Alpha's regrets Pregnant Rejected Luna novel Chapter 7

Kaelen

The next morning came faster than I’d expected, and with it, Mr. Price arrived early with the marriage certificate. The air in the house was tense, buzzing with excitement—at least from Alara’s side. She practically bounced as she signed her name on the certificate with a flourish, her eyes sparkling with triumph.

“There!” Alara exclaimed, handing the pen back to Mr. Price with a smirk. “I’m officially Mrs. Alara Darkridge.”

Her voice echoed through the house as she barked at the omegas, “From now on, you’ll address me as Mrs. Darkridge. Understood?”

They nodded meekly, shuffling about to follow her orders. The sight left a bitter taste in my mouth. Alara had always been assertive, but this was something else. She was flaunting her position, using it as a weapon.

As she strutted around the house, giving orders, I found myself sinking deeper into thought. Mrs. Darkridge. The words were sharp, cutting through my chest. She was so eager to take on my name, to claim the title of Luna, as if it meant everything to her. But Kaida… Kaida never changed her last name. She stayed Kaida Ashwood, even after we were married.

I never questioned it at the time, figuring it was just Kaida being her independent self. But now, watching Alara revel in the name “Darkridge,” I couldn’t help but wonder. Did Kaida’s refusal to take my name mean something more? Had she been trying to tell me all along that her heart was never really mine?

It felt like someone had just driven a spike through my chest. I didn’t want to believe it, but the thought gnawed at me. Maybe she never loved me. Maybe, in her own quiet way, she was always ready to leave.

Shaking off the thought, I turned my attention back to Mr. Price, who had been watching Alara’s theatrics with a carefully neutral expression. “Come to my study,” I said, already heading toward the door. “We need to talk.”

Once inside the study, the air felt heavier. This room had always been a place for serious discussions, decisions that carried weight. Today was no different.

Mr. Price placed the marriage certificate on my desk, sliding it toward me. “It’s done,” he said simply. “You’re legally married, though only on paper for now.”

I nodded, staring down at the certificate. Alara’s signature gleamed in black ink, bold and confident. I picked up the pen and hesitated for a moment before signing my name next to hers. The ink barely dried before I shoved the paper away.

“What happens after three months?” I asked, leaning back in my chair.

“If no unresolved issues with your ex-wife come up by then,” Mr. Price began, “you’ll be free to marry Alara officially. Of course, if Alara gets suspicious, we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it.”

I drummed my fingers against the desk, my eyes narrowing. “And if I can’t get her to sign again? What happens then?”

Mr. Price met my gaze evenly. “Getting her to sign again won’t be an issue. Alara… well, she seems eager to secure her place. It’s unlikely she’ll resist signing when the time comes.”

I grunted in response, my thoughts swirling. Alara was hungry for power and status. I had no doubt she’d sign the certificate again without a second thought. But that didn’t ease the strange weight pressing down on my chest.

“I trust you understand,” I said quietly, “that no one can know about this. The fake marriage, the certificate… it stays between us.”