The Luna Who Defied Her Beta’s Rejection

On the day I turned eighteen, I was kidnapped.

The kidnappers contacted Beta Finn Hernandez, heir to the Hernandez pack, and demanded a ransom of six million dollars.

"You're the Beta of one of the most powerful packs, Finn. Surely you'd pay six million to get your pretty mate back, right? Such a beautiful girl, it'd be a shame if she ended up as a tragic loss."

I was lying there with a dislocated shoulder, crying and pleading with Finn over the phone to rescue me. But he replied coldly, “Why is she worth six million?”

Furious, the kidnappers broke three of my fingers. It meant I'd never play my beloved piano again—a dream that had once been my only solace in the rigid hierarchy of the Lane pack.

Later, when I crossed paths with him again, I addressed him formally, "Beta Hernandez." He cornered me in a room and, with the lightest touch on my face, softly asked, “Ivy, be a dear and call me Finn like old times, okay?”

---

"Ivy, we're in New York."

The plane landed with a slight jolt, and the nightmare seemed to draw me in again until my assistant’s timely call grounded me. I'd dreamt of those terrifying events from six years back once more. Fear, confusion, and helplessness welled up inside me, bringing tears to my eyes.

New York. A city of bright lights and allure, but also cold and calculated. I wouldn't have returned if it weren't for helping Gamma Heath Forrester secure backing for his new movie. As a Gamma in the Lane pack’s entertainment division, it was my duty, even if the memories of this city haunted me.

After leaving the airport, the car my assistant had arranged didn't show up. I was about to hail a taxi when I heard a hesitant voice behind me:

“Gamma Lane?”

I turned around and froze. It was Uncle Lee, the chauffeur who had driven Finn around since he was fifteen. Behind him was a Rolls-Royce Phantom. I recognized the familiar license plate: 1108. Finn’s birthday. My heart skipped a beat.

The car window slowly glided down, unveiling that familiar, almost ethereal face.

“Ivy?”

Finn sat inside, the top buttons of his shirt undone, revealing a perfectly sculpted collarbone. The aggressive side of him from six years ago had evolved into a serene, icy depth. His dark, intense eyes beneath sharply defined brows were unchanged. Even after six years, he still resembled a picturesque watercolor. Yet, his presence sent chills through me.

I never anticipated running into him on such a seemingly regular afternoon.

“You're back?”

His expression was flawlessly courteous and natural, as if I’d simply been away on a brief trip. It seemed he had forgotten that six years ago, I was locked in a cold, damp shack, my arms dislocated, crying out for him to save me.

But he responded to the kidnappers with the same detachment, “Why is she worth six million? A mate? You're mistaken. I wouldn't spend six million on someone who means nothing to me. If you want money, try the Lane family.”

He knew how tough things were for me with the Lane family. I pleaded over the phone, “Finn! Consider it a loan; I’ll repay you. Please don’t leave me!”

Moments later, I heard him chuckle, “You've called me Finn for years. Did you really think you were one of us? Know your boundaries. Don’t interrupt my peace. Do what you want.”

That last sentence was aimed at the kidnappers.

I stared blankly at the phone after the call ended. He had been my only hope, and Finn extinguished it himself.

In the aftermath, the enraged kidnappers shattered three of my finger bones. They even contemplated assaulting me, recording it, and sending the footage to Finn. Fortunately, the leader remembered Finn had identified me as part of the Lane family, and they hesitated to offend both the Hernandezes and the Lanes.

Ultimately, it was my sister, Delta Fiona Lane, who came to my rescue under Alpha Kevin Lane's orders. She paid for my release and freed me, only to slap me hard across the face.

“Ivy Lane! You’re nothing but trouble!”

In the past, I'd have fought back without hesitation. Finn always assured me that if anyone bullied me, I should stand up for myself. He was my greatest support.

But now, I owed the Lane family six million. And the man who once vowed to protect me for a lifetime didn’t even make an appearance.

Fiona once taunted me, “You're just the Lane family’s castoff. How dare you dream of being the mate of the Beta of the Hernandez pack? Who do you think you are?!”

I calmly retorted, “At least I can call him Finn, something you can't.”

But Fiona mocked me, “You’re just a diversion in Finn's dull life. Did you really think you mattered?”

She never knew that Finn, with all his pride and reservations, once knelt to gently massage my sprained ankle. Now, reflecting on the past, the confidence I once had feels increasingly absurd.