Rejected His Miracle Luna (Dorothy and Ignatius)
Chapter 32

Chapter 32 -Ignatius-

I appeared, a little too overconfident, at the main hall back on Khall territory with Dorothy at my side. She had said she felt nothing about being back but the tension in her shoulders and her iron grip on my

sleeve said otherwise.

We had paid a visit to Anita a few hours earlier and Dorothy had updated her old foster mother on her new life by the sea. Anita was happy to see Dorothy and also seemed slightly relieved to see that she was unharmed and well.

News of Johan's vicious attack on his father had spread quickly. I was sure that, in Anita's eyes, Dorothy had dodged a bullet when she chose me over Johan. It didn't seem like a fair assumption but it was an understandable one, all things considered

Johan, like me, had barely known his mother. Now that his father was gone - suffering a brutal death at the hand of his own offspring - there was no one left to defend Johan, nor to mourn his absence.. Nob*dy understood his actions, their understanding of the situation had been skewed all the more by Claudia who seemed determined to pin everything on Dorothy

It was Claudia who had spread the word of Dorothy's rejection as well as her lies that had the Khall suspicious of me.

It seemed that, in Mavis's absence, Claudia had taken over as the new queen bee. While she was cutthroat enough, she was nowhere near as intimidating and demanding of reverence as Mavis had been. Both Dorothy and I were unsure of how to feel about Mavis's disappearance. While neither of us was the biggest fans of the girl she didn't deserve to die. Mavis's mother was present at the meeting I spotted the tall woman hanging onto the arm of a grey-haired man who seemed uncomfortable with her attachment to

him

Looking at her it was clear where Mavis got her good looks from and, watching the way she talked circles around everyone in the vicinity it was clear that she'd gotten her manipulative tactics from her mother as well I respected the tactics. If Mavis had been less of a vicious snake, we probably would have been friends

None of that mattered now though. Dorothy tugged at my hand when the Khall leader made an appearance. Emanual was a wry middle-aged man in a grey suit. The silver linings in his hair alluded to his age and the weight of responsibility as pack leader but he still carried himself like an Alpha

He strode into the hall and scanned the crowd of people jostling around. His gaze finally landed on me and Dorothy.

It wasn't hard to spot us, the crowd gathering in the hall kept a wide distance between the two of us, occasionally shooting nervous glances our way. Well, nervous glances at me, and resentful glares at Dorothy. She shrank behind me, hiding from the hundred condoning eyes.

Emmanual nodded a hello to me and beckoned for us to come forwards.

"Just so everything is clear,” he spoke when we approached. “This is not a condonement of you or the Bielke people. This is only to gain a better understanding of the situation at hand. There is a rogue among us and my people are scared, they have a right to know the truth."

I grit my knees. Was it his people's right to know the ins and outs of Dorothy's predicament? I understood he was doing what he felt best for his people, but I didn't appreciate just how much information I would have to disclose about Dorothy

Emanuel turned to the crowd and people began to quiet down. He raised a hand to stop the last of the chatter and beckoned for me to step forwards. I complied. Dorothy stayed behind me determined not to let go of my hand but fearful of the crowd

It hurt to see that. Back home her coutudence had grown tenfold and she presented herself with her chin up high. But here,

it was like she reverted back to the Dorothy I had first met the one who believed she was worthless.

I wanted to shame them all for their treatment of her, but I held my tongue

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10:45 Fri, Jan 26 G

Chapter 32

Emanuel addressed the crowd, "This is Ignatius Armound of the Bielke Pack. As well as his mate, Dorothy - Hmm, Dorothy. a former member of our r own pack."

They didn't even know her last name, How could they? Dorothy had no last name, only one that she had given to herself. Sanitatum. She told me that she had chosen it as a child, unaware of where she had first heard the word, only that it felt right.

I nodded to the crowd as a murmuring spread. Emamial quieted them down and turned to face me. "Can you answer a few questions for us? Before we run through your side of the story?" 1 shrugged "Sure"

Had this been the Bicike Pack, there would be no council meeting. There would be swift and harsh punishment dealt to whoever was involved. It was a method I had been trying to change for a while by then. Elliot was a barrier to my efforts though. While I didn't agree with this particular method either. I did respect it a lot more.

"Thank you for co-operating, Emanual began, and I realized just how desperate he was to keep the peace between our packs. He knew the Khall would not survive going to war with the Bielke and he was determined to protect his people by keeping that precarious peace

"You and Johan, the rogue, are friends? Is that correct?

We were friends. Things changed after after everything that happened."

Emanuel had to hush the crowd once more when my answer stirred a small outcry.

"And Dorothy was Johan's initial true mate?"

I clenched my jaw. "Yes"

"Am I to understand that Johan chose to reject Dorothy, and then later changed his mind?"

"That is correct"

There was a snicker in the crowd and I narrowed my eyes at the culprit. Claudia winked back at me and fluttered her fingers in a snide greeting.

"But by then Dorothy had already chosen you."

I squeezed Dorothy's hand in reassurance. Despite the context, it still felt good to hear those words.

"Yes, she did."

Someone else in the crowd, a woman's voice chimed in at that moment. "So it's her fault. The little sk ank started all of this"

Mavis's mother. I swallowed a low growl that reverberated in my gullet. "Johan's breakdown was set into motion by his own actions. As well as the questionable actions of your own daughter I hadn't meant it to sound like an accusation but it could not be taken back.

The crowd exploded in an uproar as accusations boomed around the hall. Emanuel struggled to quiet them and I racked my brain for how to save the situation.

Just then, the hand in mine removed itself and Dorothy stepped forwards. She stared blankly at the crowd before her who tumed their bellowing towards her. When there was a moment of relative silence, Dorothy spoke.

"Joban was any true mate. When I approached him on my eighteenth birthday he told me that he couldn't be with me. He was dedicated to your daughter, wholly and truly" She directed the latter half to Mavis's mother who pursed her bright red hips in skepticm,

"It wasn't until almost two days later when we hnally completes the severing of our bond. I'm sure that alone was already. hand on paland she continued, giving a full layout of everything that had happened down to Mavis's own true mate showing up and leaving just as quickly'

Fri, Jan 25

Chapter 32

The Khall people had fallen silent by the time she was nearing the end. "What happened may very well have been my fault I don't know where Johan is now, and neither does Igiutius. I don't know where Mavas is either but I hope that she will make

home safely.

"What you need to keep in mind is that I am neither Khall not Birlke. This is not a matter of betrayal from either pack. Thus is not a cause for fighting. The Bielke people have already sent their own trackers to search for Johan and rectify this mutter The Bielke is not your enemy, nor you theirs, apologize for the trouble I've caused"

With that, the stepped back and slipped her hand into mine. Ettimiel stood quiet for a moment, pondering her word. "Thank you, Dorothy. This has been very helpful. You and your mate may go

This was followed by a cry of outrage by Mavis's mother, but the majority of the crowd seemed satisfied with the response.

Dorothy gripped my hand and walked us both out of the hall, Ignoring the eyes boring into her back. In that moment, av 1. looked down at her small frame, striding in front of me, she looked powerful and sure of herself. She looked like a Luna.

-Dorothy-

The second we were out of the door and heading to Ignatius's car, my legs grew shaky and threatened to give way beneath me. Igratius put a hand on my shoulder to steady me and guided me toward the car. "You did great, Dorothy. In fact, you did my job better than me

"You're welcome, I said alisently, focussing on making it to the dir without falling flat on my face.

Thad suspected the meeting would go something like that. They needed someone to blame, and if it wasn't the Bielke Pack, it would have to be me. I didn't mind that

They hadn't liked me very much anyway So long as it kept the peace and I was left free to be with Ignatius, I didn't care what any of them thought of me.

That didn't stop the jitters that were wreaking have through my b*dy though. Ignatius opened the passenger door and I flopped down into the seat, breathing a sigh of relict and brushing back my hair with shaking hands.

I allowed myself to breathe, slowly working on calming my nerves and pulling Ignatius closer so that I could inhale his scent like I needed my fix. He smoothed a hand over my hair, spouting a string of reassuring jabber while I teared up and hutted and pouted and smiled all at once

I had been terrified to face my former pack, the people who didn't want me. But with that confrontation came a huge se of relief that shook me to my runs. Even with Claudia and her crowd present. I had felt fearless in front of them. It was a good thing they couldn't see me then though, sniveling into my boyfriend's shoulder like a baby,

I was interrupted from my serendipitous catharsis by a frantic-looking shifter dashing towards the doors of the hall we had. just left.

1 recognized him as one of the Khall's best trackers, Ezra. The look on his face told me there was bad news to come. I watched as he rushed through the doors, alreadly stepping back out of the car to follow him. "Ignatius, I think something's happened"

We hurried after him and stood at the door just in time to hear Ezra announce to Emanuel and the crowd.

"Mavis has been found. Dead. Dead for a good long while. Furthermore, Johan has gained allyship with the Tally Pack and is now rallying troops to come for both the Khall and Bielke people”

My eyes were fixed to Ignatius's face-gaging his expression. I didn't know the Tally Pack, but whatever they were, things didn't sound good. Ignatius's face was one of horror and disbelief, I swallowed the knot of fear that clotted my throat.

Things were indeed not good.