My Cheating Alpha Mate's Ultimate Regret

Elliana's POV:

The encrypted email arrived moments later.

Inside was the detailed information for Gallagher's unlimited black card and a temporary access code.

I stared at the long string of numbers, feeling nothing. In my past life, I had scorned money, desperate only for his non-existent love. This time, I only trusted the things I could hold in my hands.

I spent the entire day locked in my room, studying the stocks and properties that my memory told me would skyrocket in value.

Unlike my past self, who would have starved herself in misery after he left, I calmly had the maids bring me a lavish lunch and dinner. I ate every last bite.

The body is the capital for revolution. I needed to build my strength for the long, hard war ahead. The maids, who were used to my moping, exchanged confused glances, but I was the Luna. They wouldn't dare question me.

It wasn't until late at night that the bedroom door opened again. Gallagher returned, reeking of alcohol and another woman's perfume.

He saw me sitting calmly on the sofa, reading a book, instead of crying in bed or waiting for him in the living room. A flicker of surprise crossed his golden eyes.

I closed the book and slowly stood up. My gaze landed on his perfectly tailored suit jacket.

"Have fun, Alpha?" My tone was flat, devoid of any emotion, which I knew made him deeply uncomfortable.

He loosened his tie and threw his jacket onto the sofa, a hint of annoyance in the gesture. "That's none of your business."

"Of course it's my business," I said with a small smile, stepping forward to block his path to the bathroom.

I reached out a finger and lightly brushed the collar of his white shirt. There, stark and vulgar, was a smear of lipstick. Carson's favorite shade.

Gallagher's body went rigid. He hadn't expected me to be so direct. He instinctively tried to step back, but I grabbed his tie, pulling him closer.

We were so close I could smell the cloying mix on him: my scent, alcohol, his own cedarwood pheromones, and... Carson's sickening lily perfume.

"As your Luna," I said, tilting my head up to look directly into his eyes, "it's my duty to remind you to clean up the evidence next time you cheat. This isn't just a humiliation for me. It's a humiliation for the Stone River Pack."

His face turned to stone, and fire ignited in his golden wolf eyes. "Elliana, watch your words!"

"My words?" I let out a soft laugh, releasing his tie and taking a step back. "Compared to your actions, my words are more than gracious."

I pointed to the jacket he'd tossed on the sofa and the shirt he was about to take off. "And take your dirty clothes with you."

Gallagher stared at me in disbelief. "What did you say? Washing the Alpha's clothes is one of the Luna's traditional duties."

"Oh? Is that so?" I feigned surprise, raising an eyebrow. "My apologies. As of today, I quit. After all, I don't want to have to guess how many different women have been on them while I'm doing the laundry."

That sentence lit his fuse. The Alpha's authority washed over me like a tidal wave. He growled, "Elliana!"

Within the Pack, an Alpha's Command is absolute to anyone but his mate. For me, bound to his soul, it was more of a mental shockwave.

I stood straight under his pressure, finding it almost funny. He always did this. When logic failed him, he resorted to the power of his bloodline to crush me.

I didn't argue further. Instead, I walked over to the sofa and picked up the suit jacket with the lipstick stain.

Gallagher thought I had given in. The anger on his face softened, replaced by a smug, cold smirk.

He watched me walk toward the door, likely expecting me to take his clothes to the laundry room.

I reached the door, opened it, and then, as he watched in stunned silence, I flung the expensive, custom-made suit out into the cold hallway. It landed on the floor with a soft thud.

Then, I walked back, picked up his dirty shirt, and did the same.

"There," I said, clapping my hands together softly as I turned to face the dumbfounded Gallagher. "Now they're out of my sight."

Gallagher's expression shifted from shock to pure rage. The veins in his neck bulged, and his powerful pheromones nearly made the air in the room crackle.

"You're insane!" he snarled, stalking toward me, his large frame radiating menace.

I met his gaze without fear. "I'm not insane," I said coldly. "I'm just done tolerating a cheating mate and clothes that stink of another woman."

"From now on, my room will not welcome anything that doesn't belong to me." I emphasized the words "my room."

Our standoff was a deadlock. He glared at me with fury, and I stared back with indifference. This was the first real power struggle between us.

In the end, he didn't touch me. He let out a guttural, animalistic roar, spun on his heel, and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. The sound echoed through the house, a testament to its master's fury. He was probably going to the guest room.

Good.

After Gallagher stormed out, the master suite was finally quiet. I didn't move immediately. I sat at my vanity, forcing myself to calm down, to review every step of my plan.

Just then, I heard the guest room door open, followed by Gallagher's hushed voice from the hallway. He probably thought I was asleep.

"Don't be scared, Carson, I just had something to deal with last night... No, it has nothing to do with her. Don't overthink it."

His voice was softer and more patient than I had ever heard it, as if he were soothing a precious treasure.