Luna, Who No Longer Recognized Him Chapter 06

Luna, Who No Longer Recognized Him Chapter 06

As the boat drew closer, I finally saw the white shape.

It floated on the surface, perfectly still.

Like a crescent moon that had lost its light.

Every sound in my throat locked up.

I couldn’t even cry.

The old man let out a quiet sigh.

“That’s how the sea works.”

“When a whale is alive, it shelters countless lives. When it’s gone, it gives itself back to the ocean.”

“One whale falls, and ten thousand things grow.”

I knew death was part of nature.

But not like this.

It had escaped the tank. Escaped the human cage.

It should have lived free in the open ocean for years and years.

It shouldn’t have been dragged back into the shadow of humans because of me.

Several larger belugas swam in from the distance.

They circled it, calling out in low, mournful cries.

The old man said softly, “Judging by their size and behavior, that’s probably its mother and

siblings.”

I stared at the ring of grieving waves and whispered, “The whole family’s together now.”

“I’m the only one missing.”

I jumped into the sea.

The old man dove in after me, trying to grab hold.

“Miss, don’t get too close!”

“They’re gentle, but they’re still wild. If they’re distressed, they could hurt you!”

I didn’t care anymore.

I just wanted to touch my beluga one more time.

Just as my hand was about to reach it, an older beluga drifted toward me.

It didn’t attack.

It simply took the collar of my shirt between its teeth, gently, and held me afloat on the surface.

Its movements were exactly like the beluga’s.

Tender. Restrained. Stubborn.

It carried me back to shore.

Then it nudged the soles of my feet with its snout, as if telling me to go back to the human world where I belonged.

Declan arrived just in time to see it.

Á sound tore from his throat, low and nearly broken.

“No, Aurora.”

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

He rushed forward and crushed me against his chest.

So hard it felt like he was trying to press me into his bones.

The Alpha who always stood above everyone else was begging now, stripped of every shred of pride.

“Aurora, I’m begging you.”

“Don’t leave me. Don’t go near the water. Don’t go looking for it again.”

My eyes were hollow. My voice had no warmth left.

“Declan, I’m the one begging you. Can you hear me?”

“You’re the one who dumped me on that quarantine island.”

“You’re the one who dragged me out of the ocean against my will.”

“You’re the one who forced me and the beluga apart.”

“You already took my freedom. You already killed the one I loved most.”

“Being alive hurts worse than being dead.”

“Can you please stop trapping what’s left of me?”

Declan’s whole body flinched.

His mate bond finally, truly, started to hurt.

I could feel the belated thread thrashing wildly inside his chest.

But on my end, there was nothing left to answer it.

His voice broke into fragments.

“I just wanted to marry you so badly.”

“I just wanted you to learn, before you became Darkwater’s Luna, that you can’t keep putting animals above the Pack.”

“I know I was wrong.”

“Aurora, from now on, you can do whatever you want.”

“Just don’t hate me. Please.”

I tilted my head and looked at him, numb.

“Whatever I want?”

“Then let me go.”

“And never appear in front of me again.”