Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 268 – Not the worst outcome

Seraphine’s mind moved fast, running the numbers on what would happen the second those pack gates swung open and Voren’s car rolled through. The warriors on night watch would clock it immediately.

Word would travel fast, and Ravyn would know before she even stepped out of the passenger seat.

She kept her voice even. "Voren, it’s late. Let me have Damon handle it." She turned slightly in her seat, turning just enough to look at him without making it obvious she was choosing her words carefully. "Raul left the pack years ago. I haven’t heard his name in a long time. The fact that he’s apparently back is what I can’t get my head around right now."

The brake lights lit up the road behind them as Voren pulled onto the shoulder and cut the engine down to idle.

He turned to look at her. Not the quick sideways glance he’d been giving her since they got in the car. A real look. The kind that expected something back.

"I need you to be straight with me about this." His voice wasn’t loud. "Because I am this close," his thumb and forefinger came up with barely a sliver of air between them, "to going directly to Ravyn and asking him to his face why the woman he’s demanding services from is walking around with a target painted on her back and nothing near enough protection to matter."

Seraphine held his gaze. She thought it through, turned it over, and then let out a slow breath.

"Fine." The word came out before she could dress it up in anything else. "But you stay out of my decisions. You don’t redirect me, you don’t override me, you don’t go around me. You’re in, but you’re not running it."

Something settled in Voren’s expression. He gave her one nod, turned the car around, and merged back onto the road without another word.

Seraphine pulled out her phone and dialed.

It rang once. Twice.

on

kept it clean and short. "He gave up a name. Raul. I need you to find out if he’s

end of the

word sitting in his mouth differently than it had in hers.

the pack a few weeks ago. Been quiet since. Nothing that made me look twice." He paused. "But if you’re telling me he’s the one behind this,

those last three words was sharp enough to

"Please. I need

at the end of the

dropped the

eased into the hotel parking lot and rolled into an empty space near the far end, away from the lights. He cut the engine and the quiet came in around

things that aren’t up for discussion. "So here’s what we’re doing. Either you come up to my room, or I stay in yours.

stared at the

Any other night. Any other version of this situation. But here

not sharing a room." Her voice was steady. "Not tonight, and not

soft and almost pleading. He’s leaving soon. Once you’re back across the outlands

Marsha could

snicker came back, warm and unbothered, and Seraphine resisted the urge to argue with her wolf in front of the man sitting twelve inches away

"Then we wait

the door handle, but it

tried it again. Nothing.