From Rejected Mate to Luna Chapter 125

One year later.

Julia's POV

I stared at the empty shelves of my dorm room, hardly believing years had passed so quickly. My nursing textbooks and newly earned certification were neatly packed in cardboard boxes, ready for the next chapter of my life. The mirror above my desk reflected a face more confident than the one that had arrived here—determined eyes that had seen too much, survived too much.

"Julia White, certified nurse. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

I turned to find Amber leaning against the doorframe, holding a bouquet of wildflowers and a farewell card. Her smile was proud but tinged with sadness.

"I still can't believe you finished a four-year program in two years," she said, crossing the room to hand me the flowers. "While the rest of us were at parties, you were in the library. When we went on spring break, you were doing hospital rotations."

"I had motivation," I replied simply, burying my nose in the fragrant blooms. Motivation like escaping Nathan's shadow, proving my worth, finding my own path—and eventually, finding Matthew.

Amber hugged me tightly. "The dorm's going to be so quiet without you overthinking everything."

"You'll manage," I laughed, returning her embrace.

Her expression suddenly turned serious. "Be careful out there, Julia. We've already got three students hospitalized with this new flu strain. They say it's hitting harder than normal."

I nodded, making a mental note to ask Matthew about Spring Valley's situation. "I'll be careful. That's partly why I'm heading back early—they need medical staff."

A knock at the door interrupted our goodbye. My heart leaped as I recognized the familiar pattern—three quick taps followed by two slower ones. Matthew.

"Your ride's here," Amber said with a knowing smile. "Go be amazing."

---

The highway stretched before us as Matthew's SUV ate up the miles between my university and Spring Valley. His hand rested comfortably on mine, his thumb occasionally tracing circles on my skin. Every few minutes, I caught him glancing at me instead of the road.

"Eyes forward, Alpha," I teased, though the warmth in his eyes made my stomach flutter.

"Can't help it," he replied with a grin. "Having my certified nurse finally heading home is pretty distracting."

*Home*. The word settled in my chest with unexpected weight. Spring Valley had become home so quickly, so naturally, that sometimes I forgot I hadn't been born there.

"How bad is the flu situation?" I asked, squeezing his hand.

Matthew's expression sobered. "We've had two cases so far, all mild, but I've implemented precautions. Community center gatherings are now held in smaller groups, monthly moonlight meetings moved outdoors, and we've doubled our medical supplies."

When I asked about the overall situation, Matthew's expression softened into a smile. "Compared to other packs, we're in a relatively good position. After all, we have an Alpha with medical training, and soon we'll have a well-trained nurse on staff too."

I felt my cheeks warm at his compliment, the pride in his voice making my heart flutter. Even after all this time, his belief in me still caught me off guard in the best possible way.

"Smart moves," I nodded. "What about other packs?"

"Mixed responses. Some are following similar protocols. Others..." His jaw tightened slightly. "Others are pretending it's nothing to worry about."

The radio suddenly switched to the encrypted wolf frequency we used for pack communications. A reporter's voice filled the car:

"North California and Oregon packs report seventeen severe cases in the past week, with three packs implementing full quarantine protocols. When reached for comment, newly appointed Alpha Nathan Reynolds of Star Shadow Pack stated: 'Werewolves' enhanced immune systems are perfectly capable of handling a common flu. We don't need human-style panic. Luna Grace and I are focused on building pack morale with increased social gatherings to strengthen our bonds.'"

My body tensed instantly, fingers digging into the safety belt. Through our mindlink, Matthew immediately sensed my spike of anxiety.

*What is he doing?* I projected, unable to keep the anger from my thoughts. *All medical data shows this strain specifically affects werewolves more severely than humans!*

Matthew's hand found mine again, squeezing gently. "Some Alphas..." he began carefully, "make decisions based on ego rather than facts."

"My parents are still there," I whispered. "Eric, my friends..." Despite everything Nathan had done to me, the thought of him endangering the pack—my former pack—filled me with dread.

"Some situations may be worse than we know," Matthew said quietly, his eyes darkening with meaning I couldn't quite decipher.

The Spring Valley medical center was buzzing with activity when we arrived. Matthew led me directly to the conference room, where about fifteen medical staff members were gathered around a projection screen displaying a map of pack territories with colored markers indicating infection rates.

Dr. Sarah Wilson, the medical director, paused mid-sentence as we entered. "Ah, Alpha Collins. And Julia—so glad you've decided to join us permanently."

All eyes turned to me. A year ago, this would have made me shrink into myself. Now, I straightened my shoulders and stepped forward with a smile.

"I'm excited to finally be here full-time, Dr. Wilson," I said warmly, extending my hand.

Sarah shook it firmly. "Perfect timing. We were just discussing the unusual characteristics of this flu strain." She gestured to the screen. "We've confirmed that it affects werewolves more severely than humans, possibly due to our accelerated metabolism."

The discussion turned to treatment protocols. Sarah described modified medication dosages tailored to werewolf physiology, but frowned when discussing prevention.

"Our biggest challenge is isolation protocols. Pack members are resistant to restricting contact, especially during full moon gatherings."

"If I may," I said, stepping forward before I could second-guess myself. "My graduation thesis focused on infectious disease control in special physiological populations."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, then motioned toward the whiteboard. "Please."