Alpha's Regret After the Divorce by Christina novel Chapter 42

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A cold wave swept over me as Harper’s bright, carefree voice shattered the sudden stillness of the room. “Of course she will!” The words hung heavy in the air, like a grim verdict sealing my fate.

“Wait, Harper.” My heart pounded fiercely against my ribs, threatening to break free from my chest. Every werewolf present had frozen in place, their eyes flicking nervously between me, Lucas, and—most terrifyingly—Rocco, whose face had hardened into an unyielding mask.

“Harper,” I hissed through clenched teeth, “please, stop.”

But she pressed on, either blind to the danger or deliberately ignoring it: “Kira’s completely free Friday night. In fact, she just told me she’s excited to start dating again.”

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet by at least twenty degrees. I could almost see frost crystallizing on Rocco’s face as his jaw clenched tightly. Those once-loving, piercing blue eyes now resembled shards of arctic ice. Even Kim, usually so smug and self-assured at his side, shifted uncomfortably.

“No.” Rocco’s voice was low but carried the unmistakable authority of an Alpha’s command. “She can’t.”

Lucas frowned, turning to face Rocco without a trace of fear. As a healer, he held a unique, protected status within wolf society, but I doubted even that would shield him if Rocco truly lost control.

“That’s Kira’s decision to make,” Lucas replied evenly. “She’s single now. And you chose someone else.” He nodded toward Kim, who gripped Rocco’s arm more tightly.

My stomach twisted painfully as Rocco’s gaze slid from Lucas back to me. He didn’t respond to Lucas’s words. Instead, he locked eyes with me, those icy blue orbs burning fiercely into my soul.

Lucas must have sensed my growing distress. He drained the last of his drink and set the glass down with a firm clink. Then, reaching out, he took my hand gently, his touch warm and comforting.

“It’s getting late,” he said, his voice loud enough for all to hear. “I should take Kira home to rest. She needs to look after herself. Please excuse us.”

“Yes, excuse me,” I echoed, though the damage was already done. I could only hope Rocco would let us leave peacefully. The tension in the room was suffocating, and all I wanted was to escape before things spiraled further.

I forced myself not to glance back at Rocco as we moved toward the door, but I could feel his gaze burning into my back like searing embers through my dress.

Once outside, the cool night air wrapped around me, and I released a shaky breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Lucas kept his hand firmly on my lower back, guiding me steadily toward the parking lot.

“Lucas,” I murmured, concern thickening my voice, “you really shouldn’t have done that. I’m worried about you.”

“Done what? Asked you out? Or stood up to him?” His tone was light, but I caught the tension simmering beneath.

“Both.” I glanced nervously over my shoulder. “He’s… difficult. Remember what happened last time you tried to intervene between us?”

Lucas’s expression darkened as the memory resurfaced. The last time he had stood up to Rocco on my behalf, he’d ended up with a broken nose and three cracked ribs. Rocco had made it crystal clear that Lucas should stay away from me.

“I know what I’m doing,” Lucas said softly. “If he’s angry, he’ll come after me, not you. And he can’t openly harm a wolf healer—that’s against pack law. Even an Alpha has to respect the sacred position of healers.”

I wanted to warn him how naive that belief was. Pack law meant nothing to Rocco when rage consumed him. I thought about telling Lucas about the young wolf who had shown too much interest in me during my second year at the academy—how that wolf had vanished mysteriously, only to be found dead months later. His family had publicly accused me, claiming I’d led him on and then cruelly rejected him.