Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 127

(Audrey’s POV)

I arrived at the Silver Moon Café fifteen minutes early, my nerves on edge. The café was situated beside the infamous Silver Moon Club, where wealthy wolves gambled away pack resources without a second thought.

Howard Mitchell was already there, nursing what appeared to be whiskey despite the early hour. His eyes lit up when he spotted me, an unsettling eagerness in his expression.

“Little coyote,” he greeted me, using that hated nickname. “You actually came.”

I slid into the booth across from him, keeping my posture rigid and alert. “I want answers about what you said at the hospital.”

Howard waved his hand dismissively. “I was angry. You know how it is when the wolf gets riled up. We say things.”

His casual tone only deepened my suspicion. Howard Mitchell never backed down from an opportunity to hurt someone.

“You specifically said I wasn’t a true Winter,” I pressed, leaning forward. “What did you mean by that?”

A waitress approached our table, and Howard raised his hand to get her attention. “Coffee for my niece here. Make it strong.”

I frowned at his uncharacteristic consideration. Howard had never once ordered anything for me in all the years I’d known him.

“No coffee,” I said firmly to the waitress. “Just water.”

After she left, I fixed my gaze on Howard. “Stop stalling. What do you know about my parents?”

He shrugged, his eyes shifting slightly to the right-a tell I’d learned long ago meant he was calculating his next move. “Your aunt filled your head with fairy tales about those healers. The great Winter family legacy.”

“Are you saying she lied? That they weren’t my parents?”

Howard’s lips curved into an unpleasant smile. “What would you do if I told you the truth, little coyote? Run crying to your Alpha mate? Oh wait-he’s busy pursuing that Shadowcrest she-wolf now, isn’t he?”

My wolf bristled inside me at his taunting. “Just answer the question.”

The waitress returned with my water. Howard’s eyes followed her movements with unusual intensity. A warning bell rang in my mind.

As I reached for my glass, a strange scent tickled my nose-subtle but definitely there. Not the clean scent of water, but something else… something chemical.

I pulled my hand back, suddenly alert to danger. “What did you put in my drink?”

Howard’s expression remained neutral. “Don’t be paranoid.”

I stood abruptly, dizzy and nauseous. My vision swam, and I gripped the edge of the table for support. “You… you’ve done something…”

My legs felt like they were made of water, unable to support my weight. The sounds of the café became distant, as though I was hearing them through a thick wall.

“It’s already in your system,” Howard said, his voice sounding far away. “All I had to do was make sure you showed up. The air in this booth has been treated. Special delivery from a grateful associate of mine.”

I tried to call for help, but my tongue felt thick and uncooperative in my mouth. The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was Howard’s smug expression as he casually sipped his whiskey.

—

I awoke with a pounding headache, my mouth dry as sandpaper. Blinking groggily, I tried to make sense of my surroundings. I was lying on a hotel bed, still fully clothed but missing my shoes and coat.

“Finally awake, princess?”

That voice sent a chill down my spine. Victoria Moonstone sat in a plush armchair across the room, watching me with undisguised hatred.

“Where am I?” I tried to sit up but found my limbs still heavy and uncooperative.

“Just a little hotel room,” Victoria replied, examining her perfectly manicured nails. “Nothing fancy. Certainly not up to Moonstone standards.”

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