Alpha's regrets Pregnant Rejected Luna novel Chapter 8

Kaelen

The evening descended on Silverclaw Ridge, bringing with it a soft, golden twilight that enveloped the estate. The pack had gathered to witness what they believed to be a true union between their Alpha and his new Luna. The ceremony was grand, with flowers lining the aisles and lanterns flickering gently in the breeze. Alara, dressed in a stunning ivory gown, radiated confidence as she stood at my side, her smile as wide as the moon.

Everything seemed perfect on the surface. But beneath the facade, I felt hollow.

As I stood there, looking into Alara’s gleaming eyes, my mind betrayed me. It kept circling back to Kaida—her face, her laughter, the way she’d stubbornly held on to her last name as if she always knew this day would come. Even now, with the vows recited and the pack cheering, I couldn’t shake the image of her from my thoughts.

The ceremony went off without a hitch. We exchanged rings, and Alara held my hand tightly, looking as if she had just won the biggest prize of her life. The pack showered us with praise and congratulations, and I wore the mask of the dutiful Alpha, nodding and smiling, though every cheer, every toast to our supposed happiness felt like a noose tightening around my neck.

After what felt like an eternity of forced celebration, the evening finally began to wind down. The guests started to leave, the music quieted, and the pack returned to their homes. Alara clung to my arm, her voice a mix of excitement and seduction as she whispered, “Time for us to enjoy the night, Kaelen.”

I nodded mechanically, the weight of the night pressing heavily on my chest. Together, we made our way upstairs to my room—our room now, at least in Alara’s mind.

Inside, the room was dimly lit, the atmosphere warm and intimate, just as Alara had wanted it. She wasted no time. As soon as the door closed, her hands were on me, pulling me toward her with a hunger I could sense had been building for weeks.

But as she kissed me, as her lips moved over mine, my thoughts drifted again. Kaida.

I cursed inwardly, trying to focus on the moment—on the woman I was supposed to be with now. But Kaida’s presence lingered like a ghost in the room. I remembered her smile, the warmth of her laugh, the way she used to look at me when she thought I wasn’t watching.

Alara pulled me down onto the bed, her fingers trailing over my skin, drawing me closer. I responded instinctively, my body reacting to the intimacy, but my mind… my mind was far away.

As things grew more heated between us, I kept trying to bury the thoughts of Kaida, to focus on Alara and the moment we were in. I should be happy, I told myself. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it? To be with my fated mate? But no matter how much I tried, Kaida’s name echoed in my mind.

The heat between us built, Alara’s breathy moans filling the room as we moved together. I closed my eyes, losing myself in the physical sensations, trying to quiet the storm in my head.

But then it happened.

At the peak of the moment, when everything was supposed to come together, the name that had been haunting me all day escaped my lips.

“Kaida…”

The sound of her name hung in the air like a heavy fog, and for a moment, I didn’t realize what I had done. But Alara did.