Moon of Misfortunes

26

"Adaline," he drawls out, his voice gentle but firm. "Please look at me."

I lift my eyes from the ground to meet Rubio's gaze. Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes, and he sighs, concern etched deeply on his face.

"I had a feeling," he states softly.

"What?" I choke out, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion. My lower lip trembles.

"This whole time, you knew I was just some pathetic wolf," I bite out. "Was I just a charity project for you?"

Rubio draws back, frowning at my sudden change in demeanor. He crosses his arms tightly, clearly hurt by my words.

"No, not at all. I just noticed your wolf wasn't as present as most, is all. Where is this coming from?"

Of course, I would fuck this up.

I turn my back to him and start walking down the trail leading into the thick forest ahead. My stomach sinks, and I feel sick. Instinctively, I pick up the pace, hoping to put some distance between us. I wrap my arms around myself, seeking comfort.

Rubio's footsteps crunch behind me, keeping up with my hurried pace. After a few minutes, I snap around to face him. He freezes in his tracks, his eyes wary of another outburst.

"I'm sorry," I rush out.

"What for?" he says, tilting his head to the side, confusion evident in his eyes.

"For snapping at you. It's a really sensitive topic for me. I, uh, told Nikolai about it," I swallow hard. "I'm sure it's not much of a surprise, but he was an ass about it."

Rubio steps forward, gently grabbing my arms. "What did he say?"

"He was embarrassed about it. He told me never to talk about it to anyone else or our pack would think I was pathetic. He was worried it would open us up to an attack," I look down at his shoes before continuing. "He was ashamed about it. About me."

Rubio hooks his index finger under my chin, lifting my head so our eyes lock. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're perfect. He's the pathetic one. A pathetic man. A pathetic Alpha," he growls out. "A pathetic mate."

I nod, biting my lip to keep from crying.

"He's not who you should've been paired with. He couldn't handle having an incredible Luna like you. He's beneath you, and he knew it," Rubio states matter-of-factly.

He leans down to plant a quick kiss on my lips. I smile up at him as he presses his forehead against mine.

"I feel like he haunts me, you know," I admit.

"I get that. I'll help you through all of it, as it comes," he offers.

"I'm sorry I ruined your run," I whisper.

"Don't be," he replies. "I'm sorry I upset you."

"Do you still want to shift and go on a run? I'm happy to run with you. I don't want you to think that you can't shift around me," I ramble. "I really want to see your wolf."

"You can meet him another time. I'm happy to just walk with you," he says as he links our hands together.

"Okay," I agree. He smiles, tugging my hand back toward the Royal Castle.

As we walk, the forest around us grows darker, but the tension between us dissipates. The cool night air wraps around us like a blanket, and the sounds of nature starts to reach sing out. We walk for a minute before he looks over at me. I grin at him, catching his stare. My wolf perks up slightly.