Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 169

(Audrey’s POV)

Arthur’s face went completely still, as if I’d turned him to stone with my words. The mention of our unborn pups-a wound that had never properly healed for either of us-hung in the air between us like a physical barrier.

For a moment, I could see past his carefully constructed Alpha façade. Pain flickered across his obsidian eyes, raw and unfiltered. It was rare to see Arthur Moonstone so exposed, so vulnerable.

“Audrey, I-” he began, his voice uncharacteristically unsteady.

Before he could continue, the office door swung open. Julian Reed stepped in, his expression tense.

“Alpha Moonstone, we have an urgent situation,” Julian said, his voice low and measured despite the obvious concern on his face.

Arthur’s mask of calm control slid back into place immediately. “What is it?”

“Emma Shadowcrest has stormed into the Moonstone Pack headquarters. She’s demanding to know why you’re meeting with the Northern Alliance,” Julian reported. “She suspects something’s not right. And her wolf’s tracking abilities are exceptional-she might pick up your scent trail leading here next.”

I suppressed a groan. Emma Shadowcrest was the last complication I needed right now. After the disaster at her mate marking ceremony, she had every reason to harbor a grudge against me.

Arthur didn’t seem particularly concerned. Instead, he appeared to be calculating something, his dark eyes narrowed in concentration.

“Have Marcus accelerate the territory acquisition,” he instructed Julian calmly. “We need to complete the transition within three days, before the Shadowcrest pack can rally their allies.”

Julian nodded sharply. “We’re already working on it. I’ll tell him to prioritize the western segments first.”

Their exchange confirmed what I’d already suspected-the alliance between Northern Alliance and Moonstone Pack wasn’t new. It had been planned for some time, giving Arthur a significant advantage over the Shadowcrest pack.

Julian departed with another respectful nod to Arthur, leaving us alone once more.

Arthur turned to me, his expression a complex mixture of compromise and dominance that only he could manage to combine so effectively.

“Call me selfish if you want,” he said, his tone softening slightly despite the firmness of his words. “Just remember, you must be Luna Moonstone.”

Before I could gather my thoughts to respond, he strode out of the office, his Alpha presence lingering in the room long after he’d gone.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered to myself, frustration coursing through me.

His confidence was unshakable. Even after everything that had happened between us, he still couldn’t-or wouldn’t-truly listen to me. He had decided I would be his Luna again, and in his mind, that was that.

Sarah rushed in moments after Arthur left, her eyes wide with concern. “Are you okay? I saw the look on your face when they arrived…”

I collapsed into my chair with a heavy sigh. “Arthur Moonstone is the Alpha behind Northern Alliance.”

“What?” Sarah gasped, bracing herself against my desk. “So we left the Moonstone Pack only to end up under his territory claim again?”

“That about sums it up,” I said, rubbing my temples where a headache was beginning to form.

Sarah slumped into the chair opposite me, her expression stunned as she processed this revelation.

“It’s not quite that bad,” I assured her after a moment. “We still own nearly half the healing practice, and they agreed not to interfere with our decisions regarding healing formulations and clients.”

“Small mercies,” Sarah muttered, looking skeptical.

“I’ll negotiate further with Arthur later,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Especially regarding the hunting grounds he transferred to me during our mate bond severance. According to Julian, they’ll double in value soon.”

Sarah’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “If they’re so valuable, why did Arthur give them to you in the first place? It seems too convenient.”

“I’ve been wondering that myself,” I admitted. “At the time, it felt like he was trying to hurt me by forcing me to accept something from him. Now I’m not so sure.”

The rest of the day passed in a blur of client consultations and healing formulation tests. By evening, my mind was swimming with unanswered questions about Arthur’s true motives and how I would navigate this complicated situation.

In the underground parking area, I spotted a familiar tall figure leaning against his sleek black car. Florian Stormhowl was scrolling through his phone, his golden eyes gleaming in the dim light.

Remembering his offer to help me deal with Arthur, I approached him with what I hoped was an ingratiating smile.

Nathan’s scrutinizing gaze made me feel transparent. “What did you agree to with him?”

I hesitated. If I told Nathan about my arrangement with Florian, the information might reach Arthur through the unexpected connection between Nathan and Lucas Riverwind. That was a complication I couldn’t afford.

“It’s just… private matters,” I said vaguely, unlocking my door.

Nathan frowned, his beautiful blue eyes clouding with concern. “Do you want to move to different territory?” he asked abruptly. “Perhaps somewhere less complicated?”

I studied his face, suspicion growing in my mind. “Is my staying here causing you trouble, Nathan?”

His slight flinch confirmed my suspicion. Someone from the Snowfang pack-likely his stepmother-must have approached him about me. Whatever punishment he had endured because of his connection to me clearly wasn’t a one-time occurrence.

“Nathan,” I said gently, making a difficult but necessary decision. “I think we should remain just friends. Now and in the future.”

“Is it because of Florian Stormhowl?” he asked sharply. “Or is it Arthur Moonstone again?”

I shook my head firmly. “Neither. I just want to focus on running Winter’s Remedy-the healing practice my parents left me. That’s my priority right now.”

“So we can only be friends?” he asked, his eyes searching mine intently.

“I’m sorry, Nathan,” I said softly, hating the pain I saw flash across his face. “But yes.”

I expected anger or disappointment, but instead, his expression softened into acceptance.

“Silly she-wolf, it’s fine,” he said with a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I told you, as long as you’re happy.”

He reached out to pat my head in a familiar gesture, but something went wrong. His hand caught in my hair, pulling it sharply and making me wince in pain.