Page 37 of The Alpha's Lunar Crown

"You can't possibly mean—"

"I can't possibly ask you to throw duty to the wind and follow your heart." I fill in the words for her as she gapes at me. "As someone who has spent their whole lives devoted to duty, I'll let you know at some point, it'll strip you of everything you hold dear, and Goddess knows duty won't grow old with you or make you smile through the toughest periods." my words come out stronger than I intend them to. Selene's expression is a confirmation. So, I take a deep breath, choosing my words carefully this time. "We might have the most unconventional marriage, but you're my friend, Selene, and I care about you. I would hate to see you go through half the pain I have been through. You will never recover from that."

"Ironclaw," Selene whispers.

"Sorry?""Ironclaw." Her voice is clearer. "He's the alpha of Ironclaw.""Look at that, another alpha for you," I say in amusement, and she laughs. I can see her shoulders relax and the calm slowly return to her features. For selfish reasons of my own, I'm incredibly thankful for this development.But despite my obvious distraction, I cannot miss the glint in her eyes. I've seen it before and had it at some point even. She enjoys being Luna of Blackwood, and, mate or not, our pack is one of the strongest and most influential. The pride her title brings is more than enough, and I fear this isn't something she's willing to give up easily.There's a knock on the door, one that brings an end to the lingering silence, "Yeah, come in." I say as loud as I can manage, both our eyes snapping towards the entrance in anticipation.

Liam walks in, closing the door lightly behind him as he turns to me, "I see you're up." He's wearing a bright blue sweatshirt and a pair of pants. His demeanor radiates an air of calmness.

I nod, turning towards Selene, who is standing up now, "I'll leave you two to it," she says, before disappearing behind the door.

"Been up a while," I reply finally, stifling a yawn.

Liam nods, walking over to my side of the bed and settling in the spot Selene just vacated.

"Any news?" I ask, not needing to elaborate more on my question."Er..a number of arrests have been made since the attack. We're trying to figure out how that many people slipped in unnoticed."

I nod, my mind drifting back to Aurora. I need to make sure she's not in harm's way ever again. It's the least I can do.

"I have a big favor to ask," I say, sitting upright, "Can you ask one or two people to keep an eye on Aurora?"His brows raise quizzically, but he doesn't decline. "Sure," he says, "I'll get on that right away. I just came to check in on you."I draw in a deep breath and then exhale, "I'm alright. I'm healing nicely. Slowly, but nicely."

He nods, "Alright, I'll be on my way. Call if you need anything else." With that, he makes to leave but pauses at the door. "Does she know?" His eyes drift to my leg, which is all but healed.

I give the question a little thought before settling for a lie. "No." I hate to lie, but a positive answer will only bring about more questions. I don't think Selene is keen on letting anyone in on her growing bond, and frankly, I'd hate for anything to disrupt the current flow of things.With one short nod of understanding, he exits the room, leaving me to bask in the silence once again.

I'm not allowed near her, but that's not enough reason not to keep an eye on her. I need to know that in the event of another attack, she's safe.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Aurora

The cold tip of the gun presses against my forehead, causing shivers of fear to lick down my spine.

"So, this is where we part ways, beautiful." A voice says, his face shrouded by the darkness. There's a hint of a smile on his face, one that makes my insides churn in disgust.I swallow back a few cuss words, cautious not to annoy my abductors. I think about Ronan then, wondering if I'd ever get to see him again. My eyes pressed shut, steeling myself for the outcome despite my trembling exterior. I mutter a prayer but don't get to the end of my request.Just then, the loud jolting sound of a gun forces my eyes open and out of my dream. I bolt upright, my body dripping with sweat as I struggle to make sense of my surroundings. My heart is beating wildly in my chest, my brain a fog of incoherent thoughts.

I place a hand over my chest as I whisper soothing words to myself, "It's alright. We're safe now."

These dreams have been a constant reminder of that day, my mind not giving me a chance to forget the encounter. I sigh, sitting upright as I head towards the bathroom.

Pausing before the sink, I let the cold water from the tap soak my hands. Then, I lean closer to wash the beads of perspiration off my face. The coolness of the water is soothing, calming me and grounding me in the present.The last couple of days have gone by in a blur of moments. Most of them consisting of Ronan and I having long silly talks and playing board games. It's been us doing the things I would've missed if Damon didn't show up in time to save me.I return to sit at the edge of my bed, the soreness in my muscles weighing me down. My hand goes up to my head, and my fingers brush lightly over the spot the butt end of the gun had collided with my skull. The pain, now a distant memory, had been excruciating. Thankfully, I am healed now, although physically.

The ache in my heart is persistent still, just like my nightmares, reminding me of the possible dangers lurking just outside my door. I put in for a few weeks off work and asked for Ronan to be absent from school for a while.

I didn't do it because he was hurt. I just feel the need to have him close to me so I can make sure he's safe.

I think about Lucien, my heart heavy with rage once more as the memories of his action floods my mind. Once again, he put his pack before me, and this time, the stakes were higher.As much as I want to understand how torn he must've been, I cannot get myself to forgive or excuse it, especially because this is not his first rodeo.

The thought of letting my son grow up around a man whose priority isn't family does not sit right with me, and it never will. But despite myself, I feel a mix of relief and disappointment at the fact that I haven't seen him since the attack.With everything I said the last time, I wonder if he's ever going to come around. The thought of him going away, never wanting anything to do with me, terrifies me for some reason.

I stare at my phone, wondering if I will come off as desperate if I call him now, just to hear the sound of his voice and maybe ask why.I quickly tuck the thought away. I already disappointed myself enough by flying back into his arms and having sex with him on the rooftop while another man was waiting for me. I refuse to keep putting him before everything else while he keeps showing time and again how little of a priority I am to him.

I stretch lightly, tucking my feet into comfortable shoes as I exit my room and head to wake Ronan.I push his door open lightly, walking straight towards the windows and parting them to allow the sunlight to filter into the room. A few toys from last night are scattered on the ground, and I pick them up, tossing each one of them into a box.

"Ronan?" I call, almost absently, as I shuffle about the room, placing everything where it ought to be.From the corner of my eye, I notice him stir, but he says nothing. "It's time to get up, little man," I joke, with a playful seriousness in my tone.

He lets out a low grunt, still not making any attempt to move. I feel a weight of concern settle in my stomach, forming a small knot, the kind that makes my senses alert.

"Darling?" I call with my eyes on him this time. When no reply comes again, I freeze, letting everything in my hand drop to the floor as I bolt toward him, sinking into the space beside him and hurriedly gathering him into my arms, my heart thundering loudly against my rib cage.

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