Filed to story: Alpha’s Regret After His Pregnant Luna’s Death (Evelyn & Declan)
“The supplies should have arrived by now,” he continued. “And as you asked, we’ve arranged a thousand-dollar monthly stipend, straight from your personal account for the one with a child. No end date on that.”
For a moment, my chest tightened. I do not know why I felt drawn to that woman. There was just something about her and her child that stirred a soft spot within me. I pictured her again in my mind from that morning, clutching that child like she’d die before letting go, as she swept the streets.
When I returned, I told my beta Collins to make arrangement for donation of supplies that would be sent to the sanitation unit that were in charge of that area, the one with the child was also to be given monthly stipends from my personal account.
Collin’s steady and efficient voice cut back in, breaking through my thoughts “We’ve also started tracking Luna Evelyn Crawford’s movements since her release. We should have an update soon. Is there anything else you’d like me to take care of?”
Evelyn.
My fingers twitched against the file. I didn’t look up, just waved him off with a curt gesture. “That’ll be all.”
He nodded, as if relieved to leave, and slipped out. The door clicked shut, leaving the faint buzz of city life and the wolf pacing behind my ribs.
A soft knock followed moments later. A voice came through the door, honey-smooth. “Alpha Declan, it’s me.”
I already knew who it was. Soohia’s voice was unmistakable.
“Come in,” I said evenly.
She entered with a smile, all confidence and charm. Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor. When her eyes met mine, a smirk tugged at her lips, the kind of smile that claimed ownership.
I watched her for a moment, my expression unreadable. To everyone else, she was the woman at my side – the one who fit neatly into my world of glass and control. But to my wolf, she was just another human trying to tame what she didn’t understand.
Evelyn’s POV
The clouds finally broke apart, letting sunlight spill over the cracked streets and damp rooftops. My wolf stirred faintly under my skin, soaking in the warmth, as if it too had been waiting for the cold to pass.
That afternoon, kevin Curt, the man in charge of our sanitation unit, rounded us all up in the courtyard. His voice carried across the lot, rough but oddly cheerful.
Several trucks had just arrived, their engines rumbling like beasts at rest, and the workers quickly started unloading the boxes stacked high in the back.
Within minutes, the run-down yard was overflowing with supplies – food, bedding, heavy coats. Things we never expected to see, much less own.
A few of the women nearby huddled close, their voices dropping to excited whispers.
“I overheard Mr. Curt say some rich Alpha drove by while we were cleaning this morning,” one said. “Felt sorry for us, I guess, and sent all this stuff.”
“The weather’s been freezing. There’s bedding, down coats – real thick ones,” another chimed in, running her hands over the material.
“My grandson’s gonna be thrilled. He needs a new jacket for school.”
“This one even looks name brand! I could probably sell it secondhand and make rent.”
Then came the question that made my blood freeze.
“But who does something like this out of nowhere? What’s his name again?”
“I think Mr. Curt said…it was a billionaire Alpha…Crawford i think?
My body went still.
Crawford.
For a heartbeat, I couldn’t breathe. My wolf bristled inside me, pacing, restless.
Kara nudged my side, pulling me back. “Where’s Lana?”
“She’s asleep,” I answered quietly, forcing my voice steady. “It’s cold, so I tucked her in.”
Still, my eyes darted toward the dorm, my hearing sharpening instinctively – stretching out for the softest sound of her cry. There was nothing, only the distant chatter of workers and the rustle of cardboard. Relief loosened the knot in my chest, but unease still lingered, thick as fog.
Did they really say Crawford or Hawthorne? Maybe I misheard. Crawford was rare – too rare. But the world was big, wasn’t it? It had to be someone else. It had to.
Kara elbowed me again, teasing this time. “Be careful. Mr. Curt has been staring at you all afternoon. That man’s got ‘trouble’ written all over him.”
I followed her gaze just in time to catch Kevin Curt looking away too quickly, the gold chain at his neck flashing in the light. My wolf growled low in my chest, a silent, instinctive warning.
As the boxes were passed around, Kara turned, handing me a thick coat bundled in her arms. “My son just sent me a new one,” she said, smiling softly. “Take this.”
I blinked. “Kara, I can’t-“
She cut me off with a look. “It’s not for you, silly. It’s for Lana. Cut it down, make her a tiny one. She needs it more than I do.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but she’d already walked off toward the dorm. “I’m putting it on your bed,” she called. “And hurry upstairs once you’re done. If Lana wakes up and doesn’t see you, she’ll cry.”
Her kindness hit me harder than I expected. We’d only known each other half a day, yet she treated me like I mattered, like I wasn’t just another broken wolf scraping by among humans. My throat tightened, and for a moment, the sharp, lonely ache inside me dulled.
I gathered my supplies and was ready to head inside like everyone else, when a voice called from behind me.
“Hey, Evelyn. Wait up.”
Evelyn’s POV
I stopped dead in my tracks, my heart giving a sharp, startled thump.
“What is it, Mr. Curt?” I asked, trying to sound steady, though my wolf stirred uneasily beneath my skin.
Kevin Curt leaned against one of the supply boxes, that greasy smirk plastered across his face. His gold chain caught the afternoon light, gleaming like the gaudy prize of a man who thought too much of himself. The air around him reeked of oil, stale beer, and arrogance – and I had to fight the urge to wrinkle my nose.
He looked at me like I was prey – cornered, small, something he could toy with before deciding whether to bite. The way his eyes dragged over me made my wolf pace, restlessly within me.
“Someone did us a good deed,” Kevin drawled, his voice low and slick. “Shouldn’t we show a little appreciation?”
My hands twisted together, my knuckles turning white. I didn’t like where this was going.
“It’s not like I’m asking you to do anything crazy,” he went on, watching me like a snake ready to strike. “Just a quick video to say thank you – is that too much to ask?”
His tone was casual, but I could sense the underlying push, the silent command.
“But why me?” I asked, my voice small but sharp enough to cut through the noise of the courtyard.
There were plenty of others he could’ve chosen – older women who knew how to smile for the crowd, who could chatter sweetly and make the world believe their gratitude. I was quiet, withdrawn. The one who kept to herself and worked in silence. Why me?
“I don’t want it,” I said finally, shaking my head. “If that’s what I have to do to thank him, I’d rather not accept anything at all.”
My wolf hummed inside me with defiance.
Slowly, I began placing the donated supplies back into the box, even though every item in there meant survival for me and Lana. Warmth, shelter and Hope. But not if it came at the cost of doing something I was not comfortable with.
Kevin blinked, clearly taken aback. Then, seeing me turn to leave, his irritation flared. “The CEO of Crawford Group is giving you a personal monthly stipend of a hundred bucks!” he barked.
I froze mid-step.
For a moment, the world tilted. I could hear the faint thrum of my pulse in my ears, fast and erratic.
A slow, smug grin spread across Kevin’s face. He thought he had me hooked after mentioning money.
But my stillness wasn’t about the money.
“You said Crawford Group?” My voice came out quieter than I intended, barely more than a whisper. “Alpha Crawford?”
Kevin coughed, puffing up with self-importance as he stepped closer. “Who else? Asterfell’s golden boy – Alpha Declan Crawford. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of him.”
My breath caught in my throat. The sound of that name slammed into me like a strike to the chest.
Declan.
My mate, my curse, my undoing.
The man who had thrown me into a cell and walked away as if I meant nothing.
“What?” I managed to whisper, the air suddenly too thin. “But he’s the richest man in our country, Asterfell. Why would he…?” My voice cracked. “Why would he donate supplies to us? Why me?”
No. He couldn’t know. He couldn’t. I’d buried my trail, hidden my scent, stayed far from anything that could link us.
If he’s found me…
A sharp, dizzy wave hit me. My vision blurred at the edges, my wolf’s instincts screaming danger. If he knows about Lana…
Kevin’s laugh snapped me back. “You think someone like him would be interested in you?” he sneered. “You were just sweeping the street this morning. He probably saw you with your kid and felt sorry for you. You’re just a single mom with a scarred face. Don’t flatter yourself.”
I took a slow breath, forcing the tremor out of my chest as I exhaled through my nose. My wolf bristled under my skin, pacing restlessly.
Right. It’s just pity, nothing more.
I must’ve overthought it. Declan wasn’t here. He didn’t know where I was. This was just another cruel trick of fate and fate loved reminding me how small I’d become.
“I understand now,” I said quietly, though my tone came out colder than I intended. “In that case, I won’t be taking anything. You can record the video yourself. Keep the supplies too.”
Kevin’s oily grin faltered, and I saw his gaze harden. The kind of look that made the hair at the back of my neck rise. He wasn’t used to hearing no.
