Alpha’s Regret: Chasing His Abandoned Luna Back

Chapter 2: Eight-Pack Abs

Chapter 2: Eight-Pack Abs

(Evelyn Reed's POV)

I walked away from Adrian, feeling his gaze burning into my back. The servant led me through the familiar corridors of Emerald Heights Estate, their footsteps measured and precise ahead of mine.

The grand dining room opened before me, its opulence unchanged after three years. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the long mahogany table where the Blackwood family elders were already seated.

At the head sat Elder Blackwood Senior—Adrian's grandfather—his imposing figure commanding respect despite his advanced age. His eyes, the same amber as Adrian's, lit up when he saw me.

"Evelyn! Come, sit by me," he called, gesturing to an empty chair.

I felt a small measure of relief. Elder Blackwood Senior had always been kind to me, even when the rest of the family treated me with thinly veiled contempt.

Adrian entered behind me, taking his place beside his grandfather. His father, Arthur Blackwood, sat opposite, his expression as reserved as ever. Adrian's mother—Elder Blackwood—settled nearby, her lips pressed into a thin line of disapproval.

"You're looking well, my dear," Elder Blackwood Senior said, patting my hand. Despite nearing seventy, he radiated vitality and strength. "Too thin, perhaps. You healers work too hard."

Before I could respond, he turned to Adrian, his expression hardening.

"And you, grandson. Three years managing pack affairs abroad? You've almost forgotten your own pack roots."

Adrian's smile was easy, practiced. "I was expanding our influence, Grandfather. The Northpeak Pack's reach extends further than ever."

The old Alpha's stern expression softened slightly, but concern lingered in his eyes. He glanced between Adrian and me, the rift between us as obvious as a physical wound.

"Adrian," he said, his voice carrying the weight of decades of leadership, "you must treat your mate well. The pack expects its Alpha pair to live together harmoniously."

Adrian's expression grew solemn. "I understand, Grandfather."

His eyes slid to me as I quietly picked at the venison steak on my plate. With deliberate care, he placed another piece of venison onto my plate.

I coldly set it aside with my fork, refusing to touch his offering. The gesture wasn't lost on anyone at the table.

After dinner, Elder Blackwood Senior rose with a slight groan. "These old bones need rest. Goodnight, children."

As soon as he disappeared upstairs, the atmosphere at the table turned caustic.

"Evelyn," Elder Blackwood began, her voice dripping with false concern, "you've grown so thin. Are you not eating properly? Or perhaps the stress of your... position... is too much for you?"

I endured her barbs in silence, knowing from experience that resistance only prolonged the ordeal. Once, I might have retorted, but three years had taught me the futility of fighting back.

"And those circles under your eyes," she continued, her smile sharp as a blade. "A proper Luna should always present herself well. What will the pack think?"

I stared at my plate, counting the seconds until I could escape.

"Mom," Adrian's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "We have a Blackwood tradition: No disputes at the Alpha's table."

Elder Blackwood's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm merely expressing concern for—"

"If we're enforcing arbitrary pack rules tonight," Adrian interrupted smoothly, "I can think of several others we might revisit."

The threat, though veiled, was clear. Elder Blackwood's mouth snapped shut, her expression a mixture of frustration and disbelief.

The rest of the meal concluded in awkward silence.

As we prepared to leave, a young servant approached. "Goodnight, Ms. Reed, Alpha King."

Adrian's head snapped toward the servant, his eyes flashing dangerously. "She is to be addressed as Luna Blackwood, Luna of this pack."

The servant blanched, stammering apologies. I felt a flicker of sympathy for them, caught in the crossfire of our broken relationship.

Once inside Adrian's imposing Black Wolf's Midnight SUV, I turned to face him. His amber eyes gleamed in the darkness, reflecting the streetlights as we pulled away from the estate.

"Adrian Blackwood, what kind of game are you playing tonight?" I demanded, my voice low and tight.

He laughed, the sound cold and without humor. His expression hardened as he retorted, "I'm the one playing games?"

"I didn't need your defense," I said firmly. "We're supposed to be severing our mate bond, remember?"

The air between us crackled with suppressed emotions. Adrian's patience visibly snapped as he slammed the heavy SUV door shut and sped into the night. The powerful engine roared through the darkness of Emerald Heights Estate.

I remained silent, my thoughts drifting unwillingly to the past. Three years ago, Adrian had abandoned me on the second day after our Marking Ceremony. Left me to face the pack's scorn and humiliation alone.

I remembered waiting desperately for my Alpha, my mate, to stand by me, to defend me. But he never came.

Now, hardened by grief and betrayal, I no longer needed or wanted his protection.

"There's nothing left to discuss between us," I declared, my voice devoid of warmth. "Let's finalize the severance of the bond as soon as possible."

The temperature in the luxurious SUV seemed to plummet. Adrian's lips twisted with sarcasm, his tone biting: "Has the three-year mark finally arrived? You're that eager to break our bond?"

"There's one month and fifteen days left," I replied, emphasizing each word.

The words hung between us, heavy with unspoken pain and resentment. Our tension was palpable in the silent vehicle.

My phone suddenly rang, shattering the stalemate. I answered reflexively, not checking the caller ID.

"Evelyn?" Mason Ford's voice came through, slightly slurred as if he'd had too much moonlight wine. "I really like you. From the first moment I saw you at the guild. You said you were mated, but that can't be true, right? Even if you are, I'm young, I'm strong, peak physical condition, I'm 180 centimeters tall..."

I felt my cheeks flush as his words echoed awkwardly in the confined space of the SUV. I abruptly hung up, mortified.

Adrian's grip tightened visibly on the steering wheel. His face, illuminated intermittently by the passing streetlights, was cold and unfriendly. His predatory aura intensified, filling the vehicle with a dangerous energy.

"Afraid your Alpha would hear something inappropriate?" he asked, an inscrutable, dangerous smile touching his lips.

I regained my icy composure. "Whether I am or not, what concern is it of yours, Alpha King?"

The Midnight SUV screeched to a halt as Adrian braked hard at a red light. The sudden deceleration forced me forward against my seatbelt. I straightened myself, pointedly ignoring the storm brewing in the Alpha beside me.

We arrived back at the entrance of my residence within Emerald Heights Estate. As I prepared to leave the vehicle, Adrian suddenly reached across, pulling me back with startling Alpha strength.

I fell half into his lap, startled and infuriated. I tried to push myself up, but he pinned me down effortlessly, his powerful frame trapping me against the leather seat.

"How many times are you going to act like a feral wolf tonight, Adrian Blackwood?" I demanded, struggling futilely against his superior power.

He leaned in close, his voice a low, possessive growl against my ear. "I'm 190 centimeters tall, Alpha physique. Luna, don't you want to test your mate's strength?"

His words radiated an intense heat that sparked unwelcome awareness within me. Before I could react further, he seized my chin, his amber eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and something darker.

He kissed me fiercely, possessively, swallowing my gasp of protest.

I fought back instinctively, hitting his broad shoulders, but he absorbed the blows as if they were nothing. His hand slid possessively beneath my coat, tracing the curve of my waist with unnerving familiarity.

The unwanted touch ignited my own protective fury. In a final act of desperate resistance, I bit down hard on his lower lip. The sharp, metallic taste of his blood flooded my mouth, forcing him to release me with a pained grunt.

Trembling with adrenaline and rage, I slapped him hard across the face, the sound echoing sharply in the sudden silence of the SUV.