Alpha Begged, Luna Walked Chapter 07

Alpha Begged, Luna Walked Chapter 07

I shook my head gently.

My life was already rubble. I wouldn’t bury anyone else under it.

“Nova.” He leaned closer, urgency bleeding through his composure. “Losing you to that engagement was the greatest regret of my life.”

I was powerless then, I couldn’t fight their decisions. But I’m not powerless now.

His voice dropped. “I can protect you now. All I’m asking is a chance to make it right. Is that too much?”

I met his eyes. “You’re not afraid?”

A pause. “Of Magnus.”

Even without a formal mark, taking his mate, his intended, was an act of war. Magnus’s wolf was not forgiving.

Silas didn’t hesitate.

“No. I would fight for you.”

Something cracked behind my ribs. My vision blurred.

“Okay,” I said quietly. “I’ll go with you.”

I was leaving anyway. One destination was as good as another.

Magnus felt it like a missing piece of himself, hollow and inexplicable.

The northern hunting grounds were bathed in rare winter sunlight. It should have been perfect.

He tugged at his cashmere collar. Wrong. Everything was wrong. The fabric scratched. The sleeves sat short. His cufflinks were mismatched.

Nova used to handle all of this. She knew the exact iron temperature for each of his shirts, which collar pins suited which jacket, and where his good cufflinks lived.

He glanced at Eden, who was admiring the new diamond on her finger. Someone else was taking care of him now. He didn’t like it.

He thought about the call yesterday. Her voice, thin and far away.

He dialed again.

Nothing.

Then again.

Still nothing.

His jaw tightened. He called the housekeeper instead.

“Alpha?” She sounded confused.

“Where is the Luna?”

A pause. “She gave us all leave, paid us an extra week’s wages, and told us not to come back.”

His pulse stuttered.

He pulled up the security feed. Last door open: yesterday afternoon.

She’d walked out with an urn and a painting.

She hadn’t come back.

He was on his feet before he understood why. She was pregnant. She had nowhere to go.

“Alpha?” Eden’s voice. He barely heard her.

He was already calling again. Again. Again.

Nothing.

This was supposed to be like the other times. A fight, a silence, a wait. She always waited.

But something was wrong. He could feel it, a cold seam splitting open in his chest.

He paced. He couldn’t leave. Blizzards had grounded all flights.

His phone screen lit and died, lit and died. No messages. No calls.

Days passed. His stubble grew dark and uneven.

“Alpha.” Eden approached with warm milk, reaching for his arm. “You haven’t slept. This isn’t worth it. She left. Clearly she doesn’t care anymore. Why are you—”

“Enough.”

He pulled away sharply.

Eden froze. He’d never spoken to her like that.

Her eyes filled. “Magnus. You’re yelling at me?”

Then the courier arrived. Nova’s package.

A crystal ball. A wedding portrait.