Rejected Luna: He Calls Her ‘Mom’ Chapter 06

Rejected Luna: He Calls Her ‘Mom’ Chapter 06

Aria’s POV

When I woke up, I was in a cabin I didn’t recognize.

Every part of my body hurt like I’d been run over. My throat felt like it was splitting open. The

wounds throbbed with sharp pain.

“You’re awake.”

A deep voice came from beside me.

I turned my head with difficulty-a tall man sat by the bed, wrapping my arm with clean

bandages. His movements were gentle, but his eyes were cold and detached, like he was just

doing a job.

“Who are you?” My voice came out hoarse.

“Felix Thornwood.” His answer was brief as he continued bandaging. “You collapsed at the

village entrance.”

Silver Creek-it came back to me. The border settlement for rogues. I’d barely made it here

before passing out.

“Thank you.” I tried to sit up.

“Don’t move.” Felix pressed my shoulder down. “You lost too much blood. Move around and

you’ll tear the stitches.”

He stood, grabbed a bowl of water from the table, and handed it to me. “Slow.”

The water sliding down my throat almost made me cry. Three days and nights hanging from

that rack, no food, no water-I’d thought I would die there.

“This is Silver Creek.” Felix sat back down. “Home to wolves cast out from their packs and

orphans. No one asks about your past here.”

He paused, his gaze steady. “You can stay. Long as you want.”

I froze.

In all these years, no one had ever said anything like that to me.

“Why?” My voice was raw. “Aren’t you afraid I’m some kind of criminal?”

“The border doesn’t answer to any pack.” Felix’s tone was flat. “Besides, someone who escapes

looking like you do-you didn’t do anything that bad.”

He stood. “Rest. Call if you need anything.”

He turned and left.

I watched him go-broad shoulders, narrow waist, the alert way warriors moved. A deep scar

circled his right wrist, like he’d been burned by silver chains.

He’d been cast out too.

A month later.

Life in Silver Creek was simple.

Playing with the kids, hauling water and chopping wood for the elders, occasionally gathering

herbs outside the village. Felix always appeared quietly beside me-helping me carry heavy

things, fixing the roof. Once, when a wild wolf nearly got me, he cut its throat in one swing.

“Were you a warrior?” I asked him.

Felix wiped blood off his blade, silent for a long moment. “Once.”

“Why were you cast out?”

“Refused an order.” His voice was calm. “My Alpha wanted me to massacre a village of

civilians. I didn’t.”

I went still.

“So they stripped my status and sent me to the border.” Felix sheathed his knife. “But it’s

better this way. At least the kids here don’t get killed.”

He walked away, tossing back: “Made roast for dinner. Don’t forget to eat.”

I watched him go, something strange stirring in my chest.

Warm. Safe.

That evening, little Emma-the youngest orphan-fell and hurt her leg while playing.

She screamed and cried. The other kids panicked.

“It’s okay, let me see.” I picked her up and checked the wound-just scraped, nothing broken.

I stayed up all night watching over her. Applied herbs, told her stories, held her while she

cried.

Emma kept whimpering about the pain, so I took off my mother’s necklace and put it around

her neck. “This is a good luck charm. Wear it and it won’t hurt anymore.”

Emma touched the necklace and slowly stopped crying.

Just before dawn, she opened her eyes and grabbed my sleeve. “Mama…”

I froze.

“Mama…” Emma said it again, her eyes bright.

Tears spilled down my face.

I’d waited three years for that word. At Shadow Pack, I’d fought so hard to hear Asher call me

“Mom,” but all I got was “bad lady,” “crazy,” “go away.”

Now this child-a stranger-said it so easily.

“Don’t cry…” Emma’s small hand clumsily wiped my tears. “Mama don’t cry…”

“Okay.” I choked out a laugh. “Mama won’t cry.”

I looked up and saw Felix standing in the doorway.

He leaned against the frame, watching me with soft eyes.

Morning light fell across him, and suddenly I thought-maybe this was my real home.

The days that followed were peaceful, almost dreamlike.

I started a school in the village, teaching the kids to read and write. Felix helped fix desks and

chairs, sometimes sitting in the corner listening to my lessons.

Once, I asked him, “Why do you always help me?”

Felix was quiet for a while. “Because there’s light in your eyes.”

He turned to look at me. “Haven’t seen that in a long time. Worth protecting.”

My heart skipped.

The village elders all said Felix was unusually attentive to me, despite being a man of few

words.

“That boy looks at you different,” an old woman said with a smile. “If I were fifty years

younger, I wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”

I blushed and denied it, but my heart felt warm.

Until that day.

Shadow Pack’s patrol appeared at the village entrance.

“Everyone gather!” the lead warrior shouted. “Alpha’s orders-search for the fugitive Aria

Whitmore!”

I hid behind a window, hands and feet ice-cold.

Felix came over and gripped my shoulder. “The cellar. Now.”

“But-”

“Listen to me.” His voice was firm.

I followed him to the cellar behind the house and crouched in the dark corner. Felix covered

the hatch. Through the gaps, I could see outside.

The patrol searched the village.

Then a familiar figure appeared.

Elias.

He looked terrible-sunken eyes, scruffy beard, his Alpha aura turned violent and unhinged.

“Anyone seen a brown-haired, blue-eyed woman?” His voice was ragged as he held up my

portrait. “She’s my mate!”

The villagers stayed silent.

“Ten thousand silver coins to whoever finds her!” Elias’s voice rose. “Anyone hiding her—your

whole family dies!”

My breath caught.

Felix stepped forward, voice calm. “Alpha, the border doesn’t answer to any pack. You have no

authority to search here.”

Elias’s eyes flashed gold-the precursor to shifting.

“Who the hell are you to stop me?”

“Felix Thornwood.” Felix’s hand moved to the knife at his waist. “Cast out from Iron Fang

Pack.”

They faced off, danger thick in the air.

Just as Elias turned to leave-

:

His gaze fell on the necklace around Emma’s neck.

My mother’s necklace.

“That necklace…” Elias grabbed Emma. “Where’d you get that?”

Emma burst into tears. “Mama gave it! Mama gave it!”

“Mama?” Elias’s eyes turned blood-red. “WHERE IS SHE?!”

“Don’t touch her!”

I burst out of the cellar.

Elias whipped around.

Our eyes met.

His pupils shrank, his whole body going rigid. “Aria…”