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Chapter 20 Disappointment
Last Updated:
2025-03-01 16:18:37
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Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 21 Return to Darkwood
Penelope’s POVI stuffed the last shirt into my overnight bag and yanked the zipper shut. The clock on my nightstand read 7:15 AM—I’d barely slept at all, my mind racing about this visit I’d promised. Going back to Darkwood territory after all these years felt like walking into a cage I’d barely escaped.“Mom, where are you going?” Debbie’s small figure appeared in my doorway, Sparkles the unicorn dangling from her hand. Her bright green eyes blinked up at me, worry written across her little face.I knelt down in front of her. “Just for one night, sweetheart. I’ll be back tomorrow before you know it.”“But you never go away,” she whined, her lip jutting forward in that adorable way that never failed to tug at my heart. “Never ever.”“I know, baby.” I hugged her tight, breathing in her baby scent. “But this is important. Grandma and Grandpa will stay with you the whole time.”“Can I come too?” she asked, brightening at the potential adventure.My chest tightened. “Not this time. But I
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 22 Memories
Penelope’s POVI hurried up the steps into Sophia’s embrace. Her arms wrapped around me, strong and warm and nothing like Dominic’s cold ones. She still used the same perfume, a blend of lavender and spice that brought back bittersweet memories.“Look at you,” she said, stepping back to examine my face. “So beautiful and strong now. Nothing like the frightened girl who left us.”“Thank you for inviting me,” I replied, suddenly emotional. “I’ve missed you.”Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. “Come inside. We have years to catch up on.”The pack house interior was also unchanged with its clean marble floors, antique furniture, portraits of past Alphas lining the walls. The smell of lemon polish and old wood brought back a flood of memories, not all unpleasant.Sophia led me to her private sitting room, a cozy space with plush chairs and bookshelves that reached the ceiling. A tea service waited on a small table.“Sit, darling,” she urged, taking my hand. “Tell me everything. These years
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 23 Jealous Rage
Dominic’s POVFiancé. The word burned through my brain like acid. Her fiancé. Edward-fucking-Northern Crescent. That plastic smile, those hands touching her at the banquet, dancing with her like he had any right…I paced the study, fury making my claws extend and retract involuntarily. So many years I’d spent in this hollow existence, her absence a physical ache I couldn’t shake. Now she’d returned stronger, more beautiful, belonging to another…“Damn it!” I slammed my fist into the wall, and the plaster cracked under the impact. Pain shot up my arm, but I welcomed it—anything to distract from the tightness in my chest.A soft knock interrupted my rage. “Alpha?” Kelsey’s voice called through the door.“What?” I barked.She slipped inside, closing the door behind her. “I thought you might need company.”Her dark curls fell across her shoulders as she approached, hips swaying exaggeratedly. Years ago, I’d used her body to forget Penelope’s, but that hollow substitute had never filled t
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 24 A Scheme
Penelope’s POVI stepped into Sophia’s room, rummaging through the luxurious wardrobe.A deep burgundy wrap dress caught my eye. I pulled it free, the hanger scraping against the wooden rod. I’d just lifted it over my head, standing in my underwear with the new dress clutched to my chest, when footsteps sounded.I spun around. Dominic stood in the doorway, eyes widening as they met mine.“Get out!” I snapped, pressing the burgundy fabric against myself. “I don’t need any help.”His jaw tightened. Without a word, he turned toward the door, his hand closing around the brass knob. He twisted it sharply.Nothing happened.Dominic’s shoulders tensed. He tried again, jiggling the handle harder. His eyebrows drew together, confusion replacing his previous indifference.“It won’t open,” he muttered, yanking the handle with more force.I quickly slipped the burgundy dress over my head. “What do you mean it won’t open?”“I mean it’s locked.” He rattled the door again. “From the outside.”I rus
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 25 Mixed Signals
Penelope’s POV“It’s just biology,” I said, pushing against his chest. “My heat cycle is starting.”The lie tumbled out, my only defense against his knowing smirk. I forced myself to sound detached. “Hormones. That’s all this is.”Dominic pulled back slightly, his weight still pinning me to the bed. “Your heat cycle? Now?”“Yes,” I lied again, seizing the opportunity to create distance. “Surely you can smell it.”His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply, testing my claim. Uncertainty crossed his features. “It’s…different than I remember.”“The years changed many things,” I said coldly. “Including how my body functions.”I took advantage of his hesitation to slide out from under him, standing on shaky legs. “I stopped loving you long ago, Dominic. Whatever physical reaction you think you detected is purely biological.”His eyes narrowed, and I saw the doubt and desire on his face. The room suddenly felt too small, the air thick enough to be cut with a knife.“You expect me to believe t
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 26 Locked Room
Penelope’s POVThe crash turned out to be Kelsey, standing at the shattered doorway with an axe in hand. Her eyes burned with rage and jealousy as she glared at me. Splinters of wood littered the floor around her feet, and the door hung from a single hinge, completely destroyed by her attack.“I knew it!” she shouted, her hands shaking around the axe handle. “You planned this, didn’t you? Trapping yourself with Dominic to seduce him! You couldn’t stand that he finally moved on, could you?”Dominic stepped between us, facing Kelsey. “Put the axe down,” he ordered firmly, his Alpha voice slipping into the command.“Why? So you two can continue whatever you were doing?” Kelsey spat, looking past him at me. Her makeup had smeared under her right eye, giving her a deranged appearance. “I saw how she looked at you at the banquet. This was her plan all along!”“We weren’t doing anything,” I said, adjusting my dress and keeping my voice even. “And if I wanted to seduce someone, I wouldn’t ne
Last Updated : 2025-03-25Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 27 The Ambush
Penelope’s POVThe scent puzzled me, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I gripped the steering wheel, started the engine, and pressed the accelerator. The car rolled forward, gradually leaving Dominic’s pack territory behind. The headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the road.“Years of training have made me extra sensitive to scents,” I murmured to my wolf as I drove. “But why would Kelsey’s scent be in my car? When would she have had access?”A trace of unease crossed my mind. Kelsey had always been vindictive, but tampering with my car seemed extreme even for her. I quickly pushed the thought aside, reaching for the stereo knob. Music blasted through the speakers, temporarily drowning out my concerns.The road curved, descending a steep slope toward the valley that separated Darkwood territory from the main highways. I pressed my foot on the brake pedal to slow down before taking the turn.Nothing happened.I pressed harder. The pedal went straight to the floor wit
Last Updated : 2025-03-25Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 28 The Man Behind The Mask
Edward’s POVI stood in my laboratory, surrounded by equipment most wolves would never understand. Half-empty containers littered the counters. Many were crusted with dried residue. The room stank like a chemistry accident, like acidic fumes mixed with something rotten underneath.“Perfect,” I murmured, holding a serum up to the light. The viscous liquid shimmered green and blue, throbbing like it might jump from my hand. “Almost ready for mass production.”The body on the floor groaned softly. Not just anybody—Edward’s body. The real Edward, heir to Northern Crescent Pack.Or what remained of him.“Quiet now,” I scolded, kicking him without looking down. “The sedative should have kept you under longer. How disappointing.”I set the vial down and turned to my unwilling guest. The man’s face was a bloody mess—I’d removed most of his skin already, carefully preserving it for my own use. His muscles twitched beneath the exposed tissue, nerves firing randomly in his agony. He wouldn’t s
Last Updated : 2025-03-25
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Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 35: Suspicions
Dominic’s POV“That’s none of your business,” Penelope snapped, her green eyes blazing.I moved closer, backing her against a stone column. “Then why does she call Edward ‘Daddy’?”“She doesn’t.” Her nostrils flared. “You’re delusional.”“I heard her.” My voice rose. “She saw him coming and yelled ‘Daddy’!”“You’re hearing things.”“Why lie? Too embarrassed to admit you’ve replaced me so completely? New mate, new daddy for your kid?”“Edward isn’t her father,” Penelope hissed. “But he’s been more of one than her real father ever was.”“And who is that? Some random wolf you fucked after leaving me?”Her palm cracked against my cheek. It rang out so loudly people turned to stare. “Don’t you dare.”I grabbed her wrist before she could strike again. “Hit a nerve?”“Let go of me,” she snarled.“Tell me who he is.”“Go to hell.”“Is it someone I know? One of your father’s pack?” I tightened my grip. “Or did you leave already pregnant?”She jerked away, rubbing her wrist. “My life after you i
Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 34: Revelation
Penelope’s POVI spotted them from across the courtyard. Dominic bent down, talking to Debbie.My heart slammed against my ribs. Time seemed to freeze as my worst nightmare came tue before my eyes. My daughter chatted animatedly with the one person who must never know she existed.“Debbie!” I yelled, running toward them. My ankle twisted on the uneven ground, but panic numbed the pain. “What the hell are you doing here?”Debbie jumped, startled by my tone. She clutched her stuffed wolf backpack tighter. “Mommy!”I grabbed her arm, harder than I meant to. A red mark bloomed on her skin. “You shouldn’t be here. Who brought you?”“Uncle Ryan,” she said, her lip quivering. “Don’t be mad. I wanted to surprise you.”I scanned the area frantically. No sign of Ryan. That traitor. I’d fire him the second I got home.“I saw a kitty cat,” Debbie continued, words tumbling out fast. “A really cute one. I went to pet it, and when I came back, Uncle Ryan was gone.”“And you just wandered off? After
Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 33: Lost Child
Dominic’s POVI watched Penelope and Edward walk away arm in arm, rage boiling in my veins. The casual way she leaned into him, the deliberate show for my benefit—it cut deeper than any knife.“Fuck!” I slammed my fist into the nearest wall, relishing the pain that shot through my knuckles. Blood smeared the stone as I pulled back, breathing heavily.Five years. Five years I’d spent in this hollow existence, and now she paraded her new relationship in front of me like I meant nothing. As if our bond—broken or not—had never existed at all.I closed my eyes, fighting for control. My wolf thrashed against its cage, demanding I chase after them, challenge this Edward directly.“Hello, Mister?” a small voice interrupted my thoughts.I opened my eyes, looking down to find a little girl staring up at me. No more than five years old, she clutched a small backpack shaped like a wolf, her green eyes wide and anxious.“Mister, have you seen my mommy?” she asked timidly.I crouched down to her lev
Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 32: Confrontation
Penelope’s POVI turned my back on Dominic, deliberately excluding him as I continued my discussion with the council members.“As I was saying,” I emphasized pointedly, “this creature had control over plants. It generated vines from the forest floor to restrain me.”Alpha Kenneth leaned forward, absorbing every detail. “And you believe this was a deliberate attack? Not random aggression?”“It seemed targeted,” I confirmed. “Too coincidental to find me right after my car crashed.”Dominic stepped into my line of sight. “Penelope, you can’t seriously believe Kelsey tried to kill you.”I stared through him as if he were invisible. Alpha Oliver gave me a sympathetic glance before addressing the council at large.“We should increase patrols near pack borders,” he suggested. “If these advanced mutations are occurring naturally, we need to contain them.”“And if they’re not natural?” I asked pointedly.Silence fell across the room as the implication sank in.Dominic moved closer, invading my
Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 31: Secret Storage
Penelope’s POVI froze at the sound of Edward’s voice. It came from directly behind me. I hadn’t heard him approach, but now he stood just feet away, his face tight with anxiety. His usually calm composure had slipped, revealing something darker underneath.“Why not?” I asked, hand still on the doorknob. “What’s behind this door?”.“Just a storage room,” he said, stepping forward quickly. He pushed the hidden door closed with a firm click and forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Nothing interesting in there—just business documents and financial records.”The swift change in his demeanor raised red flags. Whatever lay beyond that door was important enough to make him nervous.“Financial records kept behind a false bookshelf?” I asked skeptically.“Security precautions,” Edward replied smoothly. “The business attracts espionage. Can’t be too careful these days.”I nodded, pretending to accept his explanation, but my suspicion only deepened. His heartbeat had accelerated—I could he
Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 30: The Hidden Door
Penelope’s POV“You know about the mutations?” I asked, surprised.“I’m just guessing,” Edward said, shrugging. “That werewolf had a very distinctive form, completely different from normal werewolves. The plant integration was unlike anything I’ve seen before.”I frowned, recalling the horrifying creature—part wolf, part plant. “It controlled plants somehow. Made vines grow to hold me down. No normal werewolf has that ability.”“Fascinating,” Edward murmured, then quickly added, “and terrifying, of course. I’ve been following news about the detention camp run by the Council. Some reports mentioned similar mutations, though nothing quite this advanced.”“The council needs to know about this immediately,” I said. “If there are more of these things out there…”“Agreed.” Edward nodded. “But first, you need to recover your strength.”He leaned closer, his eyes dropping to my neck. “Your scars are glowing. Did you notice?”I touched the marks again. “I noticed. They’ve been like this since I
Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 29: After The Rescue
Penelope’s POVSunlight stabbed through my eyelids, forcing me awake. Pain throbbed in my head, my neck, everywhere. I blinked against the brightness, trying to make sense of unfamiliar surroundings.Not my bedroom. Not a hospital.I lay in a large four-poster bed draped with rich burgundy curtains. The room had expensive furniture that was minimalist but clearly high-end. It looked expensive but soulless, like a hotel room nobody lived in.Panic shot through me as memories flooded back. The car crash. The brakes failed. That monstrous plant-wolf creature attacking me. And then, Edward appeared from nowhere.I sat up too quickly, making my head spin and my vision darken momentarily. My body protested every movement with sharp reminders of yesterday’s trauma. My hand went to my throat, finding tender spots where the creature had gripped me.I slid from the bed, wobbling slightly as I made my way to a nearby mirror. In the reflection, I caught sight of strange marks circling my neck—fain
Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 28 The Man Behind The Mask
Edward’s POVI stood in my laboratory, surrounded by equipment most wolves would never understand. Half-empty containers littered the counters. Many were crusted with dried residue. The room stank like a chemistry accident, like acidic fumes mixed with something rotten underneath.“Perfect,” I murmured, holding a serum up to the light. The viscous liquid shimmered green and blue, throbbing like it might jump from my hand. “Almost ready for mass production.”The body on the floor groaned softly. Not just anybody—Edward’s body. The real Edward, heir to Northern Crescent Pack.Or what remained of him.“Quiet now,” I scolded, kicking him without looking down. “The sedative should have kept you under longer. How disappointing.”I set the vial down and turned to my unwilling guest. The man’s face was a bloody mess—I’d removed most of his skin already, carefully preserving it for my own use. His muscles twitched beneath the exposed tissue, nerves firing randomly in his agony. He wouldn’t s
Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate Chapter 27 The Ambush
Penelope’s POVThe scent puzzled me, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I gripped the steering wheel, started the engine, and pressed the accelerator. The car rolled forward, gradually leaving Dominic’s pack territory behind. The headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the road.“Years of training have made me extra sensitive to scents,” I murmured to my wolf as I drove. “But why would Kelsey’s scent be in my car? When would she have had access?”A trace of unease crossed my mind. Kelsey had always been vindictive, but tampering with my car seemed extreme even for her. I quickly pushed the thought aside, reaching for the stereo knob. Music blasted through the speakers, temporarily drowning out my concerns.The road curved, descending a steep slope toward the valley that separated Darkwood territory from the main highways. I pressed my foot on the brake pedal to slow down before taking the turn.Nothing happened.I pressed harder. The pedal went straight to the floor wit
