Rejected Luna: He Calls Her ‘Mom’ Chapter 07

Rejected Luna: He Calls Her ‘Mom’ Chapter 07

Aria’s POV

“Let her go.”

Elias released Emma. The child ran crying behind Felix. He stared at me, his eyes wild with

possession. “Aria… you’re really here…”

“It’s me. Now leave.”

“Leave?” He lunged forward. Felix immediately drew his blade between us. “You think I’ve been

searching for you like a madman just to see you once and walk away?”

I took a step back. “Then what do you want?”

“Come home with me.” Elias’s voice was ragged. “Vivienne’s locked up. She confessed to

everything-the arson, the drugging, framing you. I made the truth public. Everyone knows

you’re innocent. Aria, come home.”

“No.”

“Why?! No one will hurt you anymore—”

“YOU hurt me!” I cut him off. “YOU gave our son to her. YOU kept me from seeing him for

three years. YOU left me hanging on that rack for three days!”

His face went white. He changed tactics. “Asher needs you. He cries all day. Won’t eat, won’t

drink. Just says ‘Mama’ over and over… He’s only three…”

Something twisted in my chest.

“Then why did you give him away?!”

Elias opened his mouth. Nothing came out.

“Enough.” Felix spoke coldly. “She said no. Leave.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?!” Elias’s eyes flashed gold. “To interfere in MY family?”

“She’s not yours anymore.” Felix’s blade pressed against his throat. “The mate bond’s broken.

You have no right to force her.”

They faced off, tension crackling.

“I can bring Asher here.” I spoke suddenly.

“NO!” Elias roared. “Shadow Pack is your home! You HAVE to come back! Asher needs you, I

need you!”

“I don’t care what you need.”

“What about the villagers?” Elias suddenly sneered, looking around. “If you don’t come with

me, I’ll raze this village to the ground.”

The villagers gasped.

“You wouldn’t DARE!” Felix roared.

“Try me.” Elias snapped his fingers. Dozens of warriors poured out, surrounding the village.

“You’re one exiled warrior. Think you can stop my army?”

Children started crying.

I looked at these people who’d taken me in. My heart broke.

“You want me to go back? Never.” I yanked the dagger from Felix’s belt and pressed it to my

throat.

“Aria!” Everyone shouted.

“Back up.” The blade broke skin. Blood welled. “Or I die right here.”

“Have you lost your MIND?!” Elias went pale.

“Yeah, I have.” I let out a harsh laugh, pressing harder. More blood flowed. “YOU drove me

insane. Elias Blackthorn, listen carefully-leave NOW, or I die right in front of you.”

“I’ve lost everything-my son, my home, my dignity. Even my soul’s damaged.” I stared at him.

“I’m not afraid of anything anymore. Including death.”

Elias froze completely.

“But these villagers are innocent.” My voice was quiet. “If you hurt them, I swear-I’ll haunt

you from the grave.”

“I won’t hurt them…” Elias’s voice shook. “Aria, please… put down the knife…”

“Then leave.”

“GO!” I screamed. The blade sank deeper.

Felix moved to take the knife. I dodged. “Don’t TOUCH me!”

“Aria…” Tears streaked down Elias’s face. “You hate me THAT much? You’d rather die than see

me?”

“Yes.” My voice was soft. “I hate you. Enough to want to kill you, then kill myself.”

Elias collapsed to the ground, then stumbled up and backed away.

He looked at me for a long time, then finally turned and left.

Six months later.

Silver Creek thrived under Felix and my care. I taught the children, Felix trained the young

ones in self-defense. Everyone in the village knew the gentle teacher and the silent warrior

were together.

I finally smiled again, though my eyes still held shadows. Late at night, I thought of Asher.

These six months, Elias kept sending messages through others-Asher’s drawings, crooked letters spelling “Mama I miss you,” dried flowers and little gifts. Letters where the child

apologized over and over, saying “Asher was wrong, please come back.”

I read every letter. Cried every time.

But I didn’t go back.

Until that evening, when a warrior rushed in. “Aria! Something happened at Shadow Pack!”

My heart jumped.

“Vivienne tried to assassinate the Alpha!” The warrior was breathless. “Alpha’s badly hurt!

Asher’s in shock, burning with fever, crying all day, won’t eat or drink, just keeps saying

‘Mama’… The healer says if this continues…”

He handed me a letter.

I opened it. One line: “The child and I need you. -Elias”

Felix came over and gripped my shoulder. “I’ll come with you.”

Three days later, Shadow Pack.

The carriage stopped. Elder Marcus came out to greet us. “Luna… no, Aria, please come with

me.”

People in the corridor bowed their heads. “We’re sorry…” “We shouldn’t have…” “Luna, please

forgive us…”

I said nothing, just walked faster.

The moment I pushed open the door, I froze.

Asher lay in bed, his little face flushed with fever, so thin he was barely recognizable, eyes

sunken, lips cracked.

“Mama…” He was talking in his sleep. “Don’t go… Asher will be good…”

I rushed over and held him. “Mama’s here… I’m here…”

Asher opened his eyes, staring blankly. “Mama? Is it really Mama?”

“It’s me…”

“MAMA!” Asher burst into tears, clinging to me. “You came back! You finally came back! I’m

sorry… Asher was wrong… I shouldn’t have called you bad… I’m sorry…”

“Don’t cry…” I held him tight, tears streaming. “Mama doesn’t blame you…”

“Don’t leave…” Asher gripped my clothes. “Asher will be good… don’t leave me…”

“Never.” I kissed his forehead. “Mama will never leave you again.”

Suppressed coughing came from behind.

Elias stood in the doorway, looking like hell-hollowed-out eyes, days of stubble, bandages on

his chest soaked with blood. Seeing me and Asher together, tears spilled from his eyes.

“Aria…” His voice was hoarse. “Thank you… thank you for coming back…”

I turned away without responding.

It took me a while to get Asher to sleep.

“Aria.” Elias came in.

“Get out.”

“Please, just hear me out…” He stood in the doorway, then dropped to his knees. “I know I’m a

bastard. I deserve to die. But please, for Asher’s sake, stay.”

“I can leave the pack, give up being Alpha-whatever you want, just come back.”

I looked at him coldly. “You think that’ll make me forgive you?”

“No… I wouldn’t dare ask for forgiveness…” Elias choked up. “I just want… to make it right…”

“Aria.” Felix appeared in the doorway. “Time to go home.”

That one word-“home”-broke Elias completely.

He knelt on the floor, sobbing. “No… Aria… this is where you BELONG…”

“No.” I stood up. “This was never my home.”

I looked at Felix. “We’re taking Asher and leaving. Now.”

“What?!” Elias’s head snapped up. “You’re taking Asher away?”

“He’s MINE.”

“He’s mine TOO!”

“So what?” I let out a cold laugh. “When you gave him to a murderer to raise, did you think

about him being your son?”

Elias had no answer.

“I’ll let Asher know you’re his father.” I picked up the sleeping child. “But we’re not coming

back. Heal up, be your Alpha, and forget about me.”

“I can’t forget…” Elias choked. “Aria, I’ll never forget you…”

“That’s your problem.”

I walked away without looking back.

Behind me, Elias’s broken sobs echoed. “Aria! ARIA! Please don’t go! PLEASE!”

My steps faltered for a moment, then continued forward.

Outside, Elias knelt on the ground.

He watched Aria’s silhouette disappear at the end of the corridor, like something had been

carved out of him.

“If I could do it over…” he murmured, “I’d rather stay in the wastelands forever… than come

back and hurt you…”