Chapter 11: The Luna They Chose

The emergency meeting was scheduled for noon.

By then, every senior member of the Red Mesa council had gathered in the main hall.

I sat beside Wyatt, listening as the elders reviewed the alliance documents.

No one asked me to defend myself.

They didn't need to.

The contract spoke for itself.

Five years of mutual protection.

Five years of trade privileges.

Five years of Stonebridge receiving access to Red Mesa's inland routes.

And now, five years were over.

A messenger entered the room and handed Wyatt a sealed envelope.

He opened it slowly.

His eyebrows rose.

What is it?

I asked.

He slid the letter across the table.

Stonebridge wants to renegotiate.

I read the first few lines.

The Hawthorne elders were requesting that Red Mesa delay its withdrawal until after the Winter Moon ceremony.

I almost smiled.

They wanted time.

More precisely, they wanted time for Julian to complete Felicity's Luna presentation.

Dad read over my shoulder.

They still think they can control the timing.

Wyatt leaned back.

Let them think that.

A second messenger appeared before anyone could speak.

This time, he carried a personal letter addressed to me.

The seal on the envelope was unmistakable.

Julian Hawthorne.

I opened it.

Clara,

I know I've handled things badly.

Come back to Grayhaven before the Tidewatch ceremony.

I'll cancel Felicity's presentation.

For the first time in years, I stared at his words without feeling the urge to believe them.

I handed the letter to Wyatt.

He read it once and laughed.

He finally understands.

I shook my head.

No.

He finally understands what losing me costs him.

Those were two very different things.

That afternoon, another message arrived.

It wasn't from Julian.

It was from Felicity.

She sent a photograph of herself standing inside the Tidewatch manor.

The antique lunar watch glittered on her wrist.

Underneath it, she had written one sentence.

Looks like some things were always meant to be mine.

I stared at the picture for several seconds.

Then I deleted it.

I didn't feel jealous.

I didn't feel angry.

I felt nothing.

And somehow, that frightened me more than anger ever had.

That evening, Wyatt found me on the terrace.

The desert wind was warm against my face.

You really don't want him back?

He asked.

I looked toward the distant red mountains.

I wanted him once.

Very badly.

But wanting someone who constantly made you feel unwanted isn't love.

Wyatt nodded.

Then it's settled.

Tomorrow, Red Mesa will officially withdraw from the Stonebridge alliance.

I took a slow breath.

And Julian?

Wyatt's smile was cold.

Julian will finally have the Luna he chose.

He just won't have the alliance he needed to become Alpha.