for... more." I paused, then added with a mischievous grin, "Though I should probably start carrying some with me everywhere we go, considering how unpredictable these forest walks seem to be."

Julia's blush deepened to an impossibly darker shade of red, and I couldn't help but marvel at her. After everything she'd been through—Nathan's rejection, the pain, the control—she could still blush like a teenager at the slightest provocation. It was endearing and somehow miraculous.