Chapter 2 THE ALPHA'S REGRET.

Lupus's POV

The moment Taylor walked out of my chamber, the silence that followed was heavier than any roar of battle.

I stood there, staring at the door she had just closed, my chest burning with a strange mixture of anger and something I couldn't name. Her scent still lingered faintly in the room very soft, familiar, and painfully haunting. I wanted it gone. I wanted her gone. Yet, every breath I took reminded me of her.

I turned sharply and slammed my fist against the wall. The sound went through the chamber, and the stone cracked under the force.

"She defied me," I muttered under my breath. "She actually defied me."

I was the Alpha of the Dominion Pack, the strongest, the most feared, the one no one dared question. But Taylor Swift, the woman I once called my mate, had looked me in the eye and walked away without fear. That image burned in my mind like fire.

Before I could even gather my thoughts, Daniel burst through the door. My Beta. My oldest friend. The only one who ever dared to enter my space without knocking.

"Lupus," he said, slightly out of breath. "Tell me you didn't do it."

I turned to face him, my expression blank. "Do what?"

He swallowed hard. "Reject her. Taylor."

I clenched my jaw. "I did."

Daniel's face fell. "You can't be serious. You..."

"Don't," I snapped, my voice cutting through his words like a blade. "Don't question my decisions."

He hesitated. "But she's your mate, Lupus. The Moon Goddess."

"I said don't!" I roared, and the power in my voice made the lamps flicker.

Daniel stepped back immediately, his head bowed in submission. I could sense his wolf shrinking under my dominance.

I exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself. "If you care so much, go find her yourself," I said coldly. "Because I don't intend to."

Daniel frowned. "You'll regret this. I can see it in your eyes already."

"Enough!" I thundered again. "Leave, Daniel, before I forget you're my friend."

He stared at me for a moment longer, disappointment written all over his face, then turned and left quietly.

The room fell silent once more. Only the sound of my heartbeat went in my ears. I sank onto the edge of my desk, rubbing my temples.

Taylor's last words replayed in my mind, I will rise again.

A part of me wanted to laugh at her foolishness, but another part of me... the part I kept buried deep inside, twisted painfully at the thought.

I didn't understand why it hurt. I was the one who ended it. I was the one who said the words.

I told myself I didn't care. That it was for the best.

But the more I tried to believe it, the less it felt true.

I poured myself a glass of whiskey and downed it in one gulp. The burning sensation helped clear my thoughts, even if just for a second.

That was when Angela walked in.

She didn't knock, she never did. She strolled in confidently, her short dark hair brushing against her shoulders, her emerald eyes shining with triumph.

"So," she said with a smirk, "she's gone?"

I didn't respond. I stared into the empty glass in my hand.

"I heard you rejected her in person," Angela continued, stepping closer. "I wish I could have seen her face. She must have been devastated."

Her tone was light, but there was venom behind her words.

"Angela," I said quietly, not looking at her, "don't push me right now."

"Oh, come on," she said, crossing her arms. "You should be happy. The weak little omega is finally out of your life. You did what had to be done."

I glanced at her sharply. "Watch your words."

Her smirk faded slightly. "What? I'm only saying what's true."

"Taylor may have been weak," I said, standing up to my full height, "but she was still my mate. And you will not speak of her disrespectfully in my presence."

Angela blinked, clearly surprised. "You're defending her? After everything?"

"I'm not defending anyone," I said flatly. "I'm stating facts."

She studied me for a moment, tilting her head. "You're angry. Why? You rejected her. Isn't this what you wanted?"

"I don't owe you an explanation," I said.

Angela stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Lupus, listen to me. You're Alpha now. You can't let emotions rule you. The pack respects strength, not sympathy. If you start showing regret, they'll see it as weakness."

I turned away from her, walking toward the window. The moon was high and full, shining brightly over the forest beyond our borders.

"She left," I said softly. "I can't sense her anymore."

Angela frowned. "That's a good thing, isn't it?"

I didn't answer. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, growling low in frustration.

I hated this feeling, this unease clawing at my chest. I wanted to believe she was nothing to me, that her absence meant freedom. But the silence she left behind was unbearable.

"Lupus," Angela said, walking up behind me. "Forget about her. You did what was right for the pack."

"Right for the pack," I repeated quietly. "But not for me."

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing."

I turned around and faced her again. "I need time to think. Leave me."

Angela frowned. "I'm your mate now. You can talk to me."

"I said leave," I said firmly, my tone final.

She hesitated, clearly annoyed, but then nodded and walked out, closing the door behind her.

As soon as she was gone, I sank into my chair and ran my hands through my hair. My wolf was pacing inside me, restless and agitated.

Why do you care? I asked it silently. She's gone. We rejected her.

But my wolf didn't answer. It only growled softly, the sound low and sorrowful.

I couldn't stand the walls closing in anymore. I needed air.

I got up and walked out of my chambers, down the long hallway of the Alpha quarters. The guards at the entrance bowed as I passed, but I barely noticed them. I followed Taylor's scent instinctively, even though I kept telling myself I didn't care.

The scent trail ended near the edge of the forest. It was faint, almost gone, like smoke dissolving into the night air.

I stared into the darkness for a long time, fists clenched at my sides.

"She really left," I muttered under my breath.

The realization hit harder than I expected. She was gone, not just from my pack, but from my life.

"Alpha," one of the guards said cautiously, approaching from behind. "Should we send a search party?"

I didn't turn around. "No. Let her go."

"But, Alpha."

"I said no!" I barked.

The guard bowed his head quickly and backed away.

I stood there for several minutes, staring into the forest, my heart pounding with something I didn't want to name.

Daniel appeared a short while later, his face tense. "She's really gone, isn.t she?"

"Yes," I said simply.

He sighed. "You don't seem very sure of yourself, Lupus. You're usually more decisive than this."

"I made a choice," I said firmly. "It's done."

Daniel studied me carefully. "If you say so."

"Don't start," I warned him.

He raised his hands in surrender. "Fine. But for what it's worth, I think you made a mistake. Taylor was loyal, Lupus. You might not see it now, but one day, you'll realize what you lost."

He turned and walked away before I could reply.

I clenched my jaw, his words replayed in my mind. You'll realize what you lost.

That night, I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her, the defiance in her gaze, the pain she tried to hide, the way she walked out with her head held high.

It shouldn't have bothered me. But it did.

I sat up, groaning in frustration. Angela stirred beside me in the bed, half-asleep. "Lupus? What's

wrong?"

"Nothing," I muttered. "Go back to sleep."

She rolled over and did as I said, but I couldn't rest. My wolf kept growling softly, agitated and restless.

I got up again, pacing back and forth in the dark. Finally, I decided to do what I swore I wouldn't, I

followed her scent again, desperate for any trace.

But it was gone completely this time. Not even the faintest trace remained.

I clenched my fists, a low growl escaping my throat. "Where are you, Taylor?"

I was Alpha, yet I couldn't control this. I couldn't stop her from leaving, couldn't command the bond to stay intact. The emptiness she left behind was like a wound that refused to heal.

I sank to my knees in the dirt, my heart pounding. My wolf howled inside me, a sound of loss and

frustration that echoed deep in my chest.

"She's gone," I whispered to myself. "And she's not coming back."

But even as I said it, a part of me refused to believe it.

No, Taylor Swift was not the kind of woman who disappeared quietly. She would come back one day, and when she did, she would bring with her the storm I had unleashed.

I rose slowly to my feet, staring into the forest one last time. The moonlight shimmered through the trees, and for a fleeting second, I thought I saw her shadow among them.

But it was only my imagination.

I turned back toward the pack house, my heart heavy. The night air was cold, biting against my skin, but I barely felt it.

Back in my chamber, I poured another drink, though I knew it wouldn't ease the turmoil inside me. I stared at the empty chair where she once sat, at the space beside the window where she used to stand.

It was strange, how empty a room could feel once someone was gone.

Angela entered quietly again, her expression softer this time. "Lupus," she said gently, "you can't keep doing this to yourself."

"I'm fine," I said shortly.

"You're not," she replied. "You're haunted by her."

I looked at her, the words heavy in the air.

"Even if I was," I said finally, "it doesn't matter. What's done is done."

Angela sighed but said nothing more. She turned and left, closing the door behind her.

Once again, I was alone.

I closed my eyes, leaning back in my chair. The image of Taylor's face appeared behind my eyelids, proud, hurt, unbroken.

"She'll come back," I murmured to myself. "And when she does... I'll be ready."

But deep down, even as I said the words, I knew something had changed - not in her, but in me.

The bond was gone, yet the ache remained.

And that was the cruellest punishment of all.