Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 76 – you promised to stay the night

Their relationship was not something either Seraphine or Corvine ever liked to dissect out loud, especially not in front of other people, because there were too many layers to it and too many things that did not fit neatly into a box anyone could label.

It was complicated in the quietest way, built on loyalty, familiarity, and shared history rather than romance, and yet in this moment, standing there with Emery hovering uncertainly outside the car, they both understood that clarity was necessary.

They needed something from Emery, and it was painfully obvious that the girl had a crush on Corvine.

Seraphine did not need supernatural instincts to see it because the signs were embarrassingly clear. No woman accepted a dinner invitation on the very first day without some level of interest, especially not one who had already been disappointed when he arrived late.

"Get in," Seraphine said gently, her tone calm and reassuring, the authority in her voice softened by kindness, as Corvine added, "And do not worry about heading back tonight. You can stay at my place. It is already late, and dinner will be ruined if we keep standing here."

Emery hesitated, her fingers tightening around the strap of her purse as though she were weighing something heavier than a simple invitation. The reluctance in her eyes was unmistakable, but it changed the moment Corvine stepped out of the car.

He walked around to her side without rushing, opened the door for her, and offered that small, almost disarming smile. The gesture was simple, but the effect was immediate.

Emery slid into the back seat. The drive to the mansion felt longer than usual, not because of distance but because of silence. Each of them retreated into their own thoughts, the hum of the engine filling the space where conversation should have been.

Streetlights passed in slow intervals, casting fleeting shadows across their faces. Seraphine stared out the window, her reflection faint against the glass, her mind busy piecing together the fragments of information about Zane.

Corvine kept both hands on the steering wheel, but his jaw tightened occasionally, as if he were already bracing himself for whatever truth Emery might reveal.

Emery, seated in the back, seemed small despite her height, her gaze fixed downward, her shoulders slightly hunched as though she carried something invisible and heavy.

When they finally arrived at the mansion, the lights inside were dim. Corvine’s parents had already eaten and retired for the night, leaving the enormous house unusually quiet, almost echoing in its stillness.

the three of

not hold back once she began eating. She had the kind of appetite that came from genuine hunger rather than politeness, and Corvine could

his chair

cheeks. "Life in the city is not easy," she admitted quietly. "I am trying to save as much as I

halfway to her mouth. That did not sit right with her. Most pack members

your income?" Seraphine asked carefully, her tone neutral but

from her fingers, clattering softly against the plate, and when she looked up again, her eyes were already glossed with

not understand,"

at once. She leaned forward slightly, her voice

who protects her own. I can still help you. Even if all you

the sincerity in her words.

reasons he did not fully analyze, Corvine nodded. "She means it," he said firmly. "Sera is one of the strongest and most capable women I know. You have heard about our company’s growth and the

are not what I need," she murmured. "What

Seraphine and Corvine stilled at

Corvine repeated, confusion knitting his brows together. "Why would you

as though her throat had suddenly gone dry. She drank it in one long swallow, like she was trying to gather strength from something

"My ex-boyfriend, Zane, he..."

Her voice faltered.

but no further words came. It was as though Emery had slammed an invisible door

I can help you. Whatever it is, we can deal

swallowed hard, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. Instead of continuing, her gaze drifted around the mansion, taking in the high ceilings, the