My Cheating Alpha Mate's Ultimate Regret

Elliana's POV:

I was back.

I was really, truly back.

Back three years before the tragedy. Today. This was the day it all started. The day Gallagher first publicly chose that "fragile" human girl, Carson Barr, over me, his Luna.

But I will never forget the day when my husband and his mistress put me in the dungeon, and I can't forget the inhuman torture and pain I suffered there, and finally I died without dignity in cruel humiliation.

A wave of nausea and pure, undiluted hatred churned in my heart. I gripped the cold marble countertop to keep myself from collapsing.

The bedroom door opened.

A tall, powerful silhouette filled the frame. My fated mate. My Alpha. Gallagher Jarvis.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his dark brown hair meticulously styled. Those sharp, golden wolf eyes swept over me, and his brow furrowed in that familiar, habitual way.

"What are you making a scene about this early?" His voice was a low rumble, devoid of any warmth. It was the tone he used for an underling who had displeased him.

He ignored my pale face and the way I was trembling, striding directly to the walk-in closet to grab his car keys. He was leaving. To see her.

Just then, his phone rang.

He answered, and the ice in his voice melted instantly. "Don't be afraid, Carson. I'll be there soon."

I watched his back, a hollow ache echoing in my chest. In my past life, he had used that same gentle tone to soothe her, while I, his mate, was left to writhe in the agony the mate-bond inflicted on a betrayed partner.

The Moon Goddess designed the bond to ensure loyalty. When one mate is unfaithful, the other feels a pain that can tear their soul apart.

But right now, all I felt was a numb cold. The heart that had beaten for him, ached for him, had already been crushed to dust in my previous life.

He ended the call and turned to leave, not even sparing me a second glance, as if I were just another piece of furniture.

In my past life, this is when I would have rushed forward. I would have grabbed his arm, begging him not to go, not to see that woman.

My body, driven by the ghost of memory, even took a half-step forward.

I immediately clenched my fists. My nails dug into my palms, the sharp sting of pain a welcome anchor to this new reality.

No, Elliana. You are not that foolish, blind girl anymore.

Gallagher noticed my arrested movement. He glanced back, a flicker of sarcasm in his golden eyes. "What? Not going to throw your usual crying fit today?"

He thought all my resistance was just a performance to get his attention. The supreme arrogance of an Alpha.

I lifted my head, meeting his gaze. My ice-blue eyes held none of their former adoration or pleading. They were as still and dead as a frozen lake, with a glint of mockery he couldn't comprehend.

I looked at him, and my voice came out clear and steady. Each word was a shard of ice aimed at his heart.

"How can it be? I'm happy to see such a moment."

The impatience on his face froze. He clearly hadn't expected that. His frown deepened, as if trying to search my face for a lie.

I didn't give him the chance. I turned my back on him, walked back to the bed, and sat on its edge, not bothering to look at him again.

A heavy silence fell over the room. I could feel his oppressive Alpha presence, his Dominion, filling the air, trying to press down on my will.

An Alpha's Dominion has a compulsive effect on lower-ranking wolves; it's the foundation of their rule. But he forgot, I am a Luna, chosen by the Goddess. My will is my own.

I completely ignored his mental pressure. I simply walked over to the vanity, picked up a brush, and began to slowly comb through my long, black hair.

This utter disregard, I knew, would infuriate a control freak like him more than any argument.

I heard him let out a low growl, a sound of suppressed fury. But he was clearly in a hurry to get to his precious Carson. He didn't have time to deal with me.

The heavy slam of the door announced his departure.

I watched the closed door in the mirror, a cold, vengeful smile finally touching my lips.

Gallagher Jarvis. This time, I make the rules.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number I never would have dared to call in my past life. When the call connected, my voice was calm.

"It's me, Elliana Floyd. I need to invoke my Alpha-mate privileges. Right now. I want all the information for Gallagher Jarvis's unlimited black card sent to my email. Immediately."

Since he was so generous with the Pack's resources to support his little lover, I wouldn't be shy about using his money to build my own empire.

This was the first debt he owed me.

Elliana's POV:

The encrypted email arrived moments later.

Inside was the detailed information for Gallagher's unlimited black card and a temporary access code.

I stared at the long string of numbers, feeling nothing. In my past life, I had scorned money, desperate only for his non-existent love. This time, I only trusted the things I could hold in my hands.

I spent the entire day locked in my room, studying the stocks and properties that my memory told me would skyrocket in value.

Unlike my past self, who would have starved herself in misery after he left, I calmly had the maids bring me a lavish lunch and dinner. I ate every last bite.

The body is the capital for revolution. I needed to build my strength for the long, hard war ahead. The maids, who were used to my moping, exchanged confused glances, but I was the Luna. They wouldn't dare question me.

It wasn't until late at night that the bedroom door opened again. Gallagher returned, reeking of alcohol and another woman's perfume.

He saw me sitting calmly on the sofa, reading a book, instead of crying in bed or waiting for him in the living room. A flicker of surprise crossed his golden eyes.

I closed the book and slowly stood up. My gaze landed on his perfectly tailored suit jacket.

"Have fun, Alpha?" My tone was flat, devoid of any emotion, which I knew made him deeply uncomfortable.

He loosened his tie and threw his jacket onto the sofa, a hint of annoyance in the gesture. "That's none of your business."

"Of course it's my business," I said with a small smile, stepping forward to block his path to the bathroom.

I reached out a finger and lightly brushed the collar of his white shirt. There, stark and vulgar, was a smear of lipstick. Carson's favorite shade.

Gallagher's body went rigid. He hadn't expected me to be so direct. He instinctively tried to step back, but I grabbed his tie, pulling him closer.

We were so close I could smell the cloying mix on him: my scent, alcohol, his own cedarwood pheromones, and... Carson's sickening lily perfume.

"As your Luna," I said, tilting my head up to look directly into his eyes, "it's my duty to remind you to clean up the evidence next time you cheat. This isn't just a humiliation for me. It's a humiliation for the Stone River Pack."

His face turned to stone, and fire ignited in his golden wolf eyes. "Elliana, watch your words!"

"My words?" I let out a soft laugh, releasing his tie and taking a step back. "Compared to your actions, my words are more than gracious."

I pointed to the jacket he'd tossed on the sofa and the shirt he was about to take off. "And take your dirty clothes with you."

Gallagher stared at me in disbelief. "What did you say? Washing the Alpha's clothes is one of the Luna's traditional duties."

"Oh? Is that so?" I feigned surprise, raising an eyebrow. "My apologies. As of today, I quit. After all, I don't want to have to guess how many different women have been on them while I'm doing the laundry."

That sentence lit his fuse. The Alpha's authority washed over me like a tidal wave. He growled, "Elliana!"

Within the Pack, an Alpha's Command is absolute to anyone but his mate. For me, bound to his soul, it was more of a mental shockwave.

I stood straight under his pressure, finding it almost funny. He always did this. When logic failed him, he resorted to the power of his bloodline to crush me.

I didn't argue further. Instead, I walked over to the sofa and picked up the suit jacket with the lipstick stain.

Gallagher thought I had given in. The anger on his face softened, replaced by a smug, cold smirk.

He watched me walk toward the door, likely expecting me to take his clothes to the laundry room.

I reached the door, opened it, and then, as he watched in stunned silence, I flung the expensive, custom-made suit out into the cold hallway. It landed on the floor with a soft thud.

Then, I walked back, picked up his dirty shirt, and did the same.

"There," I said, clapping my hands together softly as I turned to face the dumbfounded Gallagher. "Now they're out of my sight."

Gallagher's expression shifted from shock to pure rage. The veins in his neck bulged, and his powerful pheromones nearly made the air in the room crackle.

"You're insane!" he snarled, stalking toward me, his large frame radiating menace.

I met his gaze without fear. "I'm not insane," I said coldly. "I'm just done tolerating a cheating mate and clothes that stink of another woman."

"From now on, my room will not welcome anything that doesn't belong to me." I emphasized the words "my room."

Our standoff was a deadlock. He glared at me with fury, and I stared back with indifference. This was the first real power struggle between us.

In the end, he didn't touch me. He let out a guttural, animalistic roar, spun on his heel, and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed through the house, a testament to its master's fury. He was probably going to the guest room.

Good.

After Gallagher stormed out, the master suite was finally quiet. I didn't move immediately. I sat at my vanity, forcing myself to calm down, to review every step of my plan.

Just then, I heard the guest room door open, followed by Gallagher's hushed voice from the hallway. He probably thought I was asleep.

"Don't be scared, Carson, I just had something to deal with last night... No, it has nothing to do with her. Don't overthink it."

His voice was softer and more patient than I had ever heard it, as if he were soothing a precious treasure.

Elliana's POV:

That gentle tone was like a cold needle piercing my heart.

For countless nights in my past life, all I had yearned for was a single soft word from him, but it was a wish never granted. He gave it all to another woman.

A bone-deep chill snapped me back to reality. The flames of revenge burned hotter in my chest. I walked into the study and powered on the top-of-the-line computer reserved for the Luna. Gallagher never restricted my spending, confident that I was only capable of buying luxury goods.

Using the knowledge from my past life, I skillfully navigated through several discreet online services to open a new, encrypted offshore bank account. I had practiced this process countless times in my previous life, never thinking I'd actually use it.

I transferred the funds from the black card into my secret account in a series of complex but legal transactions. The amount was huge, but the professional handling of it wouldn't immediately trigger the bank's highest alerts.

Next, I opened the stock trading software. My fingers flew across the keyboard as I unhesitatingly bought shares in several tech companies that seemed unremarkable now but were destined to soar in the coming months due to mergers or new technology releases.

I invested nearly two hundred million dollars. This was just the appetizer.

By the time I was done, the sky was beginning to lighten. I heard Gallagher leave downstairs, his anger from last night clearly not dissipated. He was likely heading to his office.

I walked to the window and watched his car speed away, a cold smile on my face. Go on. Go handle your business, go comfort your lover. By the time you notice, everything will have changed.

I picked up my phone and called Chris Hayes, an excellent commercial real estate agent.

"Mr. Hayes, this is Elliana Floyd. I need you to contact the developer of 'The Veridian' building in the River's End district. I want to buy the entire building."

Chris on the other end of the line was clearly stunned by my request. He was silent for a few seconds before stammering, "The... the whole building? Mrs. Floyd, are you sure? River's End is a wasteland right now, and that building is on the verge of being abandoned due to funding issues."

"I'm sure," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. "Just tell me how much it will cost and how long it will take." My foreknowledge was my greatest asset.

Intimidated by my confidence, Chris immediately promised to get it done.

Less than half a day later, Chris called back. The developer, Julian Sterling, was ecstatic to hear someone wanted to acquire the whole property and was willing to meet with me immediately.

I arranged to meet him at a downtown coffee shop, changing into a sharp business suit instead of my usual impractical dresses.

Julian Sterling was a balding, middle-aged man. He looked at me with surprise, clearly not expecting such a young buyer.

"Mrs. Floyd, you... you really want to buy the whole building?" he asked, still in disbelief.

I didn't waste time. I pushed the letter of intent, prepared by my lawyer, across the table to him. "Yes. A flat price of eight hundred million. We can sign the contract today, and the funds will be available tomorrow."

To Julian, eight hundred million for a nearly derelict building was a fortune. But for its future value of over ten billion, it was a bargain.

Julian's eyes lit up instantly, his breathing becoming ragged. He picked up the contract with a trembling hand as if it were a priceless treasure.

We quickly agreed on the details. I paid the deposit with the black card, and the remaining balance would be paid by my "family trust fund"-a fund whose money, of course, also came from Gallagher.

After signing the contract, Julian Sterling thanked me profusely, almost treating me as his savior.

I walked out of the coffee shop into the afternoon sun and took a deep breath. This was the first piece of my own empire.

When I returned to the Pack mansion, it was already evening. I found Gallagher waiting for me, sitting on the living room sofa with a dark expression.

On the table in front of him was a stack of bank transaction notifications.

He knew. But only the tip of the iceberg.

"Where were you?" he asked, his voice thick with a brewing storm. "And what are these charges? Two hundred million in stocks, and a fifty-million-dollar deposit? Elliana, what the hell are you trying to do?"

I casually placed the contract folder on the console table by the entrance, slipped off my high heels, and gave him a cool glance.

"Spending your money to buy my things. Is there a problem, my Alpha?" I asked with a smile, watching his face twist with rage. The feeling was exhilarating.