Alpha's regrets Pregnant Rejected Luna novel Chapter 9

Alara

I stormed out of Kaelen’s room, my heart pounding and my chest tight with anger and humiliation. How could he? How could he say her name, of all people? The name of the woman I had worked so hard to erase from his life, the woman who had walked away without a second thought. I slammed the balcony door behind me and leaned against the railing, trying to calm the fury bubbling inside me.

The cool night air hit my face, but it did nothing to soothe the burning in my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I hated myself for it. I wasn’t weak, I wasn’t some fragile woman who cried over a man. But Kaelen… I had waited so long for him, for this moment, for our future together. And now, even after everything, Kaida was still haunting him.

I gripped the railing harder, my knuckles turning white. How could he still think of her? She didn’t deserve him. She had left without so much as a word, without looking back. Kaida was the past. I was his future. I was his fated mate, the one he was supposed to be with, the one he was meant to love. But instead, he had whispered her name during our most intimate moment, as if she were still the one occupying his heart.

A sob escaped me, and I quickly wiped my eyes, hating the weakness I was showing. No, I wasn’t going to let Kaida win. She wasn’t going to take him from me, not when I had waited so long to have him. I would make him forget her. One way or another, I would make sure Kaelen’s heart belonged to me and me alone. Kaida was gone, and I was here. I just had to make him see that.

As I stood there, lost in my thoughts, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me. I quickly wiped my face, not wanting anyone to see me in such a state. When I turned around, I saw Lucas standing at the entrance of the balcony. He was Kaelen’s Beta and his closest friend, always by his side, always dependable. I hadn’t expected him to follow me out here, but here he was, looking at me with concern in his eyes.

“Alara?” Lucas’s voice was gentle, and for some reason, that only made my heart ache more. “What’s going on? You stormed out of there like the house was on fire.”

I bit my lip, not sure if I wanted to confide in him. But the frustration, the hurt, it was too much to bear alone. And besides, Lucas was someone Kaelen trusted. Maybe he could offer some kind of insight, some way to help me fix this.

“It’s Kaelen,” I admitted, my voice breaking slightly. “He… he said her name.”

Lucas frowned, stepping closer. “Kaida’s?”

I nodded, feeling the tears threaten to spill again. “During… during our wedding night, Lucas. He said her name.”

Lucas’s face softened with sympathy, though he seemed genuinely confused. “That’s… that’s rough. I’m sorry, Alara. I didn’t realize things were still that complicated.”

“Complicated?” I let out a bitter laugh. “It’s more than complicated, Lucas. She’s still in his head. I thought I was past competing with her, but she’s still there, like some ghost that won’t go away.”

Lucas hesitated, clearly not sure what to say. “Kaelen’s been through a lot with her,” he finally offered, though it wasn’t the reassurance I wanted. “It might take him some time to fully let go.”

“Time?” I scoffed. “He’s had plenty of time. She’s been gone for weeks, Lucas. She didn’t even fight for him. Why is he still holding on to her?”

Lucas didn’t answer immediately, and the silence stretched between us. I studied his face, noticing how conflicted he seemed. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and handsome in a rugged way, a stark contrast to Kaelen’s more refined appearance. I had always seen him as just the Beta, the loyal friend. But now, standing out here with him under the moonlight, I noticed him in a different way. There was something about the way he looked at me, something that made my pulse quicken.

He wasn’t Kaelen, but right now, I didn’t care.