His Rejected Luna

The Weight of His Presence

His scent reaches me first.

That unmistakable mix of pine, smoke, and something darkly addictive.

The scent that once felt like home now sends a sharp pang through my chest.

Kieran.

I freeze, every muscle in my body tensing. My breath hitches, my heartbeat roaring in my ears as I turn toward the rustling in the trees.

Shadows stretch between the towering oaks, swallowing the space around us in near-complete darkness. But I can feel him moving closer, his presence like a phantom touch against my skin.

A cruel trick of the mate bond that should have been severed.

That he lied about severing.

My fingers curl into fists as I brace myself. I don't know what I expect—maybe the same cold detachment he gave me when he rejected me in front of the pack. Maybe a calculated look, as if he's only here out of obligation.

But when Kieran steps into the clearing, the air shifts.

His golden eyes lock onto mine instantly, burning with something unreadable.

His black shirt clings to his broad frame, his powerful body coiled with tension. His dark hair is slightly disheveled, as if he's been running—or fighting.

The sight of him sends a fresh wave of anger rolling through me.

I square my shoulders, ignoring the way my heart stumbles at the sight of him. I refuse to let him see my weakness. Not again.

"What do you want?" My voice is sharp, steady. A stark contrast to the storm raging inside me.

Kieran doesn't answer right away. His gaze flicks to the dead rogue on the ground, then to Caelum, who remains relaxed against a nearby tree, watching the interaction like it's some kind of show.

Finally, Kieran speaks. "You shouldn't be here."

A bitter laugh escapes me before I can stop it. "Yeah? Well, I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

His jaw tightens. "You don't belong in rogue territory."

I lift my chin. "And I don't belong in Shadowmoon either."

Something flashes in his expression, but it's gone before I can name it.

Kieran takes a slow step forward. My body tenses, but I don't back away. I refuse to.

Then, his voice drops lower, rougher. "Come back."

I flinch.

It's not an order. Not quite a request. It's something in between, something tangled and frayed at the edges.

Something that doesn't make sense.

I shake my head, scoffing. "You have a real talent for giving mixed signals, you know that?"

His eyes darken. "Aria—"

"No," I cut him off, taking a step closer, my blood thrumming with barely contained fury.

"You rejected me. You humiliated me in front of the entire pack. You made sure I had nowhere to belong."

My voice wavers, but I don't let myself falter. "And now you're here? Telling me to come back like none of that happened?"

Kieran doesn't react at first. His face remains unreadable, his body a perfect mask of control.

But then—

A muscle ticks in his jaw. His fists clench at his sides.

And for the first time, I see it.

Frustration.

Regret.

Something aching behind those golden eyes.

But I don't care.

I refuse to care.

I force myself to laugh, the sound sharp and bitter.

"Unbelievable.

Do you even hear yourself?

Why the hell would I ever go back?"

Kieran takes another step forward.

I hate how effortlessly he invades my space, how my body still reacts to him despite every reason not to.

His voice is lower now, quieter.

"Because you're still my mate."

I go rigid.

The air between us thickens, heavy with something unspoken. I hate how my traitorous heart lurches at his words, how my wolf stirs deep inside me at the sound of mine.

But I'm not his.

Not anymore.

I take a slow breath, forcing my voice to stay steady. "No, Kieran. I'm not. You made sure of that."

A shadow flickers across his face, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.

Then, Caelum speaks.

"She knows."

Kieran's entire body stiffens.

Slowly, his gaze shifts to Caelum, who's still leaning lazily against the tree, looking utterly amused by this entire exchange.

Kieran's voice drops to something lethal.

"Stay out of this."

Caelum smirks.

"Oh, trust me, Alpha. I'd love nothing more.

But your mate deserves the truth."

Something dangerous crackles in the air.

Kieran steps toward him, his movements controlled but simmering with barely contained aggression.

"I said stay out of this."

Caelum only tilts his head, entirely unfazed.

"I think we both know that's not going to happen."

I glance between them, my pulse spiking.

There's something tense between them, something deeper than just hostility.

They know each other.

And whatever history they share—it's not good.

Kieran's fists clench at his sides, his entire body radiating fury. He looks like he's seconds away from attacking.

I step between them before he can.

"Enough," I snap, my voice firm. "I don't care about whatever alpha dominance nonsense is happening here. I just want answers."

I turn to Kieran, my chest tightening. "Why did you lie?"

His jaw locks. "I didn't—"

"Don't," I cut him off, shaking my head. "I know the bond wasn't broken." My voice wavers slightly, but I push forward. "I feel it. I still feel you."

Something flickers in his expression.

And in that split second—just for a fraction of a heartbeat—I see it.

Guilt.

He knows.

I swallow hard. "Why?"

Kieran is silent for a long moment. The air between us is suffocating, thick with something raw and desperate.

Then—

His lips part.

And for the first time since that night, he looks at me—not as his rejected mate, not as someone he cast aside.

But as someone he never wanted to lose.

His voice is low, barely above a whisper.

"Because rejecting you was the only way to keep you alive."

Kieran didn't reject Aria because he wanted to—he did it to protect her. But from what?