Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left Chapter 195

(Audrey’s POV)

I was stunned. It felt like I had been slapped across the face. The words I’d overheard between Arthur Moonstone and Nathan Snowfang spun in my mind, each syllable a knife twisting deeper into my chest.

Betrayal burned through me like wildfire. I turned on my heel, my wolf senses heightened with anger. I should never have set foot in the Moonstone Pack territory again.

“Healer Winter, don’t misunderstand. When Alpha Moonstone went to see her that time, it was only to warn her not to-” Daniel Hayes’s voice trailed after me, his formal tone tinged with desperation.

I barely heard him over the roaring in my ears. My fingers clenched around the photograph Nathan had given me-the evidence that would finally free me from my doubts.

I stormed toward the underground parking area, each step fueled by righteous fury. The concrete walls of the parking structure seemed to close in around me as I reached my car.

Just as my fingers brushed the door handle, a tall shadow fell across me. Arthur Moonstone stood there, blocking my path. His tailored pack formal attire and steely gaze made it impossible to ignore him.

“Is it another wolf’s gossip that makes you suspect me?” he asked coldly, his dark eyes fixed on the photo in my white- knuckled grip.

I looked up at him, struggling to contain the tremor in my voice. “Did I suspect you, or did you do it yourself?”

He laughed a sharp, dismissive sound that echoed off the concrete pillars. “Even at my worst, I wouldn’t manipulate your background.”

“Prove it!” I challenged, yanking open the car door.

I tried to slam it shut, but his hand shot out, gripping the edge. The metal creaked under his strength but didn’t budge. “Still don’t trust me?” he pressed, his voice dangerously low.

“No,” I spat, the word like venom on my tongue.

Arthur leaned in closer, his scent-familiar and once comforting-now suffocating. “Then who do you trust-Nathan Snowfang? He was the one who gave you the photo, right?”

“It’s none of your business,” I retorted, refusing to back down despite the overwhelming Alpha presence he exuded.

He snorted, his lip curling slightly. “As long as it concerns you, it’s my business.”

I straightened my spine, meeting his gaze with bitter certainty. “We’ve severed our mate bond.”

Something flickered across his expression-too quick to identify-before his features settled into a calm mask. Then he murmured words that shattered my reality.

“Those two mate bond severance certificates are fake.”

My heart lurched painfully against my ribs. “What?” The single word escaped me in a breathless gasp.

“Literally fake.” His gaze held mine, unwavering and unapologetic. “I never intended to sever our mate bond. I only used them to hide the truth.”

Disbelief crashed over me in waves. I felt laughter twist in my throat-harsh and humorless. “And me? Did you ever care what I thought? You say our bond is severed, then you say it’s not!”

He hesitated, a rare crack in his impenetrable Alpha facade. “That decision was mine alone. You can make a scene, but-“

“No buts,” I cut him off, my voice suddenly calm but deadly. I gazed at his face, illuminated by the dim parking lights. The sharp angles and features I once traced with loving fingers now seemed like those of a stranger.

“You think I’ll still be bound by a mate marking?” I asked softly. “If I form a bond with another Alpha, and you don’t mind being dishonored, feel free to call the pack council.”

I shoved at him with all my strength. The car door rattled but his grip remained firm. With a growl of frustration, I slipped beneath his arm and into the driver’s seat, slamming the door before he could react.

The engine roared to life, and I backed out swiftly, forcing him to step aside or be hit. Our eyes locked briefly before I accelerated away, leaving him standing alone in the shadows.

Only when I was back on the highway, speeding toward Northern Territory, did I allow myself to inhale deeply. My hands shook on the steering wheel, but determination steeled my resolve.

No matter how Arthur tried to trap me, his delaying tactics would only cost him more hunting grounds in our mate bond severance settlement. As long as I refused to be bound by pack law, I would win.

I drove straight through the night, skipping the check-in at the territory hotel. My mind was too unsettled, my wolf too restless. I headed directly for the Wolf Medical Center, unease gnawing at me despite Florian Stormhowl’s reassurances about my grandmother’s condition.

The antiseptic scent of the healing center hit my nostrils as I pushed open the doors. I made my way to Elder Shadowcrest’s healing chamber, my footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor.

When I pushed open the door, a strange tableau greeted me. Mrs. Shadowcrest, Mr. Shadowcrest, and Emma Shadowcrest stood around the bed, all wearing smiles that seemed strangely unnatural on their faces.

Mrs. Shadowcrest’s eyes reddened as she rushed toward me, wrapping her arms around me in an embrace that felt alien after her previous hostility.

“Audrey, Audrey…” she crooned, her voice thick with emotion. “I was blind before, always mistreating you and never recognizing you properly. I was wrong…”

I stiffened in her embrace, suspicion immediately flaring. I stepped back, raising an eyebrow at this theatrical display. “What pack ritual is this?”

Mrs. Shadowcrest hesitated, dabbing at her cheeks with a pristine handkerchief. “Your father and I have talked-we want to make amends.”

“Wait,” I said, steepling my fingers thoughtfully. “My father? Who’s my father again?”

Silence fell over the room like a heavy blanket. Mr. Shadowcrest shifted uncomfortably, while Emma’s eyes narrowed to slits.

Mrs. Shadowcrest recovered first, forcing a shaky laugh. “You’re holding grudges. We’re pack; we just needed time to accept it.

Emma Shadowcrest stepped forward, the word “Sister” falling reluctantly from her lips like a bitter pill.

I felt my wolf bristle beneath my skin, recognizing the falsehood in their sudden acceptance. I glanced over at Elder Shadowcrest, still lying unconscious on the bed, tubes and monitors surrounding her frail form.

“I’ll go check on her,” I said coolly, prying myself free from Mrs. Shadowcrest’s grip.

I approached the elder’s bedside, taking in her pale complexion and the shallow rise and fall of her chest. Nothing had changed since my last visit-she remained trapped in her healing sleep, unaware of the pack schemes swirling around her.

In the empty healing chamber, I took a moment to collect myself. Meanwhile, Mrs. Shadowcrest followed me into the corridor, clearly not finished with whatever game she was playing.

“We planned a welcome hunt for you,” she began, weaving a new angle to her sudden change of heart. “But with Grandmother ill, things have become complicated. There’s a critical territory dispute that needs support, and Northern Alliance Group won’t back us until you and Alpha Moonstone reconcile.”

Her eyes gleamed with calculation as she continued. “As part of the Shadowcrest pack, shouldn’t you help?”

I smiled serenely, curious to see how far she would take this charade. “How do you expect me to help?”

Mrs. Shadowcrest blinked, as if surprised by my question. “Just stop quarreling with Alpha Moonstone. Be his Luna again. Then Northern Alliance will back us, and no wolf will dare challenge you in Shadowcrest territory.”

Ah, there it was—the true motivation behind this sudden acceptance. Not love or recognition, but pack advantage.

“Fine,” I said, watching relief wash over their faces before I landed the blow. I pointed coolly at Emma Shadowcrest. “First, get her out of my sight.”

Emma bristled immediately, her carefully controlled facade cracking. “What right do you have?” she snarled.

I folded my arms across my chest, unmoved by her display. “Why should I sacrifice my pack standing for the Shadowcrest name, only to watch her reap the benefits? Maybe she can go beg Alpha Moonstone herself-after all, she’s his ‘former’ intended mate; he might give her some hunting ground access.”

With that parting shot, I turned on my heel and strode away, leaving them speechless in my wake.

In the lobby, a familiar tall figure leaned against the wall. Florian Stormhowl stood with his hands casually tucked into his pockets, golden eyes watching me knowingly.

“Still not going in?” I asked, gesturing back toward the healing chambers.

“You knew I’d come here,” he replied with a slight shrug.

A small smile tugged at my lips despite the turmoil inside. “I have my pack scouts.”

His lips quirked up at the corner. “Precisely.”

I tilted my head, studying his face. There was something I needed to tell him, something that might change whatever was growing between us.

“I have something to tell you…” I began, the words feeling heavy on my tongue. Under his steady gaze, I forced myself to continue. “Alpha Moonstone and I-those mate bond severance certificates we signed? They were fake.”

Instead of the shock I expected, Florian burst into laughter. The sound echoed down the corridor, startling a passing pack healer.

“So when you come back to form a mate bond with me, you’ll be bringing half of Northern Alliance hunting grounds as your territory claim?” he asked, golden eyes dancing with amusement.