His Abandoned Luna Chapter 67

|| Alaric’s POV ||

Having Lilac here, in the packhouse, felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from.

For so long, I had imagined this moment— her by my side, standing in the heart of my territory, safe, mine. But nothing could have prepared me for the way it actually felt. The way her wide, curious eyes took in every detail of the grand halls, as if she were seeing something out of a fairy tale. The way her scent wrapped around me, grounding me in a way I hadn't even realized I needed.

She was here.

With me.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, the tension in her shoulders had melted away.

I had grown used to seeing her guarded, the weight of a past filled with betrayal pressing down on her like an unshakable burden. I had memorized the way her lips would tighten when she was deep in thought, the way shadows lingered in her gaze even when she smiled.

But now… now, there was something different.

Something lighter.

Happiness.

It shone in her eyes, soft and hesitant at first, as if she didn’t quite believe she was allowed to have it. But then, slowly, surely, it took root. A genuine, breathtaking happiness that made my chest ache in the best way possible.

I wanted to memorize this moment.

To capture it, lock it away in my mind, so I could pull it out whenever the darkness came creeping back.

She belonged here.

With me.

I watched her as she interacted with my pack, her warmth drawing them in effortlessly. They welcomed her without hesitation, their smiles mirroring hers. My wolves, my people, they saw her. They already accepted her as one of their own.

As their Luna.

The thought sent a surge of pride through me, raw and undeniable.

I wanted the world to know— wanted them to see what I had always seen in her.

She wasn’t just beautiful; she was extraordinary.

Strong, resilient, kind.

She carried so much pain and yet, she still found a way to smile, to care.

She was everything.

And she was mine.

A possessive need surged through me, primal and unrelenting.

Without thinking, I reached for her, wrapping an arm securely around her waist. She fit perfectly against me, as if she had always belonged there.

Lilac glanced up, startled at first, but then she leaned into me, her body relaxing against my side. I swore I felt her heartbeat sync with mine, steady and sure.

That was all the reassurance I needed.

She didn’t push me away.

She didn’t flinch.

She chose to stay.

But then, her phone buzzed, breaking the spell. She glanced at the screen, her expression shifting slightly, and my heart sank before she even spoke.

“I need to get going,” she said, her voice soft but firm.

My chest tightened, and I fought the urge to protest. Can’t she stay a little longer? Why does she have to go? But I didn’t say any of that. Instead, I nodded, my voice heavy with reluctance. “Sure, dove.”

As we drove back, the silence between us was thick, charged with unspoken words. Lilac was quieter than usual, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. I could feel the tension radiating off her, and it gnawed at me. What was she thinking? What was holding her back from fully embracing what we had?

“What’s on your mind?” I asked, breaking the silence.

She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. “Alaric… why did you introduce me as your Luna to your beta?”

The question caught me off guard, and I glanced at her, my grip tightening on the steering wheel.

“Because that’s what you are to me,” I replied, my voice steady but firm.

“But we never even talked about it!” she protested, her tone tinged with frustration.

I sighed, my jaw tightening. “What is there to talk about, Lilac? You know how I feel about you, and I know how you feel about me. Even if you don’t want to face it, it’s all over your eyes, dove.”

She fell silent for a moment, and I could feel the weight of her thoughts pressing down on me. Then, she spoke again, her voice trembling. “What if I want to find my soulmate instead?”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I felt a surge of anger and frustration rise within me. Why? Why can’t I make her mine? Why does she keep going back to looking for someone else? My grip on the steering wheel tightened, my knuckles turning white.

“You are mine,” I said, my voice low and filled with possessiveness. “I cannot and will not share you with anyone else.”

The words hung in the air between us, heavy and unyielding. I meant every word. She was mine, and I would fight for her, even if it meant going against fate itself.

|| Lilac’s POV ||

The drive back was suffocating. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one more conflicting than the last. I wanted this— Alaric, his pack, the life he was offering me. It was everything I had ever dreamed of. But the vision the Moon Goddess had shown me lingered in the back of my mind, a constant reminder of the stakes. If I didn’t find my true mate, everyone I loved would suffer. My parents, Elara, Ezra… and Alaric. The thought of losing him was unbearable, but so was the thought of defying destiny.

You are mine! Alaric’s voice boomed in the car, his words sending a shiver down my spine. There was possessiveness in his tone, and something else— something darker, almost mad. It should have scared me, but instead, it only made my heart ache more. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I didn’t know how to reconcile what I felt for him with the vision of destruction I had seen.

We were almost at my house when I spoke up, my voice trembling. “Take a left from here.”

Alaric glanced at me, his brow furrowing. “Why? Your house is straight.”

“I don’t want my parents to see me with you,” I replied, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. I was breaking inside, torn between the life I wanted and the destiny I feared.