Claiming the Rejected Luna

Chapter 5:

Aria's POV

It was Damon’s scent that hit me first. I felt it even before I saw him—a mix of cedarwood, leather, and something darker, headier. The scent floated into the room like a quiet reminder of all the times he’d been around me, lurking at the edge of my life like some beautiful ghost.

A tingle spread across my skin as I looked up, and sure enough, there he was, moving down the hallway with that casual confidence he always carried, like he was the only person who mattered in any room he walked into. His leather jacket fit like a second skin, dark and rough, the kind of thing you’d expect a bad boy to wear but somehow suited him even more now that he was about to become Alpha.

It wasn’t like I hadn’t noticed how attractive he was. You’d have to be blind not to see it. Damon had always been striking, even when I was young, when he was more like this distant figure, away at his elite alpha training school most of the time. He’d only come home for birthdays and big pack events, and every time he was around, I’d felt this... connection. It was strange, subtle, almost like a quiet hum in the back of my mind that I could never ignore. But even with that pull, he’d always kept me at arm’s length, looking at me like his parents adopting me had been the worst decision of their lives.

Maybe it wasn’t personal. Maybe it was the training school, the responsibilities he grew up with—whatever made him so damn cold. Still, every time he passed by without a word, it felt like he was carving that distance into stone. I swallowed, my cheeks heating up at the thought of him barely glancing my way. He didn’t even look. Was he here to see me? My heart jumped for a second, but then I caught myself. Of course not. He was here to see his grandfather, Alpha Emeritus—the strong leader everyone spoke about like some mythical figure.

In fact, Alpha Jacob, his father, was as steady and wise as they came, and I could see that same strength in Damon, whether I wanted to or not. He was cold, yes, but he didn’t lack his father’s aura of power; if anything, he seemed even more intense.

I busied myself with the last box of bandages, trying to brush away thoughts of him, but Luna Alice was watching me with that soft, curious expression she always had. Despite all her kindness, I’d never quite been able to see her as a mother. She was gentle and protective, yes, but it was different. Even when they’d told me I could call them Jacob and Alice, it hadn’t felt right. They were Alpha and Luna, and that’s what I’d always known them as.

“So, Aria,” Luna Alice started, her voice cutting through my thoughts. Her tone was light, but she gave me that familiar, warm look that told me she was noticing more than I’d want her to. “You know, it hurts my heart when my children don’t even greet each other.”

I felt the blush rise to my cheeks. She’d noticed Damon pass by without a word, of course. He hadn’t even looked at me, and I couldn’t deny how much that stung. But before I could stop myself, the words slipped out.

“Damon’s not my brother,” I blurted, and then instantly regretted it, my hand flying to my mouth as soon as the words were out. “I—I’m sorry, Luna, I didn’t mean—”

But she just smiled, warm and understanding, with that unbreakable calm she always carried. “You’re right,” she said softly, her gaze unwavering. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re two of my favorite people.”

I let out a breath, feeling both comforted and a little embarrassed. “Thank you, Luna,” I murmured. “I didn’t mean to—”

“You didn’t say anything wrong, Aria,” she said, her eyes twinkling as though she knew more than she let on. “And I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

The embarrassment faded a little, and I smiled back. “It’s alright. It’s just... you know how he is.” I leaned forward, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, Luna.”

With that, I turned and made my way out of the room, feeling my chest a little lighter. Sometimes she had a way of grounding me that no one else could. But as I made my way to my room, a flicker of irritation lingered. Damon could be so cold, so distant, it was like he didn’t care at all.

I was just about to open the door to my room to grab my things for training when I noticed Drake and Zelda down the hall, talking in low, secretive voices. They stood close, her hand touching his arm, and something inside me twisted. I wasn’t sure if it was anger, or bitterness, or maybe a faint glimmer of hope that had somehow never quite died, but either way, I stayed rooted in place. I couldn’t help myself. I could feel that they were hiding something, and I wanted—no, needed—to know what it was.

“She-wolves around here aren’t worthy of more than one mate,” Zelda said, her tone dripping with scorn. “It’s unheard of. Unless it’s *her.* And she hasn’t even met her other mate.”

Drake leaned in, brushing a strand of her hair back, looking at her with the kind of softness he’d once saved for me alone. The way his eyes lingered, the warmth in his gaze—it was the look that had once made me feel like I was the only person who mattered. And now, that same look was reserved for her.

A knot twisted in my stomach, and I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. Even after he’d rejected me, part of me still felt bound to him. Still felt the ghost of our connection. And that only made the pain sharper.

But the way they were talking—it wasn’t right. The “other mate”? How did they know about multiple mates? It was something unheard of, something I’d only recently been forced to consider, and yet here they were, speaking about it like it was common knowledge. My stomach churned, a creeping unease spreading through me. How could they know? And why would Zelda even care?

I turned, ready to leave, to find Damon and get some answers. But before I could take more than a step, a sharp tug on my hair yanked me backward. Pain flared at the base of my neck, and I stumbled, glaring up into Zelda’s narrowed eyes.

“Why are you stalking us, Russo?” she hissed, her voice a quiet but vicious whisper. “Drake doesn’t want you. You’re pathetic.”

Her words sliced through me, but I forced myself to hold my head high, to stay calm even though I wanted to scream at her. “I was just on my way to my room,” I replied, keeping my tone steady. “Realized I forgot something.”

Drake looked over at me, his face unreadable for a moment, like he was trying to place me in his mind. And then he frowned. “Zelda, back off.”

For one brief moment, I felt a spark of hope—a fleeting warmth that maybe, just maybe, he still cared. But just as quickly as it flared, it died, extinguished by the icy look he gave me.

“Why don’t you get back to scrubbing toilets, or whatever it is you do around here,” he said, his tone cold, dismissive, as though I were nothing more than an inconvenience.

Zelda laughed, a high, mocking sound as she linked her arm through his, and they walked off, leaving me standing there, shattered. My face burned, tears pricking my eyes, and before I knew it, they were spilling down my cheeks. How could he still make me feel like this? How could I still care at all?

I turned, desperate to escape, to run back to my room and let the tears out in peace. But just as I took off, I ran straight into something hard, something solid. My breath hitched, and I looked up, blinking through the blur of tears.

Damon.

He was staring down at me, his intense, dark eyes seeming to catch every thought racing through my head before I could hide it. The weight of his gaze, so unwavering and steady, made my heart beat faster, and for a moment, I forgot the anger and the pain. All I could feel was him, here, as if I’d conjured him out of thin air.

“Aria,” he murmured, his voice low, edged with something I couldn’t place. “What happened?”

The question came so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that the words just spilled out, desperate, pleading for answers. “How do Drake and Zelda know about multiple mates?” I whispered, my voice trembling. “It’s... it’s basically unheard of.”

His expression shifted, eyes narrowing as he glanced down the hallway, assessing every shadow. Without a word, he grabbed my hand, pulling me quickly into the closest room. His office.

He shut the door firmly behind us, turning to me with that intense gaze. “Be quiet,” he whispered, voice low and firm. “No one knows it’s you. And no one can find out.”

The weight of his words hung heavy between us, settling over me like a dark cloud. I swallowed, my pulse racing as I tried to process what he’d said. “What?”

I whispered. “Why can’t anyone know?”

He looked at me, eyes unreadable, locked onto mine as if trying to decide just how much he could reveal.