A Proposal For The Rejected Luna

plain. He had turned their back on me and abandoned me alone. It felt like I was dragging my feet in mud every day. I co

ason and my life. But where would I go? It was too quiet, too lonel

yed. Nothing could drown out the feeling that I didn't belong here anymore. I wasn't

ost. Ne

re and the fog lifted, a voice cut

ssi

before me. His eyes were unreadable, as always, but he looked as calm as ever, a

I can only make out the barest of

he was still tall and imposi

want to talk to me about? I hadn't spoken to him much before

voice was solid. "It was a way

roposal? What k

." 'It would be an arrangement that would bene

stared at him. "What a

ks, Cassie. My pack and yours. It's the only way to keep our territory safe wit

of alliances. But marriage? Between our packs? The thought alone made my st

ot arrogant, not power-hungry. All that was calm and practical. He wasn't

r pack, much less a rival one. But Mason had rejected me. He had betrayed me. T

ighten. After everything I'd been through, I wasn't ready to be a sing

"I don't know if I'm ready for this.

rstood there. He knew what I was feeling. Do you have to do it alone, Cassie?" You don't have to battle the

I could stomach the truth in his words, but I couldn't ignore them. It

op myself, I asked. "Why ar

you, Cassie.' I believe you're strong. You've been through a lot, and yo

o focused on my pain, my betrayal. I wasn't just someone's second choice, someone's

anyone right now," I admitted. 'Especially a

I know that you've been hurt. But I'm not him. I'm not asking yo

heart was still raw from Mason's rejection, and I couldn't ignore the reality of my situation. Xander wasn't giving

from me?" My voice was b

you to marry me, Cassie, for our pack's sake. This isn't about

I knew it was the right choice for my baby. Everything inside me was screaming that this wasn't what I wanted. I

his is a lot. "I have to figure ou

eyes, respect maybe. "Take all the time you need. But know this:

it. I had to make a huge decision, but I wasn't ready. I couldn't keep running away f

eft me alone. He wasn't offering me love, but he was offering me something more subst

ng, could I trust him? What would Mason think

I didn't know a

do? What if