Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 168

(Audrey’s POV)

I froze when our eyes met. Those pitch-black eyes were unmistakable-Arthur Moonstone. My heart hammered against my chest as the pieces fell into place. The Northern Alliance’s mysterious Alpha who had remained hidden while Julian Reed acted as his representative… it was Arthur all along.

Wasn’t his pack supposedly losing territory? Those news reports of the Moonstone Pack’s decline clearly had been a clever deception. Through his maneuvering, his Alpha power had grown even more formidable than before. The realization sent a chill down my spine.

My first instinct was panic. We’d severed our mate bond, yet now he was my healing practice’s largest contributor? The irony was almost too much to bear. I clung to a sliver of hope that perhaps he was just accompanying Julian on a friendly visit.

“Everyone, please welcome Mr. Moonstone,” Julian announced smoothly, gesturing toward Arthur. “The new Beta of Northern Alliance.”

I nearly choked on my own breath. Beta? Arthur Moonstone-Alpha King-playing second-in-command? The title was laughable given the power dynamic between them. Though Julian introduced him with a higher rank, his body language-standing half a step behind Arthur-betrayed the truth.

I forced myself to smile politely, determined not to create an awkward scene. After all, they were Winter’s Remedy’s major shareholders now.

“Really? Wasn’t your mysterious Alpha supposed to come too? Where is he?” I asked innocently, testing whether Julian would maintain the charade.

Julian laughed with practiced ease. “He had urgent pack matters to attend to.”

I didn’t press further. Across the room, Sarah caught my eye and gave me a subtle nod. The message was clear-we would maintain appearances for now.

The formal meeting was mercifully brief. Julian discussed investment reviews while Arthur remained mostly silent, his dark eyes never leaving me. I found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on Julian’s words with Arthur’s intense gaze boring into me.

When the meeting concluded, Julian dismissed everyone else with a casual wave of his hand. “Sarah, would you mind showing me the herbs formulation department? I’d like to see the new equipment we’ve funded.”

His intention couldn’t have been more obvious-to leave Arthur and me alone. Sarah stepped forward protectively.

“Perhaps Audrey should give you the tour, since she’s the healing formulation director,” she suggested, shooting me a concerned glance.

“Sarah, you go ahead with Mr. Reed,” I interrupted, my decision made. “I’d like to ask Alpha Moonstone some questions.”

Some things needed to be addressed, and I didn’t want to delay any longer. Though I saw the hesitation in her eyes, Sarah respected my decision and left with Julian, closing the door behind them with a soft click.

Once alone, Arthur fixed his penetrating gaze on me but remained silent, waiting for me to speak first. The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words and lingering resentments. It felt as though he held all the cards, watching me from a position of carefully crafted power.

I stood up, dispensing with pleasantries. “You’re Northern Alliance’s secret Alpha, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” he confirmed without hesitation or shame. His voice deepened as he added, “So, can we consider reforming our mate bond now?”

“Reform our mate bond?” I repeated incredulously. The audacity of his proposal left me momentarily speechless.

I couldn’t understand how he could say those words so easily, as if our mate bond severance had been nothing more than a temporary inconvenience.

“Don’t you remember what you said?” Arthur asked, his expression softening slightly. “You said if I became the ‘Alpha King’ everyone respects again, you would consider being my mate.”

The memory hit me like a physical blow. That conversation in my territory house-words I’d spoken merely to appease him and had since forgotten. “Perhaps,” I’d said carelessly, never imagining he would take it seriously, much less restructure his entire pack strategy around it.

I stared at him steadily before saying with a bitter smile, “Arthur Moonstone, do you think you’re so clever? With your maneuvering and deception, everyone believes power in the northern territories has changed hands, but it’s still you pulling the strings.”

His expression remained impassive, but I noticed the slight tightening around his eyes.

“Even the Shadowcrest pack is in the dark,” I continued, my voice gaining strength. “On one hand, you’re planning a mate marking ceremony with Emma Shadowcrest; on the other, you’re secretly investing in my healing practice. Do you think that makes you deeply affectionate?”

“I did it all for you,” he said quietly.

The wolf he wanted to satisfy was never me, but himself. All his actions, all his grand gestures, were ultimately about what he wanted.

“Is that really how you’ve always seen it?” he asked, his expression hardening slightly, hurt flashing in his obsidian eyes.

“When Victoria was causing trouble and you repeatedly favored her, you said it was just to repay a pack debt,” I said with surprising calm, years of bottled emotions finally finding their release. “When Emma Shadowcrest appeared, you told me to trust you, then severed our mate bond. Even now, your determination to reconnect is just because you’re not used to being without me.”

I took a deep breath before continuing. “Have you ever asked me how I feel about any of this? My feelings never mattered. You only care about your own. As for me, as long as I didn’t die or leave your territory, satisfying your intermittent possessiveness was enough.”

Each word felt like releasing a weight I’d been carrying for far too long. Arthur’s cold expression gradually gave way to something I rarely saw on his face-remorse.

“Audrey, it’s not as you think,” he said, his voice strained with emotion. “I might indeed not understand how to be a proper mate and have disappointed you many times, but my intentions were never what you’re describing.”

His sincerity caught me off guard. For a moment, I almost believed him. Almost.

“Arthur Moonstone,” I spoke slowly, holding his puzzled yet earnest gaze, “I will not reform our mate bond.”

The words hung between us, final and absolute. Being his Luna was too difficult, too exhausting. Many experiences, even now when I recalled them, still filled me with bitterness.

Arthur seemed to have countless words stuck in his throat, a rare show of speechlessness from the usually eloquent Alpha. His voice tightened as he finally managed to ask, “So no matter what, you won’t forgive me?”

A bitter smile touched my lips as I delivered the truth we both needed to hear.

“Whether I forgive you isn’t important. You should ask our unborn pups if they forgive you.”