Alpha’s Regret: Luna Won’t Come Back

Chapter 7 - Step Down

Melissa’s POV.

After Amber left, silence consumed my room once again. The only thing bringing a little life into the space was the orange glow of the setting sun streaming through the window. But no matter how beautiful the sky outside looked, it couldn’t ease the weight placed on my shoulders.

I sat on the corner of the bed, motionless. I didn’t know how long I had been staring into nothingness before I closed my eyes and felt another warm tear roll down my cheek.

Breathing unsteadily, I pulled the drawer of my bedside table open. Memories came flooding back one by one when I saw the photograph of Liam and me during our bonding ceremony.

The entire pack had gathered to celebrate. Lively music played throughout the ceremony grounds, and strings of flowers decorated the wooden archway behind us. Liam stood before me wearing the biggest smile I had ever seen.

He looked me over from head to toe. “You look beautiful.”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. I lowered my gaze, suddenly feeling shy beneath the intensity of his attention.

I laughed nervously. “You’re only saying that because I’m your mate,” I teased, trying— and failing— to hide my smile.

He chuckled. Using one finger, he tilted my chin upward until our eyes met again.

“I’m saying it because it’s true,” he said, his thumb brushing against my cheek. He pulled me into his chest afterward and whispered against my hair, “I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy.”

I couldn’t help but smile as my fingers gently traced the picture. In the photo, Liam was smiling while holding me in his arms. We had been so happy back then. His eyes were filled with love and pride, while I looked up at him as though he was the only man I could see in the entire world. And at that time, it was true.

He was my whole world.

“How did we end up here?” I whispered brokenly to myself.

My hand shook as I touched the ring on my finger. It was our mating bond ring, the symbol of the promise we had made to each other that was supposed to last a lifetime.

After that, I picked up another picture— the ultrasound image of our first child. I stared at it, unable to look away because I remembered the day we received it.

I was standing outside the healer’s office while Liam paced back and forth in front of me. His nervous energy was contagious.

I folded my arms across my chest and shook my head. “Liam, sit down. You’ve been pacing around so much you’re making me dizzy.”

“I can’t help it. I can’t wait anymore,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s only been a few days.”

His grin appeared. “I know, but I’m excited.”

When the healer turned the screen toward us, I felt him squeeze my hand. His reaction was a mix of emotions. There was wonder in them, disbelief, happiness, and a deep, overwhelming love.

He hadn’t stopped smiling for days. He would gently rub my stomach every morning. He would talk to the baby every night.

“I hope our pup gets your eyes.”

“Why?”

He kissed my forehead. “Because they’re beautiful.”

“And if the baby gets yours?” I asked.

He smirked. “Then, he’ll be ridiculously handsome.”

Fresh tears streamed down my cheeks one after another as grief hit me all over again, and I could taste their saltiness on my lips. I fought back a sob as I remembered the child we never got to hold, leaving us with nothing but this single photograph.

Eventually, I set the photograph down, wiping my cheeks. Then, my eyes landed on a group photo of us with the pack children and the Beta families during the Spring Festival. Liam and I stood together in the center.

As Luna, I had spent most of the afternoon greeting pack members and helping organize activities for the younger pups.

I remembered one little girl in particular insisted on holding my hand throughout the entire event.

“Luna Melissa!”

I looked down just in time to catch her as she wrapped her tiny arms around my waist. I brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Well, hello there.”

“When I grow up, can I be strong like you?”

The question caught me off guard. If only she knew how many times I had doubted my own strength.

Still smiling, I crouched beside her so we were eye level. “You’re already strong.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

I nodded and tapped her nose. “Being strong doesn’t mean never getting hurt.”

The little girl pouted. “Then, what does it mean?”

“It means standing up again after you do…”

But this time, I didn’t know if I had enough strength left to get back up.

As Liam’s partner, a grieving mother, and the Luna of an entire pack, I struggled with my thoughts. It felt as if I was being pulled in different directions, and I didn’t know which one to choose.

I breathed out heavily and asked myself: for the sake of the pack, could I accept the child Vicky was carrying? Could I love that child as my own? Could I look into that child’s eyes without remembering the baby I had lost? Could I accept that another woman was carrying the child that should have been growing inside me?

And yet, I already knew the answer was still no. I couldn’t. I couldn’t accept it at all, especially when the grief by the loss of our child was still too raw.

I couldn’t be that child’s mother.

But if I couldn’t fulfill my reproductive duties, then what worth did I still have as Luna? The Luna was the mother of the entire pack and the one responsible for providing an heir. But what if I couldn’t fulfill one of the most important duties expected of me?

If that was the case, then I’d rather not be Luna anymore.

I stood up and sat in my vanity, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I could barely recognize the woman looking back at me. My eyes were swollen, and the glow had long disappeared from my face.

Suddenly, the bond between Liam and me opened once more, followed by the sound of his voice inside my mind.

“Melissa… If you still don’t want to talk to me, I understand. But please, at least talk to Warren. He’s waiting outside.”

I released a deep breath and wiped away my tears. Rising to my feet, I walked toward the door and decided to open it. As soon as I did, I was greeted by Warren standing in silence as if he had been waiting for a while. I caught sight of Liam next to him, but I quickly averted my gaze, unable to face him.

“May I come in?” Warren asked.

I simply nodded in response and stepped aside, letting him enter. He walked in and sat near the edge of the bed, while I lowered myself onto the opposite side.

He didn’t say anything at first. He merely held my hands while his observant eyes studied my face.

“Have you been crying?” he asked with concern.

I met his gaze with questioning and angry eyes as all the resentment suddenly surged back to the surface.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I blurted out sourly. “You knew everything, yet you let me stay in the dark.”

He exhaled, as if he had already prepared himself for this. “Because I knew you would never agree to Vicky carrying the child,” he reasoned calmly. “That’s why I didn’t tell you, and I also advised Alpha Liam not to tell you.”

“Do you really think making Vicky a surrogate was the best solution?” I questioned.

He nodded. “Yes,” he answered confidently. “It was my idea. The safety of the pack is more important than anything else. The pack comes first.”

I stared at him in disbelief as I listened to his words. I never expected to hear such advice from him. They were all the same. Every one of them was saying the same things, trying to force me to accept their plan.

“You are the Luna, Melissa,” he added. “As Luna, you should take responsibility. I hope that once you’ve had time to think things through and sort out your emotions, you’ll understand what needs to be done.”

I slowly nodded and lowered my gaze, making no effort to hide the disappointment written all over my face. Gradually, my thoughts became clearer.

And perhaps he was right…

I inhaled deeply and lifted my head again, looking straight at him. “I know what I have to do,” I declared.

He smiled, seemingly pleased by what he had heard. For the first time since learning the truth, I felt as if my decision was crystal clear.

If being Luna meant sacrificing myself, the child I had lost, and whatever dignity I had left as a woman…

“If I can’t bring stability to the pack and if I can’t fulfill what they expect from a Luna…” I paused, swallowing the pain threatening to break through. “Then, I’ll step down. I won’t continue being Luna.”