Second Chance for the Barren Luna (Talia and Jason) novel Chapter 395

Talia’s POV

As we left the dungeon, no one spoke. When we reached the stairs, Walden stopped so suddenly that Della almost ran into him. “I’m sorry. I should have known Arya would try something like that.”

“How could you have known?”

“I…”

“There was no way you could’ve known what she’d do,” I continued before he fully responded. “You can't take responsibility for this. She's an adult now."

He nodded, still unsure. “Still, I should’ve seen the signs. I don’t know why she changed like this.”

“Make sure the guards who saw what happened keep quiet. No one else needs to know,” I said. “We will handle this discreetly.”

“As you wish, Luna,” Walden stated and then went back to speak with the guards in the dungeon.

Della joined my side as I walked back to the hospital. “You do not need to fight her. I could do it for you.”

“And then she won’t give us the antidote,” I said.

“We can always ask Leslie,” Della suggested.

“Leslie has enough to be worried about that and don’t you dare contact her,” I said.

“Then, let me fight her for you. It is my duty as your Beta,” Della argued.

I smiled and said, “Thanks, but this is between Arya and me.”

“Do you want me to keep her sedated until the fight?” Marco suggested.

“No. Let her get what she wants,” I said. “She needs to be put in her place. I want her to have no doubt that I bested her, that she could never compare to the Alpha Queen.”

I went right to Nolan’s room when I got to the hospital. Marco and Della gave us space. I sat by Nolan's bed and sighed, "I should've listened to you. I should have never allowed you to accompany her for her shift."

His Alpha aura rolled off him and washed over me, calming my nerves. It seemed as if, even while unconscious, Nolan knew how much I needed him.

‘That wasn’t our mate’s mark,’ my wolf spoke up suddenly. ‘His scent was not on her!’

I closed my eyes and recalled again. She was right. I remembered when Nolan first bit me. His scent stuck with me all day, clinging to my skin. Arya didn’t smell like him at all.

“She lied,” I said out loud, relief sweeping throughout me.

My wolf huffed, amused. “It almost worked.”

“Your lack of humility will be your downfall.” That shut Arya up. She glared at me.

Walden cleared his throat and addressed the crowd. “This is an official challenge. Deputy Chief Warrior Arya has called for trial by combat. Luna Talia will defend her title and her honor.” He looked at Arya, then at me. “No weapons. First submission ends it.”

The pack first gasped in surprise as they originally thought this was just a simple spar. Now, knowing this was a challenge for the title, the pack burst into cheers. The majority of the pack were on my side.

“Talia is the only Luna I’ll recognize!”

“She should prove herself!”

“Arya should know better!”

I faced Arya. I rolled my shoulders before saying, “You said if I won, you’d tell me what I needed to know to wake Nolan.”

“And if I win, you admit I’m stronger, and you step down as Luna,” Arya responded.

I didn’t answer. Walden stepped back, and the crowd became silent.

“Begin,” he said.