Alpha's Regret: A Love That Came Too Late

I use a full decade just to be able to stand by Claude Thorne's side as an equal. In the past, I used to be an outsider who was often ignored by others, but slowly, I've transformed into Claude's most trusted Beta as well as the future Luna.

But I decide to leave Claude one month before the Luna coronation ceremony is set to begin. It's because Claude has personally placed the Luna crown, which is supposed to be mine, onto Victoria Grimm's head instead.

"It's just a crown. Victoria doesn't have anyone left in this world. What's wrong with letting her wear it? You're the future Luna, so you must be more magnanimous."

I never bothered crying or throwing a tantrum. Instead, I've secretly dissolved the mate bond between Claude and me.

Just like that, I've graciously given away the position as Claude's mate to Victoria magnanimously, like the way Claude wants me to be. But he goes nuts instead.

He tracks me all the way to the human society in an attempt to patch things up with me. But what he doesn't expect to see is Silas Wulfric, the legendary Alpha King, getting down on one knee in front of me.

"Heather, since that blind fool is incapable of crowning you as his Luna, allow me to make you the Luna Queen."

"Elder Garou, I am voluntarily stepping down from my position as Beta of the pack to apply for permission to go out and gain experience," I said in a voice devoid of any emotion as I placed the signed resignation letter on the wooden table.

The elder, Remy Garou, looked stunned. "What? Heather, you're about to become Luna, yet you want to leave now? You've endured so much to earn a place by Claude's side, pushing yourself from an Omega without a wolf to a Beta.

"In that last battle with the vampires, you nearly lost your life. Now that things are finally starting to look up for you, you want to leave?"

Looking up? But then, why did I still only feel the pain and none of the gain?

I held back the tears threatening to fall. "Elder Garou, please approve it. There's someone more suitable for that position than me."

For the past ten years, outsiders had only seen Claude's special treatment of me. After all, I was the only one who could freely enter his study and also the only she-wolf who could get close to him.

However, I knew full well that he had agreed to crown me as Luna not because of love, but because of the vampire ambush two months ago.

To buy him time, I'd ventured alone into the enemy camp and nearly been drained of blood.

When I woke up, Claude had caressed my face, his gaze complicated. "You saved me. I can't give you anything else, so I'll make you my Luna."

I saw the pity in his eyes, but I accepted it anyway. I'd thought that,