All Chapters of The Alpha's Regret : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Fifteen months mated, and a young wolf named Daniel walked into the gallery with a portfolio that took my breath away."I heard you work with pack artists," he said, nervous hands clutching worn sketches. "I was hoping... maybe you'd look at my work?"He couldn't have been more than nineteen, dressed in paint-stained clothes, eyes darting around like he expected to be thrown out any second."Of course. Let's see what you've got." I gestured to my office.What he showed me was raw genius—charcoal drawings of pack life that captured something essential and true. Wolves mid-shift, the exact moment between human and animal. Ceremonies rendered in intricate detail. Portraits of pack members that somehow showed both their human faces and the wolf beneath."Daniel, these are incredible," I breathed, examining a drawing of a pack run—dozens of wolves rendered so precisely I could identify individuals. "How long have you been drawing?""Since I was a kid. It's the only thing that helps when my

Seventeen months mated, and Vera demanded we visit."You've been promising for months," she said over video call. "The Alpha transition is next week. This is your last chance for normalcy before you're pack royalty.""We're not royalty—""You're basically royalty. Alpha and Alpha's mate? That's wolf royalty." She pointed at the screen. "I've already booked the hotel. You're coming this weekend. Non-negotiable."I looked at Skyler, who shrugged. "When was the last time we left Ironvale together? Just the two of us?""Our first date to Seattle. Nine months ago.""Then we're overdue." He nodded. "Tell Vera we'll be there."---The drive to Seattle felt like stepping into a different world. As Ironvale disappeared in the rearview mirror, I felt the bond stretch thin but not break—still connected to Skyler but with breathing room."This is nice," he said, one hand on the wheel, the other holding mine. "No pack business. No preparation. Just us.""Don't get used to it. After next week, 'jus

Five days until the Alpha transition, and I realized we'd crossed another milestone—eighteen months mated. A year and a half of choosing each other, building together, growing into partnership."Spring," Skyler said over breakfast. "We said we'd talk about kids seriously in the spring. That's three months away."My stomach fluttered. "You're still thinking about it?""Constantly. Especially with Sarah due any day now." He set down his coffee. "But I need to know—are you still open to it? Or has the Alpha transition changed your mind?"I'd been thinking about it too. Watching Sarah's pregnancy progress, imagining myself in her place, wondering what our children would look like. "I'm still open. Actually, I've been thinking we should start trying sooner."His eyes widened. "Sooner? Like when?""After the transition. Once we've settled into Alpha life. Maybe a month or two instead of waiting until spring." I touched my stomach unconsciously. "Is that too fast?""It's perfect." He crossed

Three days until the Alpha transition, and I hired Emma Chen as the gallery's assistant manager.She was twenty-six, recent art history graduate, and had been volunteering at the gallery for months. Smart, organized, passionate about the mission."I need someone who can run day-to-day operations when I'm handling pack business," I explained during her official interview. "Someone I trust to make decisions, manage artists, keep things running smoothly.""I can do that," Emma said confidently. "I've been watching how you operate. I know your vision. I can execute it.""The pay isn't great. Gallery margins are tight.""I don't care. This place matters. What you're building—the community, the bridge between pack and humans—it's important. I want to be part of it."I hired her on the spot.Training her over the next two days was intense. Showing her the systems, introducing her to artists, walking through crisis protocols. But she absorbed everything quickly, asked smart questions, showed

The morning after the transition, I woke to my phone ringing at 5 AM."It's too early," I groaned.Skyler was already awake, reading through messages. "Welcome to Alpha life. The pack doesn't sleep, which means we don't sleep."The call was from Cole—a territorial dispute between two wolves over hunting grounds. As Alpha, Skyler had to mediate."Give me twenty minutes," he said, already getting dressed. "Don't do anything until I get there."After he left, I lay in bed processing. This was our life now. Early morning calls. Constant demands. The pack's needs taking priority over sleep, comfort, personal time.My phone buzzed. Emma, at the gallery.*Artist scheduled for today cancelled. Need to find replacement for exhibition slot. Suggestions?*I typed back: *Give me an hour. I'll send options.*No more sleeping in. No more quiet mornings. We were Alpha and Alpha's mate now. The pack came first.---The first week was a blur of learning by doing.Skyler mediated three disputes, coordi