Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 136

(Audrey’s POV)

After hanging up the phone with Rylee, I caught Sarah staring at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her lips were curved into a knowing smile that immediately made me suspicious.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, setting my phone down on the counter.

Sarah fidgeted with her coffee mug, her wolf eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Do you think the investor could be your soon-to-be severed mate?”

I nearly choked on my tea. “Arthur? Investing in our healing practice?”

“Why not?” Sarah shrugged, her expression playful. “He’s been trying to get back in your good graces, hasn’t he?”

I shook my head firmly. “He just got discharged from the Wolf Medical Center. And he hasn’t mentioned anything about investing.”

The possibility hadn’t even crossed my mind. Arthur had been focused on pack politics and his recovery; our healing practice seemed far removed from his immediate concerns.

Sarah’s brow furrowed. “Then who could it be? The territory isn’t that big, and most packs already have established healing centers.”

“Let’s just meet the investor first,” I suggested, gathering our notes for the meeting. “The truth will come out soon enough in a territory this small.”

Sarah nodded, picking up her jacket. “You’re right. No sense speculating when we’ll know in a few hours anyway.”

“Exactly,” I agreed, relieved to move past the subject of Arthur. “Besides, whoever it is, they’re interested in our healing practice. That’s what matters.”

—

Later that evening, I changed into my most professional outfit – sleek black pants and a forest green blouse that brought out the emerald in my wolf eyes. I grabbed my beige jacket, checking my reflection one last time before heading out.

The Silver Moon Restaurant was one of the most elegant establishments in the territory, situated on a hill overlooking the moonlit lake. It specialized in authentic venison dishes prepared in the traditional werewolf method – lightly seared and served rare in the center.

Sarah whistled softly as we approached the building. “Rylee didn’t spare any expense choosing this place.”

“That’s a good sign, right?” I whispered as we entered. “The investor must be serious.”

Inside, Rylee was already waiting at a corner table with the best view of the lake. Her stylish outfit and perfectly styled hair made her stand out even in this upscale establishment. She waved enthusiastically when she spotted us.

“There you are!” she exclaimed, rising to greet us with traditional wolf touches to our shoulders. “I was starting to worry you’d gotten lost.”

“Traffic was terrible near the pack border,” Sarah explained, settling into her seat.

Rylee’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Well, I’m just glad you made it. This is a huge opportunity for both of you.”

She leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “And if your healing practice takes off with this investment, maybe put in a good word for me? I’d love to collaborate with their pack on a major healing herbs project.”

Sarah’s ears perked up. “Their pack? Is it the Moonstone Pack?”

Rylee scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. “Why would the Moonstone Pack invest in you two? You both left them, remember? Do you really think they’d want to support a competing healing practice against their own pack healers?”

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Not Arthur, then.

“It’s the Northern Alliance Group,” Rylee revealed, her voice dropping even lower. “They were recently recognized by the North American Alliance of Werewolf Packs.”

Sarah’s eyes widened. “The Northern Alliance? They’ve been expanding territories faster than any wolf pack in decades.”

Rylee nodded excitedly. “Their Alpha is something of a mystery – very few wolves have actually seen him. But his Beta representative will be here tonight.”

My wolf stirred nervously within me. This was bigger than we’d anticipated – much bigger.

“Their Beta has been living in distant territories for years,” Rylee continued, glancing at her watch. “He only recently returned to the central regions, so this is quite an honor.”

Sarah suddenly looked anxious. “Is this restaurant even up to pack standards for someone of that rank?”

Rylee smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. Their Beta has been away from our territory for so long that he’ll actually appreciate the local venison. He specifically requested it.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. “Should we be concerned about meeting someone so high-profile? What if we mess this up?”

“They wouldn’t be interested if they didn’t see potential in your healing practice,” Rylee said confidently. “Just be yourselves and present your plans honestly.”

Sarah nodded determinedly. “We’ve got this, Audrey. This is our chance.”

“And what about our healing formulations?” I asked, protective of my parents’ legacy. “Would we maintain control over those?”

“Absolutely,” Julian assured me. “Your expertise is precisely what makes this venture valuable to us.”

The rest of the negotiation went surprisingly smoothly. With the major terms agreed upon, the remaining details fell into place easily. We would maintain operational control while the Northern Alliance would provide the resources needed to establish our practice properly.

“Everything seems in order,” Julian concluded, signaling for the check. “We just need the formal pack agreement from the Northern Alliance, which should be ready within a week.”

As we said our goodbyes and watched Julian leave, Sarah turned to me with wide eyes.

“Did that just happen?” she whispered. “Did we just secure backing from one of the most powerful rising packs in North America?”

I nodded, still processing it myself. “I think we did.”

—

The pack transport service dropped me off first. As I stepped out of the elevator on my floor, I nearly bumped into Florian Stormhowl, who was just leaving his territory house.

His golden wolf eyes narrowed slightly as he caught my scent. “Moonlight wine? Celebrating something?”

I nodded, suddenly remembering the borrowed dress still hanging in my closet. “Actually, wait here a second.”

I rushed inside, retrieving the carefully cleaned and pressed silver-blue gown he had lent me for Emma’s birthday celebration. When I returned, he raised an eyebrow at the garment bag.

“I’ve been meaning to return this,” I explained, holding it out to him. “Thank you for lending it to me.”

Florian took the bag, his lazy smile appearing. “I was beginning to think you intended to keep it as a souvenir.”

“No, I just haven’t had the opportunity to return it until now.”

His golden eyes studied me intently. “Too busy taking care of Arthur Moonstone?”