Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 33

(Audrey’s POV)

The silver pendant Arthur had left in the breakfast bag weighed heavily in my thoughts. The significance of it being our first moon-turning ceremony anniversary stirred a mixed bag of emotions.

Had he remembered this on his own? Or maybe Lucas or Daniel had reminded him?

My wolf, Grace, wanted to believe in some spark of genuine intent behind his actions. But my rational side, the part bruised from three years of indifference and betrayal, urged caution.

As I passed down the therapy center’s corridors, the warm morning light filtering through the large windows felt stifling rather than energizing. I had planned my day meticulously to keep my thoughts from wandering back to Arthur, back to the silver pendant, or to the memories tied to it.

I closed my office door behind me, sat briefly at my desk, and leafed through my schedule for the day. It was packed with clients – which usually helped keep me centered. But even as I reviewed notes and prepared my approach, my mind stubbornly circled back to Arthur.

Had he truly remembered the date, or was this a calculated act to tug at my emotions?

“Get it together, Audrey,” I whispered to myself. I firmly closed the file in front of me and took a deep breath.

—

By the time the lunch hour rolled around, I had little appetite. After attending to a particularly tense session, I was exhausted.

Sarah had sent me a message earlier to meet her in the center’s cafeteria. I agreed, hoping a friendly voice might settle my thoughts.

I was halfway there when the heavy aroma of various wolf dishes wafting from the cafeteria made my stomach flip violently. My sensitive nose, attuned by pregnancy, rejected the barrage of intense scents.

The reaction came fast.

I barely managed to rush to the nearby restroom. Collapsing over the sink, I dry heaved as the bile rose sharply. My entire body spasmed as I fought to control the retches.

The cold water running in the faucet in front of me barely brought any relief.

With my hands gripping the porcelain edge and my breath heavy, I steadied myself. My reflection in the mirror showed flushed cheeks and tired eyes.

“You’re carrying his pups,” I whispered quietly, though no one else was there to hear. Despite the wave of discomfort and sickness, there was a sliver of warmth.

For all the chaos surrounding my life right now, they were my reason to keep pushing forward.

As my breathing steadied, and I reached into my bag for a handkerchief to clean up, the restroom door opened.

I tensed immediately.

It wasn’t just anyone. It was her.

Victoria.

She stepped inside and paused when our eyes met through the mirror. She immediately noticed my flushed face and the remnants of my earlier distress.

“Feeling unwell, Audrey?” Her tone was airy, but I could sense the subtle edge beneath it.

I straightened up quickly, masking any trace of weakness. “The venison stew yesterday,” I lied smoothly, “It might not have been entirely fresh.”

Her gaze lingered on me, her lips curving ever so slightly into a smirk. She took deliberate steps closer, tilting her head as if studying me like prey.

Though I held my ground outwardly, inside, my wolf bristled, her hackles raised.

Victoria’s lingering silence made every second unbearable before her voice cut through sharply. “Complete the severance already, Audrey.” Her words were less a suggestion, more an order. “Stop dragging out what should’ve been over long ago. Clinging to Arthur won’t make him want you any more.”

I bit back the immediate urge to snap at her. Squaring my shoulders, I countered instead, “Maybe you should be warning Arthur to finalize this instead of pestering me.”

Her smirk faltered, and her eyes narrowed into sharp slits.

I didn’t wait for her to respond. With my head held high, I brushed past her, exiting the restroom in a storm of determination, though my legs shook slightly with the adrenaline coursing through me.

—

When I reached the cafeteria and found Sarah waiting at one of the corner tables, her face lit up instantly. But her excitement quickly morphed into concern as I slumped into the seat opposite her.

“What happened?” Her voice lowered, urgency coloring her tone.

I shook my head, not wanting to relive the restroom encounter, but Sarah was relentless in her questions. Eventually, I spilled the details, recounting Victoria’s taunting and her apparent eagerness for my severance with Arthur.

Sarah’s lips curled into a sneer. “She’s such a vile, scheming creature. Why am I not surprised?”

She paused, twirling a strand of her chestnut hair thoughtfully before leaning closer to add, “You know the pack is talking, right? About you and Arthur showing up together here.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

She nodded, a wry smirk playing on her lips. “Oh, yeah. ‘The Alpha King’s real Luna’ versus ‘the aspiring stepsister Luna’ drama is all they’ve been talking about. Especially since he’s moved into your little house.”

“What-what happened?” I asked hurriedly, stepping aside as Daniel practically dragged Arthur inside.

“He…” Daniel’s voice was strained. “He was at the Alpha League meeting today. They-there was vodka… too much of it. Vomiting all the way back here. Refused to go anywhere else but here. Refused a medic too.”

Panic twisted within me, though I fought to stay focused. “Why didn’t you take him to the pack healer anyway?”

Daniel gave a half-shrug, not unkindly. “Tried that. He threatened to shred everyone in sight. Figured it was better to bring him to you.”

Arthur stirred weakly, his weight nearly collapsing onto me as Daniel transferred him fully into my care.

Before I could question further, Daniel offered a quick nod. “He’s in your hands now,” he said before briskly leaving.

—

I stared at Arthur, feeling very complicated.

He rarely got drunk, or rather he seldom drank because I didn’t like the taste of alcohol.

Suddenly I realized there was something wrong with Arthur. He was burning up.

His entire frame trembled as his wolf instincts seemed to rage just beneath the surface. Beads of sweat slicked his brow as he groaned faintly, his words slurring incoherently.

I lowered him onto the couch, my pulse racing.

“Arthur,” I whispered, gently brushing damp strands of hair from his face. “What’s going on with you?”

When he didn’t respond, my wolf whimpered nervously within me. Something wasn’t right.

That’s when I saw it.

His skin shifted momentarily, the faint outline of his wolf form rippling beneath the surface.

It was like fire coursed through him, like his body was fighting itself.

“Arthur,” I called again, more urgently this time. But his only reply was a strangled groan as the tremors wracked through him once more.