Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 260 – Is there any part of you that wants Seraphine back?

"How can you say that?" Ravyn’s voice came out harder than he intended, the hurt underneath it pushing through. "You’ve known me my whole life. You think I’d let someone manipulate me that badly?"

"I think," Voren said quietly, "that it’s a lot easier to miss when you love someone."

Ravyn turned away from him. A muscle in his jaw worked steadily, the way it did when he was holding something in by force. "I know she’s not perfect." His voice dropped.

"I know she lies. I know the jealousy is a problem. But she’s Bryan’s mother, Voren. She gave me my heir." He pulled in a slow breath. "She can be better. I’ll work with her on it."

Voren looked at him for a long moment. There was no argument left worth making, not today, not while Ravyn was standing inside it. Some things a person had to walk out of on their own. You couldn’t drag them.

He pushed off the railing and asked it anyway, the question he’d been turning over in the back of his mind since the moment he’d arrived at this packhouse and watched Ravyn’s eyes track across a room to find her.

"One last thing." He kept his voice even. "And I’m only asking this once." He looked at his oldest friend straight on. "Is there any part of you that wants Seraphine back?"

Ravyn was quiet for a moment. Not the uncomfortable kind of quiet, but the kind that meant he was actually thinking, turning the question over, looking at it from different angles.

And then something settled in his face. Like he’d found the answer right where it had always been sitting.

since we were kids." He turned to

Voren said nothing.

would send me to check on her and I’d pull you aside and dress

slowly at his

to remember, but he remembered every single time. He also remembered that when it was all over, when the day ended and the adults came back, Seraphine would run to

had supposedly said or done, not knowing, never knowing,

never corrected her,

does that have to do with anything?" His voice came out

out at the grounds. "I couldn’t stand being around her then and nothing’s changed. She’s beautiful, yeah, I’ll give her that, anyone with eyes can see it. But I’ve never liked her. Not like that. Not once." He paused. "What I want from her is business. That’s the

his expression, sharper now, more pointed.

eyes settled on Voren’s face with the particular focus of someone who has known you long enough to notice the things you think you’re hiding, "I’ve been watching you this whole visit. You broke every rule you came here with. Every single one." He stared at him. "Are you falling for her? Like all those other

steady moment, something strange breaking inside of him. This matter

rules," he said finally. "Not my principles. Those are two

Ravyn opened his mouth.

and the quiet finality in his tone closed the subject like a