18 Chapter 18 You Aren’t My Luna
‘Maybe… maybe he gave in to his carnal desire because he couldn’t be like that with Claire right now, not while she’s carrying his pup… ‘Addison thought.
And just like that, it was as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over her. The chill seeped into her bones, awakening her from the illusion she had been clinging to–forcing her to see the truth she had been too afraid to accept.
She felt drained. She thought she had already moved on—but now she realized, it wasn’t that easy to let go. Hearing Beta Greg say that her mate had ordered him to retrieve all the core projects from her… it felt like a slap to the face.
Wasn’t that a clear sign she was being pushed out and replaced? That she was never accepted as the Luna of this pack, and that her place was now being offered to Claire?
What more proof did she need?
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Those three days and three nights with Zion–was it all just an illusion she’d created in her mind? A fantasy she desperately clung to while he gave in to his carnal desire? Sure, he had whispered heart–stirring words during their mating, but everyone knew: a man’s sweet nothings in bed meant nothing.
Addison slumped back in her chair, the weight of it all crashing down. Seeing this, Gamma Levi’s expression darkened.
Like his tail had been stepped on, he lunged and
slammed Beta Greg against the wall, his hand clamped around the man’s neck as he growled, “How dare you disrespect our Luna?!”
“Luna?” Beta Greg sneered. “Maybe you accepted her as your Luna–but I didn’t!”
He growled, completely unfazed by the pressure on his neck, his eyes flickering with a dangerous glint as his canines elongated. His defiance wasn’t just personal- it was a direct challenge.
To him, Gamma Levi’s aggression was an insult to his authority as the second–in–command. And by the
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rules of the pack, he had every right to retaliate.
His gaze dropped to Levi’s hand still gripping his neck, and a wicked smile curled on his lips–as if he was daring Levi to cross the line.
Sensing the tension spiking, Addison shot to her feet. Her chair crashed to the floor with a loud thud as she
slammed her hand on the table.
“Enough! Take the core projects and leave!” Addison commanded, her voice laced with such authority and pressure that both Beta Greg and Gamma Levi froze in surprise.
But just as quickly as it came, that powerful presence vanished–like a ripple settling on calm water.
Beta Greg blinked, uncertain if he’d really felt it or if his mind had played a trick on him. With a snort, he brushed Gamma Levi’s hand off him like swatting away
a fly.
As Levi’s focus faltered for a moment, Greg took the chance to regain his composure and shot Addison a cold, condescending look before turning away.
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Before leaving, Beta Greg threw one last remark over his shoulder.“Just a friendly piece of advice, Luna- know your place. Believe it or not, Alpha Zion won’t even spare you a glance these days. He’s too busy attending to our future Luna and his pup. I hope you understand what that means–and stop being an
eyesore.”
With a smug smile, he turned and strode out of the room like he’d won a battle.
Gamma Levi growled lowly, his eyes flaring with restrained rage, but Addison raised a hand to stop him.
If she hadn’t acted first, Beta Greg might have already attacked–Addison had clearly seen the dangerous glint in his eyes and the sharp elongation of his nails. He had been aiming for Levi’s arm, ready to strike.
Greg must’ve been seething with dissatisfaction- displeased that Gamma Levi dared to defend her, to stand on her side. He wanted to make him pay for it.
But how could she let that happen? Levi was her Gamma, the only one in the pack who still stood by her. He was her closest friend here. Letting him get
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hurt because of her? Her conscience couldn’t bear it.
In that split second, Addison gave it all away–her work, her accomplishments, her pride.
What stung the most wasn’t just the loss–it was knowing that her own mate had given his Beta the go–ahead to barge into her office and demand the fruits of her labor. Her sweat. Her blood.
A hollow smile tugged at her lips as she looked up at the ceiling, a shaky breath escaping her. She wanted to laugh at herself–for daring to nurture even a flicker of hope in her heart.
“Luna… you shouldn’t have agreed to hand over the core project,” Gamma Levi said gently, his voice laced with concern and empathy as he stood by her side.
“Even if I said no, they’d still find a way to take it,” Addison murmured, her voice tight. “No matter what I
choose, the outcome would be the same. The only
difference is I’d make it harder for both of us–and for
what? Letting you get hurt in the process isn’t worth
it…”
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She shut her eyes tightly, trying to hold it all in. Her chest ached as her teeth clenched, and the sting behind her eyes warned her that tears were dangerously close to falling.
And just as Beta Greg had said, her mate hadn’t spared her a glance in days. Zion now spent all his time with Claire–strolling through the pack grounds beside her, letting everyone witness their so–called harmony.
Claire would even join the pups at the playground, laughter bubbling from her lips as she played, her face glowing with affection, eyes crinkling with every smile.
Zion, always nearby, watched her with a soft gaze, even joining in with the children, like a picture–perfect family in the making.
Addison didn’t need to see it with her own eyes–the rumors were relentless. Gossip filled the air like smoke, suffocating and ever–present, along with the mocking stares and barely concealed scorn from the rest of the pack.
Bit by bit, the light in Addison’s eyes began to fade. With each passing day, her heart fractured further
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until the fragile hope she’d carefully rebuilt–nurtured by those fleeting days and nights with Zion–crumbled entirely.
It felt as though they had returned to square one. No… perhaps it was even worse than before.
Those nights of passion? They meant nothing now. Maybe they never had. For all she knew, Zion could already be regretting them, brushing it all off as a
moment of weakness or a mistake he wished he hadn’t made. And to make it all worse, Beta Greg made a point to visit her office often–not for business, but to twist the knife deeper.
He’d come bearing “updates” like a cruel messenger, delivering tales of Zion and Claire’s perfect days: their joy, their laughter, their growing closeness–every detail calculated to wound.
With nothing to occupy her thoughts, Addison had no choice but to sit with the silence–and in that silence, her mind spiraled, Left unchecked, it clung to every poisonous word Beta Greg delivered, each one a reminder of her mate’s happiness with another
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woman.
The heartbreak gnawed at her, slowly and relentlessly, as though Beta Greg took pleasure in dismantling her piece by piece, feeding on her anguish like it was his favorite pastime.
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