Semua Bab Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate: Bab 41 - Bab 50

Penelope’s POVThe elders departed one after another, their ceremonial robes disappearing into the darkness like ghosts.I stood by the emptied lake, my legs still shaky from the failed ritual. The water rippled where the Moon Goddess tear had returned, a perfect circle expanding outward until it touched the shore where I stood.My father approached. “Are you unwell?” he asked, stopping beside me.I shook my head, though nausea still churned in my stomach. The moonlight striking my face highlighted my pallor.“I’ll survive,” I said firmly. “Disappointed, but resilient.”“Good,” he replied, squeezing my shoulder. “We don’t show weakness, not even when alone.” He glanced toward Edward, who waited several yards away, pretending not to watch us. “See him to the territory gates. I’ll expect you at home afterward.”“Yes, Papa.” I nodded, my mind still reeling from everything that had happened—the ritual, the sabotage, the mysterious corpses in our sacred lake.Edward fell into step beside me

Penelope’s POVPungent scents assaulted my nose as I stood among dozens of heirs gathered for the annual hunt: pine needles, damp soil, rotting leaves, and deer musk alongside the scents of wolves.I rolled my shoulders, attempting to release the tension in my muscles.Elder Thomas, a withered wolf from Highland Pack with skin that hung in loose folds from his face, hobbled onto the wooden platform before the assembled hunters. He thumped his gnarled cane three times against the boards.“Welcome to our annual joint hunt,” he announced, his voice surprisingly strong despite his frail appearance. “This year brings significant changes to our tradition. Besides our usual prey—stag and boar—we’ve added a special challenge: tracking and eliminating any mutated werewolves spotted in these woods.”Murmurs rippled through the crowd like wind through tall grass.I spotted Edward across the gathering. He stood tall and straight-backed, nodding attentively to the elder’s words.“For safety reasons

Penelope’s POVA blur of silver-gray fur exploded from the right.Dominic had come, now fully transformed into his massive wolf form, and he collided with the mutant in mid-air. His powerful jaws clamped around the creature’s throat before they both crashed to the ground.I gasped, finally able to breathe as the immediate danger redirected. The white moss Dominic had collected lay scattered across the forest floor where he’d dropped it to shift.Keeping one hand on the doe’s wound, I stretched to grab the closest clump of moss, pressing it against the torn tissue. The plant released its medicinal compounds instantly, stems darkening as they absorbed blood and began to clot it.Behind me, snarls and growls filled the air as Dominic battled the mutant. Bones crunched. Flesh tore. I forced myself to focus on the doe.“Almost there,” I encouraged her, feeling another contraction begin. “Push!”With a slick, wet sound, the fawn’s body slid free. It landed on the leaves, covered in birth flu

Penelope’s POVThe forest sounds faded as Dominic and I dragged the mutant’s carcass into the main clearing. Hunters gathered around, pointing and murmuring at our gruesome trophy. Blood still dripped from its matted fur, leaving a dark trail behind us.Elder Thomas stepped forward, leaning on his cane. “Well done! The first successful mutant hunt of the day.”Before we could respond, frantic shouting erupted from the east side of the camp. Heads turned as a figure sprinted toward us.Edward.He carried something in his arms—no, someone. Ruby’s dark hair hung limply over his forearm, her body limp and bloodied beyond recognition. Edward’s clothes were torn and spattered with blood. His face was contorted in anguish.“Help!” he yelled hoarsely. “Someone help!”Hunters rushed forward as Edward collapsed to his knees, still cradling Ruby’s mangled body. I pushed through the crowd, Dominic close behind me.Ruby was barely recognizable. Her throat gaped open, viscera exposed where her abdom

Edward’s POVI gripped the steering wheel tightly as highway lines streaked past. The car’s engine roared, masking the chaos of my thoughts.Dominic’s suspicious glances during the funeral replayed in my mind. His questions about Ruby’s knife wound had been too pointed, too knowing.He needed to be eliminated—and soon. If not killed outright, then framed and disgraced. Something to destroy his credibility among the packs, to make him lose the trust he’d spent generations building.I glanced at Penelope beside me. She gazed out the passenger window, her profile illuminated by passing headlights. Sadness etched lines around her mouth. Perfect.“Are you alright?” I asked softly. “You seem exhausted.”She sighed, not turning from the window. “I keep thinking about Ruby. How quickly life can end.”“Try not to dwell on it,” I advised, reaching across to take her hand. “Death is part of our existence, but so is survival. I’ll protect you—always.”Her fingers remained limp in mine, neither acc