From Rejected Mate to Luna Chapter 77

Julia's POV

The cafeteria's fluorescent lights cast harsh shadows across the empty tables as I picked at my dinner. The chicken was dry, the vegetables overcooked, but food was the last thing on my mind. I couldn't stop checking my watch and glancing toward the entrance, my stomach knotting tighter with each passing minute.

*Nathan's surprise.* Jason's casual mention echoed in my head, the words dripping with hidden meaning. What kind of "surprise" would Nathan have planned? Nothing good, that was certain.

After dinner, I found myself wandering the community center hallways, reluctant to return to my room. Each minute that passed without Nathan appearing in public ratcheted up my anxiety. What was he planning?

Two security team members nodded as they passed, offering friendly smiles. I tried to return them, wondering if they too were under Nathan's influence like Jason. Nathan's warning echoed in my mind: *"More people support me than you think, Julia."*

I considered seeking out Olivia, but a passing nurse mentioned she was resting with the baby while James visited. I couldn't burden them with my problems—not when they had a newborn to care for.

Eventually, I had no choice but to head back to my quarters. Each step down the carpeted hallway felt like walking toward execution. The shadows between the wall sconces seemed to stretch toward me, grasping at my ankles. A rustling sound from behind a corner made me jump, my heart hammering until a maintenance worker emerged with a trash bag.

"Sorry, ma'am," he mumbled, continuing past.

I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling my racing heartbeat. This was ridiculous. I couldn't keep jumping at shadows.

As I approached my door, I thought about Matthew. I hadn't been able to finish warning him earlier. The urgent look in his eyes when Jason interrupted us made me think he believed me, but would he connect the dots in time? Would he realize the danger I was in?

I paused outside my door, key card in hand, listening for any sound from within. Silence. Taking a deep breath, I swiped the card and pushed the door open, fumbling for the light switch.

The overhead lights flickered on, illuminating Nathan's smiling face. He sat comfortably on my sofa, legs crossed, looking for all the world like he belonged there.

"Surprise, darling," he said softly. "I've been waiting for you all evening."

My legs nearly gave out beneath me. I clutched the doorframe, bile rising in my throat, the room spinning around me. How had he gotten in? Security was supposed to be monitoring him.

I spun to flee, but my body betrayed me. My movements felt sluggish, as though I was moving underwater. Before I could take more than a step, Nathan was behind me, his hand closing around my arm with bruising force.

"Not so fast," he whispered, his breath hot against my ear as he dragged me backward into the room. The door slammed shut with a finality that made me flinch, the sound echoing down the empty hallway.

Nathan locked the door, the click of the deadbolt sealing my fate. He forced me toward the couch, his fingers digging into my shoulders until I sat. He loomed over me, his presence suffocating as he reached out to stroke my hair.

"Your hair has grown," he murmured, fingers threading through the strands. "I like it longer."

I jerked away from his touch, his false tenderness making my skin crawl. His smile hardened, something dangerous flashing in his eyes.

"I've been thinking, Julia," he said, his tone conversational, as if we were discussing the weather. "It's time we completed our mate bond."

I stared at him, confusion momentarily overtaking my fear. "What? After years of looking down on me and officially rejecting me, now you suddenly want to mark me?"

His laugh was cold. "Times change. I need the strength the bond will give me."

"Strength for what?" I asked, though I already suspected the answer.

Nathan's smile didn't reach his eyes. "To challenge my father, of course. To take what's rightfully mine."

The casual way he spoke of betraying his own father sent chills down my spine. "You want to overthrow your father as Alpha?"

"'Overthrow' sounds so dramatic," Nathan said, pacing now. "I prefer to think of it as accelerating the inevitable succession." His voice hardened. "He chose others over me. His own son. He deserves what's coming."

"You're insane," I whispered, earning a sharp glare.

"I'm ambitious," he corrected. "And I've been busy. You'd be surprised how many of Spring Valley's security team have... warmed to my perspective." He smirked. "Your friend Jason, for instance, has been quite helpful."

My hand instinctively reached for my phone. I needed to warn Matthew, to alert anyone—

Nathan's foot lashed out, kicking the phone from my hand. It flew across the room, shattering against the wall.

"No one's coming to help you, Julia," he said softly. "You're mine. The Moon Goddess decided that long ago."

I felt a surge of power rising within me, my wolf responding to the threat. If I could shift, even partially, I might have a chance—

Nathan's hand transformed before my eyes, fingers elongating into claws that pressed against my throat, just shy of breaking skin.

"You—you can't shift," I gasped. "The wolfsbane—"

His smile widened. "Did you really think I'd willingly weaken myself?" He leaned closer. "The pack medic who delivers the tincture each morning? All I had to say was that we were planning to complete our bond tonight, that I needed my wolf's strength. He understood completely."

Horror washed over me as I realized the full extent of Nathan's deception. The whole time, he'd been at full strength, manipulating everyone around him.

"Matthew will figure it out," I said, trying to sound confident despite the claws at my throat.

"By then it will be too late." Nathan's patience was clearly wearing thin, his eyes flashing gold as his wolf pushed closer to the surface. He grabbed the front of my blouse, tearing it open in one violent motion.

"All I need is to mark you," he growled, his face beginning to distort as he partially shifted. "Then my power will be complete."

I screamed, a desperate cry for help that echoed in the small room. Nathan laughed, the sound inhuman as his features continued to shift.

"Scream all you want," he taunted. "Everyone thinks this is just part of the mating process."

Desperation clawed at me as I realized he was right. No one would come. No one would think anything was wrong.

I fought back with everything I had, kicking and scratching, trying to remember self-defense moves from nursing school. I managed to land a solid hit to his groin, making him double over momentarily, but his werewolf strength quickly reasserted itself. He pinned me down, his weight crushing the air from my lungs.

Nathan's growl vibrated against my skin as his teeth pressed against my throat. I couldn't tell if anything got through. The sound of splintering wood exploded through the room as my door was violently kicked open, the lock shattering under tremendous force.

Matthew stood in the doorway, his powerful frame silhouetted against the hallway light.