He Chose Her, So I Refused to Become His Luna novel · Chapter 1 of 24
Chapter 1: The Settlement
Three days after losing her baby, Dara is handed Celia's settlement agreement by Dirk and three Alpha heirs, tears it up, refuses to be his Luna aloud, and Tobias says 'Witnessed' as Dirk goes white.
Dirk brought three Alpha heirs to my hospital room and no flowers.
I had known all three since the joint pack summers when we were children.
They lined up along the wall by the window and none of them looked at me.
It had been three days since Celia drove my truck into an oak on the ridge road.
I was eleven weeks along that night. The doctor told me the baby was gone before I was fully awake.
I work in this clinic. I knew exactly what the monitor beside my bed had stopped saying.
"Dara," Dirk said. He sat on the edge of the mattress and reached for my hand.
I moved it under the blanket.
He is our pack's Alpha and my fated mate. He has marked me for two years, and the mark on my collarbone still itched when he got close.
"We need to settle this today," he said. "For the pack's sake. For yours."
The door opened behind him and Celia came in with a paper cup.
She is the Beta's daughter. Dirk's oldest friend. A small bandage the size of a stamp sat on her wrist.
"Chamomile with honey," she said softly. "The way you like it."
She held the cup to my mouth because my hand was taped to the IV line.
I drank, because I was thirsty and because I did not want to cry in front of the heirs.
"I thought it was the brake," Celia said. Her eyes filled. "I will never forgive myself. Never."
Dirk turned and put his hand on her back until her breathing slowed.
He did not do that for me. He had not touched me in three days except to take my hand.
Then he pulled a folded paper from his jacket and flattened it on my knees.
"It's an agreement," he said. "Celia has already signed. She wants this to be over for you."
I read the first line. It said the crash on Marrow Bend Road was an accident.
I read the second. It said I waived every claim against Celia Delacorte before the Ashfall Council, now and forever.
The third said I would stand beside Dirk at the Luna rite at the Harvest Moon, sixteen days from now, as if nothing had happened.
"The rite is at the Standifer stone, like always," Dirk said. "You'll sign the pack ledger that morning. I'll drive you there myself."
He had driven me to every season signing since we mated.
Once I had a fever of a hundred and two and could barely hold the pen. He drove me anyway.
I had thought that was love.
"You brought three heirs," I said. "To watch me sign this."
"They're here so it's witnessed," Dirk said. "So no one can say it was forced."
Celia wiped her cheek. "Dirk said I shouldn't come. He said it would upset you. I couldn't stay away."
"She's been sick over it," Dirk said. "Dara, she's grieving too. Be the Luna you're going to be."
I looked at the man I had picked a nursery paint color with, three weeks ago.
He had held the sample card up to my face and asked if the yellow was too bright.
Now he had walked into my room with a paper from the woman who killed that baby, and he had chosen her.
So I took the paper in both hands and tore it down the middle.
I tore it again. I let the pieces fall on the floor by his shoes.
"Dara," Dirk said, low.
"I'm not signing it," I said. "And I'm not standing at the Harvest Moon."
"You're upset. You're on medication."
"I checked my own drip rate, Dirk. I know exactly what I'm on."
I turned my head to the wall of heirs. They had stopped pretending to look at the window.
"You're all Alphas," I said. "Three of you. That's the number it takes. So you can witness this."
Dirk stood up fast. "Don't."
I said the words the way my grandmother taught me when I was nine years old, in case I ever needed them.
"I, Dara Standifer, mate of Dirk Wycliffe, refuse the Luna's seat of Ashfall. I refuse the title. I refuse the bond that comes with it."
Nobody in the room moved.
The Iron Ridge heir looked at the floor. The Low Pine heir looked at Dirk, and then at the Cold Creek heir.
Tobias Hargrove, the heir of Cold Creek, had not said a word since he came through the door.
He took one step off the wall. His dark eyes were on mine and they did not leave.
"Witnessed," Tobias said.
The Iron Ridge heir said it next, quietly. Then the Low Pine heir, because he was last and had no way out.
Dirk's face went the color of the sheet.
"Take it back," he said. His voice cracked on it. "Dara, take it back right now. You don't know what you just did."
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