The Alpha's Unwanted Luna (by Miss L) novel Chapter 264

Chapter 264

18 – Greta

I found myself glancing at Finn repeatedly, unable to tear my eyes away. The past two days had been nothing short of terrifying, and yet, somehow, fear no longer gripped me as it once did. My wolf had been right all along—Finn needed me to heal him, to help cleanse the poison coursing through his body. Patiently, my wolf took her time, tending to every single wound, no matter how small or large. There were more than a hundred cuts and scrapes, each one demanding care. We had to shift positions every twelve hours so she could lick them clean. Her saliva would temporarily staunch the bleeding, but inevitably, the wounds would start leaking again, slowly and persistently. Once we finally managed to close the wounds completely, I realized something else—Finn would have seizures if I ever stepped away from him. I was so afraid to leave his side, even for a moment to use the bathroom. Neither of us had much appetite, and I found myself carefully dripping water into his mouth, desperate to keep him hydrated.

“Just ask, Princess. Stop staring at me like that,” he said, his voice steady despite the weariness in his movements. Though his walk appeared firm, I had been close enough to him long enough to notice the subtle struggles beneath the surface.

“You said no one wants or trusts you except Kennedy. Why do you believe that? Everyone who came with you, those still in Dark Moon, they look up to you. They come to you when they need help.” I couldn’t believe he didn’t see himself the way others did.

He let out a short, bitter laugh. “They come to me out of habit. Most of them were born rogues; they don’t fully understand pack hierarchy or what requires permission and what doesn’t. Before Amy and Claude, people came and went as they pleased, no questions asked. Everyone was responsible for themselves, and we could pack up and move at a moment’s notice. We didn’t always know where the borders began or ended—there’s more unclaimed land out there than you might guess.” He took a deep breath, his gaze distant. “I haven’t held a rank or had a place to belong in a long time. I barely remember my pack. I know I have family somewhere out there, but I couldn’t tell you who or where. After the attack, I stayed as close to my pack as I could, but no one came looking for me. No one ever does. When Nan found me wandering in the woods, she took me in, made sure I was fed alongside the other kids. She didn’t coddle us or try to replace the parents we lost. We were always free to leave, but she also made sure we were educated, knew how to fight, and could survive on our own if that’s what we wanted. She never took our choice away.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you think you’re not wanted or that you’re not a leader,” I pressed gently.

“We were always free to leave, and some did. When people left and never came back, we stopped talking about them. It was as if they never existed—an unspoken rule. Knowing you’re easily forgotten or replaced, and seeing proof of it every day, it changes you.” His eyes stared blankly into the forest, unfocused. I recognized that look—the protective wall people raise to shield their broken souls from further pain.

“You’re still a leader,” I insisted. I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to convince him. He didn’t seem interested in a title, but there was something in the way his eyes lit up when he spoke about the rogues he cared for. I knew he cared deeply; otherwise, he wouldn’t have endured the years of abuse under Amy and Claude. He had probably suffered far more than anyone realized.

“They were told to follow me. We were young, bound by a mate bond I didn’t understand—easy for Claude to manipulate. Sammy and I were among the few who didn’t try to deceive people, but Claude knew exactly what to say to motivate us to act in ways that made others follow our commands more readily than those from new outsiders. We just wanted to keep everyone fed and safe. I’m only seen as a leader now because they don’t know any different.” He shrugged and stepped further ahead, clearly signaling he wanted to end the conversation.

“What makes you think you’re not wanted?” I jogged to catch up beside him.

“Ha! Are you kidding me?!” He stopped abruptly, and I bumped into his shoulder. “You, of all people, don’t get to ask me that.”

He was so close I could see the shifting shades of blue in his eyes. His intensity made my words catch in my throat. “I never said I didn’t want you,” I finally managed to say, coughing slightly.

“Liam, I swear, I’ll punch you so hard it’ll take a forensic scientist to find you,” I shot back.

“So that’s a ‘yes,’ then,” he laughed. “Didn’t he do it for you the way you expected?” He raised his eyebrows playfully.

“I’m definitely mixing novocaine into your lube,” I warned, laughing at his shocked face. “Should I warn a boyfriend so he’s not thrown off by your lack of reaction?” I eyed him skeptically.

“Not currently, but noted,” he smiled. “The alpha wants to talk to you before you leave. We figure you both scared the rogues off, so we don’t expect any more trouble, but he’d like to get an idea of who and what we’re dealing with before you go.”

I gave a brief overview of what we had discovered and what we expected now that Finn knew the rogues and Dark Moon might be targeted again. Once I finished, I went to find Finn and Grant, who were talking and laughing about something. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling the flutter of butterflies in my stomach at the sight of Finn’s expression. But I had to stop the thought. I couldn’t let myself see him as cute, laughing with one of our warriors. I didn’t want a mate—not after everything I’d been through before Ryker found me.

“Hey, Princess, you coming or what?”