All Chapters of Alpha's Regret: The Luna He Betrayed: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Chapter 21MIRANDA"The wedding announcement is in four days," my mother said, rising from her chair with the grace of someone who'd spent her entire life learning how to move through high society. "Four days, Miranda. Do you understand what's at stake here?""Of course I understand," I said, my voice rising despite my best efforts to remain calm. "I understand that your entire social standing depends on me marrying the Lycan King. I understand that this is your chance to finally be accepted by the families that scorned you for decades. I understand that I'm useful to you for the first time in my pathetic life—"The slap came so fast I didn't see it coming. My mother's palm connected with my cheek with enough force to snap my head to the side, leaving a burning handprint that I knew would bruise by morning."Don't you dare speak to me that way," she hissed, her carefully cultivated composure cracking to reveal the raw desperation beneath. "You have no idea what I've sacrificed to get

Chapter 23KIERANThe penthouse felt emptier than usual when I finally arrived home, the silence pressing against my ears like a physical weight. I dropped my bag by the door and loosened my tie, but the action did nothing to ease the tension coiled tight in my chest. The guilt sat there like a stone, heavy and unforgiving, growing heavier with each breath I took.I'd let Miranda leave. I'd stood there on that curb like an idiot, watching her drive away with hurt written all over her face, and I'd done nothing to stop her. What kind of mate did that? What kind of man promised to marry a woman and then made her feel like she was competing for scraps of his attention?*A man who's still in love with someone else,* the traitorous voice in my head whispered, but I shoved it down ruthlessly."She had no right," I said aloud to the empty room, needing to hear the words spoken out loud to make them real. "No right to come back and turn everything upside down."My wolf stirred within me, and

Chapter 25KIERANBut my wolf's rightness didn't stop the ache in my chest, didn't ease the guilt that had been gnawing at me since Miranda walked away. I'd promised to marry her, to make her my Luna, to build a future together. Those weren't empty promises—they were sacred oaths that I'd meant with every fiber of my being.At least, I'd thought I meant them.Now, I wasn't so sure.*You did mean them,* my wolf insisted. *You still mean them. Don't let Seraphina's reappearance make you doubt what we've built. She had her chance, and she threw it away. This is our life now. Our future. And it's a good future—stable, predictable, built on mutual respect and shared goals.*"Not love," I said quietly.*Love is overrated,* my wolf replied dismissively. *Love is what made us vulnerable to Seraphina's betrayal. Respect, partnership, shared ambitions—those are what make a lasting bond. Those are what we have with Miranda.*I wanted to believe that. God, I wanted to believe that so badly. The i

Chapter 27KIERANI woke up the next morning with my wolf's anger still simmering beneath my skin, a constant reminder of the promises I'd made to myself the night before. Today was supposed to be about making things right with Miranda, about proving to her—and to myself—that my commitment to our future was unshakeable.I checked my phone before I even got out of bed, hoping to see a response to the multiple messages I'd sent her last night. Nothing. The delivered receipts mocked me from the screen, each one a small rejection that made my chest tighten with worry.*She's ignoring us,* my wolf said, its voice still rough with the previous night's fury. *Can you blame her? After the way we let her walk away yesterday?*"No," I admitted, sitting up and running a hand through my hair. "I can't blame her at all."I tried calling again while I made coffee, listening to the phone ring once, twice, three times before going to voicemail. Her voice on the recorded message was professional and d

Chapter 29KIERANSeraphina's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. "Kieran, I—""Please," I said quietly, meeting her gaze directly for the first time since she'd arrived. "Just go. This is already complicated enough."She nodded slowly, wiping at her eyes as she moved toward the door. But before she could leave, Miranda and her father appeared in the doorway, and I watched in slow motion as Miranda's gaze moved from me to Seraphina and back again."Mr. Ashworth," I said, forcing my voice to remain steady and professional. "Thank you for coming. And Miranda, I... I wasn't expecting you.""Clearly," Miranda said, her voice perfectly composed even though I could see the pain flashing in her eyes. "Lady Blackwood. How lovely to see you looking so recovered."The two women stared at each other, and the tension in the room became almost suffocating. Seraphina looked like she wanted to say something, but one glance at Miranda's cold expression seemed to change her mind."I was j