All Chapters of Abandoned While Pregnant, Claimed by the Alpha: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Ashley's POVThe restaurant was so quiet that the only sounds were the delicate clinks of knives and forks against plates and the faint, muffled crashing of waves beyond the glass from Santa Monica Beach.Neither Hebert nor I had a clue that a storm of online backlash against me was raging out there.Right now, I was soaking up this moment of rare, almost indulgent serenity."One seared scallops with lemon butter sauce, one black truffle risotto, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc," Hebert told the waiter without even glancing at the menu. His voice was steady and rich.I froze for a beat.My God. Every single thing he ordered—down to the New Zealand Marlborough white wine—was exactly what I loved. Brian couldn't remember in three years of marriage that I hated cilantro. But Hebert? He seemed to know everything about me."How did you..." I couldn't help but ask, my voice tinged with a subtle edge I hadn't realized was there.Hebert seemed to read my thoughts. His deep-set eyes softened w

Ashley's POVMy back slammed hard against the cold door, the impact so heavy it felt like my insides had been shaken out of place. Brian's enraged, contorted face loomed inches from mine, his harsh Alpha pheromones saturating the air like acid, burning through every breath I took.His eyes, blazing with a hellish fury, locked onto me with a look that could tear me apart.I met his destructive gaze head-on, my heart—battered and bruised so many times by him—now eerily calm.A cold, emotionless smirk tugged at my lips. "Where I go, who I'm with—it's not your decision to make." "You've got some nerve!" The words shot out like poisoned darts through his clenched teeth. "You're nothing but a worthless Omega! Who else would want you besides me? A pathetic failure who can't even awaken her wolf spirit! What are you even doing here? Trying to get my attention? Or someone else's? This is a gathering for all the Alphas and Lunas of North America, not a place for trash like you! You don't even h

Brian's POVSpecial guest???Ashley. Rebecca. These two names clashed in my head like a thunderstorm, sparking chaos everywhere. No. This can't be real. Rebecca was like a ghost—just a name whispered in art critiques and auction house legends. And Ashley... she was Brooklyn's Cinderella, the Omega I pulled out from the mud, someone who couldn't even summon her wolf spirit. How could these two identities belong to the same person?Just minutes ago, I was mocking her using this very identity, throwing it in her face. But now? Reality came back and smacked me hard, loud and merciless. Me, the Alpha of Blackwood Pack, didn't even know my own wife was the genius painter adored by all of North America's elite society."Brian..." Silvia's voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. Her hand gripped my arm tightly, her violet eyes filled with shock and something else... something I couldn't quite read. "How... how could she..."I didn't answer. Every bit of my attention was locked on the w

"What do you want me to do?" His voice was hoarse, low, laced with frustration and humiliation. "Just tell me, what will it take for you to stay?"That sentence was like a burning bullet, piercing straight through my chest. For a split second, I saw the Brian from three years ago—the proud, towering Alpha who had pulled me out of the hellhole in Brooklyn.Now, he looked like a total wreck. Those blue eyes of his swirled with a chaos I'd never seen before, and maybe... a hint of pleading. He reminded me of a lone wolf, lost and wounded in a forest fire—battered all over but still stubbornly standing upright, growling one last desperate sound with whatever pride he had left.That mangled, shattered heart of mine couldn't help but ache for a moment.I had loved him so much.I used to think I knew him better than anyone else in this world. Just the slightest furrow of his brow could keep me awake all night, heart aching. I'd quietly brew chamomile tea to help him sleep, leave it in his st

Ashley's POVWhen I opened my eyes again, I realized I was lying on the familiar large bed in the master bedroom. The air no longer carried Brian's aggressive scent; instead, it was replaced by a calm, crisp fragrance, like a winter pine forest right after snowfall.It was Hebert.Sitting on the chair by the bed, he held a book in his hand. The soft lighting in the room cast a warm shadow over his sharp, chiseled profile. As soon as he noticed I was stirring, he closed the book and looked at me with those deep, unreadable eyes that held a hint of concern."You're awake.""Brian..." I tried to prop myself up, but the sharp pain in my stomach and the ache in my chest made it almost unbearable to breathe. "Does he... does he know?""Don't worry," Hebert stood, gently but firmly pressing my shoulder to keep me from getting up. His voice was steady and reassuring, cutting through the storm of fear in my mind. "He doesn't know anything. When I got there, he was about to call the pack doctor