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CHAPTER 4

THE TURNING POINT

As the last of the daylight melted into the night, I sat by myself at the edge of the woodland, knees pulled to my chest, staring blankly at the horizon. I could hear the pack's distorted, far-off sounds as though I were underwater. Days had passed since the rogue attack, but the scenes of Inna's icy rejection, the mayhem, the carnage were continually replayed in my head.

The sense of complete worthlessness stuck to me like a second skin no matter how hard I tried to get rid of it. I was meant to be his Luna, his mate.

Nevertheless, I had been cast aside as if I were unimportant. He referred to me as weak.

Each time the word reverberated in my mind, it sank more into my bones.I felt as though a part of me had been irreparably shattered.

Quietly, my wolf huddled inside me, licking the scars we both bore. Even though she still stirred occasionally, her strength was just as brittle as mine since she had experienced the same rejection that I had.

I said to myself, "I can't stay here," barely audible above the silence of the night. They seemed to have more weight since I was speaking to them aloud for the first time.

I had made an effort to resist the want to leave the pack, which was the only home I had ever known. However,

However, each time I stayed, I felt more alienated and suffocated. Every day I spent here, where everything reminded me of what I could never be, was a festering wound from Inna's rejection.

Even though the rejection was intense and ongoing, it wasn't the worst part. It was an embarrassment. I had believed that I was unique and that my soul mate would cherish and desire me.

However, it was obvious that Inna thought of me as a mistake and a burden. And something inside of me had been shattered by that understanding.

The cool night air pricked my skin as I tightened my embrace around my knees. I lacked strength. I wasn't the warrior Luna that everyone thought I would be. I was simply me. Furthermore, it seems that wasn't

In my head, a terrible voice hissed, You'll never be Luna. You will always be the one who gets turned down.The notion caused a piercing pang to twist in my chest. I had allowed it to fester and devour me for days, but tonight something was different. I could feel something stronger than the anguish stirring within me.

No. I refuse to be broken by this.

After wiping the dirt from my trousers, I got up and turned to face the moon, which was low in the sky and creating long shadows in the forest with its pale light. I felt as though the future was gloomy and unclear. However, I was certain that I couldn't remain here and let Inna's rejection define who I was.

I reflected on the rogue attack and the terror I had experienced when the wolf attacked. The rogue's teeth should have cut me to pieces that day, and I should have died. But something had shifted in me, a spark of survival that had erupted out of nowhere. I had battled at that point because I refused to be a victim, not because I was Luna material or because I had some pack responsibility.

The spark was still there, glowing deep inside me, just waiting to be nourished, even though I was unaware of it at the time. I would disprove Inna's belief that I was weak. Not here, though. Not in a location where I was followed everywhere by rumors and everyone stared at me pityingly.

I had to go away from the eyes that were always criticizing me in order to develop my own power.

A weird calm, like the eye of a storm, came with the choice. Although I had never considered leaving my pack, I knew the journey ahead would be challenging, but it was the only way I could recover. The only way I could stop Inna's rejection from looming like a black cloud and become who I was supposed to be.

With my fists clenched, I thought, Perhaps leaving isn't a weakness. It might be the strongest thing I can do.

I gave the distant pack home one more glance, its windows shining warmly against the fading darkness. Inna would be inside getting ready for battles and alliances. However, I was no longer involved in any of that.

A voice interrupted me as I was making my way back toward the home to collect my belongings.

"You're actually going to leave?"

One of the pack warriors, Kira, was standing at the edge of the trees with her arms folded across her chest when I turned around. I hadn't anticipated her pursuing me, but she was one of the few wolves that hadn't treated me like trash following the rejection.

"I..." Uncertain of how much to divulge, I hesitated.

However, concealing the facts no longer served any purpose. "Indeed. I'm going.Though Kira's gaze grew softer, there was still a tinge of melancholy.

"Where are you going?""I'm not sure yet." As I spoke, the words felt both liberating and burdensome. Although I didn't have a plan, I did have a sense of purpose, which was more significant.

However, I must leave this place. I can't continue to act as though nothing is wrong.Her eyes flickered with understanding as she slowly nodded. "I don't hold you responsible. You haven't been treated kindly here.We stood silently for a while as the consequences of my choice hung over us.

I anticipated her attempting to persuade me to stay, telling me that if I gave The time. However, she didn't. Rather, she caught me off guard."If you ever need assistance..." The offer was evident even as Kira's voice trailed off.The lump in my throat was swallowed.

"I'm grateful."

After we nodded quietly, I turned to walk on, feeling a little lighter. Someone understood, at least. At least someone didn't believe that my desire to abandon everything was insane. My thoughts were clearer than they had been for days by the time I arrived at my tiny room on the pack house's edge.

I gathered what little I had, a necklace my mother had given me before she died, a small pocket of money I had saved, and an extra change of clothes. Although it wasn't much, it would do

A gentle brightness filled the room as the moon shone through the window. I paused to gaze at the location I had spent so much time calling home. The idea of leaving made my heart hurt, but it also felt appropriate.

I told myself, "You don't belong here anymore," and for the first time, I wasn't upset about it.

I was about to go after slinging my bag over my shoulder when there was a knock on the door. My heart jumped up and down my throat. At this hour, who might it be? I thought about ignoring it, but I felt compelled to respond.Inna was waiting there with an unreadable expression when I opened the door.

The memory of his rejection was still fresh, and seeing him made my stomach turn violently.

"Luna," he uttered softly. Something was faintly visible in his eyes, perhaps regret? No, it is not possible. Not him. "You're going to leave."

There was no question.

"Yes, I said, maintaining my composure in the face of the emotional whirlpool raging within me. "Yes, I am."

A moment of anxiety flashed across his face as he took a step closer. "You are not required to leave. I was mistaken.

My throat tightened each breath. This was the unexpected turn of events. He was standing here now, informing me that he had been mistaken after everything. However, something had changed and solidified within me. I couldn't be influenced by what he said.

I said, "You were right," in a firmer tone than I had anticipated. "I'm not capable of being your Luna. However, that does not imply that I am weak. It upsimply indicates that I'm not supposed to be here.

Inna started to say something, but I gave him no opportunity. With a soft click, the door behind me closed as I turned and walked past him.

I felt a burden leave my chest as I entered the night. I was not fleeing for the first time. I was making my own decisions. I had no idea where it would take me, but I was certain that my narrative was far from over.

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