His Regret: The Alpha Queen Returns | Read Free Preview
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Chapter 1 — Broken Promise
Valentina Thornhart’s POV:
My name was Valentina Thornhart, and I was a werewolf.
When I turned eighteen and finally awakened my wolf, Samantha, my father passed the title of Alpha of the Frostclaw Pack down to me.
He said I was one of the rare female Alphas on Varundar; he believed I would lead the pack to greatness.
But I let him down.
Now, I was thousands of miles away from the Frostclaw Pack, just a hidden Luna of the Nightshade Pack.
Why hidden? Because in the eyes of most members of the Nightshade Pack, I was nothing more than a lowly assistant in the pack’s corporate branch, running around doing odd, menial errands.
Like right now, I was on my way to the office to deliver a project proposal to my mate, Lucas Layne.
The moment I pushed open the office door, I saw Lucas clasping a moonstone necklace around Monica Nova’s neck.
I froze, staring blankly at the necklace; my fingers curled tightly into fists as I fought to contain the rising fury within me.
That necklace… was the one I’d begged Lucas to bid for after seeing it in the auction catalog.
In the three years since we formed a mate bond, I had never asked him for anything.
Asking him to get that necklace had been the first and only thing I ever requested. Not because it was expensive, but because it had belonged to my mother. It still carried traces of her scent.
“A necklace’s got you so mesmerized?” Arthur Salem, one of Lucas' friends, sneered with disgust. “I told you! Omegas have no taste. All these years in the Nightshade Pack and you still haven’t picked up an ounce of class.”
I ignored Arthur’s mockery and strode forward, reaching out toward Monica’s neck.
The next moment, Lucas grabbed my wrist. “I already gave the necklace to Monica.”
“But you promised, you said you’d give it to me!” My fury surged, nearly blinding me.
Lucas frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s a gift to congratulate Monica on becoming the deputy captain.”
Ridiculous? I felt a chill settle in my chest. “And what if I won’t let this go?”
Arthur piped up again with his usual venom. “Lucas, I told you Valentina was never good enough for you. Just some low-tier Omega, greedy and talentless. You should’ve cut ties with her long ago. A Beta like Monica, that’s who truly matches you.”
“Let me loose—let me tear him apart!” Samantha’s roar echoed through my mind.
“I’m sorry, Samantha.”
She was supposed to become Alpha alongside me…
Back then, my parents had answered Lycan Krew’s call to defend the border against the vampires. That’s why my father passed the Frostclaw Alpha title to me earlier than expected.
Not long after, I was invited to join the elite Skyhawk Special Forces—Varundar’s strongest werewolf warriors under the Air Combat Division.
I handed the pack’s affairs to the elders and enlisted, hoping to become even stronger.
To suit my missions, I masked my powerful aura and pretended to be an Omega.
After retiring, I met my destined mate, Lucas. He marked me not long after, making our bond official.
The irony? Hardly anyone in Nightshade Pack even knew I was their Luna. But everyone knew Monica was Lucas' first love, and many assumed she was his Luna-to-be.
“Don’t get it twisted. I’m not interested in being a homewrecker,” Monica scoffed, then yanked the necklace off her neck and tossed it to the floor like garbage.
A necklace worth a few hundred thousand dollars, thrown away like it was worthless trash.
My eyes reddened. I slowly crouched down, reaching out to gather the necklace into my palm.
The cold, jagged edges bit into my skin.
Monica stood above me, looking down with disdain. “Female wolves don’t have many options. What matters is education and vision. Instead of fighting me over a necklace, maybe try improving yourself.”
“What vision?” Arthur taunted. “Didn’t she graduate from some trashy college? If Lucas hadn’t been nice enough to give her a desk job in the company, she’d probably be a rogue out on the streets.”
One insult after another—and my mate said nothing in my defense.
I stood up, ignoring Arthur, my gaze locking onto Monica. “You claim you don’t want to be a homewrecker—so why accept a necklace worth hundreds of thousands from someone else’s mate?”
Monica snorted. “I saw it as a casual gift from a friend. I didn’t care about the price tag.”
“Really? So friends casually give out hundred-thousand-dollar necklaces now? Arthur’s your friend too, isn’t he? Has he ever given you anything worth that much?” I shot back.
Monica immediately fell silent, and even Arthur’s expression turned stiff.
“That’s enough,” Lucas interrupted sharply. His Alpha pressure filled the room, threatening to shatter the Omega disguise I’d been maintaining.
“It’s just a necklace, don’t blow things out of proportion!”
I clutched the necklace tight; it felt like my heart was bleeding.
Just a necklace, he said.
But this necklace… my mother once traded it for medicine and food in a war-torn foreign land, saving the lives of fifty orphans.
To me, it wasn’t just a necklace. It was her will to live. Her legacy.
If my parents hadn’t died fighting vampires, I wouldn’t be clinging to a piece of jewelry.
But it was all I had left of them.
I took a deep breath, remembering the call I’d received from the Royal Secretariat just before entering the office.
They’d informed me that my parents’ ashes were on a military flight and would arrive at the Northern Border District tomorrow. They hoped I could attend the handover and receive the kingdom’s tribute to our werewolf heroes.
I looked at Lucas. “Fine! Forget the necklace. Tomorrow, my parents’ ashes are being brought back from the Southern Region. I want you to come with me to receive them.”
When they were alive, my parents had always wanted me to have a family.
I hoped Lucas would come with me to welcome them home—to give them, and me, a shred of dignity.
Before Lucas could speak, Arthur cut in again. “Valentina, have you no shame? Trying to use a story like that just to get Lucas to spend time with you?”
I ignored him. I only looked at Lucas.
A flicker of hesitation passed across his handsome face, but then he finally spoke. “Alright. I’ll go with you tomorrow.”
I nodded and left the office without another word.
As I stepped out, I heard Arthur sneer behind me, “You’re really going with her tomorrow? She’s just a lowly Omega. Her parents couldn’t have been anyone important.”
“No matter what, Valentina is my Luna,” Lucas said in a low voice. “I should be there when she receives her parents’ ashes.”
“That woman’s full of crap. Who would go through all that trouble for the ashes of some orphan’s parents?”
That word, orphan, stabbed straight into my chest.
I looked down at the necklace in my palm. “Mom, dad… I’ll come get you tomorrow.”
The next day, when the scheduled time arrived, Lucas was nowhere to be found. The mate bond that connected us felt cold, silent, like a dead weight inside me.
A sinking dread crept into my chest.
I called his phone. His annoyed voice answered, “Monica’s mom twisted her ankle. I’m at the hospital with them.”
“Lucas, come help my mom,” Monica’s voice chimed in sweetly.
“Okay.” Lucas' voice was gentle in a way I’d never heard before.
Before I could say another word, he hung up.
In that moment, my heart turned to ice. My throat seized up—too tight to scream, too raw to curse. In the end, I said nothing at all.
How laughable—my fated mate, the one who signed a bond with me, could drop everything to escort his first love’s mom to the hospital for a twisted ankle, but wouldn’t come with me to receive my parents’ ashes.
I took a deep breath and stood up decisively.
Mate or not, I was still Alpha of the Frostclaw Pack. I could face my parents’ final moment of honor alone.
I left the residence and drove to the gates of the Northern Border military base.
The camp was solemn and austere. The guards wore full military uniforms and carried rifles. The moment I saw them, I straightened my spine without even thinking.
The vampires had plagued our borders for years, bringing endless war and casualties.
For every werewolf soldier, driving back the vampires was the greatest glory one could earn. And to all wolves, those who fought on the front lines were nothing short of heroes.
With precise, ceremonial steps, I marched to the gate and stood tall. I raised my right hand in a perfect military salute.
My voice rang out, sharp and clear, infused with Alpha power that echoed high above the base.
“Former Skyhawk Special Forces veteran, Alpha of the Frostclaw Pack—Valentina Thornhart, reporting to receive the ashes of Commander Cyrus and field medic Nora!”
As my words echoed through the air, the gates slowly opened…
Chapter 2 — Bringing My Parents Home
Valentina's POV:
Two rows of soldiers marched out in perfect formation. They stood at the gates of the military base, cloaked in capes trimmed with wolf fur; the fabric trembled slightly in the wind as they raised their right hands in unison and saluted me.
Then, the Royal Military Commander, Shawn, strode toward me.
He wore his full dress uniform, a mooncrest insignia pinned to his chest. In his hands, he carried an obsidian urn and stopped directly in front of me.
A bright yellow flag was draped over the urn. At its center was a totem, a crowned wolf head with lunar markings, surrounded by intertwining laurel branches.
That vivid yellow pierced my eyes.
It was the Wolfhead Standard, woven from spider silk; it was the highest honor the Royal Lycan Court could give to fallen warriors. It symbolized my parents' faith and carried their vow to the Moon Goddess.
“When your parents' remains were found, they were already entwined. The frontline soldiers performed a sacred moonflame cremation. Their ashes are now interred together in this urn,” the Commander said with a hint of sorrow in his expression.
“That’s for the best,” I said, looking at the urn covered in the ceremonial flag. “They loved each other in life; they’ll rest together in death. The Moon Goddess will watch over both their souls.”
The Commander nodded, then suddenly stood straight and solemn, extending the urn toward me. “Heroes of the Wolf Clan, may they live forever in glory!”
Behind him, the soldiers echoed in thunderous unison, “Heroes of the Wolf Clan, may they live forever in glory!”
Their shout split the sky like a battle cry from the heavens.
My eyes welled up. I straightened my back, saluted the Commander and the soldiers with every ounce of reverence I had left.
“Valentina, bring your parents home!”
I took the urn from Commander Shawn’s hands and responded loudly.
The obsidian urn was heavy, its cold surface strangely warm against my skin, as if my parents’ wolf spirits still lingered within, guarding me.
Three years ago, they had died in a foreign land, fighting for the survival of the wolfkin. They fell to the claws of vampires.
Now, at last, I could bring them home.
After the ceremonial handoff, Uncle Shawn glanced around and asked curiously, “Where’s your mate? Didn’t he come with you?”
I lowered my gaze and replied calmly, “He had an important meeting today. Couldn’t make it.”
Uncle Shawn had watched me grow up. He knew I had found my mate.
“If anything goes wrong, you tell me. This old wolf still has some fight left in him,” he said, patting my shoulder.
“Thanks, Uncle Shawn,” I said with a smile.
“And listen, if life out there ever turns hard, you’re always welcome back. The base doors will always be open to you,” he added.
I nodded slightly, bid him farewell, and carried my parents’ urn back to the car.
Carefully, I placed it on the passenger seat and started the engine.
“Mom… dad… I’m bringing you home.”
When I got back to the residence of the Nightshade Pack, I heard the former Luna, Layla, talking in the living room.
“Now that Monica’s back, and she’s a female pilot, no less, you should break the bond with Valentina and make Monica your new Luna.”
“I’m just friends with Monica,” came Lucas' low, firm voice.
“Friends? Please. Everyone knows Monica’s the one you’ve always loved,” said Lucas' sister, Lillian. “She’s got a great background, a top-tier education, and she’s the first female captain in the Wingguard Division. And Valentina? She’s a nobody. Just an Omega. How is she even worthy of you?”
A cold chill crept into my heart. Back when the Nightshade Pack was on the brink of collapse, even Lucas, its Alpha heir had nothing.
I didn’t want to burden him, so I became his Luna as an Omega.
For three years, I stood by his side as he built his business. I pulled all-nighters, worked until I dropped, even went to the office while hooked up to IV drips. That was how we turned the Nightshade Pack into one of the strongest in the North.
And this was what I got in return, “not worthy”?
Just then, Lillian spotted me. “Valentina! You’re shameless, eavesdropping like that!”
I gave a cold laugh and stepped forward. “I wasn’t hiding or sneaking around. How exactly is that eavesdropping?”
“Whatever. Now that you’ve heard, good. If you had any self-awareness, you’d break the bond with my brother and stop holding him and Monica back,” she sneered.
“Lillian, that’s enough,” Lucas snapped.
Lillian stomped her foot. “I’m not wrong! Valentina’s got nothing! She only married my brother because Monica was gone. She swooped in while Monica was away!”
Lucas' face darkened. “Lillian, are you finished?”
Lillian pouted and fell silent.
Layla shot me a glare, then went to comfort her daughter.
Lucas walked up to me and glanced at the urn, its yellow flag still intact.
“That is…”
“My parents’ ashes,” I said quietly. “I brought them home.”
Lucas placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I should’ve gone with you today, but Monica’s mother sprained her ankle, so I…”
He didn’t finish.
A shrill voice cut through his sentence.
“What, ashes?”
Layla screamed as she stormed over. “How dare you bring something so filthy into the Nightshade Pack’s residence?”
Filthy?
I stared at her in disbelief. “These are my parents’ ashes. What part of that is filthy?”
My parents died for the survival of our entire race. They were heroes—heroes every wolf on Varundar should honor.
“Ashes are ashes!” Layla shouted. “They disrupt the pack’s harmony! They aren't something good! Take them out, now! They are not staying in our den!”
I clutched the urn tighter. “I’m not going anywhere. This is my home too. Lucas and I bought it together when we signed the bond.”
“Together?” Lillian scoffed. “As if. It was my brother’s money. And Lucas—Mom just had eye surgery! The doctor said she can’t be stressed. Make Valentina leave!”
Lucas' lips moved slightly. Then he said, “Maybe… just put the urn somewhere else for now.”
My heart sank like a stone. How could he say that?
“You think my parents’ ashes are filthy too? That they can’t even stay in our house for a few days?” My eyes locked onto his, demanding an answer.
Lucas said nothing. But his silence said it all.
My wolf spirit howled inside me; the betrayal nearly crushed my chest.
“What if I refuse?” I said, stepping forward. “Lucas, I’ve never once done anything to betray you or the Nightshade Pack in these three years.”
“When you started your business, I was right there with you through all the struggles; when your mother’s eyes were accidentally splashed with wolfbane sap and doctors said they couldn’t be saved, it was me who stayed by her sid, —who searched all across the Northern Territory for every wolf healer we could find, who pulled every string I had to track down Mr. Lycan's royal healer, just to save her eyesight!”
Lillian stepped forward first. “Please. You only helped my mom because my brother had money, that’s the only reason Mr. Lycan's physician even agreed to help. And starting a business together? Don’t flatter yourself. My brother backed you the whole time. If his company ever got off the ground, it was because he had the talent, not because of you.”
I ignored her and kept my eyes on Lucas. “I’m your mate. I just want to keep my parents’ ashes here for a few days. Is that really too much to ask?”
Lucas frowned. “Valentina, stop making a scene.”
“What if I won’t stop?” I stepped closer, eyes locked on his. “What are you going to do then?”
Layla suddenly rushed forward and slapped me across the face. “Not while I’m alive! You will not keep those ashes here!”
The blow knocked me sideways. My face stung where she’d hit me.
Before I could steady myself, she shoved the urn in my hands, and it slipped.
Chapter 3 — Let’s Break the Bond
Valentina’s POV:
My pupils shrank sharply. In that instant, I called out to Samantha in my mind.
With a sudden surge of power from Samantha, I lunged forward and caught the urn just in time, clutching it tightly to my chest to shield it from any harm. I hit the ground hard in my rush; my elbow scraped against the floor, blood welling up in thin streaks—but I didn’t care. I got up immediately.
“That’s my parents’ ashes, how could you?” I shouted in fury.
“My son is the Alpha of the Nightshade Pack! What he says goes!” Layla snapped.
“If you dare bring that filthy thing inside, I swear I’ll smash the urn to pieces! Let your parents see what kind of daughter they raised, so vicious you’d dare bring misfortune to the Nightshade Pack!” Her face twisted with rage as venom poured from her mouth.
I was shaking with anger, both hands locked around the urn. “Even if you are the Alpha’s mother, that doesn’t give you the right to insult my parents!”
Lucas, who had stayed silent until now, finally spoke. “Valentina, just take the urn outside. Don’t upset my mom anymore; she just had surgery and can’t be stressed. If anything happens to her, I won’t forgive you.”
My grip on the urn tightened. The fury in my eyes deepened. We’d been mates for three years, and he still couldn’t give my parents the most basic respect?
“You’re still standing there? Do you want me to throw you out myself?” Lucas urged.
A bitter laugh burst out of me. I looked down at the urn in my arms. Mom, Dad… I really misjudged him. So this is the mate the Moon Goddess chose for me? What a joke.
I still remembered three years ago, the look of uncertainty in his eyes as he asked, ‘My Alpha father squandered all of Nightshade Pack’s wealth, would you still accept me as your mate?’
And I had nodded without hesitation—because on the day I learned my parents had died, it was he who stayed by my side in silence, who wiped away my tears.
After their deaths, Uncle Shawn had spoken to me with heartfelt concern, “Valentina, what your parents worried about most was whether you’d find your mate. I know you want to become strong, to carry on their legacy of protecting the wolfkin, but special ops is too dangerous. I don’t want you ending up like your parents… or your brother. Maybe they just wanted you to live a peaceful, healthy life.”
My parents were gone; my brother had vanished. Out of a family of four, I was the only one left.
So I left the military and married the mate the Moon Goddess had chosen—Lucas.
I’d thought that even if we wouldn’t love each other like my parents did, at least we could live out our lives peacefully, like any ordinary pair of mates.
But now, Lucas had torn off even the last shred of decency.
Back then, he had nothing—not even the money to start his company. The initial funding? I gave it to him.
Did he know that money came from the death benefit the Lycan treasury awarded to families of fallen warriors?
If my parents were watching from the heavens, what would they think? That the man who used their death compensation to start a business wouldn’t even let their ashes into his home?
“Fine. I’ll go!” I raised my head, spine straight, refusing to let my tears fall.
I could bleed. I could sacrifice. But I wouldn’t cry for someone this heartless.
I turned and left without hesitation. With the urn in my arms, I made my way to the funeral home to store my parents’ ashes.
Frostclaw Pack was located in Rivenshore, near the sea, while the Nightshade Pack sat at the heart of the prosperous Northern Territory of Varundar. The two were worlds apart.
I wanted to bury my parents in Frostclaw Pack, but the headstone and other preparations would take time; for now, this was the only place to keep them.
“Just wait a little longer, Mom, Dad. I’ll bring you home soon,” I whispered, laying the royal wolfhead flag over the urn. The totem gleamed in the candlelight, as if the Moon Goddess herself were watching over this moment.
“One day, I’ll find my brother and come back with him to honor you both. I believe he’s still alive,” I murmured.
My brother had been a brilliant warrior; five years ago, he vanished during a mission along the border.
Back when I was still in the military, I’d tried to find him, but no clues ever surfaced.
Once I laid my parents to rest, I would head to the border and search for him.
Even if there was only the slimmest chance, I had to carry on the bloodline of the Silverfang family.
After securing the urn, I prepared to leave the funeral home.
Outside, it was drizzling softly. I walked under an umbrella when I overheard some people talking.
“There are a ton of cars outside today. Even a prince and the secretary-general from the Royal Lycan Court showed up. Who passed away?”
“You haven’t seen the news? It’s the old Alpha of Bloodstone Pack. They’re holding the memorial soon.”
“No way, the Bloodstone Pack? The one with the oldest and purest bloodline? Who’s going to take over now?”
“Of course, the young successor. Who else but that madman?”
Only then did I understand why so many guards in royal uniforms had been stationed outside earlier. So today was the old Alpha of Bloodstone Pack’s funeral.
Bloodstone Pack had the most ancient, untainted bloodline of all the wolf packs; rumor had it their ancestors once fought alongside the Primeval Wolf King himself.
Because of that, Bloodstone Pack held tremendous power in Varundar. Even the Royal Lycan Court had to show them respect.
As I stepped outside the funeral home, I saw a long line of cars stretching down the road. One after another, sleek black vehicles stood in quiet formation—each a symbol of the deceased Alpha’s status.
Then, the door of the nearest car opened, and someone stepped out with an umbrella.
A tall figure emerged slowly from the vehicle.
The umbrella shielded the upper half of his face, but I could still make out his sharply defined lower features.
A high-bridged nose, pale lips that glistened with rain, and a pair of long, slender hands, knuckles prominent and poised with a lethal stillness.
These were hands built for killing.
When he looked up, I met a pair of pitch-black eyes that held no trace of life.
They were deep, unreadable eyes with a slight upward tilt at the corners.
They didn’t have the wildness of a wolf’s soul; instead, there was a chilling indifference that made my skin crawl.
He must have been a guest at today’s funeral, yet his face betrayed no hint of grief or emotion.
The person holding the umbrella bowed and said respectfully, “This way, Mr. Evans.”
Evans? I blinked. Wasn’t that the surname of the deceased Alpha? Could this man be from the Bloodstone Pack?
As I stood there lost in thought, the man passed by me.
Only once I returned to my car did I realize my palms were slick with cold sweat.
I took out my phone and saw a message from Lucas: “My mom and Lillian have already left. Once you’ve taken care of the ashes, come home, we need to talk.”
I stared coldly at the screen, then started the engine and drove back toward Nightshade Pack territory.
When I entered the residence, Lucas was sitting on the living room sofa. The moment he saw me, he got up and said, “Did you get everything settled with your parents’ ashes?”
“Yeah. They’re taken care of,” I said flatly.
“My mom’s getting old. Sometimes she gets a little, extreme. She wasn’t trying to single you out,” Lucas said as he reached out and pulled me into his arms.
“Valentina, I’m sorry. I know today was hard for you. I’ll make it up to you,” he murmured.
Make it up to me? A wave of grief surged in my chest.
His arms were warm, but all I felt was bone-deep cold.
The ones who were truly wronged today weren’t me; it was my parents.
They had died as heroes protecting our kind, only to have their ashes rejected from their own daughter’s home.
How could he possibly compensate for that?
Once, I had craved the warmth of his embrace.
But now? I didn’t need that false comfort anymore.
I pushed him away and looked at the man I had once loved.
“Lucas… let’s break the bond.”
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