Alpha's Regret After Putting Me In Jail novel Chapter 202

Chapter 202: A Confrontation and a Decision (Matthew’s POV)

Chapter 202: A Confrontation and a Decision (Matthew’s POV)

Alpha James Winters stood before me like a stone wall, his posture rigid with authority. The

main hall of the Winter Pack house suddenly felt colder as his golden eyes bore into mine.

“Matthew Sterling,” his voice was level but carried the unmistakable weight of an Alpha’s

command. “I must ask you to leave Winter Pack territory.”

I’d expected this. The moment Celeste had asked me to be her mate, I knew her adoptive

father would object. A second–in–command like me–regardless of my training or loyalty to Alexander–was simply not considered worthy of someone who had once been the cherished daughter of the Winter Pack.

Still, the formal dismissal stung. I struggled to keep my silver–gray wolf from bristling beneath my skin.

“With all due respect, Alpha Winters-” I began, but he cut me off with a raised hand.

“This is not a negotiation,” he stated firmly. His wolf’s dominant aura filled the room, pressing down on me like a physical weight. “You will leave immediately.”

I glanced at Celeste, standing tall despite everything. Her violet eyes met mine across the room, communicating more than words could. A subtle nod, a confident smile–she was telling me she could handle this. That I shouldn’t worry.

But I did worry. The Winter Pack had abandoned her once before, sending her to Moon Shadow Prison for four years of silver torture. I’d heard the whispers, seen the scars that marred her otherwise flawless skin. How could I leave her to face them alone again?

“Celeste,” I said, ignoring protocol by addressing her directly in front of her Alpha. “Are you

sure you’ll be alright?”

Alpha James’s wolf surged with displeasure at my breach of etiquette, but I kept my eyes on

Celeste.

She stepped forward, maintaining a proper distance but close enough that I could catch the familiar scent of moonflowers that always clung to her.

“I’ll be fine,” she assured me, her voice calm and steady. “This is something I need to address myself.”

The strength in her voice reminded me why I’d fallen for her in the first place. She’d survived

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Chapter 202: A Confrontation an…

four years of silver torture. She could certainly handle a family confrontation.

I bowed formally, accepting my dismissal. “As you wish, Alpha Winters. I’ll take my leave.”

As I turned to go, I felt Celeste’s gaze following me. I didn’t look back–didn’t trust myself not to challenge Alpha James if I saw any hint of distress in her eyes.

The weight of her violet gaze stayed with me as I walked through the ornate wooden doors of

the Winter Pack house, wondering if I was making a terrible mistake by leaving.

(Celeste’s POV)

I watched Matthew leave, his shoulders squared despite the dismissal he’d just received. Pride

swelled in my chest at his dignity. Even in retreat, he carried himself like the warrior he was.

Alpha James waited until Matthew was beyond earshot before rounding on me.

“Have you lost your mind?” he demanded, his voice rising with each word. “A

second–in–command? As your mate?”

I remained silent, my eyes fixed on the door through which Matthew had disappeared. I

wouldn’t give Alpha James the satisfaction of a response while Matthew might still hear the

inevitable insults about his rank.

Alpha James mistook my silence for defiance. His wolf’s aura expanded, filling the room with

aggressive dominance.

“Answer me, Celeste,” he commanded, using the tone that had once made me quiver as a

child. “What were you thinking, accepting a warrior–class wolf’s mate claim?”

I continued to wait, counting each second until I was certain Matthew was well out of earshot.

Only then did I turn to face my adoptive father.

“I was thinking,” I began, my voice deliberately calm, “that at least he sees me as something more than damaged goods.”

The bluntness of my statement visibly startled Alpha James.

“What are you talking about?” he demanded. “The gathering was filled with eligible wolves from respectable families.”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “Respectable? Is that what you call them?”

I stepped closer, my silver–scarred wolf lending me strength.

“Let me tell you about these ‘respectable‘ wolves,” I continued. “Every single one was either a disgraced second son, a known troublemaker, or a wolf with a reputation so questionable that

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their own packs barely acknowledge them.”

Alpha James’s brow furrowed. “That’s not-”

“It’s exactly true,” I interrupted. “Eric Reynolds, who nearly killed me with silver as a child. Jason Moore, whose gambling debts are legendary throughout the territories. The supposed ‘son of the Silver Creek Alpha‘ who was actually his fifth cousin, twice removed.”

My words hung in the air between us. Alpha James’s gaze flickered to Lucas, who stood to the side, his golden eyes fixed on the floor.

“Every single one of them looked at me with disdain,” I continued, the memory still fresh and painful. “They openly mocked both me and the Winter Pack for even suggesting a mating.”

I let that sink in.

“And when they insulted me–when they called me a silver–scarred prison wolf unworthy of

even warming their beds–Matthew was the only one who defended my honor.”

Alpha James’s face darkened. “Defended your honor by attacking guests of the Winter Pack.”

“Guests who will now demand retribution through the pack council,” I pointed out. “I imagine

their families are drafting formal complaints as we speak, claiming Matthew attacked

unprovoked.”

Alpha James’s expression confirmed my suspicion. The political fallout was already

beginning.

He looked again at Lucas, who continued to avoid his gaze. “Lucas, is what she’s saying true?

About the wolves you selected?”

Lucas remained silent, his shoulders hunched with what appeared to be guilt.

“Don’t blame him entirely,” I said, surprising myself with the defense of my brother. “What

suitable wolf would want to mate with me after four years in Moon Shadow Prison?”

The question hung in the air like a physical presence.

“Silver scars mark me as a criminal,” I continued. “My wolf bears the trauma of imprisonment. I was thrown away by my pack for a crime I didn’t commit.”

My words struck home. Alpha James visibly flinched.

“The Alpha King demanded-” he began.

“I know what the Alpha King demanded,” I cut him off. “But would you have let Lucas go to Moon Shadow Prison for four years without fighting for him? Without at least visiting?”

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Alpha James’s face fell. “The situation was complex. The Alpha King was making an example

“An example of me,” I finished for him. “Tell me, Alpha James, would you accept a mate for Lucas who had been silver–scarred in Moon Shadow Prison? Would you welcome such a wolf into your family?”

The question caught him off–guard. For a moment, the mask of Alpha slipped, revealing the conflicted father beneath.

“The pack was being watched,” he said, his voice lower now. “The royal pack scrutinized our every move. One wrong step and we risked everything.”

I nodded, acknowledging his explanation.

“I understand that,” I said, my voice softer but no less firm. “But four years, Alpha James. Four years of silver chains burning into my flesh. Four years without a single visit, a single message, a single indication that my pack remembered I existed.”

My voice cracked slightly on the last words. I hadn’t meant to reveal so much emotion.

“I didn’t expect you to fight for me,” I continued, regaining control. “I didn’t expect you to challenge the Alpha King. But a visit–just one–would have been enough.”

Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. My silver–scarred wolf had endured too much to show weakness now.

“It would have told me that I wasn’t completely abandoned,” I finished. “That I was still part of a pack, even if only in memory.”

Alpha James stood speechless, an unfamiliar emotion glistening in his golden eyes. For a moment, I thought I saw regret.

“Celeste, the politics weren’t as simple as you-” he began.

I raised my hand, stopping him mid–sentence.

“I’m not asking for your approval,” I said with newfound resolve. “I’m informing you of my decision. Matthew Sterling is my chosen mate. He defended me when no one else would. He sees me–not the silver scars, not the prison past, but me.”

Alpha James seemed at a loss for words. His mouth opened and closed, as if searching for the right response. The expression in his eyes was one I couldn’t quite decipher–something beyond the anger I’d expected, something almost like… pain.

But before he could find his voice, Lucas stepped forward. His golden eyes flashed with

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sudden determination.

“I disagree,” he said firmly.