Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 91: Doubt

**Tiana's POV**

Who the hell did Derek think he was? How dare he.

The nerve of him to show up and start questioning me about my feelings for Theo. After rejecting me; after ripping my heart out and leaving me to pick up the pieces on my own—he thinks he has the right to barge back into my life and demand answers?

I let out a shaky breath as I paced the room, my fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms.

Who did Derek think he was? I asked myself again.

He’d made his choice. He chose my stepsister Selena, and now, when I’ve finally managed to move on, he comes back, looking at me like I’m the one who abandoned him. I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "The audacity," I muttered under my breath.

But then the tears started to fall and I could not stop them no matter how hard I tried. I tried convincing myself that the tears were a result of my anger and frustration at the situation but I knew I was lying to myself. It wasn’t just anger—it was something deeper than that. I felt betrayed.

How dare he stir up these feelings? How dare he force me to confront the part of my heart I’d worked so hard to bury?

I sat on the edge of the bed, my chest rising and falling as I struggled to regain control of myself. My mind wandered to Theo, the man who saved me when I was attacked by rogues. The man who gave me a home and a place here despite all the opposition.

The man who had saved me from drowning in the pain Derek caused. He had seen me—truly seen me—at my worst and never judged me for it. When I’d pushed him away, he’d stood his ground on wanting me.

I remembered the first time he smiled at me. It wasn’t pity like I expected—it was something else entirely. Admiration? Amusement? It was the kind of smile that warmed my soul when I thought I’d never feel warmth again. And it wasn’t the mate bond that drew him to me, not at first. No, Theo liked me long before the goddess made us to be mated together. He liked me when I didn’t like myself.

He saw past the broken girl who had no wolf and no future. He listened when I spoke, even if it was nonsense. He learned the little things about me, that even I did not know about myself. He made me laugh when I thought I’d forgotten how to. He made me laugh even when I forgot what happiness looked like.

Theo taught me what love could look like—what it could feel like. I loved him for that. At least, I think I did.

And yet…

Derek. The one I admired from a distance, even before I knew we were mates. I used to watch him in the little free time I had. He was everything I thought I wanted. Strong. Commanding. Unattainable. And when I discovered we were fated mates, it felt like a dream. A cruel dream, because the moment he looked at me with those cold, judgmental eyes, I knew I wasn’t enough.

He didn’t need to say the words, but he did. "I reject you, Tiana."

Those words shattered me. I’d spent so long trying to pick up the pieces, and now, just when I’d glued myself back together, here he was again.

My heart ached as I thought about the words that he had said to me earlier regarding my relationship with Theo.

"You don’t love him. You only like how he makes you feel. The true mate bond you have is with me and not him."

I pressed a hand to my chest, where the pain seemed to come from. Why? Why did it hurt so much? If Derek had severed the bond months ago, why was I still feeling this way? Shouldn’t it have healed by now?

"Moon Goddess," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Why? Why now? Why, after everything I’ve been through, does my heart still hurt because of him?"

I hated myself for even asking. For even caring. But the pain was there, undeniable and unrelenting. It wasn’t fair. Theo had been nothing but good to me. He’d been patient, kind, and understanding. He loved me, flaws and all. So why did Derek’s presence still twist a knife in my chest?

I thought I’d moved on. I wanted to have moved on. But now I wasn’t sure.

"Do you hate me, Goddess?" I murmured, staring out the window. "Is that why you did this? Is that why you let him come back when I was finally starting to heal?"

I wished I was the one who had handled the list, then I would not have included my old pack on the list. Then again, this was a political thing. It would have been a slap on their face that allies were not invited to a very important ceremony that crowned the new heir officially, alongside the new Luna-to-be.

I clenched my jaw, wiping at my tears angrily. I couldn’t afford to let Derek worm his way back into my heart. I wouldn’t let him undo everything I’d built with Theo. I had to lock in on my feelings with Theo because I could not throw away all that he and this pack had done for me without even knowing anything about me.

But deep down, I was afraid. Afraid of the way my heart raced when I saw him. Afraid of the part of me that still yearned for him, no matter how much I tried to suppress it.

I shook my head, standing up and squaring my shoulders. I wouldn’t let Derek win. He’d made his choice, and I’d made mine. Theo was my future, and I wouldn’t let the past ruin it.

Even if my heart was betraying me.