Underwater: The Silent Luna novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24

“Hello,” Ethan said, voice clipped, composed, too controlled.

នយ

27

Joseph sighed on the other end of the line. “Alpha.”

Ethan hated that title now. It tasted like ash, reminding him of everything he lost, everything he could no longer command, not even his own life. Still, he answered with a short, “Yes.”

“Where are you?” Joseph asked, his voice strained. “Mother has been going crazy.”

Ethan scoffed softly. “Tell her to mind her business and find something else to do.”

“I don’t support what she’s planning,” Joseph admitted. He sounded exhausted, caught between duty and the weight of their mother’s stubbornness. “Did you try reasoning with her?”

“I did,” Ethan said bitterly. “She refused. Claimed she owned the girl, as if Meadow is an object. She is mute, Joseph, that’s all. There is nothing wrong with her. I’m supposed to stand by while Mother destroys her life? She’s untouched, and Mother wants to put her through artificial insemination like she’s livestock.”

Joseph went quiet, absorbing the anger, the protective edge in Ethan’s voice.

“She knew what she was getting into,” Joseph tried gently. “Her parents willingly,”

“She didn’t know,” Ethan cut in sharply. “I believe she thought she would be marrying you.”

Joseph froze. “That’s not true. Mother said she told them.”

“Maybe she told her parents,” Ethan said, voice low. “But the girl herself? No. You should have seen her face when the servant introduced her to me. All joy left her.”

He remembered it vividly.

That moment, her expression draining of hope, had felt like a strike to his chest.

A reminder that even the girl destined to be his wife recoiled at the thought.

That memory was one of the reasons he refused to try.

Kindness or not, Meadow hadn’t wanted him either.

“Okay,” Joseph finally said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ll talk to her, tell her to hold off. But Ethan, you need to come home.”

1/3

14:49 Sat, Jun 13

Chapter 24

โร

Ethan growled at that, a low, warning rumble. “I won’t. Not until she agrees to stop this nonsense. She married me a wife, so she needs to

let me be the man of my household, not treat the girl like a possession.”

“You still haven’t called her your wife,” Joseph pointed out softly. “Since this call started, you’ve referred to her as ‘the girl. You didn’t

want her either, Ethan. Mother knows you won’t try with her.”

Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Mother doesn’t expect me to try, little brother. She only wants to use her. She told me herself, if she expected me to make an effort, she would’ve found me a proper mate. Meadow was chosen because she’s easy to control, easy to dispose of.”

Joseph exhaled long and deep. There was no arguing with him. Ethan still owned the pack, crippled or not. Neither Joseph nor Amber

could override his authority.

“How long will you be on this… honeymoon?” Joseph asked, though the hesitation in his voice showed he didn’t quite believe the word.

“I don’t know,” Ethan answered truthfully.

Joseph seized the opening. “Well, you must be back in two days. We have to travel to Ceenas for business. They won’t deal with me unless you are present. The treaty is critical.”.

Ethan’s heart dropped. He had forgotten. Completely.

He closed his eyes, silently cursing himself. “Of course. I’ll be there.”

Joseph nodded, Ethan could hear it in the shift of his breath. “I’ll talk to Mother. She won’t touch your wife while you’re away. I promise.”

Ethan’s grip tightened on the phone. He didn’t trust Amber, not fully, but Joseph… Joseph had never broken a promise to him.

“Send guards to watch the cabin,” Ethan said, “I can’t leave her alone in that mansion.”

Joseph sighed heavily. “Keith can’t protect her there unless she stays with him and Elaine, and that would be a huge imposition. We also can’t assign guards to the cabin; it will draw attention. And she cannot live alone.”

He paused, letting the truth settle.

“Unless you send her to her parents, which is dangerous, you have to return her to her matrimonial home.

And Ethan… sending her back to the mansion is the safest option. Her parents connived with Mother; they’re not trustworthy. Who knows what they would do while you’re gone?”

Joseph exhaled again, softer this time.

“I will have my Beta cater to her needs while we are away,” he said gently. “It’s the best we can do.”

Ethan closed his eyes, swallowing the bitterness.

2/3

14:49 Sat, Jun 13

Chapter 24

Because Joseph, damn him, was right.

Comments

LIKE

Write Comments

<SHARE

3/3

27

14:49 Sat, Jun 13

Underwater: The Silent Luna