Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 74

(Audrey’s POV)

“Audrey!”

Victoria’s voice rang out behind me as I stepped outside the North American Alliance of Werewolf Therapists building. Her shrill tone, dripping with bitterness, was impossible to miss. I tensed but didn’t stop. The exhaustion from the earlier plagiarism hearing weighed heavily on my body, and I had no patience left to entertain her tirade.

Her footsteps quickened, heels clicking sharply against the courtyard pavement. “Don’t you dare walk away from me!” she hissed.

I kept my gaze ahead, determined not to give her the satisfaction of a response. The ornamental pool came into view, its glassy surface reflecting the muted sky above. The temptation to lose myself in the quiet serenity of the water was fleeting. Before I could process further, Victoria’s hand clamped down on my arm, pulling me to a halt.

“You think you can just humiliate me like this and walk away?” she snarled.

I turned to face her, wrenching my arm free from her grasp. Her face was contorted with anger, her perfect façade slipping away as she glared at me. “Humiliate you?” I repeated, my voice heavy with disbelief. “Victoria, this is all your doing. You stole my research. You caused this mess. If anyone’s humiliated here, it’s you-by your own actions.”

Her eyes narrowed, the venom in her gaze intensifying. “You’ve ruined my career. Do you even understand the damage you’ve done?”

“Do you mean the damage you did to yourself?” I shot back sharply. “Actions have consequences, Victoria. You can’t manipulate your way out of everything.”

For a moment, she faltered, her lips twitching as though grappling for a retort. Then, her expression darkened further, and without warning, she shoved me hard toward the edge of the ornamental pool.

“You think you’re better than me?” she spat, her nails digging into my jacket sleeve as she pushed again.

I steadied myself, glaring at her. “What’s your plan, Victoria? Push me into the water and walk away? You’ve lost. Accept it.”

Her laugh was sharp and mocking. “You think I’d let you leave after everything you’ve taken from me? You’ve ruined everything I worked for. Let’s see how well you swim, precious Luna.”

That word. Luna. The mockery behind it, as though I still held that title in any meaningful way, sent a surge of rage through me. Months’ worth of anger, pain, and grief boiled over. My mind flashed to the loss of my pups, the betrayal I’d endured, the countless moments when Arthur had turned his back on me.

I grabbed the lapels of her designer jacket, leaning in close enough to see the flicker of surprise in her eyes.

“You want to die together?” I hissed through gritted teeth. “Let’s do it.”

Before she could react, I used her momentum against her, pulling us both into the freezing waters of the ornamental pool.

The icy cold enveloped us instantly. My breath caught in my throat as the shock of the temperature sent my senses into overdrive. Water surged around us, and I fought to keep my head above the surface. Victoria flailed beside me, gasping and spluttering as her perfect curls plastered against her head.

“Audrey!” she shrieked, her voice shrill and panicked as she struggled to stay afloat.

A strong hand grasped mine, pulling me upward with a force that left no room for resistance. Water blurred my vision, but I recognized Nathan’s figure at the edge of the pool. His expression was like stone, cold fury radiating from him as he dragged me out of the water.

“Audrey, hold on,” he said firmly, his leather jacket already draped over his arm.

He wrapped it around my shoulders as soon as I was steady on my feet, his grip lingering just long enough to ensure I wouldn’t collapse.

Behind us, security guards rushed forward, alerted by the commotion. Victoria’s cries echoed from the pool as she flailed helplessly.

Nathan turned to the guards, his voice cutting through the chaos like a sharpened blade. “Leave her.”

The guards froze mid-motion, their gazes darting between him and the water.

Nathan’s eyes were ice-cold as he looked at Victoria. “She made her choice.”

My breath hitched, my body trembling, though whether from the cold or adrenaline I couldn’t tell. Nathan’s hand on my shoulder was steady, grounding me. Without another word, he guided me toward the building.

—

Nathan didn’t say much as he led me to his office. His jaw was tight, his eyes forward, exuding the same calm authority that had left me unsettled on more than one occasion.

When we arrived, his demeanor softened. He nodded toward the private bathroom tucked into the corner of his office.

“Go shower. My assistant will bring a change of clothes,” he said simply.

I hesitated, the weight of the past hour pressing down on me.

“Audrey,” he added, his tone gentler. “Just… take a moment to breathe. You’ve been through enough today.”

It was the softness in his voice that convinced me. Without a word, I stepped into the bathroom.

The warm water was a stark contrast to the icy cold of the ornamental pool. I braced my hands against the tiled walls as the water cascaded over me, washing away the grime, both physical and emotional.

“You never took the time to know me,” I hissed. “And you never will.”

He tightened his grip further, his body trembling. “Don’t test me, Audrey.”

“Kill me, then,” I dared him, my voice dripping with defiance.

Before he could respond, a soft knock interrupted us.

Nathan’s assistant, Lisa Morgan, peeked inside cautiously. “Miss Audrey,” she began tentatively, “would you like some warming tea? Alpha Nathan insisted, knowing of your… recent miscarriage.”

The words hung in the air like a heavy weight. Arthur froze. The grip on my wrist slackened as shock replaced fury.

His gaze snapped to me. “Miscarriage?” he repeated hollowly.

I yanked my arm free, glaring at him.

“What… what are you talking about?” he demanded. “Who… whose pups were they?” His voice cracked, anger and accusation flooding his tone. “Was it Nathan’s?”

The audacity of his insinuation was too much. Without thinking, I slapped him hard across the face, the sound ringing sharp.

“How dare you?” I snarled. “You abandoned me for Victoria! You chose her over me every time, and now you accuse me of infidelity?”

Arthur swallowed, stunned into silence.

“I was almost three months pregnant,” I revealed, my voice breaking. “I lost them, Arthur. Our pups.”

His expression shattered, the realization hitting him all at once.

“Our… our pups?” he choked out, his voice barely above a whisper.