The Alpha’s Regret Came After My Abandonment

For love, I left my pack and followed Kayson Callahan to the distant Silver Moon Pack. Yet for five whole years, I was never officially entered into the Silver Moon Pack's records. Lyanna Lawrence, on the other hand, had only stayed in my home for two months when Kayson personally contacted the Council of Elders and had her official status fast-tracked. I was completely devastated and decided to return to my own pack. For the first time, Kayson cried as he knelt before me. "Serena, you're my fated mate. Once we hold the Bonding Ceremony, it's only a matter of time before the pack accepts you. "But Lyanna is different. She has nowhere to go, and without a pack to protect her, she could easily die at the hands of rogue wolves. Stay for me this time, okay?" Seeing the tears in his eyes, I softened again. It wasn't until I became pregnant and applied once more to be added to the pack records that Elder Walter Blankenship frowned and flipped through the records. "Serena, Kayson's registered mate is... Miss Lyanna Lawrence." "Are you sure you didn't get that wrong?" I stood there frozen, unable to believe what I was hearing. The only reason I had been able to swallow disappointment again and again was that I loved Kayson deeply and kept waiting for the Bonding Ceremony that was supposed to be ours. But in the end, I realized that these five years had all been nothing more than wishful thinking on my part. If that's how it was, then it was time for me to return to where I belonged. Chapter 1 Elder Walter Blankenship looked at me with contempt. "Serena Patrick, everyone in the pack knows how deeply Kayson Callahan loves Lyanna Lawrence. How could he possibly do anything to betray her?" He looked me up and down, the corners of his lips curling into a mocking smile. "You're the one who's been in our pack for nearly five years. If I weren't responsible for maintaining the pack records, I doubt I'd even remember your name." His tone grew stern, carrying a clear warning. "Serena, don't think too highly of yourself. Don't covet something that doesn't belong to you." My fingers tightened around the hem of my clothes. I forced a bitter smile. "I understand. Thank you, Elder." After leaving the Council of Elders, I instinctively called Kayson, wanting to ask him what was going on. The phone rang for a long time before someone finally answered. However, it was Lyanna's voice on the other end. "Serena? Kayson's discussing pack affairs with the Council of Elders. If you need something, I can pass it along. But if it's just something trivial, don't bother him. He's been busy enough with the pack lately." Her voice wasn't loud, but every word struck my chest with pain. Then I faintly heard Kayson's voice from the other end. "Who's calling?" Lyanna answered with a smile in her voice, "It's nothing. Just someone unimportant. Go on working." The call ended abruptly. My tears fell onto my phone, making the screen flicker. When it finally went completely dark, my heart died with it. From the day Lyanna came to the pack, I had already anticipated this ending. That day, Lyanna had been wearing a white dress, and Kayson hadn't been able to take his eyes off her. After that, every one of his principles was broken for Lyanna. She didn't have to follow proper etiquette. She could walk into his office whenever she wanted. He could even give her the most prestigious status. I'd protested before. But Kayson had sworn to me, "I'll only ever love you in this life. I won't marry anyone but you, Serena." Like a fool, I believed him. For five years, I endured my homesickness and learned to adapt to the rules here. I even kept telling myself that as long as I waited for the Bonding Ceremony, all those years of waiting would be worth it. But later, he kept Lyanna by his side every moment of every day. He taught her how to hunt, how to identify poisonous plants, and even self-defense. He told me, "She's a girl. She should learn how to protect herself." So I watched them spend every day together. Eventually, everyone in the pack saw how inseparable they were and assumed they were a couple deeply in love. Yet Kayson kept telling me, "Don't overthink it. I just feel sorry for her." I looked into his sincere eyes and believed him again. From then on, I convinced myself to be content as his Shadow Consort. I took care of everything behind the scenes for him, just so he could have peace of mind. That was when I remembered what my friend, Gillian Price, had warned me the year I followed Kayson here. "Serena, you're still young. I'm not going to stop you. But remember this. If you spend your whole life depending on someone else, one day you'll lose even the right to choose to leave." Back then, I'd laughed and told her I trusted him. I thought love could overcome anything. I endured five long years and did everything I could to earn my place here, yet I still couldn't win even a shred of recognition. Only now did I finally understand what Gillian had meant. A tear fell onto my hand, pulling me out of my memories. Thinking of it, I took out the severance token Kayson had given me five years ago. Back then, he'd told me, "Serena, this is your way out. If the day ever comes when you want to leave me, just go." I'd thought I'd never have to use it in my entire life. I never imagined it would come in handy after only five years. I wiped away my tears and prepared to go home and pack my things. Just then, Kayson called me back. Chapter 2 I didn't answer. I turned off my phone and shoved it into my pocket. I walked to the side of the road and hailed a cab. Halfway through the ride, I instinctively took out my phone and adjusted the air conditioning. Kayson's missed calls and messages flooded in like a wave. Seeing the screen filled with red notification dots, my eyes welled up with tears After a moment's hesitation, I called him back. He answered in less than a second, his voice full of concern. "Serena, are you upset? I was busy just now. I wasn't deliberately ignoring you." I took a deep breath. "Come home early tonight. I need to talk to you." Kayson's voice turned hesitant. "Tonight? I'm afraid I can't. There's a pack feast tonight. If it isn't urgent, we can talk when I get home." "Tonight." My tone was firm enough to leave him speechless. After all, I'd always put him first and accepted everything without complaint. He sounded irritated too. "Are you still throwing a fit over the registration? You don't need to manage pack affairs, so why are you so hung up on having an official status? Isn't it enough that I'm protecting you? "And the ceremony will happen sooner or later. It's only a matter of time before the pack accepts you. "That's enough. Stop being unreasonable. I'll bring home your favorite fruit." The call ended again, just like that. He was always like this. Every reasonable request I made was unreasonable in his eyes. Afterward, he'd placate me with some cheap fruit. Without another thought, I took a cab straight to the feast. Since I wasn't good at handling pack affairs, I rarely went to the place where Kayson dealt with official business. After the guards confirmed my identity, I learned that he'd already taken Lyanna to the feast. But the laughter coming from inside the feast hall made me stop outside the door. When I arrived, the people inside were already talking. From the voice, I could tell it was Warren Weiss, one of Kayson's trusted subordinates. "Alpha, when exactly are you and Lyanna holding the Bonding Ceremony? We've already prepared the gifts." "Yeah, you've been registered as mates for so long. Why are you still hiding it from Serena?" "And Lyanna's already two months pregnant. If she gets any bigger, she won't look good in a wedding dress." A pup?! They actually had a pup! I was so shocked I couldn't speak. Then Lyanna's coy voice drifted out, "Oh, stop teasing me. Kayson only agreed to register a fake mate bond with me because he wanted to take care of me. If Serena finds out from you guys, she's definitely going to make a scene again." Warren burst out laughing. "What right does she have to make a scene? Everything she eats and wears comes from our Alpha. "Besides, all she knows how to do is cook and clean. She's basically a housekeeper. You're different. You can actually help the Alpha with his work." Then he lowered his voice, "Kayson, if you ask me, you should just make the fake bond real. Serena's been completely dependent on you all these years. She can't cause any trouble. "Just send her back to her old pack. You and Lyanna can officially hold the ceremony." My hand stopped on the door as I waited for Kayson's response. He merely took a sip of his drink before answering along with them, "Enough. Lyanna's shy. "As for Serena, she's been a little moody lately, but she's always been sensible. She'll understand." Once again, he used the word "sensible" to bind me to him, as if he'd already decided I would never leave. Amid a round of laughter, I pushed open the doors to the feast hall. Chapter 3 Everyone holding a drink turned to look at me at once. Warren's hand shook nervously, and his glass slipped from his fingers and shattered across the floor. Kayson turned at the sound. "Serena? What are you doing here?" I let out a cold laugh. "Weren't you at some pack feast? Or are you going to say I showed up at the wrong time?" Kayson panicked and hurried toward me. "No. We were supposed to go to the feast, but something came up, and we changed the plan." He reached out and grabbed my hand. "Since you're here, stay and have dinner with us." I immediately shook his hand off and looked at him calmly. A flicker of unease crossed his eyes as he cautiously tried to explain, "You heard all that? Everything they said was nonsense." He lowered his voice. "Don't overthink it. Once I finish dealing with the pack affairs I'm handling, I'll apply to register you again. We'll hold the ceremony too." I was silent for a moment, then swept my gaze across everyone in the room. "Whatever. I shouldn't have come here tonight. I won't bother you anymore. Please, carry on with your dinner." I didn't ask him why he'd registered Lyanna or force him to explain himself in front of everyone either. Because I'd already heard more than enough. I was leaving tonight. The moment I turned around, Lyanna rushed toward me and blocked the exit. "Serena, please don't leave. None of this has anything to do with Kayson. He only agreed to register a mate bond with me because he felt sorry for me. I have no one and nowhere to go. "You can do whatever you want to me. Just don't be angry with Kayson, okay? Please. I'm begging you." I frowned instinctively. With just a few words, she'd completely absolved herself, making me the unreasonable one if I kept pushing the issue. "Let go." But she only tightened her grip, even pretending to sink to her knees. "I won't, unless you forgive me, okay? I promise I won't compete with you for Kayson..." I finally couldn't take it anymore and let out a cold laugh. "Lyanna, are you done pretending?" "You knew perfectly well he's my fated mate, yet you kept getting close to him again and again. And now you're standing in front of me asking me to forgive you?" Lyanna cried even harder. Kayson's expression immediately darkened. "Enough! Serena, watch what you say. Whatever the problem is, we'll discuss it when we get home. Don't make a scene like this in front of everyone." I looked at the way he stood protectively in front of Lyanna, and the last bit of hope I had disappeared. I yanked my hand free. The next second, Lyanna suddenly cried out and stumbled backward, accidentally hitting the liquor cabinet behind her. Warren shouted, "Get out of the way! The cabinet's going to fall!" "Watch out!" Kayson yelled and rushed forward to shield Lyanna. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late to get away. The cabinet slammed into my back. Pain exploded through me. The bottles inside shattered across the floor, and the crimson liquor quickly spread through the blood pooling beneath me. I forced myself to look up through the pain, only to see Kayson holding Lyanna with concern written all over his face. He shouted angrily, "Serena, are you crazy? She was only trying to make peace between us, and you actually dared to hurt her!" Everyone turned to look at me. Not one person came over. There was no concern in their eyes, only ridicule. I endured the pain and staggered toward the exit, tears burning in my eyes. "Stop." Kayson's voice was sharp. "Who said you could leave? Apologize!" I stared at him in disbelief, the anger in my chest rising until it burned in my throat. "She knew I was your fated mate and still kept getting between us. And now I'm the one who hurt her? What right does a woman who destroys someone else's relationship have to demand an apology from me?" I was so agitated that the wound on my back tore open again, forcing a sharp breath from me. Before I could react, a slap landed across my face. I covered my cheek. "You hit me?" "So what if I did? You're crazy! Lyanna was trying to help you out of the goodness of her heart, and instead of being grateful, you insulted her? If you ask me, that liquor cabinet falling on you today was karma." My heart sank completely, and I let out a bitter laugh. "If she were really being kind, she wouldn't have gotten pregnant with your pup. How dare you two stand here and condemn me like you're in the right?" Kayson was furious now. He began listing everything he'd done for me, one thing after another. "Serena, don't forget what you are. You were barely of age when you followed me to this pack. All these years, I gave you a place to live. I supported you. I gave you the life you have now. "What would you have left if you left me?" Chapter 4 I stood there in a daze, unable to say a word. Kayson was right. For the past five years, I had depended on him, but I'd never thought of it as charity, because I'd genuinely believed he was my home. Lyanna was still clutching her stomach, crying weakly. "It hurts. It hurts so much. Kayson, take me to the healer. Our pup... "Serena, I was only trying to help. Why would you treat me like this?" Kayson looked at me coldly. "Starting today, all your private access to the Moon Palace is revoked. The living expenses deposited into your account every month are canceled too. Without my protection, you won't survive in the pack on your own for long!" With that, he didn't look at me again. He scooped up the still-crying Lyanna and ordered someone to take her to the infirmary immediately. The hall emptied quickly, leaving me standing there alone. I could only offer a self-deprecating smile. This was what I had spent five years doing—choosing to fly into the flames for love and fighting against everything standing in our way. All I got in return was a breakup. Maybe this was for the best. At least I saw the truth early enough that I wouldn't make the same mistake all the way to the end. A guard nearby approached me and asked nervously, "Miss, do you need us to take you to the healer?" I was already numb from the pain. If he hadn't reminded me, I'd almost forgotten that I was injured. "No. I'll go myself." After getting bandaged at the hospital, I no longer had the strength to go home and pack my things. Maybe it was better not to take them. Since Kayson had said he was the one who supported me, taking the things I'd bought with his money felt disgusting anyway. Thankfully, I still had some compensation money left. At least now I had enough to leave. I hailed a cab and headed straight for the airport. Meanwhile, Kayson was convinced I was only angry, yet he still waited for my response. First, he revoked my access privileges, then reinstated them. [Do you know you're wrong yet? Come and apologize to Lyanna. Then we'll forget this ever happened.] When I still didn't reply, he sent another message. [You should come anyway. Your injuries look pretty serious.] So he'd seen my injuries too. Lyanna just mattered more to him. When I was sick and wanted soup, he said he couldn't cook, yet he made countless meals for Lyanna. On my birthday, it wasn't that he'd forgotten to buy me a cake. Lyanna liked it, so he simply gave it to her. He'd even forgotten the promises we'd made, yet given Lyanna the whole world. But he'd forgotten that I had a home, a job, and friends in the Crescent Moon Pack. Because I loved him, I had been willing to give up everything for him, leave my homeland, and marry him willingly. But when I saw that message, my heart finally died. I would never again stay beside someone who didn't love me. When I reached the airport, my flight was delayed. With the little money I had left, I booked myself a small hotel and slept on the bed. For the first time in a long while, I felt strangely at peace. For the past five years, everyone in the pack had assumed I lived a glamorous life. As the Alpha's wife, they thought I had everything I could ever want, but all these years, every expense I made had to be submitted and recorded. From something as small as a bunch of vegetables to something as expensive as medical and hospital bills, everything had been written down in my expense ledger. I'd spent all my money on the home Kayson and I shared, so I now had less than a hundred dollars in cash to my name. I was lucky I had anything left at all. Otherwise, I'd have been sleeping on the streets. When I woke up, countless messages from Kayson flooded my phone. [I checked the hospital records. You weren't admitted, and the housekeeper says you never came home. Where are you?] [Don't be mad at me. I'll explain everything later.] [Listen to me. Call me back, and I'll come get you.] The typing indicator kept appearing in the chat box. I calmly stared at the messages on my phone. He'd sent more messages last night than he had in the past five years combined, yet not one of them stirred anything inside me. One second before boarding the plane, I blocked and deleted him. From here on, our paths would go their separate ways. ... Back at the hospital, Kayson stared at his unanswered messages, frantic with worry. Yet he was still certain I wouldn't dare leave him. At the thought, the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile. He picked up his phone, preparing to call me. At that exact moment, a call came in from Miles Hartman, a longtime friend he hadn't seen in years. "Kayson, I heard you're about to hold the Bonding Ceremony? Seriously, you didn't even tell me. But I just landed and saw Serena at the airport. She was on a direct flight to the Crescent Moon Pack. "Is she going home?"