Alpha's Regret After She Kneels

Her words should bring comfort, but my mind is elsewhere.

"Raiden spoke to me today." The confession slips out before I can stop it.

Rairity raises an eyebrow. "About?"

"Our marriage."

The words taste bitter in my mouth.

Rairity expression darkens. "What does he want now?"

"I don't know." I shake my head, frustration bubbling beneath my calm exterior.

"He was... different. More thoughtful. But it doesn't change anything. Our divorce is days away. Whatever this is, it's too late."

Silence settles between us before Rairity speaks again, her tone carefully neutral.

"There's something else."

I turn to her, brow furrowed.

"Raiden's been meeting with the pack elders," she says slowly, her eyes narrowing as if still trying to make sense of the information. "Reviewing ancient bonding rituals. Traditional mating ceremonies."

My heart stops.

"What?" My voice is barely a whisper.

Rairity nods, her expression as perplexed as I feel. "It's... strange," she murmurs.

"Almost as if he's planning a wedding rather than a divorce."

The words hit me like a blow, stealing the breath from my lungs.

A wedding.

No.

This is a trap.

It has to be.

I knew it.

"Why would he do that?" I force the question through numb lips.

Rairity shakes her head. "I don't know. But whatever it is... it doesn't feel right."

I swallow hard, my mind racing.

Lila.

"Don't read too much into it," I murmur, more to myself than her. "Raiden always has an agenda. One I am not apart of. One I'd wish very much to release. For good."

But the words ring hollow even as I speak them.

Because deep down...

My wolf stirs, hopeful despite my protests.

No.

I can't do this.noveldrama

I can't let him hurt me again.

“I'm going to bed,” I say abruptly, turning away before Rairity can see the turmoil

in my eyes.

"Siena "

"Good night, Rairity."

I don't wait for her response as I slip back inside, closing the door behind me.

But sleep doesn't come.

I lie awake for hours, my mind a battlefield between reason and instinct.

Raiden's actions don't make sense.

Why consult the elders? Why review ancient rituals?

Unless...

No.

My rational mind insists it's a ploy.

But my heart...

My heart whispers a dangerous possibility.

What if he's changing?

I shut my eyes tightly, willing the thought away.

It's too late.

It's always been too late.

And yet...

The next morning, I can't stop myself from watching Raiden closely.

I tell myseat's because of the

competition, because Windhet

fate hangs in the balance. Sw

But that's a lie.

I'm looking for something else.

A sign.

A reason to believe.

What I see only unsettles me more.

Raiden is... different.

There's a quiet intensity about him, a focus that feels almost reverent.

He moves with purpose, his

interactions with the elders lacunet

with Something I can't quite place.

t belongs to swenet

Intent.

Rairity words echo in my mind.

"Almost as if he's planning a wedding rather than a divorce."

The thought should terrify me.

It does.

Because if Raiden is finally seeing me... finally realizing what he's losing...

I don't know if I have the strength to turn him away.

But I have to.

I've fought too hard, come too far, to let him shatter me again.

As the day stretches on, I throw myself into the final preparations for Windhowl's last competition event, refusing to let Raiden's actions distract me.

But the weight of uncertainty lingers.

And when night falls, I stand on my balcony once more, staring out into the

darkness.

Rairity words replay in my mind.

Almost as if he's planning a wedding rather than a divorce.

Horace stirs again, restless and yearning.

But I push it down.

I won't let hope break me.

Not again.

Whatever Raiden's doing...

It doesn't change anything.

I whisper the words into the night, hoping they'll take root in my heart.

But the ache in my chest tells me otherwise.