Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 161

(Audrey’s POV)

I have to say, it’s heartbreaking. Standing here, watching another she-wolf celebrate her mate marking ceremony with the wolf who was once mine. My own mate bond with Arthur Moonstone had never included such grandeur. We didn’t even have a marking ceremony – not really. Even our official pack registration was arranged quietly by Elder William.

Our relationship had existed in the shadows. Despite Arthur’s public image as a devoted mate, few wolves actually knew my identity. I was a secret kept in plain sight, a Luna without the recognition that should have accompanied the title.

Now I stood in silence, watching as Arthur appeared in tailored pack ceremonial attire, his tall figure commanding attention as he always did. Emma Shadowcrest clung to his arm, practically glowing with triumph. The healing herbs formula I had designed for her enhanced her features perfectly, the gold wolfsbane extract shimmering subtly in the light.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. The formula that made her look so radiant had been created by the very she-wolf she had worked to replace.

“Healer Winter!” Emma’s voice cut through my thoughts as she approached, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “Is it difficult for you, being here? Watching another she-wolf mark with your former mate?”

Sarah tensed beside me, her protective instincts flaring. “Emma, this isn’t the time or place to cause trouble.”

Emma waved her hand dismissively, her eyes never leaving my face. “I’m just making conversation with our hired healer. After all, she’s only here in a professional capacity, isn’t she?”

I forced a smile onto my face, determined not to give her the satisfaction of seeing my pain. “Congratulations to you both,” I said, carefully avoiding looking directly at Arthur. “The formula looks perfect on you.”

Emma’s smile turned cruel. “It does, doesn’t it? Arthur and I will be such a perfect pack pair.” She leaned in closer, her voice lowering to a mock whisper. “Your mate bond with him must have been purely contractual, wasn’t it? Everyone knows you loved another wolf.”

I felt my wolf bristle beneath my skin, but before I could respond, Arthur’s cold voice cut through the tension.

“Our relationship is exactly the same, Emma,” he said, his tone devoid of emotion. “A pack alliance arrangement for mutual benefit.”

Emma’s triumph faltered, her face flushing with embarrassment before she quickly recovered. “But unlike with her,” she said, shooting me a venomous glance, “I’ll be your mate forever.”

As they moved away to greet other guests, Sarah placed a steadying hand on my arm. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied, straightening my shoulders. “Let’s just get through this.”

The ceremony began with traditional pack rituals. I found myself standing at the back of the hall, my mind wandering as the formal proceedings dragged on. Then the music changed, and a familiar melody filled the air – a song I had once loved, a song that had once made me dream of a future with Arthur.

I closed my eyes, lost in memories of what could have been, when suddenly gasps erupted throughout the hall. My eyes snapped open to see Emma clutching at her neck, her face contorted in pain. The formula container had cracked somehow, and the mixture was spilling down her neck in rivulets.

This shouldn’t be happening. I had used the finest ingredients, tested the formula’s stability repeatedly. Even with the strongest emotional reaction, the formula should remain stable. Something was very wrong.

Without thinking, I rushed forward, pulling off my jacket as I moved. “Here, cover yourself with this,” I offered, reaching out to help her.

The stinging slap across my face caught me completely by surprise. Emma’s eyes blazed with fury as she glared at me.

“You did this deliberately, didn’t you? To humiliate me today!” she accused, her voice rising hysterically.

The accusation ignited something in me – years of suppressed anger, of being the convenient scapegoat. Without hesitation, I slapped her back, the sound sharp in the suddenly silent hall.

“I wouldn’t be deranged enough to damage my own reputation!” I shot back, my wolf snarling inside me. “Do you think I want to be known as the healer whose formulas fail?”

Without explanation, they opened a door to what appeared to be a storage room and pushed me inside.

“Wait,” I said, panic rising in my chest as I glimpsed the small, dark space. “Can I… go somewhere else?” I pleaded as the door began to close, my long-standing fear of enclosed spaces surfacing immediately.

I’d always been claustrophobic, though I couldn’t remember when it started. The thought of being locked in darkness made my wolf whimper in terror.

“We have our orders,” one guard replied impassively before shutting the door completely.

The darkness was absolute. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, couldn’t make out any shapes or shadows. My communication device had been taken, and there was no light switch within reach.

I slid down against the wall, my chest heaving with shallow breaths as panic took hold. My entire body trembled uncontrollably, my wolf howling in distress within me.

Childhood memories flooded back – being trapped, helpless, afraid. The powerlessness I felt then was no different from what I felt now. No matter how hard I tried to avoid these wolves, to live my own life independently, my lack of pack status meant my wishes never mattered.

Time lost all meaning in that dark space. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours as I fought against the rising tide of panic, trying desperately to control my breathing, to find some center of calm within myself.

When the door finally opened, the light from the hallway was almost blinding. I squinted up to see Mrs. Shadowcrest standing in the doorway, dressed in an elegant traditional pack robe, her posture radiating authority and disdain.

She looked down at me, a cold smile playing on her lips. “Audrey Winter, aren’t you proud? You dared to slap my daughter on stage. Today, I’ll break your pride piece by piece.”