Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left Chapter 158

(Audrey’s POV)

I froze at Howard’s words, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest. This wasn’t the first time he’d made such a claim about my bloodline, but hearing it now sent a chill through me that had nothing to do with the medical center’s cool air.

“What did you just say?” I turned back to face him, my voice sharper than I intended.

Before Howard could respond, I noticed his eyes widen in sudden terror, fixed on a point behind me. His posture immediately shifted from aggressive to submissive, shoulders hunching as he took an instinctive step back.

“Alpha Snowfang,” he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Nathan approaching, his face set in a stern expression that I rarely witnessed. His wolf presence filled the corridor, powerful and commanding without being overbearing. Even Howard’s Beta associates seemed to shrink back.

“Howard Mitchell,” Nathan’s voice was calm but carried an undeniable authority. “Have you already forgotten our previous conversation?”

Howard’s face drained of color. “No, no, Alpha Snowfang! I was just… I was just visiting my mate when Audrey happened to be here. Pure coincidence!”

His sudden change in demeanor was almost comical. The wolf who moments ago had been pounding on doors and making threats now looked like he might drop to the floor in submission.

I seized the opportunity while Howard was off-balance with fear. “What did you mean about me not being from the Winter bloodline? You’ve mentioned this several times now.”

Howard’s eyes darted between Nathan and me, clearly searching for an escape route.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he backpedaled unconvincingly.

Nathan took a single step forward, his movement casual but carrying weight. “Howard,” he said softly, “I think it would be best if you answered Audrey’s question.”

It wasn’t an Alpha command-Nathan was too respectful of territory boundaries for that-but the suggestion carried enough force to make Howard visibly tremble.

“I made it up!” Howard blurted out, his words tumbling over each other. “I just… I just wanted to prevent the mate bond severance! I thought if I could make her doubt her identity, she might back off from helping Juliette!”

I narrowed my eyes, not believing him for a second. “Of all the lies you could fabricate, why would you specifically choose this one? And repeatedly?”

Howard’s gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet my eyes.

“He’s talking nonsense, Audrey,” my aunt said from behind me, her voice thin but determined. “Don’t take anything he says seriously. He’ll say anything to cause trouble.”

Howard took advantage of the momentary distraction to back away. “I’ll leave now. Tell your pack advisor to send the final severance documents to my territory den.” With that, he and his associates hurried toward the elevator, not daring to look back.

The drive back to my territory house was quiet. I stared out the window at the rain-slicked streets, my mind replaying Howard’s words and his panicked denial. Something wasn’t adding up.

“You’re thinking about what he said, aren’t you?” Nathan asked, his eyes never leaving the road.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Yes. It’s not the first time he’s hinted at this. Even during my days at Inter-Pack Academy, he would make strange comments about my ‘real family’ when he was drunk.”

“Do you want to investigate further?” His question was gentle, free of judgment.

“I do,” I admitted. “I’ve always accepted that I’m Audrey Winter, orphaned daughter of healers who died protecting me from rogue wolves. But what if… what if there’s more to my story?”

Nathan’s expression softened. “I have connections in the northern territories where birth records are kept. I could make some inquiries, if you’d like.”

My heart lightened at his offer. “You would do that for me?”

“Of course.” His simple reply carried such sincerity that my wolf stirred with affection beneath my skin.

“If we discover the truth, I’ll treat you to venison at Silver Moon Restaurant,” I promised, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckled, but then glanced at me with a more serious expression. “What will you do if his words turn out to be true?”

The question hung heavy between us. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “If I’m not Audrey Winter, who am I? A truly orphaned wolf with no knowledge of my origins…”

“Whatever the truth is,” Nathan said firmly, “it doesn’t change who you are now. Your identity isn’t just a bloodline-it’s the choices you’ve made, the wolf you’ve become.”

His words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, comforting in their certainty. By the time we reached my territory house, the rain had stopped, leaving the air crisp and clean.

“Would you like to come up for moonlight tea?” I asked as he walked me to the entrance. “It’s still early evening.”

Nathan’s lips curled into a teasing smile. “Do you understand what you’re asking, Audrey? Inviting an Alpha wolf for tea in the evening…”

My cheeks heated at his implication, a blush spreading across my face. “I didn’t mean-I was just being polite!”

His laughter was warm and rich. “I’m teasing you,” he said, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. “But I’m afraid I must decline. I need to return to the Snowfang Pack-there’s urgent territory business I must attend to.”

“Another time, then,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment.

He nodded, his gaze lingering on my face for a moment before he turned to leave. “Another time.”

Back in my territory house, I showered quickly, washing away the stress of the day. Despite the late hour, I found myself sitting at my desk, continuing work on Emma Shadowcrest’s healing herbs formula. The complexity of the mixture required intense concentration, which helped push Howard’s cryptic claims to the back of my mind.

Every detail had to be perfect-the balance of gold wolfsbane extract with the Northern white healing herbs, the precise amount of moonshadow roots to enhance rather than overpower. I knew Emma would scrutinize every aspect, looking for any flaw to criticize or any excuse to demand a discount.

My phone rang just as I was documenting the formula’s stability tests. It was my aunt.

“Are you still with Nathan?” she asked without preamble.

I frowned, confused by the question. “No, we left the medical center hours ago. I’m at home now, already showered and working.”

“Oh,” she sounded disappointed. “I thought I saw him from my window just now.”

“That’s impossible,” I said, glancing at the clock. “He dropped me off and headed straight back to the Snowfang territory.”

“Never mind then,” she said quickly. “I have good news! Howard finally signed the mate bond severance papers this afternoon.”

“Really?” I was genuinely surprised. “That’s wonderful, but what made him change his mind so quickly?”

My aunt’s laugh held a note of vindication. “Apparently, he nearly collided with Alpha Snowfang as he was leaving the medical center. Whatever Nathan said to him must have been quite convincing.”

I smiled to myself, imagining Howard’s terror facing Nathan again. “I’m so relieved, Aunt Juliette. From now on, I only need to care for you-no more dealing with him.”

“You’ve done more than enough already,” she said softly. “Get some rest, dear.”

The next two weeks passed in a blur of activity. Winter’s Remedy began attracting clients, most drawn by the Northern Alliance’s very public endorsement, while I devoted my evenings to perfecting Emma’s formula.

The final result was magnificent, even by my critical standards. The formula featured exactly what Emma had demanded-gold wolfsbane extract that shimmered when applied, Northern white healing herbs providing a luxurious base, and the finest moonshadow roots giving it a subtle ruby hue.

I had balanced the components perfectly, ensuring that beyond its aesthetic appeal, the formula would genuinely enhance the wolf’s natural healing abilities and provide protection against silver exposure. The container, a special commission from a territory artisan, was equally impressive-crystal clear with an oval ruby embedded that caught and reflected light beautifully.

“It’s ready,” I announced to Sarah, carefully placing the formula in its presentation box.

She examined it critically before nodding in approval. “It’s exquisite, Audrey. Even Emma Shadowcrest can’t find fault with this.”

Sarah called Emma to schedule a testing session, but Emma deliberately delayed until evening when most of our employees would be gone from Winter’s Remedy. A typical power play.

“She’ll try to cause trouble,” Sarah warned as we prepared for Emma’s arrival. “She’ll want to avoid paying the remaining balance.”

I shrugged, arranging the testing materials on the consultation table. “She’s already paid half. The worst outcome is continuous modifications-I won’t return her deposit regardless.”

“Healer Winter,” Mia Silverleaf’s voice called from the reception area. “Miss Shadowcrest is here with her mother.”

I straightened my healing robe and headed out to greet them. Emma looked elegant as always, her expensive clothes coordinated perfectly with her mother’s outfit, creating the image of pack harmony they so desperately wanted to project.

“Thank you for coming,” I said professionally, leading them to the consultation room where the formula waited. “I believe you’ll be pleased with the result.”

Emma’s eyes widened at the sight of the gorgeous formula container, a brief flash of genuine approval crossing her face before she quickly masked it with a neutral expression.

“We’ll see,” she said dismissively, though her fingers reached for the container with obvious eagerness.

Mia helped her take the container, explaining the application process. Just as I was about to demonstrate the formula’s unique properties, Emma walked to the adjacent room and called out rudely, “I need assistance in here!”

Mia frowned at Emma’s demanding tone but moved to follow her. Before she could, Mrs. Shadowcrest turned to me with a cold smile.

“What kind of Alpha raises Beta wolves with no self-awareness!” she hissed, her criticism clearly aimed at how I managed my healing practice.

I opened my mouth to respond, but to my surprise, Mia stepped forward, her usually sweet demeanor replaced with righteous indignation.

“You can insult me, but don’t insult Healer Winter!” she declared, her youthful face flushed with emotion. “I’m telling you, if Emma Shadowcrest isn’t satisfied today, not only will you reject this formula, but our practice won’t be able to continue!”

Mrs. Shadowcrest’s eyes widened in shock at being addressed so directly by a young Beta.

“How dare you speak to me this way!” she sputtered.

Mia stood her ground, lifting her chin defiantly. “Madam, you and your daughter are even more disgusting than the pack rumors suggest…”