Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 208

(Audrey’s POV)

Because of her words, the originally noisy atmosphere was suddenly quiet. I followed her gaze and immediately spotted Florian Stormhowl. His slender fingers held a glass of wine, his dark shirt sleeves casually rolled up to reveal lean forearms, his watch reflecting a cold light. Hearing the voice, he raised an eyebrow and casually glanced over.

Our eyes met in mid-air, and time seemed to freeze. He was definitely still alive.

My heart thumped wildly against my ribcage. Relief and joy crashed through me in waves that left me dizzy. Two years of uncertainty, of nightmares, of wondering if he had truly died in that explosion—all washed away in an instant.

“Florian…” His name escaped my lips like a prayer, and I felt my mouth curve unconsciously into a smile.

But the warmth that flooded my body froze as quickly as it had come. His eyes, those golden eyes that once looked at me with such affection, were completely devoid of warmth. They were the eyes of a stranger-controlled, detached, observing me with clinical curiosity.

He looked at me exactly as he would look at any random wolf walking into his private room. There was no recognition, no softness, not even the slightest hint of our shared past.

The man observed me composedly, seemingly waiting for me to speak first, yet also appearing somewhat perplexed. Like a bucket of cold water poured over my head, all my words were cut short.

The others in the private room also looked at me with confusion. I recognized two of them from Emma Shadowcrest’s birthday party two years ago-Florian’s childhood friends from Northern Territory.

“Is there something you needed?” the woman who had opened the door asked, her voice carrying a hint of challenge. “You seem to know Alpha Stormhowl.”

I forced my features into a smile, though I felt it trembling at the edges. “I just-I was surprised to see you in Central Territory,” I managed, addressing Florian directly. “I apologize for interrupting your dinner.”

Without waiting for a response, I turned and fled, my heart hammering painfully against my ribs. I didn’t stop until I reached our private room, where Sarah and Nathan were waiting.

“Did you meet someone you know?” Sarah asked immediately, noticing my pale face.

“No,” I lied, sliding back into my seat. “I thought I saw someone familiar, but I was mistaken.”

Nathan’s eyes lingered on my face a moment too long, but he mercifully changed the subject. “How’s your formulation for Luna Riverwind coming along?”

I latched onto the topic gratefully, discussing the rare components I’d selected and the delicate balance I was trying to achieve. But throughout dinner, I couldn’t focus. My thoughts kept straying to the private room down the hall, to golden eyes that looked through me as if I were nothing.

After we finished our meal, Sarah and I stood to leave while Nathan went to settle the bill. Just as we stepped into the corridor, the door to the other private room opened.

The woman from before emerged, pushing Florian in a wheelchair. The sight of him confined to that chair sent a shock through me. His legs were covered with a blanket, though he seemed to be trying to remove it.

“Stop that,” the woman chided him affectionately yet firmly. “The doctor said to keep it warm, remember? Your circulation isn’t fully recovered.”

Florian scowled up at her, but there was no real heat in his expression. “It’s too hot in here.”

“Better too hot than risking another setback,” she replied, her tone brooking no argument.

As they were about to pass by us, the woman suddenly stopped, recognition lighting her eyes as she spotted me.

“Oh, you’re the one from before,” she said brightly. “Why don’t we exchange contact information? Florian could use more friends in Central Territory.”

Florian gave her a look I couldn’t decipher-something between annoyance and resignation.

“I’m Cassandra, by the way,” she continued, extending her hand. “Florian’s ordinary friend.”

I hesitated, suddenly uncertain. What exactly was their relationship? The way she cared for him seemed intimate, but ‘ ordinary friend’ was deliberately vague. The last thing I wanted was to create a misunderstanding.

“Thank you for the offer,” I finally replied, “but Florian and I are indeed just ordinary friends who haven’t been in contact for over two years.”

In truth, I had tried reaching out during many sleepless nights in the Sunstone Territories. I’d dialed his familiar number countless times, letting it ring into the void, hoping against hope that one day he would answer. There were moments when I even wondered if he had truly died. I was simply relieved to see him alive.

“It was good to see you again,” I added, already turning to leave. “Take care of yourself, Florian.”

“What’s this?” Florian’s voice, sharp with mockery, stopped me in my tracks. “Is Luna Winter’s mate too controlling to let her add male contacts?”

I spun around, stung by his taunt. Before I could respond, Sarah stepped forward, grabbed my phone from my hand, and pulled up my contact information.

“If Florian isn’t worried despite having such a beautiful woman by his side,” she said with forced cheerfulness, “there’s nothing for Audrey, a single person, to worry about, right?”

Florian’s eyebrows rose slightly as he saved my contact. “A single person?” he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Is Luna Winter planning to reconcile with her Alpha after a fight?”

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. “Sarah, let’s go,” I said firmly, cutting off whatever explanation she was about to offer. “Nathan is waiting.”

“She’s the one who owes me an explanation,” I snapped. “Not the other way around.”

Cassandra’s expression softened. “Florian, whatever happened between you two… maybe there’s more to the story than you know.”

I shook my head stubbornly. “I know exactly what happened. She chose Arthur Moonstone. End of story.”

(Audrey’s POV)

Back in my apartment, I emerged from a long, hot shower to find Sarah in the living room with two wine glasses and an opened bottle of red wine.

“I thought you might need this,” she said, pouring me a generous glass.

I accepted it gratefully, sinking onto the sofa beside her. The weight of the evening’s encounter settled heavily on my shoulders.

“Are you okay?” Sarah asked gently. “After seeing Florian with a girlfriend, I mean.”

“They might not be together,” I replied automatically, then sighed at my own transparency. “But even if they are, he deserves to have someone. Especially considering…” I gestured vaguely, the image of the wheelchair still fresh in my mind.

“What about you?” Sarah pressed, swirling the wine in her glass. “Now that you’re truly free from Arthur… are you going to consider other options?”

I knew she was referring to Nathan. Before I could reassure her that Nathan and I were just friends, my phone buzzed with an incoming message.

My heart skipped when I saw Florian’s name on the screen. The message was simple: “Audrey, my leg hurts.”

I stared at the three words, frozen in indecision. After two years of silence, after his cold reception at the restaurant, this was what he chose to say?

Finally, I typed back: “Ask your girlfriend to massage and apply heat.” His response was immediate, coming in three rapid-fire messages:

“That’s my cousin.” “She went out.” “Do you have time?”