Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 89

(Audrey’s POV)

Victoria stood at Arthur’s bedside, her hand possessively clutching his while her eyes flashed with triumph as she looked at me. I fought back a smile at how predictable this entire scene was.

“I can handle this now,” Victoria repeated, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “You must be tired after your… ordeal.”

I merely raised an eyebrow, still holding the water cup I’d been giving Arthur. His silver wound was serious, but not serious enough for me to endure Victoria’s theatrics.

“Arthur, I brought your favorite healing tea,” Victoria cooed, pulling a thermos from her designer handbag.

Arthur’s face remained impassive. “I don’t want tea.”

Victoria blinked, momentarily thrown off by his flat refusal. “But… it will help with the silver poisoning. I had it specially prepared.”

“The medical center has provided adequate treatment,” Arthur replied, his voice cool and detached.

Victoria seemed oblivious to his tone, launching into an enthusiastic monologue about her extensive knowledge of his preferences.

“I know exactly what you need when you’re injured,” she continued, fluffing his pillows unnecessarily. “Remember when you hurt your shoulder during the territory run? I made that special compress that helped you heal in half the time.”

I watched her performance with detached amusement.

Taking advantage of Victoria’s distraction, I opened our mate bond link.

“Have you made a decision about Victoria?” I projected the thought to Arthur, keeping my expression neutral.

Arthur’s eyes flickered to mine, a hint of surprise crossing his features at my use of our bond.

“What decision?” he responded, though his mental tone told me he knew exactly what I meant.

Victoria must have sensed something passing between us. Her rambling stopped abruptly, and she looked back and forth between us with suspicion.

“What are you two doing?” she demanded, her voice rising. “Are you using your mate bond to talk about me?”

Arthur ignored her, focusing on me instead. “You’re being heartless, Audrey,” he said aloud, his voice carrying a note of accusation. “I’m a patient with silver poisoning, and all you can think about is handling business matters?”

I crossed my arms. “Victoria seems to have recovered remarkably quickly from her own self-inflicted silver injury. I don’t see why you need special consideration.”

Victoria’s face flushed at my pointed reference to her stabbing herself.

“That was different,” she muttered. “I was emotionally distressed.”

“When will you deal with her?” I asked Arthur directly, ignoring Victoria completely. “Or shall I handle it myself?”

Arthur’s jaw tightened, but after a moment of tense silence, he nodded. “Fine. We’ll do it your way.”

Victoria’s eyes widened. “Do what? Arthur, what is she talking about?”

I turned to face her fully. “I’m asking when you’ll be exiled from the Moonstone Pack territories.”

Victoria gasped, her hand flying to her throat in a theatrical gesture of shock. “Exiled? What are you talking about? Arthur wouldn’t-”

“When?” I pressed, looking back at Arthur.

“I’ll make the arrangements tomorrow,” he conceded, his expression unreadable.

Victoria’s composure was visibly crumbling. She clutched Arthur’s arm tighter, accidentally pressing against his injured shoulder.

Arthur winced, pulling away sharply. “Let go of me, Victoria.”

“You can’t be serious,” Victoria whispered, her face pale. “You wouldn’t send me away.”

I couldn’t tolerate the charade any longer. “Oh, he’s very serious,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “The Confederate wolf colonies in the far reaches of pack territories are always looking for new members. Perhaps the Silver Mountain territory? Or Moonless Valley? The Eastern Badlands might be a good fit.”

Victoria’s eyes widened with genuine horror. Those territories were notoriously dangerous, especially for unmated she-wolves.

“Arthur, please,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. “You can’t send me there. You know what happens to lone females in those territories.”

“You should have thought of that before you pushed my mate into traffic,” Arthur replied, his voice cold enough to freeze fire.

Victoria turned to me, desperation evident in every line of her body. “Audrey, you can’t let him do this. We’ve had our differences, but-”

“Differences?” I laughed bitterly. “You deliberately caused me to miscarry my pups. You manipulated Arthur against me for years. And now you want mercy?”

“I didn’t know you were pregnant!” Victoria protested, tears now streaming freely down her face. “I swear, I would never intentionally harm an unborn pup!”

“No pack resources,” I continued relentlessly. “No support from the Moonstone Pack. Just you and the wilderness, Victoria. Seems fair after everything you’ve done.”

Victoria fell to her knees beside Arthur’s bed, clutching at his hand. “Arthur, please remember everything we’ve been through,” she begged. “Your father promised to care for me after my mother’s sacrifice. You can’t break that promise!”

Arthur’s Alpha gaze was cold and unwavering, his wolf presence radiating finality. “Did you forget what you did to Audrey?” he asked softly. “Did you forget our unborn pups?”

“Well, good for you,” I said carefully. “But I’m still not staying to play nurse.”

Arthur grimaced suddenly, his hand moving to his back. “My wound,” he muttered. “I think it’s reopened.”

I narrowed my eyes, skepticism rising. “Really? How convenient.”

“Check if you don’t believe me,” he challenged.

With a sigh, I approached him, gently turning him to examine his back. To my surprise, the edges of the silver wound were indeed bleeding, crimson staining the white bandage.

“You shouldn’t have gotten out of bed,” I chided, unable to completely mask my concern. “Come on, let’s get you back to your room.”

Arthur’s lips curved into the barest hint of a smile as I supported his weight back down the hallway. I knew I was being manipulated, but I couldn’t ignore his injury. My wolf’s instinctive reaction to my mate’s pain overrode my rational mind.

Once back in the room, I helped Arthur settle onto the bed and checked his bandages more thoroughly.

“It’s not too bad,” I assessed. “The stitches are still intact, just some bleeding at the edges.”

Daniel Hayes entered cautiously, clearing his throat to announce his presence.

“Luna, Victoria is still in the treatment center lobby,” he reported, his eyes darting nervously between Arthur and me. “She’s… quite upset.”

I rinsed the blood from my hands in the small sink, watching the water turn pink then clear. “Let her cry,” I said coldly. “She’ll need the practice for when she’s alone in the Confederate territories.”

“She’s been asking to speak with you, Alpha,” Daniel added, addressing Arthur.

Arthur shifted on the bed, wincing slightly. “I have nothing to say to her. My decision stands.”

I should have felt triumphant. After years of watching Victoria manipulate Arthur and cause havoc in the pack, justice was finally being served. Yet as I dried my hands, I felt strangely hollow.

Maybe it was because I didn’t truly believe it would last. Victoria was nothing if not resourceful, and she had manipulated Arthur for years. Why would this time be any different?

Or perhaps it was because a small part of me hoped that Arthur was genuinely seeking justice for our lost pups-that he had finally seen through Victoria’s machinations and chosen to stand with me, even as our mate bond was ending.

But experience had taught me to be wary of hope where Arthur was concerned. Too many disappointments had hardened my heart against believing in him again.

I couldn’t shake the nagging fear that this was just another act in Victoria’s grand performance, and that once again, I would be left dealing with the fallout of her manipulations.