Alpha's Regret: Marked By The Lycan King

Estelle’s POV

I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. “Did anyone call my phone while I was staying at your place?”

Zayne’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his electric blue eyes. “You mean the man who called that night?”

My eyes widened. So I had guessed correctly. Zayne really was the one who picked up Asher’s call. He was the mystery man Asher kept ranting about, the one Asher thought I was “cheating” with.

I couldn’t help but laugh coldly inside my heart. The irony was almost too much to bear. Asher, who had been betraying me for years with his true mate, was accusing me of infidelity.

On the outside, I simply nodded.

“He’s...” I started, then hesitated.

How could I explain the mess that was my relationship with Asher? I didn’t even know where to start between the unactivated mark and everything I had contributed for him and his true mate.

Slowly, I reached up and touched the mark. I wasn’t even sure if Zayne would mind the fact that I was already marked by someone else.

Zayne watched me struggle with my words. His face remained calm and patient.

“Well...” I tried again, but the words wouldn’t come.

“You don’t need to explain to me right now if you don’t want to,” Zayne said quietly. “But I hope you’ll tell me in the future.”

Relief washed over me at his understanding tone. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“Since we’re engaged, I do hope that any relationships from before can be broken off cleanly,” he continued.

I noticed something troubled flash across his features, gone so quickly I almost missed it. Despite his calm exterior, this clearly bothered him more than he was letting on.

I silently appreciated that he wasn’t prying into the matter or demanding immediate answers. Most men in his position would have insisted on knowing everything right away.

“There is no other person,” I assured him firmly. “The man who called is just a delusional ex who won’t leave me alone.”

Hearing my words, Zayne’s lips curved into a genuine smile. “Good.”

He gestured toward my barely touched plate. “Eat. If you’re still hungry, there’s more.”

I nodded and took another bite. This time, the food tasted significantly better than my previous anxious nibbles. The creamy pasta was perfectly seasoned, and I found myself actually enjoying it.

Zayne noticed my improved appetite and scooped more food onto my plate without being asked. The simple gesture made something warm and fuzzy bloom in my chest. When was the last time someone had cared enough to make sure I was eating properly?

He straightened up suddenly, his gaze becoming distant. I recognized the look immediately—he was receiving a mind link communication.

After a moment, he refocused on me. “Oliver has decided to stay the night. It might be too late for him to travel back to Blackmoon safely. Are you alright with that?”

“Of course,” I agreed readily. Oliver had done so much for me already. The least I could do was ensure he had a comfortable place to rest.

“A servant has already prepared his room,” Zayne said.

I couldn’t resist teasing him a little. “I thought all the servants were busy.”

To my surprise, Zayne actually laughed. It was a rich, genuine sound that made my heart flutter unexpectedly. The serious, controlled mask he usually wore slipped for just a moment, revealing something warmer underneath.

I quickly looked down at my plate, trying to hide the effect his laughter had on me.

***

The next morning, Oliver and I headed back to Blackmoon bright and early. The drive was peaceful, with Oliver sharing stories about my father’s younger days that made me smile. It was unfortunate that I could hardly remember this man.

Halfway there, my phone buzzed with a message from Caleb.

[There is a council meeting today. They’ve evaluated project progress. You need to attend ASAP.]

I showed Oliver the message. He frowned but didn’t comment.

The moment we arrived at Blackmoon territory, I dropped Oliver off at the pack house and headed straight to the council chambers. Caleb came out to meet me as I approached the heavy wooden doors.

Before I could announce my arrival, voices drifted through the partially open door. I paused, listening.

“...can’t be trusted to lead without a wolf,” someone was saying. “It puts the entire pack at a disadvantage.”

Caleb turned to look at me, but I held a hand, signaling for him to remain quiet.

“She’s still Alpha James’s daughter,” another voice argued. “Bloodline matters.”

“Bloodline means nothing if she can’t shift,” the first voice snapped back. “What happens when we face a real threat? How can she protect the pack?”

My jaw clenched. They were discussing my fitness to lead based on my supposed wolflessness. They didn’t care about the other benefits I had brought to the pack. Even someone inexperienced could see that they were simply just nitpicking now.

“The pack needs strong leadership,” the first voice said. “Not someone who’s essentially human.”

The conversation abruptly stopped when I pushed through the doors with Caleb at my side. Every head in the room turned toward me.

I quickly scanned the room, taking mental attendance. Killian sat in a corner, his expression carefully neutral. Benedict lounged at the head of the table, looking smug. Helena was notably absent.

Of the five senior council members who should have been present, only two were actually here: Walter Frank, who remained fairly neutral in pack politics, and Ernest Jones, who had been Benedict and Helena’s most vocal supporter from day one.

Ernest was also the one who had been making the most noise about my wolflessness at every opportunity.

The absence of the other council members despite them calling this emergency meeting was telling.

I couldn’t help the cold laugh that escaped me.

“Gentlemen,” I said in greeting, nodding.