Page 35 of His Fated Luna

The low hum of the engine filled the car as I drove down the winding road toward the building where we transacted all pack related business matters. The sun had begun to set, painting the sky in streaks of orange and violet, but my mind was elsewhere—lost in the chaos of emotions I had been battling for weeks now.

Lexia. Rose.

Two names that refused to leave my head, both wrapped around my heart in ways I couldn’t untangle.

I gripped the wheel tighter, my jaw clenching as frustration bubbled under my skin. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I had made a promise to Lexia—to love her, protect her, marry her. She was my commitment, the one I was meant to stand beside for the rest of my life. And yet, ever since Rose came crashing into my world, everything had shifted.

The bond between us was undeniable. It was raw, electric, consuming in ways I had never imagined possible. Everymoment I spent with her only made it harder to resist the pull, made it harder to lie to myself. Because deep down, I knew the truth.

I wanted her.

I wanted Rose.

The thought made my stomach twist with guilt. I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair as I forced my eyes to stay on the road. I was split in two. On one side, there was Lexia—the woman I had built a relationship with, the woman I had always believed would be my future. Leaving her wasn’t just a betrayal of our bond, it was a betrayal of everything I had ever known. But on the other side…

Rose.

The way she looked at me, the way her touch sent fire racing through my veins—it was intoxicating. With her, I didn’t have to pretend, didn’t have to force myself to feel something that wasn’t there anymore. And the more time I spent with her, the more the thought of going back to Lexia made my stomach churn with something close to revulsion.

I had told myself I would figure out a way to break the mate bond with Rose. That I would find a way back to Lexia. But the longer I tried to convince myself of that, the more it felt like a lie.

My thoughts weren't going to end soon, so, I pulled up my car in the parking area for board members who oversaw the business aspect of Bloodfire Phoenix Inc. I was the CEO, and here we transacted all financial related matters when it came to running the pack. The massive stone building loomed ahead of me like a judgmental shadow. Tonight was supposed to be about the pack, about my responsibilities. But my heart was somewhere else entirely.

I turned off the engine and leaned back against the seat, closing my eyes for a moment.

"Get it together, Aiden," I muttered under my breath.

But how could I? How could I pretend that everything was fine when I was being torn apart from the inside?

Chapter 14

“If you fall I will catch you, I’ll be waiting, time after time.” — Cyndi Lauper

Rose's POV

“So what’s the deal, Rose?” Jake’s voice dripped with curiosity.

We sat together on the campus grounds, stretched out in the grass. I had a copy ofAGame of Thronesin my hands—a change from my usual favorite,Count of Monte Cristo. Jake, meanwhile, was flipping through a stack of my lab notes. My legs were stretched out in front of me, my denim skirt brushing against my knees, matching the sleeveless denim top I wore. The afternoon sun bathed my peaches-and-cream skin, but for once, it didn’t redden like it usually did.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, glancing up at him.

“You and Aiden. You guys are mates,” he stated bluntly. “Why aren’t you together? I thought maybe you had an agreement—date around before finally getting together—but…it doesn’t seem like that to me now.”

I snapped my book shut, my hair tumbling into my face in wild waves.

“It’s complicated.” I sighed.

Jake’s gaze flickered to my lips.

“Hey, if he’s stupid enough to let you go…” Jake trailed off, his voice dipping suggestively.

His hand reached up, brushing a stray curl behind my ear. I leaned into his touch, hoping—waiting—for the rush of excitement, the flutter in my chest. But…nothing.

I laughed, the sound almost bitter, pulling away to stare up at the sky. Birds flew overhead, free to go wherever they pleased. I envied them. Meanwhile, I was stuck—either under the ever-watchful eye of campus security cameras or confined to pack territory. I couldn’t even ask Jake to go try out that new steakhouse at the mall without clearing it with my father or Aiden first. Shaking the thought away, I looked back at Jake. He was still waiting.

“You know,” I admitted, picking at a patch of grass, “I used to have the hugest crush on you in high school.”

I glanced at him sideways, wondering how he’d react.