Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 325: Esperanza answers questions on a full stomach

Voren was the first to snap out of the stunned silence. He hadn’t been around for the full story, so even though he was missing some of the bigger pieces, the little girl’s words still hit him like a truck.

"Espe, what are you talking about?" he asked, his voice staying as steady and calm as it always did. But the look in his eyes gave him away completely—he was totally thrown.

Esperanza studied him for a long moment with those big innocent blue eyes of hers. "Daddy, will you believe me?" she asked, her gaze locking onto his face, full of hope mixed with that little bit of uncertainty.

The question landed harder on Voren than he would’ve expected.

Just last night she’d shut down when he’d tried asking her stuff, but now here she was, ready to open up if she trusted them enough. How the hell was he supposed to say no to that?

He softened his expression and leaned in a little closer. "Let’s pretend for a second that everything you’re saying isn’t just some crazy dream," he said, his eyes flicking quickly over to Corvine before settling back on her. "Let’s say it’s all real. How do you know him?"

Esperanza immediately tightened her little arms around Corvine’s neck in this instinctive, protective way.

Her small fingers curled into his shirt as she kept looking back and forth between both of her parents. "He was supposed to kill me," she said simply.

The whole room went dead quiet. Even Seraphine held her breath for a second.

But Esperanza stayed perfectly calm and kept going. "But he gave me to that woman instead." Her brows pulled together a little, like she was digging through her memories to get every detail right. "And that woman gave him a goat to slaughter."

up, his heart hammering away as the pieces clicked into place. "There’s no

wrap his head around it all. "I remember it," he said, his voice sounding far away. "It was weird seeing a regular farm animal in a place like that back

eyes went back to Esperanza. The little girl looked way too sure of

really only one explanation, and it seemed flat-out

took a few deep breaths, her

seem so connected to things that happened long before she should’ve

normal and straightforward. "I’ll whip up those pancakes really

for you," he pointed out, watching her every move.

the month for her, and the last thing he wanted was

and kept gathering ingredients. When she

push the issue, a pair of tiny hands suddenly grabbed both sides of his

found himself staring straight

had full access and wasn’t shy about using it. The whole thing was so unexpected he almost laughed out

at me,"

exactly that. Her face stayed completely serious. "Esperanza answers questions on

said anything. Then Corvine just stared at her like she’d just crowned herself queen of the whole house. The

lips. How was anyone supposed to resist her? The

"I’m honestly excited she’s actually asking for food," she said, leaning against the counter

rang through the house. Voren started heading toward the front door on instinct, but Jasmine

mine," she said, and without waiting she hurried out of the