Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 152

(Audrey’s POV)

I had expected many uncomfortable encounters in the Northern Territories, but sitting beside Elder Shadowcrest while facing Arthur and Emma was not one of them. The tension in the room was palpable as Elder Shadowcrest’s sharp question hung in the air.

“I heard you just severed your mate bond?”

Her tone was direct, almost accusatory. I kept my gaze fixed on the window, trying to make myself as small as possible. This was not my battle, and yet here I was, caught in the crossfire.

Arthur’s face remained impassive, though I could sense the slight tension in his jaw. “Yes, Elder. That’s correct.”

I didn’t dare look at him directly. The wound of our severance was still too fresh. It hurt just being in the same room as him, especially with Emma standing proudly at his side.

Elder Shadowcrest’s eyes narrowed, her gentle demeanor from earlier completely vanished. She turned to Emma, who was still standing possessively close to Arthur.

“And did you, my granddaughter, have anything to do with that severance?” she asked, her voice cold as northern ice.

Emma’s confident posture faltered slightly. “Grandma, their mate bond was already falling apart-”

“Answer my question,” Elder Shadowcrest interrupted sharply. “On the day you announced your planned mate marking ceremony, had they obtained their mate bond severance certificate?”

The directness of the question left no room for evasion. Emma’s face reddened slightly.

“No, but-”

“No,” Elder Shadowcrest repeated, her voice cutting through Emma’s excuse. “So you publicly claimed a wolf who was still mated to another.”

Emma’s eyes flashed with defiance. “He was willing to sever his mate bond for me! That proves his feelings!”

The elderly she-wolf’s face darkened with fury. I had never seen such anger from someone who had seemed so gentle just moments before. Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the armrests of her chair.

“You shameless child!” Elder Shadowcrest hissed, her wolf presence flaring despite her age. “If such words were spoken outside this pack house, I would no longer recognize you as part of the Shadowcrest bloodline!”

The threat hung heavy in the air. Even I was shocked by its severity. To be disowned by an ancient bloodline was no small matter. It would mean losing pack protection, status, and resources.

Emma’s face paled, then flushed with anger. Her eyes darted to me, narrowing with suspicion and hatred.

“What did you tell her?” she demanded, taking a threatening step toward me. “What lies have you been spreading to my grandmother?”

My wolf bristled within me, ready to defend itself, but I remained outwardly calm. I had done nothing wrong here.

Elder Shadowcrest placed a protective hand on my arm. “This is my honored guest, Emma. She has told me nothing about you.”

Emma looked between us, her confusion evident. “Your honored guest? Do you even know who she is? She’s-”

She stopped abruptly, suddenly realizing that her grandmother might not know about my connection to Arthur. The revelation would only make Emma look worse. I held my breath, wondering if she would expose me.

Arthur stepped forward, his presence filling the room. “Elder Shadowcrest, the impropriety of the situation is my responsibility. I should have handled things differently.”

His formal tone and precise words reminded me of the Alpha I had known for years-always diplomatic, always controlled. He never let his emotions show, not even now.

Elder Shadowcrest’s anger seemed to subside slightly at his admission, but her eyes remained critical as she assessed him. She looked him up and down, as if measuring him against some invisible standard.

“Even if you’re a good Alpha,” she declared firmly, “you’re still not good enough to be my granddaughter’s mate!”

The statement was harsh, especially considering their location in the northern territories where the three great pack bloodlines held considerable power. Arthur stood alone, supporting the Moonstone Pack without the backing of ancient bloodlines like the Shadowcrests.

Yet, to my surprise, Arthur showed no sign of embarrassment or offense. His face remained composed as he replied.

“I understand your concerns, Elder. I will prove myself worthy.”

My heart twisted painfully in my chest. In our three years as mates, he had never spoken of feelings so directly, so assuredly. Yet here he was, claiming to have developed them for Emma after knowing her for such a short time.

The pain was sharp and immediate. I leaned against the wall, trying to steady myself. How could he lie so easily? Or was it possible that he truly felt something for Emma that he had never felt for me?

“You’re nothing like your grandfather, Elder William,” I heard Elder Shadowcrest remark. “He, at least, never lied to my face. Tell me the truth, young Alpha. What are you really after?”

There was a pause, and then Arthur’s voice again, lower this time.

“I’m trying to protect someone who-”

A hand clapped on my shoulder, making me jump. I spun around to find Florian Stormhowl standing there, a knowing smirk on his face.

“Eavesdropping again, Audrey Winter?” he teased, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

I glared at him, my heart still racing from the scare. “Do you have trackers on me or something? You always catch me whenever I’m secretly observing or listening.”

His smirk widened. “Maybe I just know you better than you think.”

Florian glanced past me toward the room where Arthur and Elder Shadowcrest were still talking.

“Still have feelings for him, despite the mate bond severance?” he asked, his tone mockingly casual.

“No,” I denied immediately, perhaps too quickly. “I’m just curious about what exactly caused me to lose so thoroughly.”

I started walking away, eager to escape both Florian’s knowing gaze and the pain of Arthur’s words about “feelings” for Emma. My wolf growled softly within me, angry at the betrayal and confusion we both felt.

Behind me, Florian’s voice floated softly through the corridor. “What a pair of star-crossed lovers.”