All Chapters of Once His Mate, Now His Regret: Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

Aurielle DuVallI spent most of the day resting, letting the quiet of Cassiel’s home surround me like a blanket. It had been so long since I had known real calm. The air was clean, carrying the faint scent of pine and firewood, and the stillness made me feel oddly safe. By late afternoon, I decided to move around the kitchen and make dinner before Cassiel returned. It felt right to do something for him. The knives felt steady in my hands, the rhythm of chopping vegetables soothing, as if I could ground myself with the simple act of preparing food. For a little while, I almost forgot the chaos waiting for us beyond the walls of this house.Cassiel returned much later, long after the sun had gone down. He came through the door with a smile tugging at his mouth, and despite his usually stoic presence, I could see the spark of triumph in his eyes. He smelled faintly of smoke and steel, like he had been moving through places where danger lingered. When I asked, he told me Rhysland would b

Matthias CroweAfter that humiliating lunch with Aurielle and Cassiel, I had assumed I would have to find another way to interact with her now that her role in the trade project had been finalized. I thought she might disappear from my orbit entirely, leaving me to my own devices, forced to trace her movements from afar. Yet, two days later, I woke up to an email from her. Professional. Polished. Formal. She wanted to be in charge of the trade like I had suggested over that horrible lunch– helping both our packs grow.I blinked at the screen, rereading the message twice to make sure I had not misread it. It confused me entirely. When we had last crossed paths, she had seemed frustrated, distracted, and utterly disinterested in anything to do with the trade. She had looked like she wanted to be anywhere else, doing anything else, anything that did not involve me or this project. Yet here she was, committing to it with a composed professionalism that I could not entirely trust.I leane

Nerissa DuVallMatthias shook his head, and I froze in place, my pulse skipping a beat.“I have a lot to do. And some paperwork to go through. I finally got a beta that Alpha Aldric accepted, and I need to make sure things go well,” he said, his tone clipped and indifferent, but I could feel the weight of dismissal in every word. "Running the pack is a lot right now. It feels like things are harder than they used to be. And...." He droned on.Blah, blah, blah. Work, work, work. That was all he ever wanted these days. Rest, paperwork, more meetings. He had become dull, a shadow of the exciting, impulsive Matthias I had known. The Matthias who used to chase me around in the middle of the night, who wanted to spend every single waking moment tangled up with me, laughing, living, daring. Aurielle had broken him. That ugly, insipid bitch.I let out a low, frustrated sigh, running my fingers through my hair before trailing them over his chest. The fabric of his shirt was soft under my touc

Aurielle DuVallI was nervous when I stepped into the decadent hallway leading toward the engagement party. My palms were slick against the smooth clutch I carried, and I had to force myself not to wipe them against my dress. The hallway seemed endless, each step echoing against polished marble floors that reflected the glow of golden chandeliers above. The scent of lilies, heavy and sweet, lingered in the air as though someone had decided that drowning the place in flowers was the only way to impress.For all its grandeur, the truth was that this party was not exactly a popular one. Matthias was a good enough pack leader, competent, steady, but not beloved past his pack. Respect and popularity were not the same thing, and tonight proved it. People had shown up, yes, but mostly because they were obligated, because their rank or alliances demanded their presence. And they were not the celebrities of the region, such as Cassiel and a few other pack leaders. The murmur of voices already

Aurielle DuVall“I brought you both a gift,” I said, my voice smooth and steady as I looked at Nerissa. Her expression shifted, surprise flickering across her face like a candle fighting against the wind.“You got us a gift?” she asked, her tone dripping with disbelief, as if the very idea unsettled her.“Of course,” I replied sweetly. “I want your marriage to work out.”Her eyes narrowed slightly, searching my face for a hidden barb, but I gave her nothing beyond that same easy smile. Slowly, I reached into my purse and pulled out two small black velvet boxes. The gesture caught the attention of a nearby man with a camera, who quickly rushed forward.“Stand next to the bride’s chair,” the photographer instructed, lifting his camera with enthusiasm.The moment nearly made me laugh aloud. It felt as if the goddess herself had stepped in to hand me power I had never known I could possess. The irony of it all was too delicious.Nerissa sat in her pristine white gown, her skin glowing ben