Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 82

(Audrey’s POV)

I stood frozen, “What if it hadn’t been you?” he’d asked.

The question cut deeper than I expected. Would I have fallen for anyone who showed me kindness that day? Was my eight-year devotion to Arthur nothing more than misplaced gratitude?

“I… I don’t know,” I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t answer that.”

Something flickered across Arthur’s face-disappointment, perhaps even hurt. His usual mask of cool indifference wavered for just a moment before he composed himself.

“I see,” he said, taking another drag from his cigarette. The ember glowed brighter for a moment, illuminating the harsh lines of his face.

Without warning, he abruptly changed the subject. “About Victoria,” he said, his voice deliberately casual. “I’ll honor my grandfather’s wish. You have my word.”

I froze, momentarily caught off guard by his sudden pivot. After countless broken promises and shattered trust, his words felt hollow.

“Really?” The skepticism in my voice was unmistakable. “Just like that?”

Arthur’s jaw tightened. He crushed the cigarette into a nearby ashtray with more force than necessary. “Is my word not enough for you anymore, Audrey?”

“Your word stopped being enough a long time ago,” I replied coldly. “But for Elder William’s sake, I hope you keep it this time.”

An uncomfortable silence stretched between us. The air felt thick with unspoken accusations and regrets.

“I should go,” he finally said, retrieving his shirt from where it had fallen. He dressed quickly, his movements sharp and efficient. “We’ll talk another time.”

I didn’t respond. There was nothing left to say.

The soft click of the front door echoed through the empty house. I exhaled slowly, only then realizing I’d been holding my breath. A strange sense of peace washed over me-not happiness, but relief. The weight of eight years of unrequited love was finally lifting from my shoulders.

Without hesitation, I walked to the security panel by the door. With methodical precision, I deleted Arthur’s fingerprints from the system and changed the access code. The symbolism wasn’t lost on me-I was erasing him from my life, one small step at a time.

“We’re done with him,” I whispered to my wolf. She whined softly in agreement, though I sensed her lingering attachment to our mate. “He’ll be nothing but a memory soon.”

I drew myself a bath, adding healing herbs that filled the bathroom with a soothing aroma. As I sank into the warm water, I felt my muscles relax for the first time in what felt like forever.

Later, wrapped in a soft robe, I followed my nightly ritual-skincare, a cup of herbal tea, and a few pages from a book on rare healing plants. Small, ordinary actions that felt revolutionary in their normalcy.

As I drifted off to sleep, a strange thought occurred to me. This was what starting over felt like. Not dramatic or earth-shattering, but quiet and methodical. One small decision at a time.

—

The harsh pounding on my front door jerked me awake. Morning sunlight streamed through my curtains, and for a moment, I was disoriented.

The pounding continued, more insistent this time.

“Audrey! I know you’re in there! Open this door right now!”

Victoria’s shrill voice cut through the peaceful morning like a knife. I groaned, burying my face in my pillow for a moment before forcing myself to get up.

I didn’t rush. I took my time putting on a robe, running a brush through my tangled hair, and even brewing a cup of tea before approaching the door.

Through the peephole, I could see Victoria’s face contorted with rage. Her perfectly manicured finger jabbed at my doorbell repeatedly.

I opened the door just as she was about to knock again. Her fist froze in midair.

“Victoria,” I said evenly. “What a surprise.”

She pushed past me, storming into my house without invitation. Her expensive perfume filled the air, cloyingly sweet and suffocating.

“What did you say to him?” she demanded, whirling around to face me. Her wolf eyes flashed dangerously, the amber irises tinged with gold.

I closed the door calmly and took a sip of my tea. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

“Don’t play dumb with me!” she spat. “Arthur! What did you say to him?”

“Many things, over many years,” I replied, my tone deliberately disinterested. “You’ll have to narrow it down.”

Victoria’s face flushed with anger. “He’s sending me away! To some godforsaken Confederate colony in northern Europe for ‘rehabilitation’!” Her voice rose with each word. “What did you do?”

I couldn’t hide my surprise. That was… unexpectedly decisive of Arthur.

“I asked him to honor Elder William’s dying wish,” I said simply. “Which was to keep you away from the pack.”

“You bitch!” she hissed. “You’ve ruined everything!”

“You’re sick,” I whispered, horror and rage battling within me.

“Maybe,” she conceded with a shrug. “But I’m not the one who lost everything, am I? I’m not the one who bled out her pups while her mate ran to comfort someone else.”

Each word was a dagger, precisely aimed to inflict maximum pain. I felt my wolf rising to the surface, howling for vengeance.

“He didn’t even care,” Victoria continued, twisting the knife deeper. “When they told him about your miscarriage, do you know what he said? He asked if it would affect your ability to bear more pups in the future. Like you were nothing but a breeding machine.”

My vision blurred with tears of rage. My hand found the silver letter opener on the side table. Before I could think, I had it clutched in my fist, pointing at Victoria’s throat.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t end you right now,” I growled, my wolf’s voice merging with my own.

Victoria didn’t back away. Instead, she stepped closer, until the letter opener’s tip pressed against her skin.

“Because you’re weak,” she whispered. “You’ve always been weak. That’s why Arthur never truly wanted you.”

My hand trembled. I could do it. One quick thrust and she would never hurt anyone again. My wolf urged me on, desperate for retribution for our lost pups.

But something stopped me. Some last shred of humanity that refused to let Victoria turn me into a monster.

I lowered the letter opener slightly, my breathing ragged. “Get out of my house.”

Victoria’s expression shifted, a chilling smile spreading across her face. Before I could react, she grabbed my wrist and pulled-not away, but toward herself.

The silver letter opener slid into her abdomen with horrifying ease.

“No!” I gasped, trying to pull back, but her grip was like iron.

Victoria’s eyes never left mine as blood bloomed across her expensive blouse. Her smile never wavered, even as she twisted my hand, driving the letter opener deeper.

The front door burst open. Arthur stood in the doorway, his eyes widened as he took in the scene before him-Victoria, bleeding from a wound I had seemingly inflicted, and me, my hand still on the weapon.