His Abandoned Luna Chapter 119

|| Lilac’s POV ||

The day of the Luna Ceremony arrived sooner than expected, and the buzz surrounding it was impossible to ignore. Everywhere I turned, people were talking about the grand celebration, their voices filled with excitement and curiosity. Kael and Coco were plastered across every news outlet, their images showing them hand in hand, their smiles wide and their eyes gleaming with triumph. It was a masterstroke of publicity, and it was working. The scandal that had threatened to destroy them was slowly being overshadowed by the spectacle of their union.

I sat at the kitchen table, trying to focus on cutting an apple, but my mind was elsewhere. The knife slipped, slicing through the apple and into my finger. I hissed in pain, staring at the deep cut as blood welled up. Great. Just great. That was the last thing I needed. The ceremony was tonight, and with my wolf still missing, the cut wouldn’t heal in time. I sighed, grabbing a tissue to stem the bleeding.

As I reached for the medical kit, something strange happened. The pain subsided almost instantly. I blinked, looking down at my finger. The blood was still there, but when I wiped it away, the cut was gone. Completely gone. My heart skipped a beat.

“Runa!” I called out in my mind, my voice trembling with hope.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I heard a faint howl in response. It was soft, almost imperceptible, but it was there. My wolf was waking up. Tears welled up in my eyes as I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the faint but unmistakable presence of Runa.

“Oh my Goddess, how are you?” I whispered, my voice choked with emotion.

Another howl echoed in my mind, this one slightly stronger. It was as if Runa was trying to reassure me, to let me know she was still there, still fighting.

“Oh, Runa… you have no idea what I’ve been through,” I sobbed, the weight of everything crashing down on me. The betrayal, the loneliness, the constant fear— it all came rushing back. But for the first time, I didn’t feel alone. Runa’s presence, faint as it was, was a lifeline.

Then I remembered the night I had rushed to Alaric’s pack. I had run faster than I ever had before, faster than I thought possible. The guards hadn’t been able to catch me. At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it, but now it made sense. Runa had been with me, even if I hadn’t realized it.

I chuckled through my tears, a sense of relief washing over me. “I’m so glad you’re recovering. We’re supposed to find our mates, but… what about Alaric?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Runa’s response was a low, contented howl. Was she happy because I mentioned a mate? Or was it because of Alaric? I couldn’t tell, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that she was here, and she was getting stronger.

“You have to help me, Runa. You’re my only hope,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Another howl, this one filled with determination. It was enough to ease the knot of anxiety in my chest. I wasn’t alone anymore.

“Sweetpea, get dressed. We’ll leave soon,” my mother’s voice called from the hallway, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Yeah, sure,” I replied, wiping my tears and rushing to my room. For the first time in weeks, I felt a glimmer of hope.

I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out the fabric of my gown. It was a beautiful muted pink, the color complimenting my brown hair perfectly. The dress hugged my figure in all the right places, the soft fabric flowing gracefully as I moved. I had curled my hair, leaving a few loose strands to frame my face, and applied light makeup— just enough to enhance my features without drawing too much attention. Tonight, I didn’t want to be a spectacle. I wanted to stay in the shadows, to observe and understand what Kael and Coco were planning.

“Lilac, are you ready?” Ezra’s voice called from the hallway.

“Almost!” I replied, grabbing my clutch and taking one last look in the mirror. The unease in my stomach was back, a gnawing feeling that something wasn’t right. My family looked picture-perfect tonight, but it felt too good to be true. Something bad was coming, and I could sense it.

Runa’s low howl echoed in my mind, a silent agreement. She felt it too.

I walked downstairs to find my family waiting for me. My mother looked stunning in an elegant navy-blue gown, her hair swept up in a sophisticated updo. My father was dressed in a tailored suit, his expression calm but serious. Even Ezra looked dashing in his formal attire, though his usual mischievous grin was replaced by a more somber expression.

“Honey, you look beautiful,” my mother said, her eyes softening as she looked at me.

“Thanks, Mom,” I replied, forcing a smile. She looked radiant, but the unease in my stomach only grew. My family looked perfect, but it felt like we were walking into a trap.

“Let’s go,” my father said, his voice firm. “We don’t want to be late.”

As we stepped outside, the cool night air brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. The Moon Garden was illuminated by hundreds of twinkling lights, the scent of flowers filling the air. It was breathtaking, but the beauty of the setting only heightened my unease.