The Alpha's Regret

My savior

Chapter Four

Vitani's POV

"That's enough."

The deep, commanding voice sliced through the laughter surrounding me.

The courtyard fell silent.

It was as though someone had stolen the air from everyone's lungs. Even Elena's friends froze, their mocking smiles disappearing as every head turned toward the owner of the voice.

I slowly lifted my eyes.

He stood a few steps away, tall and composed, his academy blazer resting neatly over broad shoulders. Dark hair stirred gently in the afternoon breeze, and his sharp amber eyes swept across the crowd with quiet authority. There was no anger on his face, yet something about him demanded obedience.

Lucas.

I had seen him before.

Everyone at Mooncrest Academy knew who he was.

The heir to one of the strongest neighboring packs.

Unlike most students born into power, he never surrounded himself with people desperate to impress him. He carried himself with a confidence that didn't need to be announced.

His gaze settled on Elena.

"I believe I said that's enough."

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

"Did he just stand up to Elena?"

"Is he serious?"

"Doesn't he know who she is?"

Elena folded her arms, recovering from her surprise.

"And who are you," she asked coolly, "to tell me what I can or cannot do?"

Lucas didn't answer immediately.

Instead, his eyes drifted toward me.

For the briefest moment, our gazes met.

There was no pity in his expression.

No amusement.

Only quiet concern.

It was strange.

People either mocked me or ignored me.

No one looked at me like that.

He turned back to Elena.

"I'm someone who knows the difference between discipline and cruelty."

Her smile vanished.

"Cruelty?" she repeated. "This has nothing to do with you."

"It became my business the moment you decided to humiliate someone in front of half the academy."

A few students lowered their heads in embarrassment.

They had watched.

Every single one of them.

None had said a word.

Elena took a slow step toward Lucas.

"You should be careful."

"Is that a warning?"

"It's advice."

She lifted her chin proudly.

"My father is Alpha Victor. You may want to remember that before interfering in family matters."

Family.

The word struck me harder than it should have.

If only everyone knew what kind of family we really were.

Lucas remained unmoved.

"Being the Alpha's daughter doesn't place you above basic decency."

A collective gasp swept through the courtyard.

No one spoke to Elena like that.

Not teachers.

Not students.

No one.

Color rose in her cheeks.

"You know nothing about her."

"I know enough."

His voice remained calm, but every word carried weight.

"I know she never raised her voice."

"I know she never insulted you."

"And I know it took three people to corner one girl who wasn't fighting back."

Silence.

No one dared to laugh anymore.

Elena's friends exchanged nervous glances before quietly stepping away from her side.

For the first time since I had arrived at Mooncrest Academy, I saw uncertainty flicker across Elena's face.

She hated losing control.

"You've embarrassed yourself," Lucas continued. "Leave before you embarrass yourself further."

Her eyes flashed with anger.

"You'll regret this."

"I doubt it."

She stared at him for another long moment before turning sharply on her heel.

"Let's go."

Her friends hurried after her without another word.

The crowd slowly began to disperse.

Conversations resumed in hushed whispers, though I could still feel curious eyes following me.

Lucas waited until most of the students had left before looking at me again.

"Are you alright?"

The question caught me off guard.

I couldn't remember the last time anyone had asked me that.

"I..."

The words refused to come.

My throat tightened.

I simply nodded.

He glanced at the tray still sitting on the table.

Most of my lunch had gone cold.

"You should eat before your next class."

I looked down.

"I've... lost my appetite."

For a second, neither of us spoke.

The breeze carried fallen leaves across the courtyard between us.

Finally, he sighed.

"You shouldn't let people decide your worth."

A bitter smile tugged at my lips.

"If only it were that simple."

His expression softened.

"No."

"It isn't."

"But one day, you'll realize that the loudest voices aren't always the ones telling the truth."

Before I could ask what he meant, the warning bell echoed across the academy grounds.

Students hurried toward their classrooms.

Lucas adjusted the strap of his bag.

"I should go."

He hesitated, as though he wanted to say something else.

Instead, he gave me a small nod.

"Take care of yourself."

Then he turned and walked away.

I watched until he disappeared through the academy doors.

Only then did I realize I had been holding my breath.

An Alpha's heir...

From another pack...

Had stood between me and humiliation without expecting anything in return.

Why?

I was no one.

Just the unwanted girl everyone whispered about.

Yet, for the first time in years...

Someone had looked at me as though I mattered.

The thought lingered in my heart long after the afternoon classes began, refusing to leave me alone.

Elena's POV

"Can't you drive faster I mean what do we pay you for." I yelled at my driver as I was in a rush to get home due to my frustrations.

"We are almost there Miss Elena."

He answered in a panicked tone.

"We better be." I say with my mind replaying today's events.

Lucas.

How dare he?

Of all the people at Mooncrest Academy, he had chosen her.

Vitani.

The girl who never spoke.

The girl who kept her head down.

The girl everyone knew was beneath me.

Yet in front of the entire academy, Lucas had looked at me as though I were the one in the wrong.

The memory made my jaw tighten.

The whispers had followed me all afternoon.

"Did you see what Lucas did?"

"He actually defended her."

"I've never seen anyone stand up to Elena."

Every word echoed in my mind like an insult.

No.

This wasn't my fault.

It was Vitani's.

If she hadn't been there... if Lucas hadn't noticed her... none of this would have happened.

As the mansion came into view, an idea settled into my mind.

Mother would believe me.

She always did.

The servants rushed to open the front doors before I had even climbed out of the car.

I barely acknowledged them as I hurried inside.

"Mother!" I called.

My voice echoed through the entrance hall.

A moment later, Victoria appeared at the top of the staircase, dressed as elegantly as ever.

"What is it, Elena?"

I lowered my gaze and forced my breathing to become uneven.

"I... I didn't know who else to come to."

Her expression softened immediately.

"What happened?"

I swallowed hard, pretending to hold back tears.

"Vitani embarrassed me today."

Victoria's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"She caused a scene at school. Everyone started staring at us because of her. Then an Alpha's heir from another pack stepped in and accused me in front of everyone."

I let my shoulders tremble.

"I was only trying to speak to her."

Victoria descended the staircase, anger growing with every step.

"She humiliated you?"

I nodded.

"She made me look like the villain."

Victoria's lips pressed into a thin line.

"I should have known she would become a problem."

A slow smile almost escaped me.

I quickly hid it.

"I didn't want to upset you, Mother."

"You did the right thing by telling me."

She placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"I'll deal with her myself."

Relief washed over me.

Vitani would pay for today.

No one made me look weak.

No one.

---

Vitani's POV

The walk home felt longer than usual.

Each step sent a dull ache through my legs, but I welcomed the pain.

It gave me something else to focus on.

The afternoon sky had begun to fade into soft shades of gold and orange, and a cool breeze carried the scent of pine through the forest path.

Normally, I loved this part of the journey.

Today, my thoughts refused to leave me alone.

Lucas.

His words replayed over and over inside my head.

"You shouldn't let people decide your worth."

No one had ever spoken to me like that.

He hadn't laughed.

He hadn't pitied me.

He hadn't expected anything from me.

Why?

I hugged my schoolbag closer as I continued walking.

Perhaps he had only been doing what any decent person would do.

If that was true...

Then why had no one else ever done it?

By the time the pack house came into view, the last rays of sunlight had begun to disappear behind the trees.

The mansion looked as grand as ever.

Cold.

Beautiful.

Unwelcoming.

My chest tightened.

Home never felt like home.

I pushed open the front gate and walked slowly up the stone path.

The front doors were already open.

Inside, the servants avoided looking at me.

One maid quickly lowered her eyes and hurried away.

Another quietly stepped aside.

The silence felt wrong.

Heavy.

As though everyone already knew something I didn't.

My heartbeat quickened.

I stepped into the entrance hall.

Before I could climb the staircase—

"Vitani!"

Mother's voice cracked through the mansion like a whip.

I froze.

Every muscle in my body locked.

Slowly, I turned toward the grand staircase.

Victoria stood at the top, her expression as cold as winter ice.

Beside her stood Elena.

She wasn't crying anymore.

She was smiling.

A small, satisfied smile that disappeared the instant Mother looked her way.

My stomach dropped.

I didn't need anyone to tell me what had happened.

Elena had reached home before I did.

She had told her story.

And Mother had believed every word.

I lowered my eyes.

A familiar thought slipped into my mind as I drew in a shaky breath.

Oh, Goddess...

What did I do now?