From Rejected Mate to Luna Chapter 164

Julia's POV

The ward had finally settled into a quiet rhythm after the post-pandemic rush. I moved efficiently between patients, checking vitals and updating charts. Focusing on work helped quiet the storm in my mind—the confusion, hurt, and unwelcome flutter of hope that had taken residence there since Matthew had appeared on my doorstep yesterday.

And yet, even as I concentrated on Mrs. Rodriguez's medication schedule, I couldn't ignore his presence. He sat in the waiting area, perfectly still, watching me with those intent eyes. He hadn't approached, hadn't tried to speak to me since this morning. He just... waited.

*He's been there for hours,* Kaia whined. *He's not giving up.*

*That doesn't erase what he did,* I replied silently, though my heart skipped every time I glimpsed him through the glass partition.

"Your shadow's still there," Nurse Jenkins whispered, nodding toward Matthew. "Half the staff is swooning, you know. Something about the brooding Alpha vibe."

I rolled my eyes. "He can brood all he wants. I have work to do."

Three more hours passed with this strange dance—me pretending to ignore him, him waiting with unnatural patience. The whispers from the nurses' station grew more insistent as the day wore on. I caught fragments: "that handsome Alpha" and "Julia's man" and "what happened between them?"

A code blue interrupted my thoughts. Toby Martinez, an eighteen-year-old shifter, was seizing violently, his temperature spiking dangerously high.

"He needs the silver ion suppressant!" I called out, reaching for the medication cabinet. Before I could turn, Matthew was beside me, the correct vial already in his hand.

I stared in surprise, but there wasn't time to question. I administered the medication, and Toby's seizure gradually subsided.

"How did you know?" I asked Matthew afterward, when we stepped aside.

He shrugged. "Silver ion suppressant is standard protocol for shifter with acute febrile seizures." His eyes softened. "And I've watched you work enough to recognize your treatment patterns."

Before I could respond, the head nurse called for a chart, and Matthew handed it to me before I even asked. Throughout the next hour, it happened repeatedly—sterilizing wipes, test results, patient files—each appearing in his hands just as I needed them.

"Do you two have telepathy or something?" John asked, eyeing us suspiciously.

"No," I said quickly, while Kaia purred contentedly in my mind.

*Are you helping him?* I demanded of my wolf.

Kaia only responded with a low, satisfied whimper.

The afternoon brought a critical case—an elderly shifter named Mr. Holloway experiencing an adverse reaction to standard medication. Dr. Moore looked uncertain when I suggested an alternative treatment protocol.

"Perhaps we should get Alpha Collins' opinion," he said, glancing at Matthew, who had somehow materialized beside us. "Given the patient's age and status in the pack—"

"This is Julia's area of expertise," Matthew interrupted, his voice gentle but firm. "I trust her judgment."

The room fell silent. Dr. Moore nodded, and we proceeded with my treatment plan. An hour later, Mr. Holloway stabilized, his breathing more regular, his pain reduced.

In the hallway, I caught Matthew watching me, a small smile playing at his lips. Something warm and dangerous unfurled in my chest.

As my shift ended, I gathered my things and headed toward the exit, aware of Matthew's steady presence following a few steps behind me. The walk home was silent, our footsteps falling into a synchronized rhythm that felt oddly comforting.

"You don't have to escort me," I said over my shoulder, not slowing my pace.

"I know." His voice was quiet, unassuming. "But I will."

When we reached my apartment building, I hesitated at the entrance, then turned to face him. Something about his unwavering vigilance throughout the day had created a bubble of security I hadn't realized I'd been missing. The evening air carried the scent of approaching rain, and moonlight caught in his hair.

"There's a garden behind the apartment," I said quietly. "We can talk there."

The moon garden was deserted at this hour, silver light bathing the white flowers that bloomed along the path. I sat on a stone bench, and Matthew kept a respectful distance.

"Why did you really come looking for me?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt. "Is it because you discovered I didn't become an Alpha, so now I'm available to follow you back?"

Matthew's expression tightened. "I decided to find you before I knew that."

"And what were you planning to do? Ask me to give up my job here? My life?"

"No." He looked down at his hands. "I've contacted my father. He's coming back to take over as Alpha of Spring Valley."

The words hit me like a physical blow. "You're giving up your pack? For... me?"

"Not giving up entirely," he clarified. "Dad will step in temporarily. But I've made arrangements to change how I lead, where I live... everything."

Our wolves stirred, reaching for each other across the mindlink that had been dormant for weeks. The connection trembled between us, fragile but strengthening.

"I never wanted to be an Alpha," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper.

"I know that now."

"No, you don't understand." I finally looked up at him. "I rushed through school, through my training, not to escape being with you, but to be worthy of you. To be worthy of standing beside you as you led the pack."

Matthew's expression softened. "You were always worthy, Julia. Always."

I took a deep breath, my fingers tightening. "I need your promise on something, Matthew. If we do this—if we try again—you can't just walk away when things get difficult. No more disappearing with just a note. Whatever challenges come, whatever duties pull at us, we face them together and make decisions together. I can't live wondering if you'll vanish when the next crisis hits."

His eyes held mine, unwavering and serious. "I promise, Julia. Walking away from you was the worst mistake I've ever made. I thought I was protecting you, protecting both our packs, but I was wrong." He brought my hand to his lips. "No more unilateral decisions. From now on, it's us against whatever comes—together. You have my word as an Alpha, and more importantly, as the man who loves you."

When his lips met mine, the mindlink burst open like a dam breaking. I could feel his heartbeat alongside my own, his breath syncing with mine. The moonlight seemed to intensify around us, blessing what we'd both been too afraid to name.

In the silvery light, with his arms around me, I allowed myself to believe him. The path ahead wouldn't be easy—two packs, two lives, two sets of responsibilities to somehow merge—but for the first time, I wasn't facing it alone.

"Take me home," I whispered, and felt his smile against my hair.

"I thought you'd never ask."