The Luna’s Choice by Kat Silver

Chapter 6: Ayla

The moment the door was closed, I sank to the floor. It was no longer sobs that escaped my body but soul–shattering

screams.

She said I abandoned her.

Theo made it sound like I spent my teen years partying and getting into trouble. She said I dropped out of high school.

She said I wasn’t a sister to her.

The betrayal was soul–crushing.

I had given up everythin Purchase completed

I screamed and let the tears flow freely until my body ached. As soon as it felt like I could breathe without being stabbed by a red–hot dagger, I pulled myself up and started moving. I- only had a few hours to get my things and get out of Greytooth territory.

I had made myself a rogue. I didn’t have a pack anymore. And I had no idea where I was going to go. All the borders on this side of the territory sat right against other pack lands. To get out of one, I’d have to enter another. But it was my only option. Trying to get to unclaimed territory was too risky. I would have better luck on foreign pack land than on the land I just severed ties to.

After leaving a note for Zeff, I packed up and drove home. There was something I wouldn’t leave behind. Plus, I had to take care of a few things. Despite the betrayal, I wouldn’t

leave Kylee and my mother with nothing.

I pulled into the drive, only taking a minute to take in my childhood home. I got out and rushed inside. I went to my room, grabbing a file box with essential documents. I retrieved the small fire–proof safe from under my bed. I tapped in the code. Using my laptop to print some things out, I signed some forms, wrote a handwritten note, and put the documents back in the safe.

I was signing the house over to Ma. I had bought the debt and paid off the mortgage two years ago, but I would have no use for the place now. I doubted Ma would come back to stay here now that Kylee was going to be Luna. But at least this way, she can sell it instead of letting it fall into disrepair and

rot.

I transferred some funds to her bank account and sent an email explaining it would be enough to cover Kylee’s tuition for the coming school year and any additional expenses for the ceremony. If she continued her college education after this year, Theo would have to be responsible for that.

When that was all done and taken care of, I grabbed a few sentimental items and keepsakes. Although, the list shrank dramatically in light of recent discoveries. At least I was traveling light. I loaded what I wanted into my car but had one more thing to grab.

house, opening the door to the little gardening shed to find what I needed. Then I started the

to the pond and choked down

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move forward. Considering my new and unexpected status, I thought about going through my ritual again. But the last time didn’t seem to work as it used to.

a life with my fated mate. I had learned just how my family really saw me. And my wolf had left me. She had retreated deep inside me. And I let her. She needed to heal, and I wouldn’t try

the shed, I started digging until I heard the sound of metal hitting metal. I finished clearing the dirt away and pulled out the metal lock box. Opening it to check

breathed a small sigh of relief. Inside the box was a picture of my father and me, a small container holding some of his ashes, and a velvet pouch containing a ring. I grabbed the contents, not bothering with the

to my car, it was later in the day than I felt comfortable. The Greytooth Pack may not be the largest in population, but they had one of the biggest territories. The closest border crossing was nearly two hours away. And I needed to be far away before

give

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was better this way. I wasn’t going to risk him cutting ties and going rogue as well. Because he would. He would hold Theo responsible, and he would never stay in a pack with an alpha he didn’t respect, let alone hate. This way, the note left would have just made it seem like I got cold feet about

a straight shot to the border. I was grateful at first, but after about

idea what he would say. His initial reaction to our meeting had me thinking he would pursue the pairing. But then his increasingly icy demeanor throughout the evening made it seem like he was thinking along the same lines I was.

on our way. Neither one of us would have to break Kylee’s heart. I

reject me for Kylee. He rejected me because

I just

out.

ten years ago. I was fourteen, and Kylee was nine. Our thirteen- year–old cousin, Mina,

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Ma was hit pretty hard by the loss, so the three of us quickly started taking care of each other. We spent every spare minute with each other. Then our financial situation changed. Kylee was entirely too young,

paid enough to support a family of four at the age of fourteen was non- existent. I would need to work multiple jobs, and there just wasn’t enough time in the day. So, I approached the headmaster at my private high school and confided my situation with

my academic requirements by the end of my freshman year. I only had to take four summer classes to graduate a week after my fifteenth birthday. I was even able to broker a deal with him that would set the remaining three years of my scholarship fund

a different pack around that time. It was a hard but willing decision. We had lost touch a bit over the years. However, we still managed to call every year on each other’s

wondered if I would be able to do that this