Chapter 67
Faith’s Pov
+25 Points
I was hungry. It had been a day or so since I’d last eaten. The hunger wasn’t just a little rumble anymore; it was a deep, clawing ache, a constant demand from my newly awakened wolf. And it was worse, much worse than normal hunger.
Fear kept me glued to the bed. The pack house kitchen felt miles away.
Six years ago, they’d loved to taunt me, to make me feel small and worthless, like a speck of dust. I was met with sneers and whispers at every turn. It had almost broken me. But I wasn’t that girl
anymore.
I had found my strength, my self–worth but even then the idea of facing them, of hearing their
hurtful words, made my hands tremble.
“No,” I whispered to myself, pressing a hand to my aching stomach. “I can’t stay here.” The growl
from deep within me was more than hunger; it was my wolf’s desperate plea.
More than that, it was the thought of my son, my little man. If I starve myself and die, who will take care of him? That thought was a jolt of ice water, clearing my head. My son needed me. He was
my world, and I would face a hundred taunting pack members for him.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, I pushed myself off the bed. My legs felt heavy, but I forced myself to move. One foot in front of the other. The doorknob felt cold under my hand. I twisted it, pushing the door open a crack, peering out into the silent hallway.
The moment I stepped out, a tall man in the hallway, someone I vaguely recognized from years
ago, turned and saw me. My heart leaped into my throat. He normally would have ignored me, or worse, scoffed. But instead, he offered a low bow, his eyes wide with… respect? “Luna,” he
murmured, a strange reverence in his voice.
I blinked. “Oh. Uh, thank you,” I managed, utterly thrown off. This was completely new. Six years ago, no one would have even looked in my direction. Nodding stiffly, I hurried past him, my mind
buzzing with confusion.
A
The journey to the kitchen was even stranger. People I passed in the hallways, men and women, all stopped what they were doing. They bowed their heads, some even saying “Luna” softly as I walked by. My jaw felt tight. What was going on? Was this some elaborate, cruel joke? Was Chase behind this? My wolf rumbled, confused and on edge.
Finally, I reached, pushing open the kitchen door, I stepped inside.
1/3
<Chapter 67
+25 Points
The large kitchen was bustling with activity. Several women were chopping vegetables, stirring pots, and laughing. But the moment I entered, the laughter died. All heads turned to me. The knives stopped chopping, the spoons stopped stirring. And then, as one, every single woman turned, faced me, and bowed their heads low. Deep, respectful bows.
“Welcome back, Luna,” they chorused, their voices soft and genuinely warm.
My mind reeled. This was beyond anything I could have imagined. My voice came out a little shaky. “Thank you,” I said, trying to sound calm. “I… I was wondering if I could just make something to
eat.”
A middle–aged woman, who I remembered as always having a glare for me, stepped forward. Her face was now gentle. “Oh, Luna, no! Please, you don’t have to touch a thing. Tell us what you desire,
and we shall prepare it for you.” The others nodded eagerly.
This was completely out of the ordinary. Way, way out of line. I remembered how they used to
watch me like a hawk, making sure I didn’t take an extra piece of bread. Now they were offering to
cook anything for me? It had to be a trick. A prank. They were probably waiting for me to relax, to
let my guard down, then they’d spring their trap.
“Alright,” I said slowly, my eyes narrowed slightly. “Then… I’ll just sit.” I chose a seat at a large
wooden table, keeping my back to the wall, watching them carefully. They seemed genuinely
happy, bustling around to get me food. A plate piled high with eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit was
placed in front of me. They even brought a glass of fresh juice. They served me in silence, not a single one speaking, just making sure I had everything I needed.
My wolf practically purred as I ate, devouring the food quickly, but still cautiously. No one said a
word. No one made a snide remark. It was… unsettling. Once finished, feeling a little more
grounded, I stood up. “Thank you,” I said again, perhaps a little less skeptically this time.
“Of course, Luna,” they murmured, bowing again.
I needed air, I needed to figure out what was happening. This whole situation felt unstable. I
couldn’t stay here forever. My son needed me, and I needed to be safe for him. Gently, I pushed the
kitchen door open and stepped out into the hallway, still reeling.
As I walked, lost in thought, I rounded a corner and bumped squarely into someone. “Oh!” I gasped, almost losing my balance.
“Faith!” a familiar voice exclaimed.
I looked up and froze. Kimberly. Chase’s mate. The last time she’d spoken to me, six years ago, she had spat venom, accusing me of being the reason her husband was banished, of ruining her life. I braced myself for the verbal assault.
2/3
Chapter 67
But Kimberly’s face was bright, a genuine smile on her lips. “Faith! It’s so good to see you! How are you?” She even reached out as if to touch my arm, but thought better of it.
I had had enough. My patience, already thin from the day’s strange events, snapped. “What’s your deal, Kimberly?” I asked, my voice sharp. “What do you want from me? Six years ago, you couldn’t stand the sight of me. You called me every name under the sun, blamed me for everything. And
now you want to make small talk?”
Kimberly’s smile faltered slightly, but she didn’t look angry, only a little sad. “Faith, things have changed. A lot has changed in six years. A lot of us… we realized. We realized you were never the villain. We were wrong.”
My wolf snarled softly inside me, a rumble that vibrated through my bones. I stared at her, my eyes blazing. “Is that supposed to make up for it?” My voice rose, cutting through the air. “Is that supposed to erase the years you spent making my life a living hell? Making me question my sanity, wonder if I was truly as worthless as you all made me feel?”
The air around us seemed to thicken. Astor’s mark on me, the bond we shared, was more than just a feeling; it gave me power. Even without a ceremony, I was the Luna, and my wolf’s command, even in a raised voice, carried weight. Kimberly flinched, her eyes widening, taking a step back.
“We can’t bring back the years, Faith,” she said, her voice small now, almost a whisper. “We can’t change how we treated you. But the least we can do is apologize. I am truly sorry, Faith. We were
all blind.”
My jaw tightened. An apology. After all this time. “No,” I said, my voice firm, unwavering. “I am not going to accept your apology. But it’s good that you came to your senses.”
2
