Lahat ng Kabanata ng Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate: Kabanata 331 - Kabanata 340

Penelope’s POVI caught myself humming while arranging the white roses Dominic had brought this morning. The melody was something I used to sing while making breakfast, back when everything felt possible. My hands stilled on the crystal vase as I realized what I was doing.“Stop it,” I whispered to myself.But the contentment had already crept back into my bones like a drug I couldn’t quit. Two weeks of daily visits had worn down my defenses piece by piece.“You’re glowing,” Mom said, joining me in the kitchen.“I’m tired.”“You’re happy.” Her voice carried concern instead of approval. “That’s what worries me.”I set down the roses harder than necessary. “What’s that supposed to mean?”“It means you’re forgetting why you left him in the first place.” Mom leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “Two weeks of flowers and romantic gestures, and suddenly all that pain just disappeared?”“Nothing’s disappeared. I remember everything.”“Do you? Because the woman who went to jail because of

Penelope’s POVThe drive to the medical center felt like the longest twenty minutes of my life. Alexander’s cries had softened to weak whimpers, which somehow seemed worse than the screaming. Every red light was torture, every turn made him cry harder.At the emergency room, a nurse took Alexander from Dominic’s arms while a doctor examined the gash. The bleeding had slowed, but the cut looked deep and angry against his pale skin.“He’ll need stitches,” the doctor said after checking Alexander’s pupils and reflexes. “But everything else looks good. No signs of serious head trauma. Head wounds bleed a lot, but this isn’t as bad as it looks.”Relief flooded through me as I sank into a plastic chair. Alexander had quieted to occasional whimpers, exhausted from crying. Dominic held him close, whispering soothing words while they cleaned and bandaged the cut.“You’re okay, buddy,” Dominic murmured against Alexander’s dark hair. “Daddy’s here. You’re going to be fine.”The sound of heels cli

Penelope’s POVThe briefcase felt heavier than it should. Fifty thousand dollars in cash—more money than most people saw in a year. I set it carefully beside my chair in the upscale café and watched Margaret stir her coffee for the third time.Her hands shook slightly. Good. She should be nervous.“This is highly irregular,” Margaret said, glancing around the nearly empty restaurant. “Pack business usually goes through official channels.”My chest tightened. If she backed out now, we’d have to find another way into Darkwood. Another way that might take weeks we didn’t have.“Some situations require discretion,” I said, keeping my voice low. “You understand that, don’t you?”Margaret’s eyes flicked to the briefcase. Greed warred with caution across her face, and I held my breath.“What exactly do you need?” she asked finally.I sighed. “A recommendation. You know Kelsey, right? Dominic’s…son’s mother?”“I’ve met her a few times in social gatherings.” Margaret’s nose wrinkled slightly. S

Kelsey’s POV“Walk with me.” Nick’s voice carried that tone I’d learned to recognize—not quite a request, not quite an order, but something that made refusing impossible.I glanced toward the kitchen where Natalie was cleaning up. “Should I get—”“Leave her.” His hand gripped my elbow, steering me toward the door. “We need to talk.”My pulse spiked. When Nick wanted to talk privately, it usually meant I was in trouble for something.We walked through the pack gardens in tense silence, Alexander drowsy in my arms. The sun felt warm, but Nick’s presence beside me made my skin crawl.“I’ve been thinking about the hospital incident,” he said once we were away from any windows.My stomach clenched. “What about it?”“That head injury was serious. More serious than anyone wants to admit.” His dark eyes fixed on mine with uncomfortable intensity. “Are we absolutely certain it was an accident?”Shivers ran down my spine. “Of course it was an accident. What else would it be?”“Think about it, K

Penelope’s POVThe warehouse felt bigger in the darkness. Empty. I pulled my jacket tighter as Julian emerged from the shadows near the far wall.He looked better than when I’d last seen him. The bruises from his fight with Dominic had faded, leaving only a thin scar above his left eyebrow, but something guarded in his expression made my chest tight.“Any word from Natalie?” he asked carefully.“Daily reports through the secure channel we set up.” I moved closer, noting how he stayed just out of arm’s reach. “Nick’s been busy.”“How busy?”“Pack members are going to him instead of Dominic for decisions. He’s essentially running Darkwood while Dominic falls apart.” I pulled out my phone, scrolling to Natalie’s latest message. “Listen to this—yesterday three different patrol leaders asked Nick for assignment changes without even telling Dominic.”Julian’s jaw tightened. “He’s consolidating power.”“And Dominic doesn’t see it. Or doesn’t care.” Frustration made my voice sharper than inten