The Unwanted Luna’s Farewell Chapter 09

The Unwanted Luna’s Farewell Chapter 09

On the final day of the Inter–Pack Healing & Medical Summit, Northstar held a project debrief meeting.

Not only was I nominated, but I also earned praise from numerous medical heavyweights.

In truth, the whole process was far tougher than anyone imagined.

Before the Summit, I spent my days researching references and my nights memorizing obscure,

tongue–twisting medical terminology.

Wearing headphones while brushing my teeth.

Listening to medical keynote recordings even while eating.

Healers from different Packs had distinct accents.

Some elder wolf physicians spoke rapidly and habitually relied on heavy abbreviations.

My werewolf hearing allowed me to catch more nuances in sound.

But that actually meant-

I had to learn how to swiftly extract critical information from a sea of background noise.

When I first entered the simulation room, my breathing was shallow, my palms sweated with anxiety, and my

mouth froze open without a sound.

Once.

Ten times.

Dozens of times.

Until the nervousness, hesitation, and fear were worn away bit by bit through practice.

When the actual Summit kicked off, I was stretched taut like a bowstring.

For seven straight days, I couldn’t sleep well or stomach meals, losing noticeable weight in the process.

Thankfully, every bit of effort paid off.

From then on, I truly gained a solid footing in the company.

The next time I heard news about my family was from an old classmate visiting Omaha on business.

“Olivia only cares about messing around. Last year, she hooked up with a Rogue, constantly begging home for money to go fooling around.”

“Owen was late for his training evaluation and has to repeat a year. He blamed your mom for not setting an

alarm.”

“Your mom sits home sighing all day, telling everyone that as the eldest sister, you were disobedient and

ruined the younger ones.”

Hearing this, I simply offered a soft smile.

Arguing or defending myself was useless.

Indifference.

Only indifference was true mercy to myself.

Two months later, I received a raise, and combined with the project bonus, I finally had my very first savings

account.

That day, I spotted a new pair of noise–canceling headphones at the mall.

Matte metal casing, lightweight.

The ear cups contoured to the ears just right, never causing a headache no matter how long I wore them.

The salesperson said $249, and I paid without a second thought and walked away.

This feeling–I had waited for it for a very long time.

So long that I thought I no longer cared.

Luckily, I could still leap with joy over it.

The young Charlotte was far too used to telling herself: you don’t deserve to waste money.

Now, someone could finally buy it for her.

That person was me.

During this time, Mom persevered in sending messages.

[Charlotte, it’s getting cold. I knitted a pair of gloves for you–remember to wear them when you go out.]

[It’s Olivia’s birthday next month. Come home for a family gathering if you have time.]

[Your old rhinitis medication is about to be discontinued. I bought a bunch and mailed them to your company.]

On the other side of the screen, she was desperately trying to play the loving mother.

But just last week, I had turned twenty–five.

As for the rhinitis, it was cured back in college.

The harder she tried to love me, the worse the results were.

But I no longer felt heartache over it.

Old grudges don’t vanish; they merely fade with time.

And fading along with them was family bond.

Right before Christmas, a call came from home.

“Hello, Charlotte. It’s Dad.”

Dad’s voice sounded older than I remembered.

“I know you’re still mad at your mother, and going on deployment was your own choice. Dad doesn’t blame

you. You really suffered in this house over the years.”

“Christmas is coming. Come back so we can gather together. Dad will take you to set off fireworks like when you were little, okay? And…”

I didn’t give him the chance to keep reminiscing about the past.

“Dad, I don’t like fireworks.”

“Ever since I was burned by Owen’s fireworks, I stopped liking them.”

“You don’t even remember that, so what’s the point of me coming back?”

“Reunion means a family staying together, but you and I are already miles apart.”

He paused, attempting to struggle.

“It’s a small thing; it’s not that serious. Charlotte, come home. Dad will back you up no matter what.”

A sarcastic smile crossed my face.

Too bad he couldn’t see it.

“Dad,” my tone suddenly grew serious, “was there ever a single time you spoke up for me? Even once?”

Silence fell over the other end of the line.

Then the call disconnected.

The room returned to quiet once more.

Messages popped up one after another on Slack.

[Charlotte, I popped a bottle of champagne–I’ll bring it over to your place in a bit.]

[Team lead, Happy New Year! May we make even more money in the new year.]

[Happy New Year, everyone. And yes–to bigger bonuses.]

I walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner for myself and my incoming colleagues.

Deep within my warm subconscious, my wolf lay comfortably curled up.

Outside the window, a sea of city lights flickered.

And my own lamp had already been lit by my own hands.