The Lunar Queen (Lyric and Mason) novel Chapter 66

Chapter 66

“Nova said she healed your souls and bodies,” she responds.

“You feel different,” Winter tells her.

D

“I am different. I am finally who I was meant to be,” she says. And it’s not just words-you can hear it in her tone. She believes it.

She turns and looks at me, and it stops me cold. There’s no confusion in her gaze anymore. No hesitation. Just certainty.

“Hello my king” she says, and gods, it goes straight to my cock.

“We have some things to discuss. I know you kept stuff from me,” she says, raising a brow. There’s a hint of challenge there

playful, but real. She knows exactly what she’s doing.

Then her parents burst into the room.

“Daddy,” she yells, running into her father’s arms.

Lyric POV

The moment I see my father, I become the little pup scraping my knees. “Daddy,” I yell, running into his arms, “my pup, I am so happy you are okay. I am so sorry for everything,” he cries.

I hug him, healing his soul and releasing calming energy into him. The second my arms wrap around him, everything he’s been holding in presses into me-sharp, overwhelming, heavy with guilt-and for a split second it almost knocks the breath out of me,

but I don’t let go. I steady him anyway.

He pulls me back. “What did you do to me?” he asks.

“Nova helped me heal your soul, and we just gave you calm energy,” I reply.

“What are you?” he asks. His voice wavers slightly, like he already knows the answer won’t be something simple.

“We will talk about that in a minute,” I say, stepping out of my dad’s arms and walking to my mother.

“Hello, mommy,” I say.

The sob that rips through her breaks my heart. It’s not quiet-it’s raw, torn straight out of her chest like she’s been holding it back

for months and can’t anymore.

I step into her arms, hugging her tightly. We heal her soul and her body, then send her calming energy. “I’m okay, Mom, and you are not a bad mother. Nothing she did is your fault; she is responsible for her own actions.” We push the calm deeper into her this time, making sure it settles instead of slipping away, because I can feel how fragile she is right now.

THU

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Chapter 66

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Then I smell the warm, sweet scent of chocolate peanut butter cookies. It cuts through everything instantly-too sharp, too sudden -and my body reacts before my mind does, muscles tightening, breath catching.

“No, I thought I had more time.” I whisper. The words fall out low, almost to myself, dread curling tight in my chest.

“For what, my dear?” my mom asks.

“Mate,” Nova and I say together, just as Mason stands in front of me.

I am frozen in place, pulled back into every slice, every whip-my body jerks from the memory. It’s hot a thought-it’s physical. My skin remembers. My lungs forget how to work for a second, like I’m right back there and can’t get out.

I can hear people talking around me, but it’s drowned out by my screams.

Before I can think, the words leave my mouth “I, Lyric Cassidy, daughter of Donovan Cassidy, daughter of the moon, reborn, reject you, Mason Lane, future Alpha of the Moonveil pack as my mate.” My voice holds steady, but my chest feels tight, like every word is being forced through something that doesn’t want to let it out.

He looks at me with so much hurt, and I break.

“Please, Mason, I can’t be with you. You are a constant reminder of being beaten and assaulted, and I can’t breathe around you,” I cry. The words come out faster now, like if I stop I won’t be able to finish.

“Sunflower,” he whispers.

I walk into his arms, and he hugs me tightly. For a second, everything in me wants to stay there, to pretend nothing changed-but my body doesn’t relax, it doesn’t forget, it doesn’t let me.

“Please don’t make me force you to accept it,” I whisper.

He pulls back, looking into my eyes.

“I love you, Mason, and I always will, but I can’t be mated to you. Please understand. I know you love me, but if you love me, let me

go,” I cry.

I kiss him softly. “Please,” I repeat. It comes out quieter this time, almost like I’m asking instead of telling.

“I, Mason Lane, future Alpha of the Moonveil pack, accept your rejection,” he says, screaming out in pain.

I hug him through it. I feel it snap-sharp, final-and even though I chose this, it still feels like something inside me just broke with

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The Lunar Queen