Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 255 - No man leaves his phone with a hacker

’Now you’re being responsible,’ Bloodfang’s voice came through, low and steady inside Voren’s head.

The packhouse was close. Voren could already see the lights cutting through the grey curtain of rain, blurry and warm from this distance. His boots were soaked through, mud clinging to the sides, and every step felt heavier than the last.

’It’s the right thing to do,’ Voren answered back.

Bloodfang went quiet for half a second, like he was choosing his next words carefully. Then...’So let’s claim her.’

Voren almost missed a step.

’You’re out of your mind,’ he shot back, not even trying to hide the irritation threading through his thoughts.

’Am I?’

’She’s Ravyn’s ex-wife.’ Voren kept his eyes forward, jaw tight. ’We wait for our fated mate. That’s how it works. The Alpha code doesn’t bend for situations like this. Not even with a mate bond on the table.’

If he has to fight for the love of any woman, then it had to be his fated mate, nothing more, nothing less.

’But what if she is the one?’ Bloodfang pressed, his tone softer now, which somehow made it worse.

’She’s not.’

’You sound real sure for someone who tenses up every time she laughs.’

overhead, against his shoulders, against the ground. Something

I ran into him in the city,’ he finally said, his mental voice flat. ’And he was right. Sera is an incredible woman. She’s strong and she’s real and yeah, maybe she’s one of the best people I know. But I don’t love her like

between a laugh and a snarl. ’You keep telling yourself that, Voren. Say it enough times maybe you’ll

’I mean it—’

that almost sounded like grief, ’that you don’t wait so long you lose her. Because some things don’t wait around while you

himself completely from Voren’s mind. A wall came up so fast Voren nearly stumbled from the abruptness of it, the mental space between them going dead silent, the way a room feels after someone slams a

stood there for a second, rain soaking into his collar, staring

something else entirely. It felt strange in a way he couldn’t name.

shook it off and

"Sera!"

the moment they came through the tree

her hair back like she

you," she murmured, not quite looking

opened wider and a wave of cool, climate-controlled air rolled out and hit her full in the face and

wrapped her arms around

to shower." Her eyes moved between the

Damon opened his mouth.

first, easy and final, like

flicked to Voren. She knew about the room. Ravyn had kept a room reserved

the same thing at Grimroot, kept a space there

be cruel, and yet none of it had ever put a dent in

pulled herself back to

rather use Damon’s," she said, and there was a pointed edge to it, her eyes on Voren’s face now, watching for something she

blink only his voice carried that authoritative stance. "I said use mine, and