Alpha's Regret After She Kneels novel Chapter 91

#Chapter 91: Of Sound Heart

#Chapter 91: Of Sound Heart

(Raiden’s POV)

The grainy security footage flickers ominously across the monitor, each shadowy movement like a knife twisting in my gut, whispering the name I’ve come to dread most–Lila.

I lean closer, my eyes burning from houts spent staring at endless loops of surveillance.

The cramped security room feels suffocating, the air thick with anxiety. Around me, my warriors shift uneasily, their postures rigid, alert to my rising agitation.

“There,” I mutter sharply, pointing at the screen.

My finger traces a subtle pattern–a flash of unfamiliar fur, the glint of predatory eyes peering carefully from the tree line- movements so subtle they might seem coincidental to less experienced eyes. But I’ve learned never to dismiss instincts, and now every nerve screams with certainty.

“They’re coordinating surveillance of our territory,” I say quietly, voice edged with barely contained fury. “And Silverfang’s as well. Territory Lila knows very well.”

The areas these intruders focus on aren’t random–they’re locations Siena frequents, places she’s visited, and paths she’s traveled regularly during her stay. My protective instincts surge violently, and my muscles tighten sharply beneath my skin.

“Alpha,” a warrior interrupts quietly, voice hesitant yet urgent. “We received intelligence from our scouts. It’s–Lila.” My fists clench involuntarily, nails biting sharply into my palms. “Continue,” I demand roughly, forcing steadiness into my voice.

“She’s returned,” he says grimly, eyes dark with worry. “And she’s brought allies. Powerful rogues, exiles–wolves harboring grudges against Windhowl. Her exile was apparently spent gathering support for revenge.”

My breath catches sharply, raw anger mixing violently with sudden fear.

Lila’s return means danger, particularly for Siena. The realization hits me like a physical blow, the depth of my concern revealing just how drastically my priorities have shifted.

I stand rigid at the head of the table, fighting to maintain composure while rage and humiliation battle within me. The chamber erupts in chaos around me, but all I can hear is Miriam’s biting condemnation echoing in my head.

“It was Lila. I saw her myself,” Tomas announces, slamming his fist against the table. “Leading them right through our eastern border.”

Elder Miriam’s eyes gleam with vindication as she looks directly at me. “Did I not say so from the beginning? That girl was always trouble, scheming beneath that innocent facade.”

I clench my jaw so tightly my teeth might shatter. She’s right, and that knowledge burns like acid in my gut.

“She was barely here two months before she started asking questions about our security protocols,” Elder Kovan adds, stroking his silver beard. Every word drives the knife deeper. “We warned you, Alpha. Did we not warn you?”

“She seemed genuinely interested in our defense systems,” I admit, the words tasting like ash. “I thought she was trying to learn our ways.”

“You thought,” Elder Miriam scoffs, her contempt palpable. “Or perhaps you were thinking with something other than your head, hmm? A pretty face, a sad story, and our Alpha becomes blind to the obvious.”

My wolf snarls inside me, urging me to silence her with a display of dominance, but shame holds me back. They deserve their anger. I failed them.

“That’s enough, Miriam,” Siena’s voice cuts through the chamber, surprising me with its sharpness.

“Is it?” Elder Jorah challenges, leaning forward. “Our borders are compromised, our pack in danger, because Raiden ignored our counsel. You should feel foolish, boy. Thoroughly and completely foolish.”

The word ‘boy‘ strikes like a physical blow. After everything I’ve done to prove myself worthy of leading this pack, I’ve justified their worst doubts.

“I take full responsibility,” I say quietly, fighting to keep my voice steady.

“Responsibility doesn’t seal our borders,” Elder Kovan mutters, loud enough for everyone to hear.

The debate intensifies around me, voices rising as accusations fly. My pulse pounds in my ears, anxiety coiling tightly in my chest. I’ve exposed my pack to danger. Worse, I’ve proven myself exactly what they feared–impulsive, easily manipulated, unworthy.

“This isn’t helping,” Siena shouts suddenly, her voice cutting through the chaos. “What’s done is done. We need solutions, not blame.”

I look up, meeting her eyes across the crowded room. Why is she defending me? After everything, she should be first in line

1/3

#Chapter 91: Of Sound Heart

to condemn my foolishness.

“Easy for you to say,” Elder Miriam snipes. “You’ll be gone when the real trouble starts.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Siena declares firmly.

Our eyes lock across the room, and something shifts inside me–not forgiveness, not yet, but something like hope. Even now, even seeing me at my lowest, she stands firm.

I straighten my shoulders, drawing strength from her steadiness. I’ve made a catastrophic error in judgment, but I won’t compound it by wallowing. My pack deserves better. They deserve an Alpha who can acknowledge his mistakes and then act decisively to correct them.

“We could use Siena to draw Lila out,” suggests Elder Aric cautiously, eyes flickering uneasily toward me, sensing my simmering fury. “Public appearances, a controlled environment–baiting Lila into a mistake”

“No,” I growl immediately, voice dangerously low, barely controlled. “Absolutely not.”

Surprise ripples visibly through the gathered council at my vehement reaction. I lean forward sharply, hands pressed firmly against the table, eyes blazing fiercely.

“Siena is not a sacrifice we offer for tactical advantage,” I declare roughly, voice edged with fierce protectiveness. The words spill unfiltered from my lips, unconscious revelation of emotions I haven’t explicitly acknowledged even to myself. The council falls silent, stunned by my intensity. I straighten slowly, breathing deeply, attempting to regain composure, yet my wolf snarls inwardly, fiercely protective, unwilling to compromise Siena’s safety for any reason.

Hours later, pacing restlessly in my chambers, internal conflict wars fiercely within me.

Siena deserves honesty about the threat against her, yet part of me hesitates, desperate to shield her from worry.