Alpha's Regret: Marked By The Lycan King

Third POV

Hazel’s voice echoed through the council chamber, her face flushed with rage. She clutched the contract in her trembling hands, crumpling the edges.

“These terms are absolutely insane!” she continued, her voice cracking with emotion. “You’re asking me to sign away my life, my mate, my son!”

Percy’s expression remained cold and unmoved. He leaned back in his chair, studying her with calculating eyes.

“The terms are fair considering the circumstances,” he said flatly. “You’ve cost this pack dearly, Hazel Banner.”

“Have some respect. I am your Luna,” she corrected through gritted teeth, though her voice wavered.

Benjamin let out a harsh laugh that made Hazel flinch. “Luna? You’re merely the acting-Luna at best, girl. Nothing more.”

The word ‘girl’ stung. Hazel was twenty-eight years old, older than both Asher and Estelle, yet these men still treated her like a child throwing a tantrum.

“I am the Luna of this pack!” she insisted, slamming her hand on the table again. “Asher is my fated mate. The Moon Goddess herself paired us together!”

“Second-chance mate,” Percy corrected with a sneer. “And even the Moon Goddess makes mistakes.”

Hazel’s breath caught in her throat. The casual dismissal of her bond felt like a physical blow.

“How dare you question the Moon Goddess,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“We’re not questioning the Moon Goddess,” Benjamin said, adjusting his glasses. “We’re questioning you.”

Another councilman, who had remained mostly silent, finally spoke up. His voice was gravelly and tired. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

“The people of Moonveil will never accept a traitor’s daughter as their Luna.”

Hazel’s eyes widened in shock. “My father is not a traitor!”

“Isn’t he?” Percy asked, raising an eyebrow. “Beta Marcus is the reason Alpha Colin went missing. Everyone knows it.”

“That’s not true!” Hazel protested, her voice breaking. “My father was loyal to this pack. He served Alpha Colin faithfully for years!”

Benjamin laughed again, the sound cruel and mocking. “Loyal? Is that what you call sabotaging a mission and getting the Alpha killed?”

Hazel bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Her mind raced, remembering the weeks before her father’s disappearance.

She knew the truth that these councilmen didn’t. Her father hadn’t been a traitor. He had been heartbroken and angry, yes, but not traitorous.

Marcus had been furious with Alpha Colin and Luna Jessie for their treatment of Hazel and Asher’s fated bond. He had watched his daughter suffer as the pack leaders refused to acknowledge their connection. Colin had ordered Hazel to reject Asher, threatening both of their positions if they didn’t comply.

Her father had argued with Alpha Colin countless times behind closed doors, begging him to reconsider. Marcus had pointed out that fighting fate was dangerous, that forcing fated mates apart could have serious consequences for both wolves.

But Colin had been stubborn. He didn’t want Hazel as a daughter-in-law, and that was final. In fact, he already had a better choice—Estelle.

The arguing had continued for weeks, growing more heated each time. Pack members had witnessed several of these confrontations, though they couldn’t hear the specific details.

Then came the mission. Marcus and Colin had left with a group of warriors to handle a border dispute. None of them had returned.

Search parties found no bodies, no clues, no evidence of what had happened. It was as if they had simply vanished into thin air.

Without concrete answers, the pack needed someone to blame. The arguing between Alpha and Beta provided the perfect explanation. Clearly, Marcus had betrayed Colin during the mission, killed him and the other warriors, and fled.

At least, that’s what everyone believed.

Hazel knew better. Her father might have been angry, but he would never betray his pack. He had dedicated his entire life to Moonveil. He had raised Hazel to do the same.

But explaining this to the council would mean admitting the real reason behind the arguments. It would confirm that her relationship with Asher had caused problems long before she became Luna. It was a relationship that the previous Alpha wasn’t willing to acknowledge, so why should the council?

“My father served this pack for over twenty years,” she said instead, her voice steady despite her inner turmoil. “He trained warriors, protected our borders, and raised me to honor Moonveil traditions.”

“And look how that turned out,” Percy said dryly. “His daughter has nearly run the pack into the ground in a matter of weeks.”

The accusation hit like a physical blow. Hazel stumbled back a step, her hand pressed to her chest.

“I’ve been doing my best,” she whispered. “The transition was difficult. Estelle left so suddenly, and I didn’t have time to prepare properly.”

“With all due respect, we all know the real reason why Acting-Luna Estelle left,” Benjamin pointed out. The other council members nodded. They were all old, wizened men. Everyone could guess what happened behind closed doors once Hazel took over the role of Beta. “She took valuable knowledge and connections with her. Knowledge that you clearly lack.”

Hazel felt tears burning behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

“If you had given me more time—” she began.

“Time?” Percy interrupted. “We don’t have time to spare.”

The councilman who had thrown the contract earlier leaned forward. “The bottom line is simple, Miss Banner. You lack the skills, the knowledge, and most importantly, the support of the people.”

“I can learn!” Hazel insisted desperately. “I can get better! Asher can help me, and together we can—”

“No,” Percy cut her off firmly. “You’ve had your chance, and you’ve failed spectacularly.”

He gestured toward the crumpled contract still clutched in her hands.

“Those are your options. Leave voluntarily with some dignity intact, or face the consequences of your failures.”

Hazel looked down at the papers, the words blurring through her unshed tears. The terms were impossibly harsh. If she signed, she would lose everything—her mate, her son, her home, her identity.

But if she didn’t sign...

“The people will never accept you,” Benjamin said, as if reading her thoughts. “They blame your bloodline for their Alpha’s disappearance. They’ve seen your incompetence firsthand.”

He paused, letting the words sink in before delivering the final blow.

“You will never be accepted as the people’s Luna.”