Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 52: Creating An Alliance With Elara

**Theo's POV**

Elara’s smirk remained as she responded to my remark. "Perhaps it is reckless, but I guess it proves that I'm not weak."

"Recklessness is still not a quality a princess should possess," I countered, trying to maintain my composure despite how irritated I was just by her presence. "And reckless doesn't mean you are not weak.*

Elara rolled her eyes, moving a step closer to me, a slow smile spreading across her face. "On the contrary, sometimes recklessness can benefit a pack. Imagine a leader willing to take risks, to venture into unknown territories to secure resources or forge alliances that others wouldn't dare to attempt. A leader who’s willing to act swiftly and decisively, even if it means stepping into danger."

I considered her words for a moment. She was a little right and I knew it was because that was usually how the Lyncan operated most times, but she was also wrong. Because recklessness did not always benefit a pack and sometimes it was extremely pointless. "That might be true once in a while, but what you did tonight—climbing into my room—was foolishness. You could have opted for the stairs, followed me after dinner or even asked the guards or maids to find me. You were just being dramatic. What was your goal? To scare me? Or to try and leave an impression."

She chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in her voice. "If I had used the stairs, the guards would have stopped me. This little stunt proves that you actually need to tighten your security. Someone could climb in and kill you in your sleep."

She had a point, even if her method of making it was infuriating but of course, I didn't back down. "There were other options, Elara. Following me after dinner is one of them."

‘'I'm not a pup following after its mother,' she snorted. "And I did not want to put thoughts into my mother's head because she can be a hopeless romantic." She said tightly. "Plus my father can read people easily. He would have figured it had something to do with a mate bond and with plans of rejecting you, I did not want to answer unwanted questions."

"You have an excuse for everything," I rolled my eyes.

"They aren't excuses. I am telling you why I did not opt for other options."

"And how about asking maids about me? Or even waiting by my door if the guards stopped you from entering which they obviously would have."

"Asking the maids about you leaves an impression of me being desperate," She scoffed. "Waiting by your door seems even more desperate. Plus I could have run into anyone else."

"You could have run into someone else while you waited inside."

"No one would be here without you being here."

"Yet you were here," I responded. "And I could have come in with someone."

We both stayed silent after that, the both of us staring at each other. After a moment, Elara broke the silence. "We have clearly misjudged each other."

I shook my head slightly. "You misjudged me, Elara. I didn't misjudge you."

"Too bad I have severed the mate bond by rejecting you," she said with a hint of regret.

"It's not a bad thing," I replied with a shrug.

Elara raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on her lips. "Because we can still court each other and tell our parents we are mates. Even if the mate bond has been severed by the rejection, we could probably fall in love, and the bond will be restored."

I stared at her, unsure of how to respond. She seemed so confident, so sure of herself and her proposal. I could see the wheels turning in her mind but that was not why I had said it wasn't a bad thing she rejected me.

"Right?" she prompted, her voice softening slightly. She took another step forward, almost closing the distance between us.

I took a deep breath and then several steps backwards choosing my words carefully. I also did not like the proximity between us. "I said that it was not a bad thing because I wanted to reject you as my mate."

Elara's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "You were going to reject me?"

"Yes," I said. "You are not the kind of Luna I envision for my pack. Your arrogance and disdain for others don't align with the values I hold dear. A true leader would want to inspire and uplift those around them, rather than belittling them."

She looked at me, a mixture of hurt and anger flashing across her face. "You think I'm arrogant? I'm just confident!"

"Well I do think you're arrogant and it's not about confidence," I replied. "And while you may see it as strength, I see it as a flaw. Leadership is not about asserting dominance or showing that you are superior. It's about empathy, understanding, and guiding others with wisdom and compassion."

Elara's eyes narrowed, her pride wounded. "And you think I don't possess those qualities?"

"You have not given me a reason to believe you possess such qualities Elara."

She huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "So you possess those qualities?"

"I strive to," I said simply. "I'm not perfect, but I try to respect those who follow me instead of making them feel less."

"All those things you mentioned can come back to bite you hard because people are evil."

"And that opposite could do the same and even worse."

She took a step back, her expression thoughtful. "Maybe I have misjudged you, Theo. Perhaps there's more to you than I initially thought."

"And perhaps there's more to you as well," I conceded. "But it doesn't change the fact that we are not suited to be mates."

Elara sighed. "I suppose we are even and have come to an agreement on not being each other's mate."

"Yes, we are," I agreed. "But that doesn't mean we can't work together as allies. Our packs face a common threat, and we must put aside our differences to ensure our survival."

She nodded slowly, her gaze softening. "You're right. We have bigger issues to deal with even though it's more like the problem of my father.

We stood there in silence for a moment.

"Goodnight, Elara. We should both get some rest." I said after a while. "Will you be recklessly climbing down the window to return to the guest house or will you be taking the door?”