Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 22

(Audrey’s POV)

Victoria leaned forward, her polished nails digging into the edge of my desk. Her pale eyes had that gleaming edge of triumph I had come to know far too well. Her voice came soft but carried venom.

“You think you’re so above it all, don’t you, Audrey? Do you want to know why Arthur chose to mark you?”

Her words made Grace stir inside me, uneasy and bristling. I stared at her but didn’t respond, refusing to play into her games.

She smiled. Not kindly. There was something cruel in her expression. “He finally marked you because Grandfather William made him. Do you know why? Because Grandfather threatened to banish me from the pack if Arthur refused.”

The words struck me hard, like a punch I hadn’t braced for. My heart clenched, and a wave of cold washed over me. Grace howled softly, mourning the blow to both of us.

But I wasn’t going to let her see my pain. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. I kept my voice steady, though it felt like I was holding back a storm inside me. “If that’s true, then maybe you should be grateful. If not for my bond with him, you wouldn’t even be here.”

Victoria’s smug smile faltered, but only for a moment. Her face hardened. She crossed her arms and gave me a look of pure contempt.

“Grateful? For what?” she hissed, her tone dripping with anger. “For watching him mark someone he had no desire for? For seeing him suffer through this bond that he never-“

“Stop,” I snapped, raising my hand to cut her off. “How he feels is not something for you to decide. And why are you even here, Victoria? You’re not part of this bond. He’s my mate, not yours.”

That should have been the end of it, but of course, it wasn’t. Victoria’s eyes fell on my ears, narrowing sharply as she spotted the ruby-studded silver earrings dangling there. Recognition flared in her gaze, and then something darker.

“You’re wearing those,” she said, her voice almost a whisper, but her disgust was deafening.

She stepped closer to my desk, staring at the earrings like they were some cruel betrayal. Her hands trembled, but the rage in her eyes burned brighter than ever.

“Those were supposed to be mine,” she growled, her voice shaking with fury. “He only bought them because I mentioned wanting them at the auction. How shameless can you be, wearing them when you’re just days away from severing your bond?”

I tilted my chin up, refusing to let her words sink in. “These were a gift from my mate,” I said firmly, emphasizing the last word. “Whatever you think they were meant for doesn’t matter. They are mine now.”

Victoria’s wolf flashed in her pale eyes, backing her next move, and before I could anticipate it, she lunged.

Her nails dug into the soft skin around my ears, yanking at one of the earrings. Pain shot through me sharp and hot. I hissed, grabbing her wrists to stop her.

“Let go, Victoria!”

Her grip only tightened. “You don’t deserve these! You don’t deserve him!”

Blood trickled down my ear as one of her nails caught the skin. My wolf snarled inside me, aggravated by both the injury and her words.

“Enough!” I growled back. “If you want them so badly, I’ll remove them!”

I pretended to give in, moving my hands to the earrings. Her grip loosened slightly, a smirk starting to form on her lips.

That was my moment. I shoved her back with everything I had, sending her stumbling into the chairs by the wall. She fell ungracefully, her blonde hair spilling over her face.

Before I could catch my breath, the office door burst open.

Arthur strode in, his aura filling every inch of space. His dark eyes swept the room, landing instantly on Victoria crumpled on the floor.

“Victoria,” he called out, his voice a low growl of concern.

Victoria whimpered dramatically, curling in on herself. Her wolf whimpered along with her.

“Arthur,” she cried, her voice trembling. “I just wanted to talk to her about some work issues, and then she… she attacked me!”

My jaw dropped. I stepped forward, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “That is not what happened!”

But Arthur wasn’t even looking at me. His dark eyes remained fixed on Victoria. He moved toward her in long, purposeful strides, kneeling beside her and gently pulling her into his arms.

My chest tightened, the sting from my ear nothing compared to the ache spreading through my heart.

Victoria buried her face against him, her voice muffled but trembling. “I didn’t mean any harm,” she whispered tearfully. “I just-she pushed me.”

The rest of the day felt like an endless blur. Paperwork, appointments, quiet lunches-nothing could pull my mind from replaying what had happened earlier.

Lunch came and went without much relief. I stared at the sandwich on my desk, trying to eat despite the churning nausea. Morning sickness had worsened lately, though it felt ironic that it struck at mid-day instead.

After taking two small bites, my stomach rebelled. I quickly pushed the sandwich away, leaning back in my chair and holding my breath until the wave passed.

By the time evening rolled around, I was on edge, tired and overwhelmed.

Sarah arrived to pick me up, her lively presence a relief after such an emotionally exhausting day. She met me in the parking lot, leaning casually against the hood of her car until I reached her.

Her sharp eyes scanned my face, immediately zeroing in on my ear. Her stance shifted, her wolf rising protectively.

“Audrey,” she said, her voice unusually soft. “Is that dried blood on your ear?”

I flinched slightly, surprised she noticed so quickly. “It’s nothing.”

“Nothing?” she echoed, her tone rising in disbelief. “What did she do to you?”

I tried to brush her off. “It’s not worth rehashing.”

Her wolf growled quietly behind her eyes, and she crossed her arms. “Audrey, you don’t have to deal with this alone, okay? If she pulls something like this again, I’ll-“

“Sarah,” I interrupted, managing a small smile. “I’m okay. Really.”

She didn’t look convinced, but after a moment of tense silence, she sighed and handed me the spare helmet from her car. “Fine. But if you want to throw something at her, I’ll hand you the first rock I see.”

I laughed softly despite myself, climbing into the car beside her.