*Selena*
I took a flight to the North, and after landing in the Moonglow Pack, the capital of the North, I caught a taxi to the pack house. My heart pounded loudly in my chest throughout the entire ride, and as soon as we pulled up in front of the pack house, panic gripped me. The thought of seeing that devil again sent shivers down my spine. I never imagined I would have to face my ex-mate again. Stepping out of the taxi, I cautiously observed my surroundings. Everything looked the same, as if time had stood still since the day I left.
Without wasting any time, I headed straight to the bank to inquire about my Luna fund.
“Hello! How may I assist you?” a lady at the customer assistance desk greeted me with a humble smile.
“Umm… Hi! I have some queries,” I said hesitantly.
“Yes, please tell me. I will try my best to help you,” the lady replied softly.
“I’d like to know the status of my Luna fund,” I asked nervously. The clerk looked at me with surprise before quickly regaining her composure.
“I’m sorry, miss, but I think there might be a mistake. We have only one Luna here in the Moonglow pack,” she replied politely.
How foolish I was to think she might recognize me. I hesitated for a moment, wrestling with memories of a past I had tried so hard to forget.
“My name is Selena. Selena Ardolf. I… I used to serve as their Luna,” I explained, my voice wavering with a mix of uncertainty and pain.
“Luna Selena?! I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize you! I’m new here, but I’ve heard so much about you,” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
However, I winced at the recognition in her voice. It had been so long since I had heard that title.
“That’s alright. I am not your Luna anymore,” I whispered gloomily, unable to escape the feelings of loss and regret that surged within me.
“Uh… huh! Yeah, right. You are right, Miss Ardolf,” she stammered nervously. “Please hold on for a second. I will take you to my boss. She can help you better with your problem,” she suggested.
“Okay,” I agreed, trying to steady my emotions despite the sudden rush of memories.
“Thank you. Just give me a few minutes,” she said before picking up the phone from her table.
I watched her as she spoke to someone in a very hushed tone.
“Miss Ardolf, Luna Avery wants to see you,” she announced in a flat tone.
Luna Avery?!
The name left me stunned for a moment. As far as I knew from the news, Zander still hadn’t officially marked and mated with her. Nonetheless, she liked to refer to herself with Luna’s title. The desperation in her pursuit of becoming his Luna had always baffled me. Three whole years had passed, and yet they seemed to wait. Whatever! I huffed quietly. It was their life and not my concern.
“Okay,” I replied, attempting to maintain composure despite the tumultuous emotions that surged within me.
A staff member directed me to the office of the bank’s finance head, and as I approached the door, I noticed the name “Avery Wright” written on it. I took a deep breath and knocked before entering.
As I entered, I noticed Avery’s baffled expression, but the moment her eyes landed on me, her fake smile reappeared-taunting and mocking, just as I remembered.
“Selena, oh my, my! I am so happy you came,” Avery greeted me with an unexpected grin. It was strange because, as far as I could remember, she had never shown any warmth towards me before. I took a quick glance around her office. The ambiance of her office exuded an air of confidence, tastefully and subtly furnished, totally opposite of her character. Nice! I couldn’t help but admire internally.
“Good to see you too, Avery,” I responded with a tight-lipped smile.
“Please have a seat,” she gestured, settling on a plush leather couch beside the window, her half-empty coffee cup in hand.
A tense silence hung in the air as we both kept looking at each other and it made me feel uneasy. So, I decided to cut to the chase.
“Avery, I don’t believe in beating around the bush. Let’s get straight to the main topic,” I suggested, challenging her directly.
“Of course,” she replied in a clipped tone, placing the cup onto the table.
I took a deep breath before beginning to explain. “I want to withdraw from my Luna fund.”
“You still have a Luna fund in the Moonglow Pack’s account?!” Avery responded, her voice filled with shock.
I nodded solemnly. “Yes.”
She walked over to her desk and sat down in front of the computer. After a few moments, she turned back to me. “Selena, I don’t see any Luna account in your name in the Moonglow Cooperative Bank,” she informed me.
I was stunned by her words.
“That’s impossible. You know I was the Luna of the Moonglow Pack for a year-I must have funds left in the account,” I insisted.
“What if you’ve already withdrawn the money?” Avery accused, lifting one of her finely shaped brows.
“I haven’t!” I protested, my voice filled with hurt. She was accusing me of being a liar and a fraud. I couldn’t stand it. “I left the pack immediately after my mate bond with Zander was severed, and I didn’t take a single thing with me,” I retorted with pride and firmness in my tone.
“It’s Alpha Zander to you,” she snapped back, glaring at me with a warning in her eyes.
I swallowed my pride and muttered, “Alpha… Zander.”
“Yes, and don’t forget to address the Alpha King and my mate, Zander Blake, with respect,” she added with a smug smirk.
I took a deep breath, trying to ignore her intentional insult.
“Avery, I’m in desperate need of the money. I served as Luna in this pack. Please, check the details again. The money should be in the account, and if not, there must be a record of when it was withdrawn,” I pleaded, my voice filled with desperation.
“Selena, I understand your situation, but it’s been more than three years, and the system was recently updated. I’m afraid the older data isn’t available anymore. I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do to help you,” she replied, her tone dismissive.
I fell silent for a moment, weighing my options and contemplating my next move.
“Can you please check if I have any other bank accounts in my name in the Moonglow Pack’s bank?” I asked hesitantly, realizing I had never bothered to monitor my account while living there.
My Beta had handled all the financial matters, so I never had to worry about them. Even when I was his Luna, Zander had ensured I never felt the need to think about expenses; he made sure I got everything I desired before I even voiced it.
“Wait a minute,” she said, typing something into the computer. After a moment, she looked up. “Selena, I can’t find any savings account under your name in our bank,” she informed me.
I furrowed my brow in disbelief. Where was all my hard-earned money? I had worked tirelessly to accumulate those savings.
“How… how is that possible?” I gasped, feeling a mixture of anger and anxiety rise within me.
“I don’t know, Selena. I’m just relaying what I see on the bank’s computer,” she replied coldly. Her lack of empathy only added to my frustration.
I rubbed my forehead, trying to alleviate the stress building up inside me. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I attempted to process the situation.
“Avery, I don’t understand how all the records could just disappear like that-no trace of my bank account or money,” I said, my tone becoming more accusatory.
“Are you implying that the bank’s administration is behind this, Selena?” she shot back, annoyance clear on her face. “I was trying to help you, and now you’re accusing us? Great!” she snorted, trying to sound intimidating.