Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 27

(Audrey’s POV)

Victoria stepped closer, her sharp heels clicking against the asphalt as she advanced. The smug grin on her face set my blood boiling. She didn’t stop until she was right in front of me, trying to push me out of the way with that annoyingly casual air of hers.

“Move, Audrey,” she sneered. Her perfectly manicured hand brushed against my arm, as if she had every right to dismiss me.

I didn’t budge. Grace rumbled low inside me, her irritation mirroring my own. “What gives you the right?” I asked sharply, standing firm and refusing to let her pass.

Victoria’s pale blue eyes narrowed. “The right?” she repeated, her voice dripping with fake innocence. “I’m Arthur’s sister. Step-sister,” she corrected herself, a flicker of irritation crossing her face.

“Step-sister,” I echoed, my tone icy. “And not even officially listed on the Moonstone pack registry, right? You’re not really a part of this pack, Victoria. You’re just… visiting.”

Her eyes darkened. “I have every right to be here. You know nothing about loyalty-”

“And you know nothing about boundaries,” I interrupted, my voice steady and louder now. “Let’s be clear. You’re trying to claim something that isn’t yours. Again.”

Her face twisted into a sneer, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Loyalty doesn’t seem to matter to you either, Audrey, considering how desperately you’re clinging to a mate bond with a man who clearly doesn’t want you.”

I laughed under my breath, the sound bitter and biting. “That so?” I asked, stepping closer to her. “That’s interesting, considering Arthur showed up at my house last night, asking me not to break that bond. Funny how he seems to want me around, isn’t it, Victoria?”

Her expression faltered for a fraction of a second. “You’re lying,” she hissed, though the quiver in her voice said otherwise.

“Go ask him yourself,” I retorted, letting a sly smile play on my lips. “But something tells me you already know the truth, don’t you?”

Her hands trembled as her wolf flared behind her eyes. “You’re pathetic,” she spat. “Clinging to scraps of affection when it’s obvious Arthur-”

“Arthur keeps coming to me,” I cut in, my voice calm but piercing.

Her teeth clenched, and her breaths came faster. The jealousy radiating off her was almost palpable, a suffocating cloud of bitterness and rage.

Before I could say more, her hand shot out like a viper. The moment her palm connected with my cheek, the sharp crack echoed through the parking lot, louder than I expected.

Pain flared instantly, hot and stinging, but that wasn’t what stopped me. It was the humiliation of it-the sting of being struck in front of the pack members who had gathered, their murmurs rippling through the crowd.

Grace roared inside me as my wolf instincts surged. I felt my hand rise, ready to return the slap. But before I could, someone caught my wrist in an iron grip.

“Stop!” Arthur’s voice cut through the noise like a whip.

His hand tightened around my wrist as he yanked me back, hard. The force sent me stumbling against a nearby car, my side hitting the cold metal.

Shock and frustration flooded me as I regained my footing, my hand instinctively flying to my abdomen. My first thought wasn’t about the pain or even the humiliation-it was about my unborn pups.

They were fine. I could feel it. Relief mixed with my growing rage as I looked up, expecting… something. An apology, maybe. Some sign of care.

But Arthur wasn’t even looking at me.

His attention was focused solely on Victoria, whose face was now crumpling into a pitiful mask of tears.

“Are you okay?” he asked her, his voice soft in a way that made my heart twist painfully.

Victoria sniffled, dabbing pathetically at her face. “I just wanted her to give me a ride home,” she said, her voice trembling as if she were the victim.

My blood boiled. “She slapped me!” I yelled, my voice shaking with anger.

Arthur’s dark eyes turned to me, cold and dismissive. “And why did she feel the need to do that?” he shot back, the accusation clear in his tone.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. “You think this is my fault?”

“You provoked her,” he said flatly, turning back to Victoria without waiting for my response.

The gathered pack members watched in silence, their whispers growing louder as the scene unfolded. My face burned as their gazes weighed on me, each one a reminder of my humiliation.

There was a pause before her sigh crackled through the phone. “I don’t believe you,” she muttered.

I ended the call before she could press further, focusing on the road as I drove toward the pack mansion.

—

When I arrived, I parked a distance away, taking a moment to steady myself. I checked my reflection in the car mirror and winced at the mark on my cheek. It wasn’t as bad as I feared, but it was still visible-a painful reminder of what had happened.

I pulled out a small concealer stick from my bag, carefully dabbing it over the mark. Satisfied that it was hidden, I took a deep breath and headed inside.

Mary Bennett greeted me at the door, her warm smile a small comfort in the chaos of the day. “Luna,” she said fondly. “Everyone’s waiting in the main room. Elder William’s been asking about you.”

I nodded, forcing a weak smile. “Thank you, Mary.”

The moment I stepped into the room, the noise quieted. All eyes turned to me.

Arthur and Victoria were already there, seated next to each other. Victoria didn’t look my way, but I could feel her smugness from across the room.

Elder William’s face broke into a wide smile as he saw me. “Audrey!” he called, his voice warm and welcoming. “Come, sit by me.”

I obeyed, settling into a chair beside him. His sharp eyes scanned me, his expression softening. “You’ve been working too hard,” he said kindly. “You’re much too thin. I’ve had the kitchen prepare your favorite herbal tea. You must drink more of it.”

He gestured to the servants. “Pack some for her to take home,” he ordered.

I gave him a small smile. “Thank you, Grandfather.”

The conversation around us resumed, the pack putting on the facade of harmony. But every now and then, I caught Victoria glancing my way, her sweetness tinged with something darker-annoyance, perhaps even resentment.