Alpha's Regret After Putting Me In Jail novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter Memory

Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter Memory

(Alexander’s POV)

Lucas’s breath reeked of wolf wine as he stumbled closer, his eyes glazed with inebriation but

still sharp with fire.

His golden eyes shimmered faintly in the dim tavern, his wolf pacing beneath his skin.

“You’re still hung up on her, aren’t you?” His words slurred slightly, but the taunt in his voice

was unmistakable.

He jabbed a finger toward my chest, his movements clumsy yet charged with aggression.

I stiffened but remained in my seat. My ice–blue eyes held his without a word, my wolf bristling

faintly under the visible tension between us.

“Don’t even try to deny it, Alexander.” He leaned closer, his voice dropping into a rough growl.

I know you look at her. I know what you’re thinking every time your precious silver wolf

crosses your path.”

I raised the glass of wolf wine to my lips, deliberately slow as I took a measured sip. The liquid burned slightly as it went down, but I kept my expression blank, my grip steady.

Lucas slammed his hand against the table, the wood creaking under the force. His wolf

surged forward, its dominance rippling through the air as he snarled,

“Don’t play coy with me. Scarlett’s your fiancée. She’s your future Luna. So why in the hell do I

still see your wolf bristling every time Celeste walks into the room?”

My wolf stirred beneath my skin, an uneasy rumble vibrating in my chest, but I held it back. ”

What’s your point, Lucas?” My voice was calm, cold.

Lucas let out a bitter, humorless laugh. He straightened slightly, his lips curling into something between a smirk and a sneer.

“My point? My point is that you need to stop. Stop whatever it is you think you feel for her.” His golden eyes burned as he added, “She doesn’t feel the same for you anymore. She hasn’t for a long time.”

I let his words hang in the air for a moment. Slowly, I tilted my head, observing him with the

same detachment I used in battle. “And you know this because…?”

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Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter M…

Lucas’s grin widened. “She’s ice now, Alex. Frozen over. You’ve seen it yourself. She doesn’t

look at anyone the same way she used to. Least of all, you.”

My grip on the glass tightened briefly before I set it down with deliberate care. I leaned back in my chair, my tone neutral. “I don’t recall saying I was pursuing her feelings.”

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“Bullshit,” Lucas snapped, his wolf growling softly beneath his words. “I know you. I know how you used to watch her. Hell, everyone thought you’d end up mated before Scarlett even came

back.”

I said nothing, but my silence only seemed to spur him on.

“Do you remember how she used to look at you?” he pressed, his voice rough with drunken emotion. “Chasing after you like the world depended on it. And you–you barely gave her the

time of day.”

My chest tightened faintly at his words, though I refused to let it show. My jaw ticked as I kept

my composure intact.

“That’s over now,” Lucas continued, his voice dripping with bitter satisfaction. “She’s not that girl anymore. She doesn’t chase anyone–not me, not this family, and certainly not you.”

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I met his gaze evenly, letting him see the frost in my expression. “And you’re telling me this

because you care?”

His wolf bristled visibly, its energy surging before retreating erratically. His mouth opened as if to retort, but something faltered in his expression–anger giving way to something rawer,/ almost fragile.

“She deserves peace,” he said finally, his voice low, rough. “And whatever it is you can fix in her… you can’t. Just let her go, Alexander.”

think you

For a brief moment, silence stretched between us, the tavern’s dim light casting shadows across his face. Whatever he didn’t say hung heavy between the words that had already been

said.

Leaning forward, I picked up my glass again, taking another slow sip. The burn trailed down my throat, steadier than the tumult inside me.

“Noted,” I said finally, my voice cold, detached.

Lucas’s expression twisted briefly, the fire in his eyes dimming into something more muted- and then he shoved away from the table, his steps uneven as he disappeared into the crowded

tavern.

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Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter M…

I exhaled sharply, setting the glass down with more force than intended. My wolf stirred uneasily, its mood mirroring my own as I stared at the empty space Lucas had left behind.

The full moon reached its peak that night, casting silvery light across the pack, grounds. The Winters Pack flocked to the ceremonial clearing, their wolves shimmering under the

moonlight’s glow.

I stood at the edge of the gathering, my posture casual but my wolf’s restlessness churning beneath my skin.

The air felt vibrant, almost electric, as the pack’s energy converged beneath the Sacred Moon’s

blessing. They shifted seamlessly, fur gleaming under the moon’s brilliance as their howls

filled the night.

It was a familiar sight. A tradition I’d participated in countless times.

Yet as my gaze swept over the gathering, I couldn’t stop the sharp pang of memory that cut

through me.

Years ago, a smaller, swifter wolf had once danced among the pack, her silver–white coat

glowing with an almost ethereal light. She had darted between us with unmatched grace, her violet eyes gleaming with joy as the moon embraced her.

The Celeste of then was nowhere to be found tonight.

I glanced toward the distant pack house, my sharp eyes lingering on the faint light coming

from one specific set of quarters.

Her quarters.

Even with the full moon at its peak, even with the ceremony flowing as it always had, she

remained hidden.

My wolf whined softly, its energy dipping faintly as I exhaled and turned back toward the

clearing.

(Celeste’s POV)

I could hear the howls even from my quarters.

They drifted faintly through the air, carrying the pack’s collective joy as they celebrated beneath the full moon. It was a song I had known well once, a melody that used to stir

excitement in my chest.

That was years ago.

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Chapter 18: The Moon’s Bitter M…

I sat by the small window, staring out at the silvery glow illuminating the pack grounds. My

wolf remained curled deep within me, tired and withdrawn, unbothered by the celebration

outside.

“Do you ever miss it?”

Nina’s voice broke the quiet as she stood behind me, her gray eyes thoughtful. Her wolf hovered faintly beneath her surface, its energy calm but watchful.

“Miss what?” I asked softly, though my gaze stayed fixed on the moonlit clearing in the

distance.

“The run. The ceremony,” she said, her tone careful but curious. “Your wolf used to love it,

didn’t she? Especially when…” She trailed off slightly, though the meaning was clear.

Especially when Alexander’s white wolf ran beside mine.

I felt my chest tighten faintly at the reminder, but I forced my expression to remain neutral.

“That was a long time ago,” I said simply.

Nina hesitated, visibly torn between speaking further or letting the subject drop. Finally, she asked gently, “What changed?”

My hands gripped the window’s frame lightly, the faint throb of my silver–burned scars

grounding me in the present. “In prison, on nights like these, they would chain me with silver.”

Nina stiffened faintly, her wolf bristling in silent anger, but she said nothing, waiting for me to

continue.

“They made me watch,” I added quietly. “Watch the other wolves celebrate. Shift. Dance

beneath the moon. But I couldn’t–not shackled like that.”