Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left Chapter 210

(Audrey’s POV)

The air seemed to still for a moment. Florian’s golden eyes bored into me, focused and intense, like a predator watching its prey.

“When did this happen?” His voice was controlled, but I detected a slight tremor underneath.

“Yesterday,” I answered truthfully, my hands still working on his tense calf muscle.

His laugh caught me off guard-sharp, sarcastic, cutting through the room like a silver blade.

“How convenient,” he said, pulling his leg away from my touch. “The mate bond with Arthur Moonstone fails after two years of desperate reconciliation attempts, so you crawl back to your backup plan?”

The accusation hit me like a physical blow. I stood up quickly, nearly stumbling backward.

“That’s not what happened at all!” My voice rose defensively. “You have no idea what I’ve been through.”

Florian’s eyes hardened, his jaw tightening. He wheeled himself backward slightly, creating more distance between us.

“How is the leg feeling now?” he asked abruptly, changing the subject.

The sudden shift left me disoriented. “Better, I think. The muscle was extremely tight. You should-“

“Why so quiet suddenly, Audrey Winter?” he interrupted, his voice dangerously soft. “You’re usually so sharp-tongued. Is it guilt that’s making you hold back now?”

I felt my face grow hot. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you?” His eyes narrowed. “Two years ago, you abandoned me in that corridor without explanation, ran back to Arthur Moonstone like an obedient little Luna, and disappeared. Now you’re here massaging my leg like nothing happened.”

I looked down at my hands, unable to meet his accusatory stare. “I… I had my reasons.”

“Ah, there it is,” Florian’s voice dripped with mockery. “The textbook scumbag she-wolf excuse. ‘I had my reasons.’ How refreshingly original.”

The unfairness of his attack stung. He knew nothing about Alpha Stormhowl’s threats, my sacrifice to protect his position in the pack. But the hurt in his eyes was real, and I couldn’t deny my part in causing it.

“I should go,” I whispered, already backing toward the door. “I’m sorry for bothering you.”

I grabbed my wet clothes from the chair where I’d laid them and hurried out of his apartment, not looking back even when I thought I heard him call my name.

The elevator ride down felt endless. My heart was pounding, and tears threatened to spill from my eyes. The borrowed dress clung to my skin, a constant reminder of how badly the evening had gone.

Outside, the rain had worsened, coming down in sheets that instantly soaked through my thin clothing. I didn’t care. The physical discomfort was almost welcome-a distraction from the emotional storm inside me.

(Florian’s POV)

I watched her hurry away, the door closing behind her with a soft click. My fingers curled into a fist at my side, nails digging into my palm.

“Damn it,” I muttered, unclenching my hand to reach for my phone.

Our message thread was open on the screen-the messages Cassandra had sent earlier pretending to be me, and Audrey’s responses. A wry smile played on my lips as I scrolled through them.

The door to the hunting room swung open, and Cassandra strutted in, her expression entirely too self-satisfied.

“Well, that was quite the reunion,” she remarked, leaning against the doorframe. “Why did you let her leave so easily? She came all this way in the pouring rain.”

I glared at her. “It’s none of your business.”

“It is when Arthur Moonstone might launch a counterattack,” she pointed out. “You clearly still have feelings for the girl, but is it worth risking pack territory over?”

“Is that concern why you invaded my privacy and grabbed my phone to message her in the first place?” I shot back.

Cassandra held up her hands defensively, her lips curving into a playful smile. “Hey, thanks to your ‘ordinary friend,’ you now know she severed her mate bond with Arthur. You’re welcome, by the way.”

I rolled my eyes. “Your meddling isn’t appreciated.”

“So ungrateful,” she clicked her tongue, sauntering further into the room. “What’s the problem anyway? She’s free now. You’re free. The timing seems perfect.”

I turned to stare out the window at the rain-soaked city. “The thing I hate most is being played.”

“Really?” Cassandra raised an eyebrow. “The list of things that truly anger the mighty Alpha Stormhowl is actually quite short. Pack business, the Stormhowl family’s internal fights, and… Audrey Winter.”

I didn’t respond, letting the silence stretch between us.

After a long moment, Cassandra’s voice softened. “You know, there are ways to make her learn her lesson. Make her chase you for a change. Make her realize what she threw away.”

“I don’t hate her,” I said quietly, still looking out at the rain. “I just hate being treated like a backup plan. Is it too much to ask that she love me explicitly? Not just because I chase and pursue and appear desperate.”

Cassandra’s smile widened. “For someone who doesn’t hate her, you certainly sound like you super love her.”

I shot her an irritated look, which she blithely ignored.

“Don’t try to analyze me, Cassandra,” I warned. “You’re not qualified.”

She chose to change the subject, walking over to peer out the window herself. “You really shouldn’t have let her leave in such heavy rain. That borrowed dress is hardly protection against this weather.”

Her body suddenly stiffened. “Well, well, look what we have here,” she murmured. “Arthur Moonstone’s territory car is outside. His counterattack was faster than I anticipated.”

“What?” The word tore from my throat before I could stop it.

Without thinking, I pushed myself up from the wheelchair with force, ignoring the searing pain that shot through my leg. In my haste, I knocked over a nearby chair, sending it clattering to the floor.

“Florian!” Cassandra rushed to my side, her playfulness vanishing instantly. “Sit down before you hurt yourself more!”

But I couldn’t sit. The thought of Arthur waiting for Audrey downstairs, ready to take her back despite their supposed mate bond severance, sent a rush of adrenaline through my system that overwhelmed the pain.

“I’m fine,” I growled, though my leg felt like it was on fire.

Cassandra ignored my protest, already dialing her phone. “We need a pack healer. Now.”

An hour later, the pack healer stood over me with a stern expression. “You’ve set yourself back to square one, Alpha Stormhowl. No movement for at least half a moon cycle if you want this leg to heal properly.”

I nodded grimly, not trusting myself to speak. The healer’s words barely registered through the fog of my thoughts, all centered on Audrey standing in the rain beside Arthur Moonstone’s luxury car.

(Audrey’s POV)

I stood on the curb, rain pelting down, when a sleek black luxury vehicle pulled up beside me. The window lowered to reveal Arthur Moonstone’s face, his expression unreadable in the dim light.

A Beta driver quickly jumped out, holding a territory marking cloak over my head like an umbrella. The familiar Moonstone Pack emblem was emblazoned on the waterproof fabric, a stark reminder of the life I’d left behind.

“Get in,” Arthur said, his voice carrying that natural command that had once made my wolf instantly comply.

I hesitated, water dripping from my hair despite the Beta’s protective cloak. “We severed our mate bond, Arthur. We should maintain appropriate distance.”

His dark eyes held mine for a long moment. “It’s about Elder Shadowcrest. Get in the car, Audrey.”

Those words broke through my resistance. I slid into the passenger seat, murmuring a quick thanks to the Beta before he closed the door.

The interior smelled faintly of wolfsbane cigar smoke-Arthur’s one indulgence that I’d always disliked. He noticed my subtle flinch and immediately pressed a button to open a window.

“Sorry,” he said quietly. “I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

The cool night air rushed in, clearing the heavy scent. “Why were you waiting outside Moonlight Towers?” I asked, suspicious of his timing.

“I wasn’t waiting for you,” he replied, surprisingly candid. “I was meeting with a foreign pack representative who’s staying there. Seeing you was… coincidence.”

I studied his face for signs of deception but found none. “You mentioned Elder Shadowcrest?”

He nodded, his expression turning more serious. “I’ve contacted a specialist from the Western Territories who has experience treating silver poisoning conditions like hers. He’s agreed to travel to Northern Territory next week.”

Joy surged through me, momentarily washing away the hurt from my encounter with Florian. “Really? That’s wonderful news! But… can he really help her? Silver poisoning is so difficult to treat.”

“This healer has had success with similar cases,” Arthur assured me. “I wouldn’t have mentioned it if I wasn’t confident in his abilities.”

I looked at him with genuine gratitude. “Thank you for doing this.”

“Audrey,” his voice softened, “I’ve broken your trust in many ways within our mate bond. But never in matters like this. You know that.”

I nodded slowly. Despite everything that had happened between us, Arthur had always been honorable in pack matters and health concerns.

“You’ve been helping the Shadowcrest family all this time, even after I disappeared,” I acknowledged. “I appreciate that more than you know.”

His jaw tightened slightly. “I still have much to atone for. I cannot accept your thanks.”

He lowered his eyes, an uncharacteristically humble gesture from the powerful Alpha. “My debt to you has not been repaid,” he said quietly. “So you don’t need to thank me at all.”