Chapter 237 Tiring Encounter

Chapter 237: Chapter 237 Tiring Encounter

_Rowena’s POV_

I sat there staring at Kaelen, and honestly, he didn’t look bad. His hair was styled back, he looked well. But the second he opened his mouth, every ounce of attraction or history I ever had with him evaporated into thin air.

He took two steps closer to our booth, shoving his hands into his pant pockets, and looked between Kyle and me with this weird, fake amused smirk on his face.

"Rowena," Kaelen said, his tone dripping with an arrogant pitch. "I have to say, I’m pretty surprised. Sitting in a romantic little corner booth with another man? Isn’t the Alpha King going to be furious when he finds out you’re with someone else on what looks like a date?"

I didn’t flinch, I didn’t even drop my fork. I just leaned back against the seat, looking up at him with a completely flat, unimpressed expression.

"It doesn’t concern you, Alpha Kaelen," I said, my voice cool and even. "What I do, who I eat with, and where I go has absolutely nothing to do with you."

Kaelen let out a sigh, nodding in realization.

"You’re still as cold as ever, Rowena," he sighed again, crossing his arms over his chest. He turned his gaze to Kyle, sweeping his eyes up and down the doctor’s coat like he was looking at something on the bottom of his shoe. "But I’m just asking a simple question, Rowena. Are you cheating on Alaric? Because if the Alpha King gets cuckolded by a doctor, that would be the biggest story in the entire territory. I do not want you to repeat my mistakes.”

He was trying to sound concerned, but Kaelen was nothing but a fool.

Kyle’s posture shifted slightly across from me. He set his water glass down, his eyes darkening as he prepared to stand up, but I held my hand out slightly to stop him.

I didn’t need anyone to fight my battles for me, especially not against my ex-husband.

"Kaelen," I said, my voice dropping an octave,. "I will never be like you. Even if I wanted to do the same thing you did to me, it wouldn’t be as childish as yours. Now, leave us. You’re harrasinh a member of the royal court.”

Kaelen’s fake smile flickered for a quick second, a flash of fear passing over his eyes. He knew I wasn’t bluffing. I had the power to make his life miserable now, and he knew it.

He let out a sigh for the third time, rolling his shoulders back as he put on a fake, relaxed front.

"Relax, Rowena. I’m not here to start a fight," he said, waving his hand like it was no big deal. "Actually, if you really want to know, I’m in town meeting someone. My pack needs a Luna, Rowena. The elders have been breathing down my neck for months to secure a proper Luna for our territory."

I didn’t say a word. I just stared at him, waiting for him to finish his speech so he could get out of my sight.

"Honestly," Kaelen continued, his voice softening just a little, though it still sounded fake to my ears, "the only Luna I ever actually wanted was you. I messed up, I know that. But you already moved on with Alaric, so I guess I have to give up on that dream. I’m moving on, too."

I almost rolled my eyes out of my head right then and there. It was so classic Kaelen, trying to sound like a tragic, heartbroken hero when he was the one who had treated me like trash, cheated on me, and thrown our marriage away for a lying woman.

"Good for you, Kaelen," I said flatly. "I hope she makes you very happy. Now please leave."

Kaelen nodded slowly, though he didn’t look offended at all. He actually smiled, looking oddly confident.

"She’s a nice girl," he added, taking a step back toward the entrance of the restaurant. "Next time we bump into each other, Rowena, I’ll make sure to introduce you to her. Have a nice lunch with your friend."

He gave a small, arrogant bow, turned on his heel, and walked out the front doors of the restaurant.

I watched his car drive away through the window, letting out a long sigh. I used to think I loved that man, I used to think my life was over when our marriage fell apart.

But looking at him now, all I felt was pure, unfiltered disgust even after his apologies. No matter how much he tried to dress himself up, no matter how much he pretended he had changed or grown into a better Alpha, he was still the same self centered, fake coward he had always been.

"Are you alright?" Kyle asked softly from across the table.

I turned my attention back to my plate, picking up my fork again as if nothing had happened. "I’m fine."

Kyle watched me closely, his eyes full of genuine curiosity. "Was that... your ex-husband?"

"Yes," I answered truthfully, taking a small bite of my food. "Kaelen. The Alpha of Moonreign Pack."

"He seemed... very intense," Kyle noted gently, choosing his words carefully. "And clearly still bitter about you being with the Alpha King."

"He’s not bitter, he’s just narcissistic," I replied, keeping my tone completely calm. "He doesn’t like the fact that I survived without him. He thought I would crumble after our divorce, but instead, I ended up with Alaric and a title higher than his. It hurts his fragile ego, that’s all."

Kyle let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "You really are amazing, Rowena. Most people would have been shaken up after an encounter like that, but you didn’t even blink."

"I don’t waste energy on people who belong in my past," I said, setting my napkin on the table. "Kaelen is nothing to me now. He’s just noise."

Kyle smiled, looking at me with a sense of respect in his eyes. "Well, he’s definitely a fool for letting you go. But I suppose Alaric is the one who reaped the reward of his stupidity."

"Alaric is ten times the man Kaelen will ever be," I stated simply, not hiding the truth for a single second. "Now, if we’re done here, I should get back to the estate before the others starts losing his mind again."

"Of course," Kyle said, pulling out his wallet to pay the bill. "Let me drive you back to the hospital to get your car.”

“Alright, Kyle.”