Page 31 of His Fated Luna

"It’s not about me wanting to be luna!" she snapped. "It’s for you! I don’t want you to be miserable! Don’t you see? I’m just trying to help you stay alpha but still be able to be with Lexia in some way."

I studied her, exhaling slowly. She deserved so much better!

"I want to be of use to the pack," she whispered. "You know my past. It feels good to... to belong. They have my back, and I want to have theirs. If that means I have to fulfill a role as their luna, I’ll do it. No matter what it costs."

My stomach clenched.She is going to be a formidable luna.The thought came unbidden, and I shook it away.

"What happened to the girl who said she wanted to fall in love?" I challenged.

"She still does," she murmured. "But she’s grown up. She’s learned that love doesn’t only take the form of a lover. It can be the love of a parent, of a mentor... of our pack," she finished softly. “A friend."

A strange emotion gripped my chest. Could we ever be friends?

She was willing to sacrifice her happiness for this. And what kind of man would I be to use her, knowing that? To take everything from her and give nothing in return?

Not for the first time, I remembered what she had said to me in her car...

Don’t I deserve a chance at happiness too?

Something deep inside me—something primal—recoiled at the thought of Rose finding happiness with someone else. Of her in someone else’s arms.

I let out a slow, heavy breath, feeling the weight of it all settle onto my shoulders.

"I feel things," I admitted quietly. "Things I shouldn’t be feeling when it comes to you. It’s the mate pull, compelling us to bond, but... it’s not fair to Lexia. I haven’t even wanted to... to sleep with her. Not like before, anyway."

I didn’t know why I was telling her this. Maybe because it felt right. Because she wouldn’t judge me.

"So it’s not just your fault if I’m abstaining," I added.

She nodded, understanding.

"I need time," I said finally. “To think."

And before she could respond, I turned away, shifting into my wolf, my clothes tearing as I did. My wolf glanced back at her, almost longingly, before I ran into the woods.

And Rose didn’t call me back, just watched me leave.

She let me go.

Chapter 13

“You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not.” ? Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

Rose’s POV

I smoothed down my olive-green skirt as I sat down, handing the whiteboard marker to Jake. We were in the library, working through chemistry equations in one of the private study rooms he’d booked. Hours had passed, and I was beyond exhausted. My brain was fried from staring at numbers for so long.

“I think we’ll ace this midterm,” I said with a yawn, reaching for my wallet. “I’m gonna grab us some coffee.”

As I walked toward the coffee shop at the front of the library, I collided with a hard, muscular chest. A jolt of electricity shot through me as strong hands steadied me.

“Rose,” Aiden said in surprise, his hands still on my waist.

His nostrils flared as he took in my appearance, eyes going to my skirt before slowly trailing up my form. Aiden’s eyes darkened, and I felt my skin heat under his gaze.

“Where’s your luna mark?” he asked suddenly, his eyes flickering to my bare arm.

“I hide it with concealer,” I answered, pulling away from his grasp before my racing heart gave me away.