Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna Left novel Chapter 221

(Audrey’s POV)

Cassandra Stormhowl studied my face carefully, her eyes softening with understanding. “You must have had a rough two years as well, right?” she asked gently.

I felt as though she’d reached into my chest and wrapped her fingers around my heart. My breath caught. How could she possibly know?

“How did you figure that out?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Cassandra shrugged, leaning against the kitchen counter. “Just a guess. You’re not the type to be unfaithful to a mate bond without a good reason. Whatever made you leave Florian back then… it must have been something desperate.”

I swallowed hard. After all this time, the truth still felt like broken glass in my throat.

“Alpha Stormhowl came to me,” I finally admitted, the words tumbling out. “He made it clear that if I stayed with Florian, he would lose everything – his pack position, his family relationships, everything.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened. I could see the pieces falling into place for her.

“And Arthur Moonstone? Let me guess – he promised to help Florian if you returned to him?”

I nodded, looking down at my hands. “He said he’d stop targeting the Stormhowl hunting grounds if I went back. And he did keep that promise, at least.”

“That filthy, manipulative…” Cassandra stopped herself, glancing at Leo who was still engrossed in his puzzle. She lowered her voice. “Those dirty tactics almost ruined Florian. But he’s strong – he’s always been stronger than people give him credit for.”

I couldn’t help but smile, memories washing over me. “He’s been clever since we were pups. Always thinking three steps ahead, always watching out for me.”

“You know, he used to complain that you were too trusting, too open,” Cassandra said with a small laugh.

“He called me the ‘sunflower wolf’ of the pack,” I reminisced. “Said I turned my face to every bit of light without suspecting the shadows. But that was only because he was always watching my back. He made it safe for me to be that way.”

Cassandra’s expression changed suddenly, her eyes narrowing. “Wait… you remember all that from your puphood? Have you regained your memory?”

I nodded, not surprised by her perceptiveness. “Yes. I had an accident two years ago. It triggered the recovery of my buried memories.”

“Florian’s incident caused it, didn&’t it?” she asked, leaning forward.

I shook my head quickly. “Not directly, no. The news of his… his supposed death coincided with my breakdown, but it could have been anyone I loved. Elder Shadowcrest, Sarah, Nathan – if any of them had been in trouble, it might have triggered the same reaction.”

Cassandra’s eyes were filled with questions. “What about your time with Arthur Moonstone over these past two years? Everyone thought you were still his Luna.”

“I’ve been in the Sunstone Territories,” I explained. “After the accident, I couldn’t bear to stay. Nathan helped arrange everything, and Arthur agreed to keep up the pretense that I was still living as his Luna. It was better for everyone that way.”

Cassandra frowned, confusion flickering across her face. “But Mia Silverleaf called you once, and Arthur answered your phone. How do you explain that?”

I sighed, remembering that night – the silver, the ice, the darkness. “I left my phone at the Moonstone pack house the night of the accident. I never went back for it. I didn’t want anything connecting me to that life anymore.”

“Then why haven’t you explained all of this to Florian?” Cassandra asked, her tone gentle but probing. “Why let him believe you abandoned him willingly?”

I closed my eyes for a moment, the weight of my secrets pressing down on me.

“Because I had spirit sickness,” I admitted quietly. “If I told Florian everything, he’d want to know why I went to the Sunstone Territories. He’d discover the extent of my illness, and he’d blame himself. I couldn’t do that to him. Not when he was already recovering from his own injuries.”

Understanding dawned in Cassandra’s eyes. She reached across and squeezed my hand. “You’re still protecting him, after everything.”

“Some habits are hard to break,” I said with a weak smile.

“I think you’re right about not telling him yet,” Cassandra agreed. “Since you’ve returned, his therapy has been going remarkably well. The healers are surprised by his progress.”

She peered at me with concern. “And your own spirit sickness? Are you… better now?”

“I stopped taking wolfsbane medication months ago,” I assured her. “I spent most of those two years working with a Mind- Healer in the Sunstone Territories. She helped me process everything – the recovered memories, the trauma of thinking I’d lost Florian.”

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