Abandoned While Pregnant, Claimed by the Alpha novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Ashley’s POV

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The restaurant was so quiet that the only sounds were the delicate clinks of knives and forks against plates and the faint, muffled crashing of waves beyond the glass from Santa Monica Beach.

Neither Hebert nor I had a clue that a storm of online backlash against me was raging out there.

Right now, I was soaking up this moment of rare, almost indulgent serenity.

“One seared scallops with lemon butter sauce, one black truffle risotto, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc,” Hebert told the waiter without even glancing at the menu. His voice was steady and rich.

I froze for a beat.

My God. Every single thing he ordered-down to the New Zealand Marlborough white wine-was exactly what I loved. Brian couldn’t remember in three years of marriage that I hated cilantro. But Hebert? He seemed to know everything about me.

“How did you…” I couldn’t help but ask, my voice tinged with a subtle edge I hadn’t realized was there.

Hebert seemed to read my thoughts. His deep-set eyes softened with a warm smile, like ripples spreading across a lake, instantly calming the turmoil inside me. “You used to love this kind of food before too. It shows you’re consistent with your tastes, Ashley. That’s actually a virtue, isn’t it?” He paused, leaning in slightly with a sincerity that was hard to resist. “Besides, I’m here to ask for your help today. Of course, I have to show enough sincerity.”

Help? Did I hear him right? I honestly suspected I misunderstood. I had thought asking me to meet was just an excuse.

He’s the Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack, a man at the top of the North American wolf pack hierarchy. What could he possibly need my help with?

“I need you to handle some Luna responsibilities.”

“Luna?” I frowned at him, my disbelief evident.

I was certain I had already made my stance clear.

He knew my position, yet he still brought this up?

“Don’t get me wrong,” he quickly clarified. “I’m not asking you to be an actual Luna. I mean just the work itself.”

He let out a sigh, and for a moment, his usually composed eyes showed a hint of weariness. “As you know, I don’t have a partner or Luna. That means I’m left to handle everything-pack management, external relations, diplomacy, charity, public appearances. It’s draining, eating up every bit of my time.”

His gaze landed back on me, steady and without a hint of arrogance-just pure, genuine recognition of my abilities. “I’ve heard how exceptional you were as the Luna of the Blackwood Pack. You’re a gifted organizer and diplomat, Ashley.”

I never thought I’d hear someone compliment my work as a Luna, not in the way Hebert just did. To Brian and the entire Blackwood Pack, everything I achieved had always been seen as nothing more than a given—a role that came with no acknowledgment or appreciation.

But now? Now someone was acknowledging my worth. It felt… good.

“So, I’d like you to help me,” he continued, his tone sincere. “Think of it as a job-a part-time one. I’ll pay you, and trust me, the compensation will be generous.”

Wait, what? Was he serious? Hiring the former Luna of another pack to handle his pack’s affairs? This wasn’t just unusual—it was downright unheard of in wolf pack history! It was like asking the ex-CEO of a rival company to come in as your consultant absurd and borderline insane. My mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

Chapter 44

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Hebert seemed to notice my hesitation, though, and didn’t press me for an answer. “I know it’s a lot to take in. No rush, Ashley. Take your time and think it over.”

That right there–it was something I wasn’t used to. The way he respected my space and gave me time to process, compared to Brian’s suffocating control… they couldn’t have been more different.”

Anyway,” he suddenly shifted the topic, “there’s actually something urgent I need your help with.”

Just then, my phone buzzed loudly on the table, cutting through the quiet moment.

It was a message from Brian.

The moment my finger grazed the screen, a sharp chill ran through me.

The message was short but dripping with his usual arrogance and disdain: [Don’t bother coming to the alliance banquet. A shameless woman like you doesn’t deserve to be seen with me in public.]

Shameless?

My mind went blank for a second, like I’d just been sucker-punched. What is he even talking about? What exactly have I done that’s “shameless”? That simmering anger I’d buried not long ago flared up all over again at his baseless accusations. But then, strangely, another feeling crept in-one of absurdity, and, oddly, relief.

Fine. Don’t go, then.

Honestly, it’s not like I wanted to keep pretending we were some happy couple, anyway.

I looked up, and my gaze met Hebert’s eyes-calm, steady, and full of concern. His eyes were like the ocean at midnight, deep enough to absorb any storm.

“What happened?” he asked softly. “Tell me if there’s anything I can do.”

I wanted so badly to slam my phone onto the table, to shove it in his face and yell about what nonsense my damn ex-husband was stirring up this time. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t let myself fall apart like that in front of him. Taking a deep breath, I forced the turmoil in my chest back down where it came from.

“It’s nothing,” I said, my voice a bit rough. “Don’t worry about it.”

Flipping my phone face down on the table, I shifted the conversation back to him. “You said you needed help with something urgent? What is it?”

Hebert’s eyes lingered on me for a moment, as if he were trying to figure out if I was really okay. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm and measured. “The alliance charity gala. It’s the day after tomorrow, and I need a date.”

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For a second, my heart just… stopped.

“You know how it goes-a single Alpha showing up to one of these events,” he said with a faint, self-deprecating smirk, ” always ends up looking a little… awkward. Plus, it stirs up all sorts of unnecessary gossip.” His gaze locked onto mine, steady

and sincere.

“So, Ashley, I’d like to ask you to be my date for the evening.”

Oh, Moon Goddess, What even is this? 1

Brian just shoved me away with the cruelest words, grinding me into the dirt. And now, another man-an Alpha a hundred times stronger, a hundred times better-reached out to me at the same moment, with nothing but respect, inviting me to stand on the same stage.

I didn’t feel the urge to refuse him.

Sure, I never wanted to go to the banquet with Brian in the first place.

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