All Chapters of Alpha's Regret: His Rejected Hybrid Mate: Chapter 181 - Chapter 190

Aria's POVI must have dozed off without meaning to. One moment, I remembered sitting down upright on the sofa, exhaustion weighing down my bones like some wet sand, and the next, sleep powerfully took me whole. But now, I opened my eyes slowly, noting that the sun was gone. The faint orange glow that filtered through the curtains just a while ago had been replaced by darkness, though the sitting room was softly lit, as the light bulbs overhead were on. It caused warm halos across the furniture and walls. For a brief second, my mind was disoriented, as my mind still struggled to catch up with my body. Then I glanced around and saw them. Liam and Luna were curled up on the adjacent chair, their limbs tangled together in a way only children could manage. Liam's head lolled awkwardly against the large armrest, his lips slightly apart. Luna's legs were folded in a way that would certainly earn complaints later on. A small smile formed on my lips, and I rubbed my eyes with the heels

Aria's POVThe kitchen couldn't feel any colder. "It was kinda subtle at first," I continued. "There was no flash or incantation. Just some form of...pressure on my system. It was as if the air turned really heavier inside my lungs. My limbs felt really heavy too, and weak. And to cap it all, my thoughts slowed, and I couldn't move the way I wanted to. Damn, I couldn't even react properly."My voice dropped as I added, "It felt as though my will was totally converted to her. Silence stretched on the other end of the call. When it became too long, my lips parted. "Kyril?" I asked softly, a prickle of unease crawling up my spine. "Are you still there?"Silence answered me. It wasn't the kind that came from a dropped call or a crackle of bad reception. I could still hear the faint hum of the line, and the subtle electronic whisper that told me the connection was still there. "Kyril?" I said again, a little louder this time. Still, nothing m. What is wrong? I thought as I pulled the

Aria's POVDinner ended in the way most of our quiet nights did–messy, loud, and comforting. Liam had spaghetti sauce smeared across one cheek like a war mark, Luna's braids coming loose. The dining table looked like it had just survived a minor natural disaster, as the kids were not still used to rolling spaghetti strands properly on their forks. I leaned back in my chair, watching them longer than necessary as they giggled over something that mattered to only the two of them. I couldn't imagine spending this night without them had the Supreme Council taken custody rights away from me.This night had become like any other night. It was as if Kyril never called in the first place. I reached for a napkin and wiped Liam's face, and he scrunched his little nose in protest. "Momma," he said indignantly. "I was keeping that." I let out a low laugh. "You can keep your toys and fancy swords. But not the food on your face." Luna climbed down from her chair just then, landing with a sof

Aria's POVI kept reading, noting how the text flowed colder now. It was stripped of the almost reverent tone it had held when describing the Circle's early rise. The historian who had transcribed this account centuries later, made no attempt to soften the down path of the tale. According to the record, Alpha Kent couldn't deny the accusations brought before him that night. When confronted by his own council of elders in his own sitting room of the old Baleful mansion, he did not rage or bare his fangs. Instead, he listened silently, his eyes never meeting that of his Luna. He was simply cornered in a way no Alpha ever should be. The council wasted no time in demanding immediate restitution. An agreement was struck there and then–one that insisted Kent would sever all ties with the members of the Ashkara Circle. He must do this publicly, and their leader would be banished from Moonlit territory. She'd also be stripped of every protection and declared an enemy of the pack. Beyond

Aria's POVI couldn't hear what was being said. But a sudden urge to step back and interrupt them flared inside me. My feet even shifted forward. But I stopped myself. 'You're just projecting your fears,' I told myself as I turned away, making up my mind to ask Luna about it later. Back in the car, the silence felt loud. I drove to Stone Magic, and by the time I pulled into the parking lot and parked beside Maya's car, the sun was already out. I cut the engine, taking a steadying breath as I stepped out. Kyril's POVMorning light crept through the tall windows of the Grant mansion as I walked the eastern corridor. The Council meeting from the night before still clung to my chest. I could still see the faces of the elders and warriors–the way they had gone still when I hinted at the possibility of stepping aside temporarily. I had made the suggestion just after each of the high elders had queried me for dropping the child custody case. They must have expected me to say a million