<Chapter 23
Chapter 23
FAYE
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I stood barefoot in a meadow bathed in soft golden light, the tall grass swaying around my knees. Jason was there…my Jason, laughing as he held my hand and spun me in slow circles, the sunlight catching the flecks of gold in his eyes.
“You know,” he said with that crooked grin, “our first kid is going to have your stubbornness. I can already see it.”
I laughed. “Only if they get your ridiculous dimples. Otherwise, I’m sending them back.”
We tumbled into the grass, shoulders brushing, warmth wrapping around us like a second skin. I could feel his heartbeat, steady and close, and for a moment I believed it was real.
But then Jason stood, his gaze suddenly fixed somewhere beyond me. “Jason?” I called softly. He didn’t answer.
He began to walk away.
My smile faltered. “Jason?” I called again, louder now, rising to my feet. The wind seemed to swallow my voice.
Ahead, a figure waited–slim, graceful, her back turned. Jason reached her and stopped. The woman turned, and my breath caught.
It was Sage, my twin.
Sage smiled, a glint in her eyes, and Jason didn’t look back.
My voice broke into a desperate shout-
KNOCK KNOCK!
A sharp knock on my door yanked me into the dim light of my room. I blinked, heart pounding, the dream scattering into fragments. Just my memories again… and the ache of knowing they could still trick me this easily.
For a moment, I lay there tangled in the sheets, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling and wondering where I was. I’ve been here for days and I’m yet to get used to the environment.
The knock came again, a little louder this time, impatient without being rude. I groaned softly, dragging myself upright and rubbing the grit of sleep from my eyes. The floor was cool
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< Chapter 23
beneath my bare feet as I padded across the room.
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When I opened the door, Maya stood there. Her posture was polite but stiff, like she’d practiced standing exactly this way before knocking.
“Good morning, Luna,” she said, her tone careful, as though she wasn’t sure how I’d react. “I was asked to come let you know that breakfast is ready. Also… after breakfast, I’m supposed to give you a tour around the pack house. You know, in case you’d like to stretch your legs and… familiarize yourself with the environment.”
The way she said it, word for word, made it sound rehearsed. Someone…probably Irene…had told her exactly what to say and how to say it.
I squinted at her, still half–asleep, and for a split second wondered why on earth she had to show up this early. But then I glanced over my shoulder at the clock on the wall. Oh! It wasn’t early at all, In fact, it was exactly breakfast time. My sense of time clearly hadn’t caught up with my new surroundings.
“Oh,” I said, clearing my throat. “Right. Tell whoever’s waiting at the table that I’ll be out in a
bit.”
She gave a small nod. “Of course, Luna.”
I closed the door and leaned back against it for a moment.
I wasn’t sure whether to be grateful for the polite summons or irritated that my mornings were now apparently going to start on someone else’s schedule. Probably both.
Shaking it off, I hurried into the bathroom. The mirror didn’t lie–my hair was slightly rumpled, falling out of the braid I’d slept in, and a faint crease still marked my cheek from the pillow. Not exactly Luna material.
I splashed cold water on my face, letting it jolt me awake, then brushed my teeth quickly. A shower would have been nice, but I was already late, and I refused to make an entrance looking like I’d overslept.
I unfastened my braid, running my fingers through the waves until they fell loose around my shoulders. The mirror reflected a version of me that looked more like… me. I reached for my brush, working through the tangles until the strands smoothed out, then twisted the front sections back into a half–up style…practical, but still polished.
“Much better,” I said to myself.
Now came the question of what to wear.
I decided on a simple cream blouse with slightly puffed sleeves and a pair of dark,
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Chapter 23
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high–waisted trousers. Formal enough to show I cared, but not so stiff that I looked like I was trying too hard.
Slipping them on, I straightened the blouse’s cuffs and added a thin belt. I could already hear my old pack’s whispers if they saw me…“Faye actually cleans up nicely“…as though they’d expected me to show up in something frumpy.
A touch of color wouldn’t hurt. I found a muted berry lipstick in the vanity drawer and dabbed it on lightly. Just enough to keep me from looking like I’d been dragged out of bed, which, technically, I had.
I was already impressed as I checked myself out. “Good job, Faye.”
By the time I stepped back from the mirror, I almost looked like the sort of woman who belonged at Alexander’s side. Almost.
I glanced around the room like I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget anything.
Taking a steadying breath, I stepped out into the hallway.
The air was cooler out here, and I could hear the faint murmur of voices from down the
corridor–low, rhythmic conversation punctuated by the occasional clink of cutlery. Breakfast had already started. I guess it wasn’t just going to be Irene and I at the table this morning.
Part of me wanted to linger a little, to arrive just late enough to avoid most of the awkward moments of the meal, but I knew that would only give them more reason to judge me. So I squared my shoulders and headed toward the dining room.
Every step felt deliberate, like I was walking into another silent test.
I couldn’t help thinking of the meeting with the pack members, the way some of them had looked right through me, as though they didn’t see a Luna at all. Alexander’s calm, measured presence had been the only thing keeping the tension in check. Without him, I wasn’t sure how the day would have ended.
But he wouldn’t be here all the time to shield me from sidelong glances or polite–but–sharp comments. I had to learn to manage on my own…I hope I can.
Nova sighed. “You should give yourself more credit, you know? You’re doing well so far.”
“I hope so, I said.
As I reached the doorway, I paused for half a second, smoothing the front of my blouse.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
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