Chasing the Rejected Luna

Rhea POV I guess it was my fault after all to delude myself into thinking I could outsmart the moon goddess. Would I have still made the same choice if I had known this would happen?. My once perfect life came crashing down in seconds as I watched my mate and lover of over five years looking at her like she was his world. He had promised me that no matter what he would never leave me and choose his mate even if he eventually found her but who was I kidding?. She's his mate after all. It was the fate the moon goddess had decided to deal me with and I had to accept that. When the woman ran into his arms and he embraced her lovingly it tore a deep hole in my heart. “Damon,” I called out to him but he ignored me. He was too focused on her, the same as everybody else in the room. They were all looking at them. I couldn't bear to watch their happy reunion so I turned and fled from the room. I took deep gulps of air trying to calm down my fraying nerves as soon as I got outside. So this was it. This was the end of my perfect relationship of so many years. If I had known coming to this party would end up like this, I would never have come. It hurt so much seeing in person something I had been dreading might happen ever since. “Rhea,” I heard Damon's voice behind me. I wiped my tears and put on an unperturbed look as he approached. I didn't want him to see how much finding his mate had affected me. “Rhea, I…” “So what happens to us now?. Are you going to break up with me now that you found your mate?,” I interrupted, facing him. I don't know why I had not bothered to ask him what would happen if we both found our fated mates. I had expected we would both still choose each other regardless. “No, don't say that. I love you so much Rhea and it's you I chose. It doesn't matter that I have found my mate. Nothing changes between the both of us. Always remember that,” Damon said lovingly, taking my hands in his. I tried so hard to believe his words but I knew it well. Something had changed between us and I know we would never be the way we used to be. “You don't need to try so hard if you don't want to. I won't stop you if you want to be with her,” I uttered quietly and he frowned. “But I love you Rhea,” he murmured and I smiled unhappily at how he sounded so unsure of his words now. “She's your fated mate Damon and heaven knows I can't compete with that. I need to go home now. I need to think,” I said, standing up to go. “I can't leave now, I still need to talk to her. I will tell Drew to take you home,” Damon said as he motioned for his Beta Drew to come closer. I sighed. If it was in the past, Damon would never let me go home alone. He would make sure to comfort me until I felt better but now I guess things are changing. Drew walked me to his car and I turned to bid Damon farewell before leaving but he was no longer by my side. I watched in sadness as his mate approached him and ran into his arms while he embraced her again lovingly. They stared at each other like they were the only ones in the world right now. I averted my eyes quickly as I got into his car blinking back tears. “Let's go,” I uttered softly and Drew immediately started the car and he drove off. We both sat in silence until I noticed Drew glancing discreetly at me occasionally like he wanted to tell me something. “If you've something to say, just say it,” I uttered quietly, finally tired of the furtive glances he kept throwing at me. “I'm sorry for saying this now when you're not in the best mood but you do realize now that he found his mate that if he makes you his Luna instead of his mate, the council members will not agree to it,” he said bluntly. I pursed my lips and turned away from him without saying anything. Of course I knew. It was an age old superstition that an alpha must make his mate the Luna of the pack and if he doesn't the pack will be in tumoil. It was a risk Damon was willing to take before but now with the arrival of his mate, I was not so sure anymore. Damon and I met when we were both very young. We'd been childhood friends first then lovers. My father was the former Beta of the pack when Damon's father was still the alpha so we'd practically grown up together. My father had died while trying to save Damon's life when he was attacked outside of the pack on his way from a pack meeting. Due to that Damon had sworn to always protect me and had me move in with him when my mother died soon afterwards. He didn't care I wasnt his mate and had loved and cherished me wholeheartedly. A few months ago he had finally decided to make me his Luna despite the objections of the pack. Now with the arrival of his mate I fear things may really change between us Finally we arrived at the pack house and I fled upstairs to the room Damon and I shared. I didn't want anyone to see me and start asking questions that I didn't have answers to. I took a quick shower, climbed into bed and tried to sleep. I arose a few hours later from a restless sleep with thoughts of my bleak future running through my head. I could hear Damon speaking to somebody outside and I stood up to go talk to him. I couldn't stand it any longer. I needed to know where I stand now in his life, If he was going to pick her or stay with me. I wanted him to reassure me and tell me I was being paranoid and things could be different for us and we could still be together regardless of whether I was his fated mate or not. With a small ray of hope in my heart I walked gingerly towards the direction of his voice when a female voice stopped me in my tracks. “I didn't think you'd be this funny Alpha Damon,” the female voice said and I heard him chuckle lightly. “Calling me Alpha Damon is too formal, you can call me Damon,” he said to her dashing the tiny ray of hope I had in my heart. My heart ached at his words and it took all of me to keep from breaking into tears. I fled back upstairs to my room. Only a few people could call Damon by his name and that included only I and his family. Even his beta couldn't call him by his name. It only means he found her close enough to allow her to call him by his name when they'd only just met. A few minutes later I heard the door to our room open and Damon walked in. I immediately wiped away my tears and flashed him with a smile that came out more of a grimace than a smile. “You brought her here,” I mumbled quietly as he ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “The elders wouldn't let me leave her on her own so I had no choice but to bring her with me. It doesn't bother you right cause if it does I can bring her to the other house and…” “She's your mate, Damon,” I interrupted with a sad smile, “if anything I should be the one moving out,” I murmured and he frowned. “No Rhea. I refuse to let you leave me. You'll stay here with me” He placed a kiss on my forehead and walked away to freshen up. I waited for him in bed feeling a little better. He wanted me here with him and for now that was enough. When he was finally done, he climbed into bed next to me and wrapped his hands around my waist pulling me closer. “I will take care of everything, okay. You're not allowed to leave me ever,” he murmured into my ears and I let out of sight of contentment. Before long I was driven into a deep sleep with a smile on my face. I woke up in the middle of the night to an empty space beside me. I glanced around with a frown wondering where Damon went. I stood up to go look for him when I heard hushed voices coming from down the hall. I followed the voices and saw Damon and her sitting by the balcony holding hands and whispering into each other's ears. They were looking at each other like they were the only two people in the world. I stared at them for a while, then turned around and ran as fast as I could away from them. No matter how much I tried to avoid it I couldn't erase the look of love I saw in his eyes for her. I had lost him. He was going to choose her and not me.