Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 262 – Use me

"Seraphine."

Ravyn’s voice came from the top of the stairs. He was leaning against the banister, unhurried, like he’d been standing there long enough to have heard most of it. "I hope you’ll make it to the moon festival. Next full moon. We’re hosting it here."

Seraphine looked up at him. Her expression didn’t change. "Good luck with that."

Ravyn tilted his head. "You say that like you’re not coming."

"You’re smarter than I give you credit for."

Something flashed in Ravyn’s eyes, quick, hot, and his jaw went tight. He swallowed it down. Voren was three feet away and standing very still, which tended to have that effect on conversations.

"The bond restoration ritual requires input from every werewolf," Ravyn said, his voice measured now. "Packs across the whole world are being contacted. We need everyone."

"I heard you," Seraphine responded without looking up, still unfazed.

"You could find your fated mate there, you know." He came down two steps, and there was something intentional in his tone now, something that was aimed somewhere specific. "He might not be an Alpha, probably—"

"Enough!" Voren’s voice dropped into the room like something heavy hitting a floor.

still on

— hug. Come on." He opened his arms and made sure his eyes found Voren’s

the moment Seraphine

of look that didn’t need volume behind it to carry exactly the right amount of warning, and it stayed there, steady and unblinking, and every single person in that room understood exactly what it meant

Nobody saw him move.

beside her, around her, his arm hooking under hers from

breath and the next and Damon stood there blinking, genuinely trying to work

a joke, if Voren had vampire blood somewhere in

pitched up instantly, her legs swinging in the air with zero coordination, her bag bumping against her hip as

that way." Voren’s voice was completely level. Conversational, even. He was already moving toward the door, Seraphine tucked under one arm

The middle one.

pressed his lips together very

the entrance hall as the front door swung open around them. Her legs were still going, heels cutting through the air helplessly. "I owe him a hug, Voren, he was good to

breaking stride, the cool night air hitting them both. His voice dropped just slightly, something low and even

Seraphine stopped wiggling.

in her body

full three seconds was the soft crunch of gravel under Voren’s boots as he carried her the remaining distance to the car and set her down in the passenger seat with the kind of gentleness that had absolutely no business following

door like nothing had happened and walked around to the driver’s side as he checked where the dent had been

the doorway and watched the taillights until they disappeared around the tree line. The smile on his face was the complicated

Ravyn

punishment had slowed to a collective crawl the moment Voren carried Seraphine through the