Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 248

(Arthur’s POV)

My pack device buzzed against my chest at midnight, jolting me from restless sleep. The caller ID showed Florian Stormhowl’s name. My first instinct was to ignore it completely. The last thing I wanted was to speak with my romantic rival at this hour.

But something made me answer. Perhaps it was the unusual timing, or the memory of seeing Audrey’s bruised lip at the territory gathering.

“What do you want, Stormhowl?” I growled into the device.

“Audrey’s in immediate danger.” Florian’s voice was tight with urgency. “Nathan Snowfang has her. I need your help.”

Every muscle in my body tensed. Whatever personal animosity existed between Florian and myself, Audrey’s safety transcended all of that. She was still the most important thing in my world, regardless of our severed mate bond.

“Where?” I demanded, already reaching for my clothes.

“I’m sending you coordinates,” Florian replied quickly. “Meet me there in twenty minutes. Bring your most trusted pack members.”

I disconnected the call and immediately contacted Daniel Hayes. “Emergency assembly. Five of our best fighters. Full tactical gear. No questions.”

As I dressed rapidly, my mind raced with terrible possibilities. Nathan Snowfang had always seemed like Audrey’s loyal protector. If he was actually holding her against her will, what else had he been lying about?

The meeting location was a neutral territory diner on the outskirts of Central Territory. When I arrived, Florian was already there with Beta Kael and three other wolves I didn’t recognize. His usual casual demeanor was replaced by barely controlled rage.

“Talk,” I commanded, sliding into the booth across from him.

Florian’s golden eyes met mine directly. “Nathan has been manipulating events for at least two years. The explosion that nearly killed me, Lyra’s infiltration of the Riverwind pack, even Audrey’s convenient rescue from her darkest moments. All part of his plan.”

My blood turned to ice. “You’re saying he orchestrated her spirit sickness to make her dependent on him?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Florian’s voice was deadly quiet. “He created the problems, then positioned himself as the solution.”

I felt rage building in my chest like molten metal. All this time, I had believed that our mate bond severance was Audrey’s genuine choice. That her emotional distance and eventual breakdown had been natural consequences of our troubled relationship.

“That bastard played us all,” I growled, my hands clenching into fists on the table.

Daniel Hayes leaned forward, his expression grim. “Alpha, if this is true, then every interaction she’s had with him has been compromised.”

“It’s true,” Florian confirmed. “We found documentation in an abandoned warehouse. Communications, timing schedules, detailed plans for territory destabilization. Nathan’s been playing a much longer game than any of us realized.”

Beta Kael spread a territorial map across the table. “The question is where he would take her. He needs somewhere isolated but accessible, somewhere he can control the environment completely.”

I studied the map, my extensive knowledge of territorial politics suddenly proving invaluable. Years of managing pack alliances and border disputes had given me intimate familiarity with every significant location in Central Territory.

“There,” I said, pointing to a remote area near Moonstone Lake. “Old Moonstone hunting lodge. It’s technically neutral territory now, but my family built it decades ago.”

Florian’s expression darkened. “He’s been using your own resources against you.”

“The irony isn’t lost on me.” I traced the access roads with my finger. “It’s perfect for his purposes. Isolated, defensible, with only one main approach road.”

“How well do you know the layout?” Beta Kael asked.

No wonder Nathan had moved so quickly. A isolated, manipulated Audrey was easier to control than one surrounded by newfound family support.

“Then we don’t have much time,” I said grimly. “He’ll want to solidify his hold over her before she can fully process this revelation.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

We spent the next thirty minutes coordinating our approach. Despite years of rivalry, Florian and I worked together with surprising efficiency. Our different strengths complemented each other well. My territorial knowledge combined with his tactical planning created a solid strategy.

As we prepared to leave for the lodge, I pulled Daniel aside.

“If anything happens to me tonight,” I said quietly, “make sure she knows that I’m sorry. For everything. For not protecting her when she needed it most. For not seeing through Nathan’s manipulation sooner.”

Daniel’s expression was troubled. “Alpha, please don’t say such demoralizing things. Luna will be happy to know you came to rescue her.”

I managed a bitter smile. “Will she? I’m not so sure. But regardless of how she feels about me, I need to do this. For her. For once in my life, I need to act without expecting anything in return.”

The drive to Moonstone Lake felt endless. My wolf paced restlessly, sensing the approaching confrontation. Everything in our pack hierarchy demanded that I see Florian as a rival to be eliminated. But tonight, he was my ally in the most important battle I had ever fought.

Strange how clarity came in moments of crisis. For years, I had focused on winning Audrey back, on proving that I deserved another chance. Tonight, all that mattered was ensuring she survived to make her own choices about her future.

Even if those choices broke my heart completely.