The Luna Who Owed Them Nothing Chapter 03

The Luna Who Owed Them Nothing Chapter 03

“Aria, pack up your junk and move out to the balcony.”

“Your room is going to be used for Eden’s seasonal clothes from now on.”

The moment Mom finishes speaking, her eyes lock onto the two $100 bills on my desk.

She storms over, points at the money, and demands in a shrill voice, “Where did you get that money? You stole it again, didn’t you?”

I hurriedly shake my head and explain, “No! I earned it myself. I work at a diner…”

“Earned it?”

Mom cuts me off with a cold laugh before I can finish, “Who would hire a high school graduate like you? I knew you hadn’t changed!”

She grabs my wrist so hard that her nails nearly dig into my skin.

“Come with me! I’m calling a pack meeting and letting everyone see just how shameless this little thief is!”

Her eyes are bloodshot, as if she has completely lost control.

Dad and Damon rush over when they hear the commotion and finally manage to pull her away.

But Damon is furious. He shoves me hard, “Aria, you made Mom this upset again, didn’t you? How did someone like you end up in our pack?”

I am already struggling to stay on my feet after Mom yanks me around. Damon’s shove sends me stumbling backward.

The next second, the back of my head slams into the sharp corner of a cabinet.

Bang!

Pain explodes through my skull.

Warm blood runs down the back of my neck. I cover the wound, and the room spins violently around me.

Through my fading consciousness, I think I see Dad holding Mom back as she continues struggling, “Okay, okay. Let’s go back inside.”

“Don’t let the other pack members hear this. If word gets out, it will be bad for Eden too. It could damage our reputation as Alpha and Luna.”

At the mention of Eden, Mom finally goes quiet.

She turns back to look at me. Her eyes hold nothing but a hatred I cannot understand.

“Aria, I wish I had never given birth to you. Why didn’t you die before you turned eight?”

My entire body goes rigid.

I stare blankly at her twisted face as it grows larger through my tears. I open my mouth, but no sound comes out.

My wolf lets out a low whimper somewhere deep inside me.

Even after they leave, I remain frozen in the same position.

Mom’s face, Damon’s voice, Dad’s cold silence, they echo through my mind again and again.

“You don’t deserve to be a member of or pack!”

“Thief! Why don’t you just die?”

“Aria, Mom and Dad told me themselves. I’m their only daughter.”

Eden’s voice follows, “You’re really pathetic.”

…

I lie on the cold floor, covering my mouth tightly. I do not even dare to cry too loudly.

I do not know how much time passes before someone knocks on the door.

I look up.

It is Dad.

When he sees my tear-streaked face, he freezes for a moment. Then he quietly closes the door behind him and walks over to me with a soft sigh.

“Don’t blame your mother. She just never got over what happened back then.”

I say nothing.

Dad is silent for a while before continuing.

“Your grandfather died because of a thief from the pack. He was chasing the thief when something went wrong, and he lost too much blood. That’s why your mother hates thieves so much.”

With that, he takes two stacks of cash from inside his coat and places them on my desk.

“There’s $20,000 here. It should cover four years of your tuition.”

He pauses, lowering his voice, “Don’t tell your mother I gave this to you.”

I stare at the cash on the desk without reaching for it.

Dad turns to leave, but he stops as if he suddenly remembers something.

“Leave the pack.”

“From now on, unless there’s something important, don’t come back.”

His voice leaves no room for argument, “That’s an order from your Alpha.”

I look up at his back, “Dad.”

He stops.

I stare at the two stacks of cash on the desk. Suddenly, they look painfully bright.

“I didn’t steal anything. I earned this money by tutoring and taking care of the diner owner’s daughter.”

Dad does not turn around or answer.

A few seconds later, the door closes softly behind him.

For a moment, I think I hear a heavy sigh from the other side.

The next morning, I go to Gamma Luke’s diner as promised. But before I even get close, I see a large crowd gathered outside.

My steps slow.

In the middle of the crowd, I spot several familiar faces.

Mom, Damon, and Eden.

My heart sinks.

I hurry over and see Mom standing outside the diner, screaming at Luke and pointing a finger in his face.

“She just graduated from high school, and you’re paying her $200 a day? Do you think we don’t know what you two are really doing behind our backs?”

Her voice grows sharper with every word, “I think there’s something shady going on between you two!”

Luke stands in the doorway, his face darkening, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Mom lets out a cold laugh.

“Stop pretending! She’s just a girl fresh out of high school who knows nothing. Why would you pay her $200 a day?”

“Or is it…”

She deliberately lowers her voice, her eyes moving between Luke and me.

“Do you two have some kind of secret relationship?”