The Alpha’s Ultimate Regret: Another King Is Raising My Heir

The night of our eighth wedding anniversary, my mate walked through the front door and shattered my entire world with three simple words: She’s moving in. The clock had struck midnight, and I knew something was amiss. I'd been sitting at the edge of the sofa in the living room, my eyes fixed on the weighty oak front door of our packhouse suite, for the last 6 hours. My seven-year-old son, Leo, was in a losing battle with sleep beside me. His little head nodded, his cheek against my thigh, but his little hands couldn't let go of the edges of a colorful, hand-drawn card. In front of us was a perfect three-tier vanilla cake on the glass coffee table. I had been in the kitchen all afternoon baking it from scratch. Vanilla was Kael’s favorite. Alpha Kael. My husband. My mate. The man who had not been able to look me in the eye for three months, saying all the time that he had to go back to his pack and work out his problems with the other men. Mommy, is Daddy coming? “It's okay,” said Leo sleepily. He rubbed his bright green eyes, eyes that he had inherited directly from me, but he had Kael's messy raven-black hair. "He's coming, sweetheart," I said, smoothing my fingers through his dark curls. “He's very busy in the Alpha; he needs to look after the whole pack, but he wouldn't forget our special day.” I spoke them to encourage my son, but my own heart was heavy, burdened with years of silent anguish. I had been in the service of the Silver Moon Pack for eight years when the incident occurred. They said that I was the weak, unmatured Luna. I wasn't a normal human being – my inner wolf had never come out, so the elders called me a defective human. I was able to stay in the packhouse because of the accident eight years ago, when a drugged Kael stumbled into my room. I got pregnant with his heir, and he was compelled to marry me to save his reputation. I knew that he was not in love with me at that time. He loved her. Selene. His childhood sweetheart, his first love, the one who left the pack heartbroken when our forced marriage was announced. But in the past eight years I had devoted all my being to this family. I cared for Kael, I backed him when he was in need, I raised our son to perfection, and I took the insults of the pack with a smile. I knew, after eight years of pure devotion, my mate must have come to love me, surely. Suddenly I was snapped out of my thoughts by the heavy thud of footsteps on the porch. In a flash, Leo zoomed up like a rocket, and all sleep vanished from his little body. "Dad is here!" He scrambled off the sofa, holding his homemade card to his chest, a big gap-toothed grin on his face. I stood up, smoothing down the fabric of my favorite crimson dress. My heart fluttered as it had before Kael was there, in a pathetic way. In spite of all this, I loved him. My soul was bound up in him. The doorknob of the brass door turned. The big door opened up and a blast of cold night air rushed in. Leo began to shout "Happy Anniversary," but the words stuck in his throat. My own breath caught and froze in my lungs. Kael was standing in the door. He was still as handsome as ever, broad-shouldered and tall, and had the raw intimidating power of an Alpha. His sharp jawline was tense, his dark eyes guarded. But it was not my husband's cold face that caused the blood to drain from my face. It was the scent. Before Kael could fully come into the light, the fragrance of jasmine and rain overcame my living room. It wasn't only on his clothes; it was even in his skin and covered his natural pine and cedar aroma. Then, she stepped out from behind him. Selene. She was as she was eight years ago but more refined and more beautiful. Her golden blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders in perfect waves, and her icy blue eyes looked at my living room as if they possessed it. Her fingers dug into his jacket, as if they owned him right in front of me, as her hand was firmly wrapped around Kael's bicep. It was such a quiet room. The grandfather clock in the corner ticked like a hammer pounding my head. "Kael?" I whispered; my voice shook so much that I hardly knew what I was saying. What... what is this? Kael didn't even glance at me. His eyes went to the wall, the floor, anywhere but my eyes. He went in, dragging Selene with him, and shut the door. Kael began with a deep, authoritative voice, which was entirely without warmth. "We need to talk." Who is she, Daddy? Behind his back, Leo took a hesitant step back and covered the anniversary card. His little wolf instincts were already coming into play; he felt the danger of intruding into our den. Selene fixed her cold eyes on Leo, smiling at him. “He's developed so much, Kael,” she cooed, her voice as sweet as poisoned honey. She let go of Kael’s arm and took a step toward my son. "Hello, little one." I was just going by a gut feeling. I rushed over to the room and stood in front of Leo, protecting him from the rest of the room. My heart was pounding so hard against my ribs I thought they might shatter. I glared at Selene and said, "Don't talk to him. I finally turned my eyes to my mate. The man who I had shared a bed with for eight years. "Kael, tell me what is going on right now. Why does she come here on our anniversary? Kael sighed deeply, running a hand through his dark hair. Finally, he turned his gaze to me, and the look in his eyes had me on my knees, my stomach like a washing machine. There was no guilt. The only thing that was irritated was the irritation. “But don't make this harder than it needs to be, Elara,” Kael replied coldly. You knew this day would come; you knew our marriage was only temporary because of the pregnancy. Selene has returned; she's back for good. The room spun. My knees were as watery as a watering hole. Temporary arrangement? “Eight years, Kael,” I choked out, my tears burning the back of my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall in her face. We've been married for eight years, and we have a kid. I am your Luna!" You were a replacement!" Selene chimed in, placing herself beside Kael and taking his arm in her hand again. She gave me a look of disgust. That brat, you drugged him, climbed in his bed, and ruined our lives. Kael only married you because he had to, because he was obligated to. But that's over. I looked at Kael, praying, begging the Goddess that he would defend me. That he'd say to her to shut the f**k up, that I had never drugged him, that I had been drugged that night as much as he had been. Kael didn't say a word, though. His silence was the noisiest and loudest of all. “She's in, Kael,” he said flatly. “Selene will be in the primary bedroom with me; you can move your stuff into the guest room down the hall until we get the divorce papers settled.” Divorce. It came as a blow to the stomach. I couldn't breathe. My chest tightened so painfully I gasped for air. He was sending me away. He was throwing me away the minute she snapped her fingers, after all that I had given up for him and all the insults I had taken for him. “No,” his little shivering voice interrupted the tension. I looked down. Then, Leo came out from behind me, fists clenched at his sides. His hard-worked anniversary card was folded in his hands. His cheeks were red and he was crying. "No!" Leo's voice cracked as he shouted. I don't want her here! Say to her, “Go away, Dad! It's your birthday with Mommy! Kael’s jaw tightened. “Leo, go to your room and stop crying.” "No!" Leo shrieked and stepped forward, pointing at Selene with a small, accusing finger. "She's bad! She smells bad! I hate her!" Selene gasped in a dramatic manner, covering her heart. “Kael?” she whispered, her voice shaking with pretend hurt. "He’s so aggressive. How has she been bringing up your heir? To be so disrespectful! Kael's eyes blazed with Alpha anger. He made a long step, standing above our 7-year-old son. Leo, I told him to go to bed! Now!" Frightened but fiercely protective, Leo stood his ground. He came up to and pushed Kael's leg. A feeble, little-girlish shove, but in his fright, Leo hit the coffee table. The heavy glass table was shivering. The cake that I had spent hours baking, decorating, and perfecting for the man who was destroying my life slid off the platter in three tiers of vanilla cake. The white frosting spatters all over the hardwood floor and over Selene's high-dollar designer shoes. "Ah!" Selene shrieked, jumping back. "My shoes! You little monster!" As I barely had time to blink, Selene lunged forward and caught Leo by the arm, her long nails piercing his skin. The sound that Leo made was pure terror; it tore through my soul. Stop touching my son! I shrieked. However, Kael was the first one. Kael grabbed our child's shoulders and roughly pushed him back, rather than ripping Selene's hands off. I can't stand this behavior! The alpha aura burst into the room, thick and smothering, as Kael roared. Kael shoved Leo backward. His little feet skidded on the broken frosting. He fell hard, his breath knocked out of his little lungs; he landed on the ground with a thud. He curled up into a ball and sobbed uncontrollably. Time stopped. I looked at my son on the floor, crying, and I noticed that he was covered with the remains of our anniversary cake. I glanced at Selene, who was rubbing the frosting off of her shoe with a frown. Then I saw Kael. My mate. The guy who had just beaten our son for his mistress. There was a crack in me. It wasn't a quiet breaking. The impact was violent and explosive. I had been the quiet, the obedient wife, for eight years. My head had been down. I had taken in the pain. But when I saw my child crying on the floor, due to the man who was supposed to protect us, the dormant part of my soul that remained silent for so long came to life. I didn't feel weak anymore. I felt cold. Freezing, deadly cold. I came over to Leo, picked him up in my arms, and stood up. I clung to him and held him close to my heart and cried out on his crimson vest. I turned to look Kael dead in the eye. Do you want to get divorced? I asked, my voice as if it were made of ice. The room seemed to be emptied. I was obviously not being myself, and Kael looked like he was dazed. He was hoping I was going to cry. He expected me to beg. “Elara, come on—“ I interrupted, my voice cracking like a whip, "I asked you a question, Alpha! "You want a divorce so you can play house with this trash?" Selene's face reddened, and she gasped. How dare you talk to me—" I snarled, "Shut up," and my eyes for a fleeting moment were a dark, unnatural silver. In fact, Selene stepped back, her mouth clicking shut. I turned to my husband. I'll sign your papers, Kael, but know this: When I leave this house, I am taking my son with me. Kael's face twisted into a grim, bitter smile, and he crossed his arms over his wide chest. It was his pride that was stifling him. "You're not going anywhere, Elara," Kael said with a cruel, victorious smirk on his lips. If you dare to take Leo, I will freeze your accounts. I will strip you of your title. I will leave you on the streets with only the clothes on your back, no power, no money, and no wolf. He came closer, his face inches from mine, his voice a deadly whisper. “You can go now tonight if you like,” Kael sneered. But Boy's still there with me and Selene; she's going to be his new mom. I held my crying son tight to my chest and gazed into the black eyes of the man who used to be my lover. He believed that he had me in his sights. He believed that I was just a weak, pitiful woman who would give up my child rather than stand on her own. He didn't realize the extent of my capabilities. “Look at me,” I whispered.