Rejected by My Pack, Crowned by the Empire Chapter 05

Rejected by My Pack, Crowned by the Empire Chapter 05

Per ancient pack law and custom, once Serena’s name was entered into the Pack Registry, she had

to travel to the Moon Goddess Temple to seek the Moon Goddess’s blessing.

As everyone prepared to leave, my father suddenly frowned.

“Where’s Evelyn?”

The living room fell quiet for a moment.

Zayne glanced around.

“Didn’t she storm out in a fit this morning? She’s still not back?”

My mother set down her things, frowning.

“She’s probably holed up in her room pouting. Go get her-we’re about to leave.”

A servant searched upstairs and came back shaking her head.

“Evelyn isn’t in her room.”

Zayne’s frown deepened. He pulled out his phone and dialed my number.

A mechanical recording came through.

“The number you have dialed is not in service.”

Once, twice, three times-the same result.

Zayne’s face darkened.

“What is she doing? Throwing some kind of fit?”

“She’s only grown more headstrong and unruly with age. She wasn’t like this when she was

younger.”

My mother sighed.

“Forget it, I’ll head out and search for her myself. The rest of you stay put here.”

She had barely taken a step toward the door when Serena lowered her head, tears streaming down her face.

“Evelyn must not want me to truly become part of this family.”

“She threw a scene and stormed off on purpose today, knowing everyone would drop everything to

chase after her, and no one would be able to come with me to the Moon Goddess Temple.”

Her voice grew more bitter, her shoulders trembling.

“I know Evelyn hates me. I don’t deserve to stay in the Mooncrest Pack.”

“If that’s the case, then I don’t want treatment anymore. I’m nothing but an unwanted burden

around here; it would be better for everyone if I wasn’t alive at all!”

Zayne panicked immediately.

“Don’t say that! Take it back!”

My mother hurried back and pulled Serena into her arms.

“You’re my whole heart and treasure. Don’t say things that break my heart.”

Serena sobbed, barely able to catch her breath.

“But Evelyn…”

“Enough.”

My father’s face turned cold, anger flickering in his eyes.

“If she wants to mope and throw a fit, let her have her little tantrum.”

“She can stay behind and cool her head for a few days, and we’ll sort this whole mess out once we

return.”

Damon felt a flicker of concern, but seeing Serena’s pale, tear-streaked face, he gave in.

A week later, they pushed open the front door and froze.

The pack house was eerily quiet.

No lights, no sounds, a cold, desolate stillness hanging over the whole house.

A sharp sense of dread twisted in my mother’s chest.

“Evelyn?”

No answer.

My brother frowned and headed upstairs.

My bedroom door was open, the room completely empty.

The bed was neatly made, as if no one had slept in it for a long while.

Zayne pulled out his phone and dialed my number again.

Still powered off.

Damon started sending me messages.

[Evelyn, where are you? Reply when you see this.]

[Don’t keep moping like this. I’ve talked to my mother-I’ll come get you.]

Message after message.

No reply.

My mother panicked.

“Where did Evelyn go? She’s never been away from us this long since we brought her home ten years ago.”

My father frowned deeply.

“I’ll send people out to look. Check if she’s at Iris’s place.”

The living room grew heavy with tension.

Only Serena sat on the sofa, her eyes shadowed and calculating.

That night, Damon sat in my room. My favorite stuffed animal still sat on the nightstand.

A hollow, gnawing emptiness settled in his chest, as if he’d lost something important.

The door opened. Serena walked in and closed it behind her.

Damon looked at her, confused.

The next second, Serena started undressing.

Her jacket fell to the floor. Her strap slid down her shoulder.

Damon shot to his feet.

“Serena, what are you doing?!”

Serena stepped closer, obsessive resolve burning in her eyes.

“Damon, I love you. I know you feel something for me too.”

“My sister is gone. She left you. We already had our mating ceremony anyway-let’s really be

together.”

Damon’s gaze turned cold.

“Pull your clothes back on right this instant.”

Serena acted as if she hadn’t heard.

“I refuse to believe you don’t have even the smallest feelings for me.”

“You’ve looked after me nonstop these weeks, accompanied me to every medical appointment, arid cheered me up whenever I was down. How can you say you don’t have any romantic interest in me whatsoever?”

The room fell silent.

After a long moment, Damon took a deep breath, his voice more serious than she’d ever heard it.

“I do care about you.”

Serena’s eyes lit up.

But then his voice cut through again.

“Just not that way.”

“I was good to you because you’re Evelyn’s sister.”

“Because of her, I looked after you like a younger sister. That’s all.”

The smile on Serena’s face froze.

“That’s not true-you’re lying!”

“If Evelyn weren’t around, I wouldn’t have given you a second thought.”

Jealousy erupted across Serena’s face.

“Why?! I’m the one who deserves to be loved! Why did Evelyn have to come back and take everything from me?!”

She started throwing things, the commotion quickly drawing everyone upstairs.

My parents and Zayne rushed in.

Serena expected them to take her side, like they always did. She thought they would defend her and

help her get what she wanted.

But this time, Zayne’s eyes held an unfamiliar coldness that chilled her to the bone