Alpha's Regret: Marked By The Lycan King

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: A Mother’s Love

Estelle’s POV

I stepped out of the pack house and walked toward my car. The evening air felt cool against my skin as I checked my watch. Kendra should be here any minute.

A figure emerged from behind a cluster of trees near the parking area. She wore a dark hoodie pulled low over her face and kept her head down as she approached. Even with the disguise, I recognized Kendra’s purposeful stride immediately.

“Estelle,” she said quietly, glancing around to make sure no one else was watching.

“Thank you for coming,” I replied, keeping my voice low as well.

Kendra reached into her jacket and pulled out a small manila envelope. Her fingers hesitated for a moment before she handed it over to me.

“Here’s what you asked for,” she said. “But I have to ask... what do you need these items for?”

I took the envelope and slipped it carefully into my bag. The contents felt light, but I knew they would carry enormous weight once tested.

“I promise this won’t jeopardize your position in Moonveil,” I said, meeting her concerned gaze. “And if it does, I’ll make sure you’re compensated for any trouble.”

Kendra shook her head quickly. “That’s not what I’m worried about. After everything Asher put you through, I’m more than happy to help.”

She paused, her brow furrowing with curiosity. “But hair strands? I just don’t understand why you would need...”

Her voice trailed off as realization dawned in her eyes. “Wait. Is this for DNA matching?”

I quickly placed a finger to my lips and smiled. “Don’t say anything for now. If my suspicions are correct, you’ll know very soon enough.”

Kendra nodded slowly, though questions still lingered in her expression. “Alright. I trust you.”

“Thank you,” I said sincerely. “For everything.”

She squeezed my shoulder briefly. “Good luck, Estelle. Whatever you’re planning, I hope it gives you the answers you need.”

I watched her walk away, melting back into the shadows as carefully as she had appeared. Once she was out of sight, I got into my car and drove off into the night.

***

Third POV

Back in the pack house dining room, Asher sighed.

“So what if we send Finn away?” Asher said. “Did you all forget? Estelle is angry with me right now. She doesn’t even want to come home, let alone have a child with me. Did you think that babies fell right out of the sky?”

Dorothy’s sharp gaze narrowed as she shifted forward in her seat.

“That’s exactly why your job as a husband and mate is to appease your wife,” Dorothy said. “I cannot fathom two mates sleeping in separate rooms, much less separate houses.”

Jessie waved her hand dismissively. “She’s able to walk away from this family so easily because Finn isn’t actually her biological son.”

She leaned back in her chair with a knowing look. “What mother doesn’t love their own biological children? Once Estelle is pregnant with her own child, she’ll be forced to stay.”

Ashley nodded enthusiastically. “Maybe after that, she’ll become more obedient and compliant. Back to the way she was before.”

Her voice grew more animated as she warmed to the idea. “She’ll understand the hardships of motherhood too. Then she’ll realize how wrong she was when she refused to help me after I gave birth to the twins.”

The more Ashley and Jessie discussed this plan, the more satisfied they seemed with their logic.

Asher considered their words carefully. But a nagging concern ate at the back of his mind.

He remembered exactly why he hadn’t wanted children with Estelle in the first place. That’s why he had implemented certain measures to ensure she remained infertile. The plan had started years ago, but ever since Estelle left, he had stopped those interventions.

Maybe that was why her recent health checkup declared her perfectly fine.

His original idea had been simple and clean. Have a child with Hazel, bring the boy in as an adoptive child, and Finn would receive the best resources while growing up. Meanwhile, Asher could still have his biological heir, and Estelle would have a child to take care of and love as her own.

Having a child with Estelle had felt wrong because he had promised Hazel that Finn would be his successor. If he had a son with Estelle, that child could challenge Finn’s inheritance rights.

But his mother raised a valid point.

If Estelle had a child to tie her down to the Moonveil Pack, she would never be able to leave. She wouldn’t be able to fight back against his decisions. Her love as a mother would demand that she prioritize her children, especially if they were young and vulnerable.

Asher’s eyes grew calculating as the possibilities unfolded in his mind.

A child would be the perfect chain to keep Estelle exactly where he wanted her.