Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left Chapter 174

(Audrey’s POV)

I’d never seen Florian look like this before. His entire demeanor transformed as he listened to whoever was on the other end of that call. His golden eyes widened, his jaw tightened, and his breathing shifted subtly.

He wasn’t nervous, exactly. Not excited, not flustered-but definitely different from his usual unruly self. In that split second of vulnerability, I caught a glimpse of something hauntingly familiar-the same calculating intensity I’d often seen in Arthur Moonstone’s eyes when handling pack matters.

That realization chilled me instantly. Whatever warmth had been building between us froze over. I turned away briskly, wrapping my arms around myself.

“Hmm, continue what you were saying,” I murmured, trying to sound nonchalant.

Florian was still engaged in his call, listening intently. Without warning, he stepped forward and pulled me into a tight embrace. I struggled against his chest, but his Alpha strength kept me firmly in place.

“Be careful not to be misled,” he said into his phone with surprising casualness, as though he weren’t holding me against my will. “I’ll be there after I comfort someone.”

After ending the call, he released me only to grasp my face between his hands, forcing me to look at him. His golden eyes searched mine intently.

“Did you hear what I said earlier? Before the call?” he demanded, his thumb brushing against my cheek.

I pushed his hands away, taking a deliberate step back. The touch of his fingers lingered on my skin like a brand.

“Florian… Alpha Stormhowl, I’m not like you. I don’t want to play games I can’t afford,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

His brow furrowed, golden eyes darkening. “You think I’m just playing around?”

“Aren’t you?” I challenged, frustration bubbling up inside me. “One minute you’re declaring you’ll stop waiting for Serena, practically proposing to me, and the next minute you get a call about her and everything else is forgotten.”

I took another step back, putting more distance between us. My wolf whimpered inside me, both drawn to his strength and wary of being hurt again.

“You’re an Alpha from an ancient bloodline pack. Do you know how many beautiful, wealthy she-wolves would throw themselves at your feet?” I gestured helplessly. “The gap between us is even greater than what separated me from Arthur.”

The moonlight wine’s scent still clung to him, but his eyes were clear and focused. “Are you comparing me to Arthur Moonstone?” he asked, his voice dangerously soft.

I dropped my gaze, suddenly weary. The night air felt cold against my skin, or maybe it was just the chill of reality setting in.

“I only know that you’re both Alphas who have your ‘intended mates’ and ‘special marked wolves,’ while I’m merely a ‘packless omega’ or ‘lone wolf,'” I replied softly, the painful truth of my status hanging between us.

His response surprised me. “What if I just prefer lone wolves?”

Before I could process that statement, he flicked my forehead-a playful gesture that caught me completely off guard. He then placed the package of late-night venison snack firmly into my hands.

“I can’t promise much,” he said, his golden eyes holding mine with an intensity that made my breath catch, “but Audrey Winter, I am definitely not Arthur Moonstone.”

With that enigmatic statement, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone in the cool night air, clutching a venison snack and wondering what had just happened. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, confused by the mixed signals and the scent of his Alpha presence still surrounding me.

The next day was the eve of the Full Moon Celebration, and the Shadowcrest pack house had been transformed. Red wolf emblems hung from the ceilings, and territorial markings adorned every window. The entire residence buzzed with anticipatory energy as pack members hurried about with last-minute preparations.

As soon as I came downstairs, Elder Shadowcrest waved me over enthusiastically, her aged face lighting up at the sight of me.

“Audrey, my child! Come, come!” she called out. “I’ve had the kitchen prepare fresh rare venison with moonberries, just the way you mentioned you like it!”

The tender consideration in her gesture brought an unexpected lump to my throat. For a moment, I could almost imagine what it would be like to have a pack elder of my own-someone who remembered my preferences and took pleasure in my happiness.

“Thank you, Grandmother,” I said, the term feeling more natural each time I used it. The meal was delicious, prepared in exactly the way I preferred-still pink in the center with just the right amount of moonberry sauce.

After enjoying the breakfast, I reluctantly brought up my departure plans, knowing I had responsibilities waiting for me back at Winter’s Remedy.

“I should return to Central Territory today,” I told her gently, setting down my fork. “I wish you a happy Full Moon Celebration in advance.”

Elder Shadowcrest’s expression immediately shifted to one of theatrical outrage. Her wolf eyes flashed with genuine disapproval, and she thumped her hand on the table.

“Absolutely not!” she declared firmly. “The Full Moon Celebration is no time for a lone wolf to be traveling alone. What if something happens to you on the road?”

She reached across the table to clasp my hand, her grip surprisingly strong for her age. “Stay and keep an old she-wolf company during the holiday. What’s waiting for you in Central Territory? Just an empty den.”

Her words struck painfully true. What did I have to return to? An empty territory house and memories of failed connections. No pack to celebrate with, no traditions to uphold. The thought made my chest tighten with loneliness.

As Elder Shadowcrest continued trying to persuade me, listing all the celebration activities she wanted to share with me, the main doors to the pack house swung open with a dramatic bang. Emma Shadowcrest strode in, her head held high and her expensive boots clicking against the marble floor. Her parents followed closely behind, both wearing formal pack attire.

Emma’s eyes narrowed when she spotted me sitting with her grandmother. The familiar sneer twisted her perfect features, making her look suddenly ugly despite her beauty.

“Grandmother, why are you still entertaining her?” Emma interrupted rudely, pointing at me as if I were some unwelcome pest. “Let her go back to Central Territory. You’ll be too busy for her anyway.”

Elder Shadowcrest’s spine stiffened, and her wolf presence flared with surprising strength. Even Emma took a small step back at the display.

“Emma! That’s no way to speak to our guest,” the elderly she-wolf reprimanded sharply. “I’ve taught you better manners than this.”

Emma’s lips curved into a smug smile, undeterred by her grandmother’s displeasure. “Oh, but haven’t you heard? Your real granddaughter is returning soon.”

The room went completely still. Elder Shadowcrest’s breath caught audibly, and her hand trembled against the table. The servants who had been clearing dishes froze in place, eyes darting between the family members.

“What did you say?” the elderly she-wolf whispered, her voice barely audible.

Emma dramatically pulled out her phone and opened a pack forum post with exaggerated movements. “It’s all over the forums. ‘Breaking News: Alpha Stormhowl Finds Long-Lost Intended Mate.'”

She held up the screen, displaying two images that made my heart sink. The first showed a slender she-wolf attempting to throw herself at Florian, her expression frightened in a way that would evoke anyone’s protective instincts. The second image captured Florian blocking her advance, looking stern but protective, his body language clearly shielding her from something-or someone.

Elder Shadowcrest fumbled for her reading glasses, her hands trembling slightly as she took the phone and examined the images more closely. Hope and doubt warred on her face as she squinted at the screen.

“This isn’t my Serena!” she declared after a moment, pushing the phone away forcefully. “This is just fake news. My Serena wouldn’t look so… so frightened. And her hair wasn’t that color!”

Emma’s smug expression didn’t falter. “We’ll know for sure after the bloodline verification ritual, won’t we? If it really is Serena, her blood will match the Shadowcrest lineage.”

What surprised me most was Emma’s apparent lack of concern about Serena’s potential return. In fact, she seemed almost happy about it, which contradicted everything I knew about her competitive nature when it came to her grandmother’s affection. Her eyes gleamed with something that looked suspiciously like satisfaction.

Mrs. Shadowcrest stepped forward, examining the images over her daughter’s shoulder. Her cold eyes flicked from the phone to me, calculating and dismissive. After a moment, she turned to me, her expression hardening like ice.

“Is Winter leaving now or later?” she asked coldly, not even bothering to address me directly. “I’ll arrange for a pack transport to take you!”

The territory eviction notice couldn’t have been more blunt. With Serena potentially returning, they no longer had any use for me-the temporary replacement, the poor substitute. I was disposable now that the original had been found.

The familiar sting of rejection washed over me. How many times would I be discarded when something better came along? First Arthur, now the Shadowcrest pack. My wolf curled up protectively inside me, wounded once again.

Mrs. Shadowcrest waved impatiently at a nearby Beta. “Well? Should I call the pack transport now?”