Chapter 193
Lorik stared at her, confused and alarmed. “What are you talking about?”
The maid’s words tumbled out in a rush, her hands clasped together as though begging for
forgiveness.
“That night… the phone call. It wasn’t Luna who ignored it. I picked it up! The study phone was ringing, and I was afraid it would disturb Luna’s sleep. She hadn’t rested properly in almost a month… so I answered it. But the signal was terrible, the voice on the other end kept breaking up, and I… I couldn’t hear what they were saying. So I hung up. Later, I told Luna, and she immediately alled back…” The maid’s voice broke, and she sobbed harder, shaking her head. “It was me, Alpha. I picked up the phone. Not Luna. She didn’t mean to hang up… she didn’t know… she’s innocent. It’s my
fault. I’m the sinner.”
The maid, kneeling on the floor, sobbed uncontrollably. She had been with the pack for a long time, always loyal, and Shirley had always been kind to her. But now, her guilt consumed her. She choked out her words, barely able to breathe through her tears.
“If it wasn’t for me,” she cried, her voice breaking, “Alpha wouldn’t have misunderstood Luna… Luna wouldn’t have gone through all this! The hemorrhaging… the premature birth… it’s all because of me!”
Daria, standing nearby, shifted her gaze from the maid to Lorik, her voice hoarse with emotion. “It’s true that Shirley didn’t get your call,” she said quietly. “But the moment she knew, she set off with the medication at the first opportunity. She was trying to help, but halfway there, she was attacked…”
She couldn’t finish the sentence, her throat tightening with sorrow.
Lorik stood still, his face pale as a ghost, drained of all color. His usually strong and unyielding presence was replaced by a profound shock. It was as though the ground beneath him had disappeared, leaving him in freefall. His heart pounded painfully in his chest, the weight of what
had happened pressing down on him. He couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t accept that *he* was the one
who had misunderstood Shirley, pushing her away in her moment of need.
His mind flashed back to that fateful day. Shirley had tried to explain, her voice calm yet urgent over
the phone. But Lorik hadn’t listened. His disappointment, his anger had blinded him to everything
she had tried to say. He had focused solely on his own feelings, his own sense of betrayal, and
completely ignored the worry and fear in her voice. He’d refused to listen, refused to understand.
*What had I done?*
The question echoed through his mind, each repetition slicing deeper into his heart. He remembered how he’d cut her off, not allowing her to explain, his words sharp and filled with bitterness. Shirley,
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After I Let Go My Alpha, He Knelt in Regret
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his strong and loyal mate, had gone out alone after that call, thinking she could still fix things, still help. And then… the attack.
“How desperate must she have felt when the rogues came after her?” Lorik whispered to himself, staring down at the tiny baby nestled in the cradle. The baby was so small, so fragile, and it was only by some miracle that they had survived. But Shirley… what had she been thinking, lying there, giving birth while knowing that Lorik had turned his back on her? How disappointed had she been in him, in their bond, when she faced that pain alone?
Daria, watching her Alpha struggle with the weight of his guilt, couldn’t hold back her own tears. “It’s not just about the attack, Lorik,” she said softly, her voice shaking. “It’s about trust. You didn’t trust your own Luna. You let your anger cloud everything. You went too far this time, brother. You should have been there for her, instead of pushing her away.” Her words were gentle but filled with a quiet
dness.
Silence filled the room, heavy and suffocating. For a long time, Lorik said nothing, his mind spinning, his chest tight with regret. Finally, he turned, his eyes hollow, and without a word, he began walking toward the door.
Startled, Daria called after him. “Lorik! Where are you going?”
His footsteps didn’t falter. His voice, when it came, was low, husky, and filled with a desolate resolve. “I’m going to find Shirley.”
