Chapter 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
81\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucas\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since Maurine collapsed after the vampire hoodlum attack at that damned bar, confusion had wrapped itself around me like a suffocating shroud.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring out the window where the pear blossom tree stood, its delicate petals fluttering in the cold night breeze. That tree had been the scene of so many memories, so many promises made and broken. And now, it haunted me again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maurine. The key. The cure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I rubbed my temples, trying to make sense of it all. \u201cWhy?\u201d I muttered under my breath, voice rough with frustration. \u201cWhy did she get infected if she\u2019s supposed to be the cure?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beta Reid had been pacing the room for the past hour, no doubt just as restless as I was. \u201cAlpha,\u201d he said finally, breaking the silence. \u201cWe need to watch her carefully. The infection might be hiding, but it\u2019s there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I nodded, not trusting myself to say more. I\u2019d left Reid in charge of guarding Maurine in the shadows while I went back to Silvana Pack, desperate for answers. Answers that seemed to slip through my fingers like sand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The elders had been tight-lipped as always, but I pushed harder until they brought the seer to me. The old woman arrived that night, draped in black robes that fluttered like raven wings. Her eyes, cloudy yet piercing, fixed on me without a word at first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finally, she spoke, voice rasping like dry leaves. \u201cThe vampire hoodlums multiply with desperation. They seek the key, the cure hidden in the life essence of your fated mate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My jaw clenched. \u201cMy fated mate,\u201d I repeated, tasting the words.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She nodded slowly. \u201cBut the she-wolf cannot feel the bond. The key hides herself, for she carries the fate of many on her shoulders.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to argue, to say I knew who she was-Maurine, beneath the fragile surface. But doubt crept in, cold and sharp. If Maurine was the key, why did the infection claim her? Why was she so weak, collapsing like that?\u00a0<\/p>\n
That question consumed me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the seer finished repeating the premonition, she gave me a warning: the key can meet you in the place where the pear blossoms fall, under the tree where fate first called you together.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That tree.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And fuck it, she already told me about the same premonition years ago. Why was she repeating it now as if I didn\u2019t memorize it myself?\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knew that tree well, better than anyone. And I knew Maurine was there once, waiting. But somehow\u2026 something didn\u2019t sit right.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back in my room, the weight of it all pressed down on me like a mountain. I paced the floor,\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:39\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wed, Jan 28\u00a0<\/p>\n
fists clenched, trying to push away the doubt that was poisoning my heart. Could it be possible\u2026 that Maurine wasn\u2019t the key? That she wasn\u2019t my fated mate?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The thought stabbed at me like a sharpened fang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That night, when sleep finally claimed me, I was pulled into a dream so vivid it felt more real\u00a0<\/p>\n
than the world I knew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was a boy again, no older than twelve, standing beneath that same pear blossom tree. The petals drifted down like snow, each one catching the light like tiny stars. The air smelled of spring and fresh earth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And then I saw her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A girl in a pink dress, her laughter bright and clear as she jumped around with a small white rabbit. She was beautiful in that innocent, untouched way only children can be. She didn\u2019t notice me at first, too lost in her play.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But then I stepped closer. She turned slowly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And my breath hitched in my throat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t Maurine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was Rebecca.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her eyes caught mine, deep pools of stormy grey that seemed to see through me, through the years and the lies. For a moment, time stood still.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHi,\u201d she whispered, her voice like a song I hadn\u2019t heard in years but never forgotten.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wanted to reach out, to touch her, but something held me back. Shadows curled at the edges of the dream, dark and whispering warnings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you here?\u201d I asked, voice trembling with confusion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She smiled softly, the kind of smile that both healed and hurt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been looking for me all this time,\u201d she said. \u201cBut you never knew.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The petals swirled faster now, blurring the edges of the dream.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is the key?\u201d I demanded, desperation rising in my chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s eyes held mine, steady and knowing. And then she was gone, swallowed by the falling petals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I jolted awake, sweat slick on my skin, heart pounding like a war drum. The room was dark and silent, but the questions screamed louder than ever.\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:39 Wed, Jan 28 MR\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 21\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
The wedding was fast approaching, each day closing in like the tightening jaws of a trap. The whole pack buzzed with preparation, but for me, every second felt heavy, like I was walking on a knife\u2019s edge between duty and something deeper I didn\u2019t fully understand yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Every midnight since I arrived at the Thane Pack house, I found myself slipping quietly into Alpha Maximus\u2019s room. No one knew where I went in those dark hours-omegas careful not to question the rituals of the Alphas-but I felt drawn there by something beyond reason. The room was always dim, bathed only in the soft glow of moonlight filtering through heavy curtains. Maximus lay on his bed like a sleeping giant, his handsome features peaceful but marred by the faintest shadow of pain that never seemed to leave him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But at midnight, his eyes would snap open-red and sharp as rubies-and though at first he looked like a threat, those moments changed the way I understood him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can save me,\u201d he said one night, voice low and raw with exhaustion. His hand reached out, trembling, to grasp mine. \u201cWhen you\u2019re near, the pain\u2026 it lessens. But I don\u2019t know why.\u201d His honesty struck me harder than I expected. Here was a man, or wolf, broken and trapped inside his own body, reaching out in the dark for anything that could keep him from slipping\u00a0<\/p>\n
away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swallowed the lump in my throat. \u201cI don\u2019t know why either,\u201d I admitted, voice barely above a whisper. \u201cBut I\u2019ll be here. Every night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Night after night, I returned, sitting by his side, speaking softly, sharing stories, trying to learn the man behind the curse. I hoped somehow my presence could ease what haunted him. Then one night, as I quietly stepped out of his room just before dawn, Beta Yuan caught me. He had already warned me not to do it again because he said it\u2019s dangerous but I was too hardheaded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His sharp eyes flicked between me and the shadows, a mix of concern and something else\u2014 curiosity, maybe, or suspicion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRebecca,\u201d he said quietly, pulling me aside onto the balcony where the cold air bit at our skin. The moon hung low and heavy, casting silvery light over the quiet pack grounds. \u201cI told you it\u2019s dangerous.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked down, heart pounding. \u201cHe\u2019s not, Beta Yuan. He told me already, his pain lessens whenever I\u2019m with him,\u201d I admitted. \u201cI\u2019m no longer scared, okay? I realized he\u2019s harmless upon\u00a0<\/p>\n
coming back to his room each night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sighed heavily. \u201cYou\u2019re stubborn.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I mirrored his sigh, feeling the weight of his gaze. \u201cI\u2026 I can reduce his pain. Whenever I\u2019m near, it\u2019s like the ache inside him softens. That\u2019s why I keep coming back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beta Yuan was silent for a long moment, eyes fixed on the moonlit horizon. Then he looked at me, his expression unreadable. \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 unusual. Are you sure he\u2019s not just pretending to be\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/2 35.0%\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:39 Wed, Jan 28 DMR\u00a0<\/p>\n
fine?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I shrugged, trying to seem casual, but inside I felt like my chest would burst. \u201cNo, and I don\u2019t know why. Or maybe there\u2019s another reason why still don\u2019t know about.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He finally broke into a small, thoughtful smile. \u201cI can\u2019t stop you from visiting him, can I? Just make sure you\u2019re safe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to be afraid of my own future husband,\u201d I said, surprising myself with the truth. \u201cI want to face what\u2019s coming, with him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a pause, and then I took a breath, the courage rising in me like wildfire.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBeta Yuan\u2026 I want our wedding to be at midnight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His eyes widened slightly, clearly taken aback by the request.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMaximus will be awake then,\u201d I explained, \u201cand I want him to remember it. To be part of it, even if he\u2019s in pain.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beta Yuan hesitated, but I saw the kindness in his gaze soften.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat can be arranged,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cI\u2019ll make sure it happens.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The days that followed felt surreal. The pack rallied, every corner bursting with excitement and tension. I helped where I could, though my mind was tangled in worries and hopes. Would Maximus truly be awake? Would he remember me even though it was his Alpha wolf I was talking with every night?\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:39 Wed, Jan 28 MR\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rebecca\u2019s POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
When My Alpha Ex-Husband Came Looking for Me by Mark Twain 20 Chapter 20\u00a0 81\u00a0 Lucas\u2019s POV\u00a0 Since Maurine collapsed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-unclaimed-luna-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23888"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23888\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}