Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 267 - You still can’t hand me even an ounce of trust

Voren’s hand closed around hers before she could get any real leverage on the rock, fingers wrapping tight, and she pulled against him with everything she had. It didn’t matter. He held her like she weighed nothing, like the effort didn’t even register.

"Do you know who sent him?"

"Yes." The word came out quiet and flat.

His grip loosened. Just slightly. Just enough for her to slide her hand free and step back, putting a foot of distance between them.

His eyes narrowed. "Then tell me."

Seraphine’s shoulders went rigid, the kind of stiff that started in the spine and worked its way up. She looked at a spot somewhere past his left ear. "There’s no point."

The muscle in his jaw moved. He watched her for a long moment, reading her the way people read weather, looking for the thing she wasn’t saying. Then something moved in his expression, not anger exactly, more like a decision being made.

"You still can’t hand me even an ounce of trust." His voice dropped, not softer, just lower. More direct. "Even after I gave you my word."

He took a half step toward her, not threatening, just closing the distance she’d put between them. "Let me be clear about something. If I ever turn on you, everything I put into MindNest is yours. Every dollar. Our new arrangement included. You’d have every right to it and I wouldn’t fight you on a single cent."

His eyes didn’t move from her face. "I’m the one who laid this trap. So get out of my way and let me finish it."

her mouth, then closed it. Her brow pulled together. "What

broken sound beneath

knew someone was hunting you." Voren’s tone was matter of fact, like he was explaining something simple to someone who’d missed the obvious. "So I used myself as bait. When I jumped into the water, I wanted them

before he locked it down again. "I wouldn’t

Seraphine stood very still.

it from different angles the way you do when something doesn’t quite fit the shape you

the money he had sitting in her company and the clean business arrangements he needed to protect? She couldn’t

his forearms on his knees, perfectly relaxed, the way a person is relaxed when they hold

up their boss. It’s a code. I

alone, right here, right now. Option two, I send what’s left of you back to the outlands and have your family brought out to keep you company." He let that sit

face changed

been carrying before, the kind that came from pain and being trapped under

a man who made empty threats. He was actually the only Alpha who knew where to find

leader’s family without even asking. His mouth opened before

name came out cracked

the man on the ground. Her forehead creased. "Raul?" She crouched slightly, getting closer. "Why? Why

were glassy with pain. Under that rock, his body couldn’t do what wolf bodies were built to do. No healing.

the stone was cutting off everything his wolf would normally kick in to handle, and what was left

just do the work. Killing