Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left Chapter 201

(Audrey’s POV)

“No. I don’t believe in such coincidences.”

My voice came out stronger than I expected as I stared at George Thompson’s averted gaze. The convenient territory communications outage, the vanished livestream, Mia’s panic-it all screamed of deliberate deception.

I grabbed my car keys from the side table, my movements sharp with determination. “I’m going somewhere with a decent pack network signal.”

Arthur appeared in the doorway, his imposing figure blocking my exit path. “There’s no need for that. I’ll drive you myself if you’re so concerned.”

“No,” I insisted, clutching my keys tighter. “I need to go alone.”

His dark eyes narrowed slightly. “Audrey—”

“That livestream with Florian today,” I cut him off, my suspicion building with every passing second. “Why isn’t there any replay available? No pack forum mentions, no news feed coverage-nothing.”

Arthur’s expression remained carefully neutral. “I told you, the territorial networks are having issues. These things happen.” “Do they?” I challenged. “Because even when Florian attended minor public pack events, the videos and posts would flood the inter-pack networks within minutes.”

Something flickered across Arthur’s face-too brief to identify but enough to confirm my fears. My wolf instincts howled in warning, telling me what I already knew deep in my heart: something terrible had happened to Florian.

“Arthur,” I said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to contain my emotions, “that livestream was fake, wasn’t it? Something terrible really happened to Florian, right?”

He reached for me, his hands gentle but his eyes guarded. “Audrey, I didn’t mean to deceive you. I just needed more time to tell you properly…”

My heart pounded so violently I thought it might burst from my chest. “Tell me what properly? Arthur, I’m begging you, tell me what happened to him!”

Arthur’s features hardened, his Alpha presence suddenly filling the room. “You’re begging me? For Florian Stormhowl’s sake?

“Yes,” I confirmed without hesitation, my pride meaningless compared to my fear for Florian. “I am begging you.” Something darkened in Arthur’s eyes-a possessive fury that I’d seen only a handful of times during our years together. Before I could react, he grabbed my arm, his grip painful, and pushed me back into the room.

“You’re not going anywhere before we get that mate bond severance certificate the day after tomorrow,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

He slammed the heavy den door shut as he left. The sound of the lock clicking into place was deafening in the sudden silence. “Arthur!” I rushed to the door, pounding my fists against the solid wood. “Let me out! You can’t do this!”

No response came. I pressed my ear against the door, hearing muffled instructions being given to pack warriors. He was posting guards.

Panic rising in my throat, I ran to the window. The territory den’s windows were fortified-a security feature for the Alpha family that now served as my prison. Looking down, I spotted additional pack warriors stationed in the courtyard below.

My hands shook as I searched for any way out. Near the top of the window was a small ventilation opening, just wide enough for me to extend my arm. Desperate, I held my cell phone outside, praying for even the faintest signal.

One bar flickered on my screen. A single message notification appeared-from Nathan Snowfang.

“Audrey, Florian’s main research facility… there was a massive explosion.”

The words struck me with the force of a physical blow. I nearly dropped my phone, my lungs forgetting how to draw breath.

With trembling fingers, I dialed Nathan’s number. He answered on the first ring.

“Audrey, where are you? Are you safe?”

“What happened to Florian?” I demanded, my voice breaking. “Tell me everything.”

Nathan sighed heavily. “The explosion happened last night. Northern Alliance has been suppressing the news. I only found out through pack connections.”

“Was… was he there?” I could barely force the words past my lips.

“Yes,” Nathan confirmed, his voice gentle but grave. “Florian and his core research team were in the facility during the explosion.”

My legs nearly gave out beneath me. I braced myself against the wall, fighting to stay upright. “Is he…” I couldn’t finish the question.

Nathan’s hesitation told me everything before he even spoke. “He… after the explosion, Pack Council Enforcers rushed over. Florian… Florian hasn’t been found.” His voice dropped to an even softer tone. “They’re… they’re likely to announce his death soon.”

Death. The word echoed in my mind, my wolf howling in silent agony.

“Audrey, I’m so sorry,” Nathan continued, trying to offer comfort. “Where are you? I can come “

The phone slipped from my numb fingers, clattering to the floor. I stood by the window, devastated, tears streaming down my face without me even realizing it.

Time became meaningless. I watched, hollow-eyed, as Arthur eventually left the territory den in his black luxury SUV, speaking tersely to the guards before departing.

Twenty agonizing minutes passed as I sat in utter stillness, shock giving way to a chilling calm. A terrible clarity descended on

me.

I rose from my seat by the window and walked to the writing desk in the corner of the room. The ornate silver letter opener caught the dim light as I lifted it from its holder.

With a steady hand that betrayed none of the storm raging inside me, I drew its edge across my wrist. Fresh blood welled up, a startling crimson against my pale skin. The cut was shallow-a desperate signal rather than a true attempt on my life-but the silver burned, sending waves of pain through my body.

I hardly felt it. My wolf had gone numb.

I walked out of the unlocked bedroom-Arthur hadn’t expected me to use silver on myself and proceeded downstairs. Blood dripped slowly from my wrist, marking my path with crimson droplets.

George Thompson’s eyes widened in alarm when he saw me. “Luna Winter! What have you done?” He rushed forward, reaching for my bleeding wrist. “You need immediate treatment!”

“I’m leaving,” I stated calmly, my voice eerily steady. “Now.”

“But Alpha Moonstone ordered-“

“I don’t care what he ordered,” I interrupted, grabbing my car keys from a nearby table. “Tell those pack warriors to let me pass.”

George hesitated, his aged face etched with concern. “Luna, I cannot disobey-“

“George,” I said, my voice dropping dangerously low, “I don’t want to make things difficult for you. Tell those pack warriors to let me pass. Otherwise, Arthur will only be able to collect my corpse when he returns.”

I held up my silver-cut wrist to emphasize my point. George’s face paled.

After a moment’s internal struggle, he nodded reluctantly. “Wait here,” he murmured, hurrying to the door to speak with the guards.

Minutes later, he returned and helped me to my pack transport, his movements careful as if I might shatter.

“Luna, you mustn’t…” he pleaded as I slid into the driver’s seat. “Alpha Moonstone is surely doing this for your own good…”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I looked at him. “For my own good? It seems you’ve also forgotten how he and I ended up like this, on the verge of severing our mate bond for good.”

I started the engine and drove away before George could respond, my only thought finding Florian-or at least learning the truth about what happened to him.

The roads blurred as I sped toward Northern Territory, specifically toward the city where Florian’s main research facility was located. My wrist throbbed dully, but I ignored it.

He couldn’t be dead. I refused to believe it until I saw proof with my own eyes.

The long bridge over the frozen lake appeared ahead, its expanse stretching into the darkness. Halfway across, headlights suddenly filled my rearview mirror. A large transport truck, its lights glaring, veered into my lane with alarming speed.

I swerved violently to avoid the collision, my tires skidding on the icy surface. For one suspended moment, I felt the car become weightless as it broke through the guardrail.

Then came the impact with the frozen lake surface—a sickening crack as the ice gave way. The frigid water rushed in immediately, shocking my system as it surrounded me.

The darkness of the lake swallowed me whole as the car sank rapidly. My last coherent thought was of Florian’s golden eyes, warm with laughter.

Then nothing.

The steady beep of medical equipment was the first sound I registered. My eyelids felt impossibly heavy as I forced them open, wincing at the bright lights of what was clearly a Pack Medical Center.

My wrist had been cleaned and re-bandaged with healing salves, the silver burn neutralized.

“Audrey?” Nathan Snowfang’s voice came from beside me, relief evident in his tone. “Thank the Moon Goddess.”

I tried to speak, but my throat felt raw. Nathan quickly offered me water, helping me sip slowly.

“Florian,” I managed to rasp, the name tearing from my throat like a prayer.

Nathan’s expression softened with sorrow. “Audrey, I had a bad feeling after our call. I followed you in my own car and saw you go off the bridge. If I hadn’t been there to pull you out…”

“Florian,” I repeated, refusing to be distracted. “Is there any news?”

Nathan sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. “Audrey, you need to accept what’s happened. The explosion was devastating. No one could have-“

“They haven’t found him,” I insisted, clinging to this sliver of hope. “You said they hadn’t found him yet.”

“Audrey…” Nathan’s voice was gentle but firm. He reached for his cell phone, hesitating before turning the screen toward me. “You’ve been unconscious for two days and one night.”

I squinted at the screen, at the official pack forum announcement displayed there. The words blurred before my eyes, but the headline was unmistakable.

Florian Stormhowl’s death had been officially declared by the Pack Council that morning.