Rejected Luna Returns with Secret Twins (Lysandra) novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Lysandra’s POV

The hotel door clicked shut behind me as I kicked off my heels. My feet ached from hours of standing at the Moon

Ring Council event, but the physical discomfort paled compared to the emotional turbulence churning inside me.

I unzipped my black satin gown halfway down my back, letting it hang loose as I collapsed onto the edge of the king–sized bed. The confrontation with Tristan replayed in my mind–his eyes burning into mine across the dinner table, that overwhelming Alpha presence surrounding me like a cage.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I ignored it, but the persistent vibration continued. With a frustrated groan, I reached for it, expecting Kieran checking on me. Instead, an unknown number flashed on the screen.

The message preview made my blood freeze.

“I heard you attended the Moon Ring Council event. Come back to Silverblood Pack. Your mother and I are waiting for

you.”

My fingers trembled as I unlocked the phone. Only one person would send this–my adoptive father.

The man who had raised me within Silverblood Pack as just another Gamma family’s child, never showing me a fraction of the affection I craved. The man who barely acknowledged my existence when I was married to Tristan, and certainly hadn’t bothered when I left.

I typed quickly: “How did you get my number?”

His response came immediately: “You forget who I am. Getting your number isn’t a big deal, Lysandra. Don’t ask questions. Come home.”

Home. The word struck me like a slap. That place had never been home–not with my adoptive parents, not with

Tristan.

Je probably got my number from someone at the party, I reasoned. The guest list would have included my contact

Information.

I replied one last time: “I will never come back. Forget about me.” Then tossed the phone onto the bed, letting it bounce against the pristine white sheets.

Pushing myself up, I gathered my toiletries and headed for the shower. The hot water eased the tension in my muscles, but did little for the knot in my chest. After years of silence, why would my adoptive father reach out now? What could he possibly want?

I stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy hotel robe, a cloud of steam following me. My wet hair dripped onto my shoulders as I noticed my phone screen continuously lighting up with notifications.

Frowning, I walked over and picked it up, scrolling through dozens of alerts from various social media platforms. A cold dread settled in my stomach as I opened the first notification.

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Chapter 18

Comment after comment from Silverblood Pack members, all discussing me–discussing my conversation with my adoptive father.

“How cruel to refuse to see her own parents!”

I heard she ran away with some older man–that’s why she won’t come back to our pack.”

She must be an embarrassment to her family:

My fingers hovered over the screen. How did they know about our private text exchange? Had my adoptive father deliberately made our conversation public?

Without thinking, I created an anonymous profile and commented: “What if she’s not the villain here? Maybe you should all try to understand her side.

The responses came swiftly. A few supported my viewpoint, but most doubled down:

“Only a disrespectful child abandons aging parents to enjoy her own life.”

“She owes them everything and gives nothing back.”

I tossed the phone aside again, refusing to waste more energy on their ignorance. My adoptive father clearly had an agenda, and I wasn’t about to play into it.

Slipping into a long silk nightgown, I towel–dried my hair and settled against the headboard. Despite the late hour and my exhaustion, there was one call I needed to make before sleep.

I dialed Alaric’s number, knowing the twins would be with him.

The video call connected, and my heart immediately lightened at the sight of my children. Orion’s face filled the screen first, his little brow furrowed in serious concentration as he figured out how to hold the phone.

“Mom!” His face broke into a grin that transformed his serious expression. “We miss you! I protected Lyra today- there was this huge spider in her room and I got rid of it!”

Lyra pushed her way into frame, her green eyes–my eyes–rolling dramatically. “Mom, I miss you too! And that’s not true! He screamed louder than me when he saw it!”

A laugh bubbled up from my chest, the first genuine one since leaving them. “My little moonbeams, I miss you both so much.”

“When are you coming home?” Orion asked, his chin lifting in a gesture so reminiscent of Tristan that my heart clenched.

Tomorrow night, sweetheart. I promise.”

Lyra blinked her big eyes at me. “Can you bring me back candy? The purple kind with the filling?”

“Of course. One for each of you.”

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Chapter 18

Orion clenched his fist in triumph–exactly like his father used to do when closing business deals. The similarities grew more pronounced every day. How long until Tristan saw his own reflection in my son’s face?

After they showed me their drawings and recounted their day in delightful detail, Alaric took the phone.

“Everything okay?” my brother asked, concern in his eyes.

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