Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 28

(Audrey’s POV)

The dining room felt like a stage tonight, every glance and word heavy with unspoken tension. I focused on the steaming cup of Elder William’s special wolfsbane-infused tea, letting its warmth seep into my hands.

“This tea really is remarkable, Grandfather,” I said, my voice soft but clear, forcing myself to engage.

Elder William gave me a pleased nod, but it wasn’t his response that caught my attention. From across the table, Margaret Thompson, George’s wife, tilted her head slightly, a knowing smile playing at her lips.

“It’s not just any tea,” Margaret said lightly, her sharp eyes locking on mine. “Wolfsbane has balancing properties. Helpful for… delicate situations.”

Her tone wasn’t casual, and the gaze she leveled at me wasn’t innocent. My throat tightened, and for just a heartbeat, I froze.

I swallowed, carefully setting my cup down. “It’s wonderful tea,” I managed to say, my fingers trembling slightly as they fell into my lap.

Margaret’s smile grew wider, almost coy now. She leaned forward, her next words cutting through the rhythm of the quiet dinner chatter. “Though, nausea isn’t something we see often in young, healthy wolves like yourself. Perhaps there’s a special reason?”

The murmurs around the table immediately ceased. The room stilled like prey caught in a hunter’s sights. Suddenly, every face was turned toward me.

I forced a laugh, though it wavered on the edge of panic. “I don’t think so,” I said quickly, my voice almost too high-pitched. “It’s just an upset stomach. I haven’t been sleeping well recently.”

Margaret didn’t look convinced, though she leaned back, feigning satisfaction. “Of course. But you should be careful.”

From the corner of my vision, I saw Arthur stiffen. His dark eyes flicked toward me, then back to Margaret. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Elder William’s firm voice cut in before he could.

“Arthur,” Elder William said sharply, his tone carrying the full weight of his authority. “Make sure Audrey is taken to the pack healer after dinner. I want her seen, immediately.”

Arthur’s lips pressed into a thin line, though he nodded. His eyes met mine for a brief moment, unreadable, before he turned his attention back to his plate.

I didn’t respond, my appetite long gone. Instead, I stared down at my untouched food, moving it around with my fork to seem occupied. The dull murmur of resumed conversations barely registered as I wrestled with the emotions churning inside me.

—

The rest of the meal dragged on, a torturous mix of forced smiles and tension that I couldn’t seem to claw my way out of. Every passing moment felt heavier, every glance more piercing. Even Victoria, seated further down, sent me occasional looks of simmering irritation masked under her perfect, practiced demeanor.

When the last of the plates was finally cleared, Elder William leaned over toward me, his voice low yet firm.

“Come to my study when you’re finished,” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly with something I couldn’t place. “There’s much we need to discuss.”

My stomach clenched painfully, my feet feeling leaden as I followed him out of the dining room.

The hallways of the pack mansion seemed longer tonight, the once-welcoming space now suffocating. Every step toward his private study felt deliberate, each one carrying the weight of unspoken words that I dreaded to hear.

When I entered his study, the familiar scent of leather and old books washed over me, but the comfort it usually brought was absent. Elder William gestured for me to sit in the chair across from him, the weight of his gaze pressing down on me.

“You know,” he began, settling back into his armchair, “I’ve known you for three years now. I’ve watched you navigate this life, handle challenges, and prove your strength time and again.”

His voice was measured, almost too calm, and it was making Grace restless.

“I’ve also seen the way you looked at Arthur,” he continued, his tone dipping slightly in regret. “Every glance filled with devotion, with hope, with…”

He paused, shaking his head softly. “Tonight, Audrey, you didn’t spare him a single look. Not one.”

His words hung in the air like a challenge, daring me to deny the truth he’d already seen.

Moments later, George Thompson entered the study, his expression as solemn as I’d ever seen it. The manila envelope he carried seemed unassuming, yet the tension in the room thickened instantly as he placed it on the desk.

“Thank you, George,” Elder William said quietly, his focus entirely on the file now.

George gave a small nod, his eyes briefly meeting mine before he turned and exited the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Elder William opened the envelope with careful precision, pulling out a memory card and a stack of photographs. He laid them out across the desk, spreading them so I could see.

My heart sank the moment my eyes landed on the first image.

A beautiful woman, heavily pregnant, stood in the foreground of the photograph. Her hand softly cupped her stomach, her expression tender yet tired. I knew who she was instantly – Arthur’s mother, Evelyn.

But it wasn’t just Evelyn that froze me in place.

Standing beside her, younger but no less recognizable, was Katherine. Her posture was rigid, her face composed, but it was her eyes that held my attention.

They weren’t warm or joyful, as one might expect when standing next to an expectant mother. No, Katherine’s eyes were cold, calculating. Sharp and watchful.

The implicit tension between the two women reached through the decades and struck me like a blow. My wolf bristled, uneasy.

“What…” I trailed off, my voice barely audible. “What does this mean?”

Elder William’s expression darkened, his face lined with grief and something deeper – anger.