The Rejected Luna and The Cursed Nephilim

Cold Response

| Author POV

In Eclipse Mansion.

A loud bang echoed through the room as the table shook, and a few things broke and fell to the floor. The butler in a black suit trembled in fear, afraid that the ceramic shards might fly in his direction.

"What did you say? Bella got kidnapped?" The rough baritone voice echoed in the alpha's private room, followed by a sharp gleam in the golden-eyed man's dark auburn hair.

The butler nodded. "Yes, Alpha Adrian. This morning, Lady Isabella's personal servant reported that she was missing from her room, and after investigating, traces of werewolf powers were found."

Adrian appeared to be deep in thought before sitting back on the sofa, leaning against it. The man stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Alpha, you need to act quickly. If not, Hawthorn will file a rebellion petition and break our alliance in—"

"Haha," Adrian interrupted, covering his mouth with the back of his hand, trying not to laugh.

"Sean," Adrian called again.

Sean, the butler in the Eclipse Mansion, shifted slightly to respond to the leader's call. "Yes, Alpha Adrian?"

The guy turned his head to the side and looked at Sean with a thin smile. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Uh?" Sean tilted his head, not understanding. He never thought Adrian was stupid, nor did he ever want to insult the leader of their pack.

Adrian sighed as his butler did not respond and straightened his back. "Do you know how long I've known Bella?"

Sean stayed silent, thinking, before speaking again. "Since you both were kids, Alpha."

"Yeah, and I also know Bella isn't a dumb or weak girl who loses to a few werewolves below her strength level." Adrian looked at Sean again. "She planned all of this, Sean. She pretended to be kidnapped and asked me to come to her rescue, and then what? She'll surely ask me to make her Luna again."

Before Sean could reply, Adrian stood up and grabbed his cloak. He responded coldly, indifferent to the condition of his former fiancée. "Enough, Sean. I don't want to hear about her anymore. Wouldn't it be better if she disappeared forever? My engagement with Grace is coming soon. We don't need to add Bella's problems to our relationship."

"What about Ivarr and Nathalie? They won't just accept that their first daughter has disappeared without a trace."

"Ah, you're right." Adrian stopped halfway, his face turned sour. "Sigh–she really can't let me live peacefully, always leaving trouble."

Adrian, the Alpha from Eclipse Pack came up with an idea. "Alright, send a squad to find out where Isabella is, but there's no need to actually search for her. It'll be enough to keep Hawthorn quiet and prevent them from doing a rebellion."

After getting the order, Sean obediently nodded. He did not ask any more questions or protest the leader why they were not really searching for Lady Isabella.

It was because Sean was just a butler, and Adrian was their Alpha. Then Adrian left the room, leaving his private chamber along with Sean alone inside.

The guy walked straight down the hallway, he was heading somewhere. Along the way, the maids, butlers, and a few attendants showed respect to Adrian.

Apart from his usual bad temper, he deserved the title Alpha in the alliance.

He was the strongest werewolf and also a pure descendant of the previous Alpha lineage, so nobody objected when Adrian became an Alpha. Since he was a teenager, Adrian has shown outstanding skills, proving that he was above his peers in strength.

Because of his shining talent, Adrian received special training from the werewolf elders. This forced him to stay away from the outer world for quite a while. When he returned in prime condition, Adrian was surprised that he would be engaged to Isabella Hawthorn – the first daughter of the Hawthorn family, one of the founders of the Eclipse pack alliance.

Adrian had known Isabella since they were kids.

In Adrian's eyes, Isabella was always a strange child.

Never once did Adrian see the little girl cry or get angry when other kids bullied her for always being alone. Bella would just stay quiet, looking at them all with a cold face before leaving and disappearing somewhere. Adrian thought they could be good friends, and he once tried to chat with Bella when they were still little.

"Go away. You're just like them."

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"You come talk to me because you pity me, right?"

"..."

"I hate being pitied, but people like you are disgusting me."

After that, Little Bella left Adrian with wounded pride, and it made both of them grow up in a bad relationship.

When Adrian found out they were going to be forced into marriage, it crushed his self-esteem even more. He didn't want to live with someone who had openly rejected him and went to the human world with an excuse in search of more power. Suddenly, Adrian returned, bringing a human girl to Isabella's coronation ceremony and ruined everything.

Adrian did not regret it at all. In fact, he was glad not to have to meet Isabella forever.

He then turned into a private garden in the mansion's right wing. The garden was filled with all kinds of flowers, and there was a small pond with a white gazebo on the edge. There was also a willow tree that provided shade, making the garden look even more beautiful.

This garden was made for Isabella, a gift from Adrian's dad to welcome her as a daughter-in-law to Belmont. But now, because Isabella has left and might never come back, the garden should change ownership.

"Ian?"

As Adrian walked into the 24-square-meter garden, a gentle voice came followed by a girl's head popping out from behind the bushes. The girl smiled widely when she saw her lover had arrived.

"Ian!" Grace quickly stood up and ran towards Adrian, almost tripping over a stone but caught by Adrian just in time.

"Ouch–"

"Are you okay?"

"Uh–yeah, I'm fine." Grace smiled awkwardly and quickly pulled away from the hug of the 186-centimeter-tall man.

Adrian sensed something wrong with Grace, then held her arm and pulled her gently. "Grace? Is something wrong?"

Adrian's tone sounded much softer indeed, but still somehow cold and rough as usual. He looked at Grace from head to toe. She had changed into a knee-length white dress and light makeup, making her blue eyes stand out even more.

Grace nodded quickly, but the human girl's expression turned somber. "I'm okay, really. It's just that I feel like I don't belong here. Some attendants said this park belongs to Miss Isabella, and I suddenly came to take it, so..."

Grab–

Without waiting for a signal, Adrian suddenly forcefully pulled Grace and kissed her lips, pressing his lips and surprising Grace, but well, she also enjoyed the intimate moment.

"Don't mention that name again," said Adrian after releasing their lips and staring intensely at Grace. Adrian's eyes glowed gold like in his werewolf form.

Grace nodded slowly, somehow feeling afraid of the Alpha's gaze. "O-Okay, Ian. Forgive me."

There was quiet for a moment between them before Grace spoke again. "Uh—Ian? Have you eaten yet? I made you some favorite cookies in the kitchen earlier. Come here."

"Yeah, I haven't eaten."

Grace pulled Adrian's arm and led him to the white gazebo by the pool, and Grace promptly opened the basket of various-shaped cookies she had prepared.

"Alpha Adrian," someone called from behind.

Adrian turned around to find Sean there.

"Sean."

"Alpha, I've been looking for you everywhere."

"I'm spending time with Grace, is there a problem?" Adrian asked, making Grace who was putting cookies on a plate, smile because feel appreciated and noticed by the important figure next to her, which made her happy.

Sean did not look good. "Alpha, you need to come with me right now. Mr. Ivarr is causing trouble in the main hall."

Adrian stood up. "Ivarr? He dares to cause trouble in my residence?"

Sean didn't answer and just looked down.

Adrian sighed in annoyance. "Tch, fine. I'll be there soon. Grace, you wait here, I'll be back."

"Eh—uh, okay, Ian. I'll wait for you." Grace was surprised that Ian had just arrived and was now leaving again, but she could only smile weakly.

Adrian and Sean then left the garden to go to the main hall, leaving Grace alone there with a stack of cookies starting to get cold.