Alpha’s Regret After Putting Me In Jail novel Chapter 183

Chapter 183: A Wolf’s Loyal Heart (Matthew’s POV)

Chapter 183: A Wolf’s Loyal Heart (Matthew’s POV)

My heart pounded against my chest as the words hung in the air. The confession I’d been holding back for years had finally escaped, and there was no taking it back.

“I’m in love with Celeste.”

Lucas’s face transformed from shock to fury in an instant. His wolf surged forward,

aggressive energy filling the room as he stepped toward me.

“You?” he snarled, lips curling back. “A mere second–in–command? You think you’re worthy of

even Celeste’s attention?”

I expected this reaction. The heir to the Winter Pack wouldn’t approve of someone like me having feelings for Celeste. I’d prepared myself for his rage, for the mockery that would follow.

“I know,” I replied simply, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.

My calm acceptance seemed to catch both Lucas and Alexander off guard. They exchanged glances, clearly expecting me to defend myself or lash out.

“I know my position,” I continued, meeting Lucas’s hostile gaze. “I know who I am in the pack

hierarchy.”

The silence stretched between us, thick with tension. Alexander remained unnaturally still, his white wolf’s presence subtle but unmistakable beneath the surface.

“Celeste was once cherished by everyone in the Winter Pack,” I said, breaking the heavy silence. “She was protected, loved, respected. I watched her from afar, always knowing the

distance between us.‘

Lucas’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t interrupt. I took a deep breath and continued.

“But then everything changed. She fell from grace. And everyone abandoned her. Everyone,” I emphasized, my gaze shifting between Lucas and Alexander. “Including both of you.”

Lucas’s jaw tightened. “What gives you the right to speak about matters you don’t

understand?”

“What gives me the right?” I echoed, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “Perhaps it’s the fact that

I was there when no one else was.”

I turned to face Alexander directly. “She was supposed to be your mate. Everyone knew it. The

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Chapter 183: A Wolf’s Loyal Hea…

whole pack expected it.”

Alexander’s ice–blue eyes flashed with something I couldn’t quite identify. Pain? Regret? Or

just anger at my presumption?

“What exactly are you implying?” Lucas cut in, his voice dangerously low. “That you’ve suddenly developed feelings for Celeste out of nowhere? What’s your angle here, Sterling?”

I shook my head, frustration building inside me. “There is no angle. I’m concerned about her wellbeing. Something neither of you seem particularly focused on lately.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lucas growled.

“Don’t I?” I challenged, finding courage I didn’t know I possessed. “Alexander, you were willing to put her in danger just to eliminate Marcus. Your own sister had to save Celeste from Kane’s quarters after she was drugged with wolfsbane–laced wine.”

The memory of that night made my wolf surge protectively. Celeste had been barely

conscious, her silver–scarred wolf weakened further by the wolfsbane.

Lucas paled slightly, his aggressive stance faltering. “What are you talking about?”

“Ask your sister,” I replied coldly. “She was there.”

Alexander finally spoke, his voice controlled but with an edge that made my wolf instinctively

want to submit. “You’re overstepping, Matthew.”

I nodded, acknowledging the warning but pressing forward anyway. “Yes, I am. But someone

needs to.”

My shoulders slumped slightly as I continued. “What can I offer her, really? I’m just Alexander’s second–in–command. I can’t give her the protection she deserves.”

The memory of Celeste’s silver–burned hands flashed in my mind. The scars had been raw and

painful–looking when she escaped from Moon Shadow Prison. Four years of silver chains had

left their mark, both physically and mentally.

“I saw her hands,” I said quietly. “After she escaped. The silver burns… I can’t imagine the

suffering she endured in that prison.”

Neither Alexander nor Lucas responded. The mention of Moon Shadow Prison seemed to

weigh heavily on both of them.

“And then she was drugged with wolfsbane,” I continued, unable to stop now that I’d started. “Left vulnerable again. How many times must she suffer before someone truly stands up for

her?”

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I ran a hand through my hair, suddenly tired. “All I could do was bring her spicy food. A small comfort in the midst of everything she’s gone through. It’s not enough, but it’s all I have to

offer.*

The room fell silent. My confession hung in the air between us, raw and honest.

(Lucas’s POV)

I stared at Matthew, struggling to process everything he’d just revealed. My anger still simmered beneath the surface, but it was now mixed with confusion and an uncomfortable prickling of guilt.

“I apologize for my presumptuous confession,” Matthew said, turning back to me. “Please don’t blame Celeste for this. She rejected my feelings clearly. If there are consequences from the pack, I’ll bear them.”

His words struck me with an unexpected force. Celeste had rejected him? Despite everything, despite her isolation in the pack, she had turned away someone who showed her genuine affection?

My wolf stirred within me, troubled and confused. I needed to leave, to think, to process everything I’d just heard.

“Stay away from her,” I warned, but the words lacked their earlier venom. “I’m her brother. I’ll provide for her.”

Even to my own ears, the claim sounded hollow. When had I last truly acted as Celeste’s brother? When had I put her needs before Scarlett’s?

Without another word, I turned and left Alexander’s warrior quarters, my wolf’s aura radiating the confusion that churned inside me.

(Alexander’s POV)

As Lucas’s footsteps faded, Matthew turned to face me. The tension between us was palpable. My white wolf paced restlessly within me, disturbed by his confession.

“I know you’re angry,” Matthew said quietly. “I understand why. I’m your subordinate, and Celeste was your… well, I don’t know what she was to you anymore.”

His directness caught me off guard. We’d trained together for years, fought side by side, but I’d never seen this side of him–this raw honesty.

“I didn’t plan this,” he continued, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “These feelings. I didn’t want them. I tried to ignore them, to push them away.”

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My jaw tightened as I listened, unwilling to respond.

“But I can’t control my wolf,” Matthew sighed, frustration evident in his voice. “I can’t stop it from caring for her. When I see her suffering, when I see those silver scars on her hands… something inside me breaks.”

He hesitated, seemingly at loss for words. “I should go. I’ve said too much already.”

With that, he gave me a brief, respectful nod and left the room.

I remained standing alone, an unexpected emptiness settling over me. The revelation about Celeste’s food preferences seemed strangely significant. All these years, I’d sent her moon–blessed pastries, believing they were her favorite.

Had I been wrong about that too?

The realization left me feeling hollow. Had Celeste changed so much? Or had I never truly known her? Had I been so caught up in pack politics and my own obligations that I’d failed to

see what was right in front of me?

My white wolf whined softly, confused by the unexpected turn of events.

(Celeste’s POV)

The days following Matthew’s visit brought an unexpected change to my meals. Each day, without fail, an extra dish appeared among my food–lamb liver with silver herbs.

The smell alone turned my stomach. It brought back memories of Moon Shadow Prison, where we were forced to consume silver supplements to keep our wolves subdued. The familiar metallic tang made my silver–scarred wolf recoil instinctively.

“Who keeps sending this?” I asked Nina on the third day, pushing the offending dish away

untouched, just as I had done the previous times.

Nina shrugged, though her eyes held a knowing look. “It started after Lucas’s confrontation

with Matthew.”

I sighed, picking up my fork to push the liver around the plate. Of course it was Lucas. This was his response to discovering Matthew had brought me spicy food–counter it with something he thought I needed.

“Take it away,” I said, sliding the dish toward Nina. “I won’t eat it.”

Nina nodded, removing the plate without comment. We both knew it would return tomorrow, untouched and unwanted, a silent message from my brother.