Rejected Luna Returns with Secret Twins (Lysandra) novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22

22

Lysandra’s POV

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“No, Alaric. As Alpha, you can’t risk creating an inter–pack incident over your sister. That’s exactly what they want.” I softened my tone. “I’ve faced worse from him. This is nothing.”

A heavy silence followed, then a sigh. “I never should have let you go alone.”

“I’m a grown woman with a perfectly capable wolf. And I have Kieran here,” I reminded him.

“Call me immediately if anything else happens,” he insisted. “Promise me.”

After hanging up, I decided I couldn’t hide in my room all day. I dressed in a simple blue dress, steeling myself for the inevitable stares and whispers.

In the hallway, a pair of female werewolves fell silent as I passed, their eyes following me with undisguised curiosity.

So the photos are making the rounds, I realized.

I kept my chin high, my pace deliberately unhurried. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me rush away

in shame.

As I walked, the memory of Tristan’s lips crashing against mine, flashed through my mind again.

Who does he think he is? I thought bitterly, my fingers unconsciously touching my lips where his had been. Five years of silence, and now he acts like some possessive bastard with claims on me?

The hotel’s grand lobby buzzed with activity as pack members gathered for the day’s meetings. I noticed several council members huddled in conversation, their expressions grave as they glanced my way.

A young werewolf approached me, her expression bright. “Congratulations!”

“For what?” I asked, thoroughly confused.

“Your engagement, of course,” she replied, gesturing to my phone. “Everyone’s talking about it.”

What?

I unlocked my screen to find Kieran had posted a public statement on the social network: “I’m honored to announce that Lysandra Ravencroft has agreed to become my mate. We will hold the marking ceremony soon. Any disrespect toward my future Luna will not be tolerated.”

My throat tightened. Kieran had sacrificed his privacy, tying his reputation to mine to shield me from the scandal. Comments poured in beneath his post, most congratulating us and praising him for standing by me despite the “misunderstanding” with Alpha Tristan.

Gratitude and guilt warred within me. Kieran had been my support for years, asking for nothing in return while

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Chapter 22

patiently waiting for feelings I couldn’t give him. This public declaration would make it harder than ever to maintain the delicate balance between accepting his friendship and avoiding romantic commitment.

But beneath these concerns lurked a deeper worry–how would Tristan react to this news?

I sat alone at a quiet corner table in a restaurant near the hotel, away from the Moon Ring Council venue. After the morning’s drama, I needed space to breathe. Kieran was tied up in negotiations with other Betas, giving me this rare moment of solitude.

The tension in my shoulders eased slightly as I savored a bite of perfectly scared salmon. For a blissful moment, I was just a woman enjoying dinner, not the center of gossip.

At a nearby table, an Alpha I recognized from previous Ravencroft family gatherings dined with a young woman who definitely wasn’t his Luna. His hand rested possessively on her thigh while he spoke in hushed tones that made her giggle.

Typical. My lip curled in disgust.

When we married, I thought Tristan would be different. I’d believed in fairy tales of devoted Alphas and their cherished Lunas. What a joke that turned out to be.

I sipped my wine, pushing away memories of Tristan’s kiss and the betraying heat it had sparked. Five years I’d spent building a life without him, focusing on my children and my position in Moonshade Pack. I wouldn’t let one encounter unravel everything.

I paid the bill and stepped out into the cool night air. The street was nearly deserted, no taxis in sight. The hotel was only a twenty–minute walk away–not far, but the darkness between streetlights made me hesitate. Shaking off my unease, I started walking. I’d faced far worse than a dark street.

After following the main road, I turned left onto a path lined with ancient silver pines. Their towering forms created geometric shadows in the moonlight. A gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and distant water, and Astrid stirred contentedly within me.

Beautiful night, she murmured in my mind.

A low laugh interrupted my thoughts. Three men stood ahead, partially concealed by shadows. Their voices carried

on the night air, rough and slurred. I kept walking, eyes fixed ahead as if I hadn’t noticed them.

“Hey, beautiful. Where you headed?” One called out as I passed.

I ignored him, maintaining my pace. My heels clicked rhythmically against the stone path, the sound suddenly too Joud in the quiet night.

Footsteps followed. A hand grabbed my wrist, yanking me backward. “Don’t be rude. We just want to talk.”

I turned to face them, keeping my expression neutral despite the alarm bells ringing in my head. “Let go.”

The man holding me–tall with a scraggly beard and alcohol on his breath–smirked. “Why would we do that?

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Chapter 22

Dressed up so nice, bet you’re looking for some company.”

His two friends moved to flank us, effectively blocking the path. I inhaled deeply, searching for pack scents, but detected nothing. No pack affiliations. Rogues.

Bill ran down my spine. Memories flashed–running through the forest five years ago, pregnant and terrified,

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