Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 88: The Familiar Scent

**Tiana's POV**

I sighed dejectedly and then turned, walking away while still feeling guilty. I had messed up our friendship because I was too preoccupied with thinking about only myself without considering other people's feelings.

A cold feeling washed over me, sending waves of dizziness through me suddenly. I leaned against the wall, clutching my chest as I felt a very sharp sting. "Goddess," I cursed, sinking onto the ground. The pain was becoming unbearable by the minute.

A whiff of an oddly familiar scent wafted through my nostrils— but the scent was somehow distant. It wasn't of anyone that I knew from Shadowclaw.

Closing my eyes, I tried taking deep breaths to alleviate the ache in my chest. Tears were brimming at the corners of my eyes as I felt something tearing within me. Then it was followed by a strange whisper; a pleading whisper from an all too familiar but distant voice.

Please, it seemed to beg.

"Derek?" I whispered, recognizing the scent and voice. He was not here and it had been ages since we had seen each other. I have not crossed paths with him since the day that he had rejected me so why on earth could I perceive his scent? Could it be that the old mate bond was so strong? But why was it coming back now that I was already mated to Theo?

It made absolutely no sense.

I could feel his presence invade my senses even though he was nowhere in sight and likely to be miles apart from me.

"Moon goddess, please have mercy," I cried, the pain intensifying. He had rejected me long ago so why was the pain coming back ten times stronger? "Please," I begged, gasping for air.

Please...

His voice was there again. Why was he begging me and trying to pull me when he was the one who chose to let go?

Why was it hurting? I was becoming confused. Was I hurting because of the past rejection or was the hurt because I had gotten a new mate?

Was this how it was with second chances? Especially before the rites were going to be completed?

A strangled gasp was suddenly let out but it wasn't from me. I looked up to see the man who had rejected me months ago, standing in front of me, his mouth agape and his eyes glossy with tears. "Tiana?"

**Derek's POV**

The invite from the Shadowclaw pack made my father even more angry at me. He did not fail to remind me that the heir to this pack had found a mate and now they were inviting us— their allies to attend the formal mating ceremony and official heir announcement.

My father however has informed the Alpha of Shadowclaw— Alpha Roman, that he was not going to be able to attend because he had a business journey that could not be avoided set for a certain week but he would be sure to drop by to say hello.

Of course, my father made sure that I was to represent him at the event, together with Viktor. We were to leave for their pack tomorrow but my father insisted that we go a day earlier because he wanted to say hello to his friend and congratulate the Luna to be of the Shadowclaw pack.

The carriage bumped steadily along the road, my father still ranting about how I had messed up my chance at a perfect romance with the perfect mate the moon goddess had chosen for me.

"No one was more perfect than Ealy Neville's daughter," he tutted. "How could you do such a thing? The man has been nothing short of kind to our family and the pack. And her brother is your best friend yet you just betrayed them like that..."

I sighed, rolling my eyes for the hundredth time that day. I wished I had not been in the same carriage with him, but then again I still could not face that Beta, Ealy Neville since he found out I rejected his daughter to be my mate. He wasn't satisfied that I was trying to make amends by taking Selena. I was honestly glad that he was not really in support of us being in a relationship and that she was not going to attend this mating ceremony because I really wasn't mentally prepared for her to be clinging around me.

We arrived at Shadowclaw early the next morning because we had to take a break at an inn when it was getting too late to continue the journey. The king was definitely not expecting our presence until evening which was fine with us that he was not present to greet us. His son Theodore who was just returning from his morning training sighted us as the servants helped to unload the carriage that took my father and I, and then the ones that took Viktor and his father.

"Alpha Aston, Derek Aston, Beta Ealy and Viktor Ealy. A pleasure to see you!" He greeted cheerfully, having this otherworldly glow about him. It was the kind of glow that one could only have from having true love with your mate.

"A pleasure to see you as well," we repeated simultaneously.

"It's been a while since I've seen you boy," my father said slapping his back. "You were barely my height and now you are towering over me," he laughed heartily.

"The young shall grow, shan't we?" He smiled.

"Yes, yes," my father agreed. "Where is your father? I'm sure he was expecting only my son Derek but j just decided at the last minute to stop by before going on my journey."

Their conversation became lost on me. I stared around the large expanse of land that the large pack house was situated upon. I could not deny that the place seemed slightly almost as magnificent as our own pack, but none of that mattered.

I sighed, walking into the building with them and that was when it hit me sharply.

Tiana's scent.