From Rejected Mate to Luna Chapter 61

Julia's POV

I closed the door to my guest room with more force than necessary, the sound echoing through the quiet space. My heart was still racing from that mortifying encounter with Matthew. Had I really just accused the Alpha of Spring Valley of having feelings for my ex-boyfriend? Out loud?

"Smooth move," I muttered to myself, dropping onto the edge of the bed.

The headache that had been threatening all evening was finally making its appearance. I thought about how quickly Matthew had invited Abigail for coffee after our awkward exchange. Abigail clearly had a thing for him—it was obvious from the way her face lit up at his invitation. And he'd accepted readily enough, which meant he couldn't possibly be interested in Daniel, right?

But that still didn't explain his hot-and-cold behavior toward me. If he simply disliked me, I could understand that. But this back-and-forth—cold when I first arrived, then professional during meetings, then almost friendly when I was with Daniel, and now back to hostile—it made no sense.

Maybe he was just moody. The legendary Alpha Matthew Collins, feared by rogues and respected by neighboring packs, was actually just a man with unpredictable mood swings. The thought should have been amusing, but my pounding head wasn't in the mood for humor.

I needed to talk to someone who wasn't here in Spring Valley, someone removed from this whole embarrassing situation. My fingers found my phone, and before I could second-guess myself, I was typing a message to my mother.

*Hey Mom, how are things at home?*

I waited, watching the screen. Three dots appeared almost immediately, then disappeared, then reappeared again. Finally, a response came through:

*Things are a bit chaotic right now, sweetie. Your father is dealing with some pack business.*

I frowned at the vagueness. Before I could type a follow-up, another message appeared:

*Everything is fine though! Progress is being made. Don't worry about us.*

That last part—don't worry—was exactly the kind of thing that made me worry. I tried probing further:

*What kind of pack business? Is it about Nathan?*

This time the response took longer, and when it came, it was frustratingly brief:

*Nothing for you to worry about. How's your project going?*

I sighed and tossed my phone aside. Classic deflection. Whatever was happening back home, my mother clearly wasn't going to share it with me. The distance between us felt wider than ever.

My gaze drifted to the window, where the waxing moon hung in the night sky, nearly full. Its silvery light spilled across my bed, reminding me of all the times my father had told me stories about the Moon Goddess and her gifts to our kind. The most sacred of those gifts was supposed to be our fated mates.

Fat lot of good that had done me.

I hugged my knees to my chest, thinking about Matthew's rudeness tonight. The way he'd ordered Jason away, the accusations in his eyes when he looked at me, the cold dismissal in his voice. It reminded me of how Daniel had been different—gentle, respectful, kind. Daniel had made me feel valued in a way no one else ever had.

If I had known our time together would be so brief, would I have done things differently? The thought slipped into my mind unbidden. If I had known Nathan would try to kill him, if I had known I'd have to push Daniel away to keep him safe...

I would have given myself to him completely.

The realization crashed over me like a wave. I would have let him take me, mark me, make me his in every way possible. Not because I needed a mating mark or because I wanted to be claimed, but because I had loved him. I still did, somewhere in the hollow space in my chest.

Even without a mark, even without forever, I would have wanted to experience that connection with him—just once.

Heat bloomed low in my belly at the thought—an unfamiliar sensation that both startled and intrigued me. I hadn't felt anything resembling desire since before the attack, but now it flickered to life, an ember in the darkness. My skin felt suddenly sensitive, my clothes too restrictive against my skin.

Daniel and I had kissed, had touched, but never crossed that final line. He'd always held back, worried about what it might mean, about me getting hurt. We'd done some exploration—his hand sliding under my shirt, my fingers tangled in his hair—but he'd always pulled away when things got too intense. I'd read about what came next, seen it in movies, heard other girls in the pack whisper about it, but I'd never experienced it myself.

Now I wished I had.

I turned onto my side, pulling the comforter between my thighs and hugging my spare pillow against my chest. The moonlight cast long shadows across the bed as I closed my eyes, letting my imagination take over. In my mind, Daniel was there with me, his chest pressed against my back, his arms encircling my waist. I could almost feel the weight of him, the warmth of his body seeping into mine.

My hips rocked subtly against the comforter, the pressure sending small waves of pleasure through me. I imagined Daniel's breath on my neck, warm and steady, his lips brushing against my skin as he whispered how much he wanted me. The throbbing between my legs intensified as I shifted, finding a rhythm that made my breath catch.

"I've waited so long to hold you like this," the voice in my head murmured, but something about it didn't sound quite right. Deeper, more commanding than Daniel's gentle tone.

In my fantasy, I turned my head to look at him, expecting to see Daniel's warm eyes and kind smile. Instead, I found myself staring into intense blue eyes, at a stronger jawline and darker hair. Matthew's face stared back at me, his expression filled with a hunger that made my stomach clench and my pulse quicken.

I gasped, my eyes flying open as a sharp, unexpected pang of desire shot through me.