Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 173 - How did you even know her size?

Corvine looked like he had already given up trying to understand any of it.

"He also brought you a dress," he added, sounding tired already. "And judging from the look on his face, I don’t think he plans on leaving until you let him in."

Seraphine’s jaw dropped completely but it didn’t take long for her to pull herself together, the initial shock fading fast as her mind snapped back into focus, her instincts kicking in the way they always did when things started slipping out of her control.

"Wait a second," she said, lifting a hand slightly as if she could pause everything around her. "I’m already dressed. Just tell him that."

Her tone carried confidence, a quiet finality, like the decision had already been made.

But before Corvine could even respond, another voice cut in, firm, controlled, leaving no room for argument. "I’ll handle it."

Seraphine turned immediately, her body reacted before her thoughts could catch up, tension creeping into her shoulders the moment her eyes landed on him.

"Voren," she said, her voice tightening just a little, "you can’t just walk into my room like this."

But he didn’t respond right away.

He studied her a piece of art, his gaze moving over her outfit, her posture, every detail, like he was silently picking it apart piece by piece.

That alone made something uneasy settle in her chest. "Wrong outfit," he said after a moment, his tone flat, analytical. "Wrong accessories."

Then, as if she wasn’t enough to critique, his attention wandered.

His eyes moved across the room, taking in the massive monitors, the layered tech setup, the cables, the glowing interfaces, everything that turned the space into something closer to a command center than a bedroom.

a room," he muttered, almost to himself, "or

works here most of

small nod, like that confirmed something

didn’t fit into

was nothing traditionally soft about her choices, nothing predictable, or easy to define, and for a brief second,

Then he moved.

brought, pulling them out one by one, and Seraphine found herself watching him

the last time she

a way that felt controlled rather than distant, dressed in semi-formal clothes that fit him well enough to make the whole look feel intentional without trying

harder to ignore. "You’re wearing this," he said, tossing a dress toward her without warning. "I’ll

down at it,

him and tossed it right back. "Not happening," she said flatly. "I like what I’m

in smoothly, finishing

not going in there to impress him with taste. You

me to what, exactly?" she asked, her voice sharpening despite her effort to stay

that works," he replied without flinching. "If that means leaning into something you don’t like, then

brief pause before he added, more quietly but with unmistakable weight, "You came up with

his tone leaving no space

teeth pressed together, tension building in her chest as

There it was again.

That presence.

the kind that didn’t need to be loud to be felt, pressing against her instincts, pushing her toward resistance even as logic told her he

a second, she wanted to argue, to push back. To refuse

reality settled in. She asked for his help. "I’ll go change,"

turned, walking toward the washroom without another glance, the door closing behind her with a soft click