Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 343: More allies

The question hung thick in the air for a half-second before Voren’s mouth curved into a smile. He crossed the room toward her at an easy pace, like nothing could rush him, and his arm slipped around her waist the way it was beginning to do naturally, no asking, no hesitation, as if it already knew exactly where it belonged.

"I told you," he murmured, voice low and meant for her alone. "I handle what I can handle. What I can’t, I leave to you."

His eyes dropped briefly to her stomach, and Seraphine felt heat rush up the back of her neck and flood her cheeks before she could stop it.

She pressed her lips together, eased out of his hold, and stepped closer to Desmond, creating a bit more space between herself and the man who kept making her face burn like this.

Desmond watched her approach with that steady, warm expression of a man who had already made up his mind and was simply waiting for the right moment to speak.

"Sera." He said her name the way he always did, familiar and deeply precious at the same time. "The moment you walked through that door months ago, you became our daughter. That has not changed, and it never will."

He leaned forward slightly. "Alpha Voren..."

"Just call me by my first name," Voren chimed, the elderly man did not refuse. "Voren came here and showed us real respect, spoke honestly, and faced everything that needed to be said. I only have one question left."

Seraphine held his gaze and nodded, giving him permission to ask.

"Do you love him?" He asked it plainly, without any sharpness, but his eyes searched hers carefully.

"I know you, Sera. Money doesn’t move you. Power doesn’t impress you. You’ve never been swayed by what a man possesses. So I have to ask, is this love real, or is it gratitude? Finding your daughter changes a person. It fills something that has been empty for a long time, and sometimes people confuse that feeling for something else."

done for you and

fell

behind her without turning, not touching, but close enough that his presence felt like a steady fire at her back. She could also sense Corvine off to her left, standing completely still, but she chose not to look

She drew in a small breath. "Even before any of

out of nothing. He was Ravyn’s best friend. Untouchable in every way. And I was certain he didn’t see me the same, so I just kept it inside." A short breath escaped her, almost a small laugh but quieter. "I kept

her. Voren

expected this, hadn’t expected her to confess her feelings, right in front of all of them, without warning. Yet hearing those honest words fill the air like that sent a deep wave of relief through his chest, stronger than he had felt in years. His stomach

"Both of you.

her into a solid, parental hug, uncomplicated and full of quiet love. When he released her, Nessa

her voice carrying the weight of real experience. "Real love especially. You won’t have to carry those

Corvine’s head turned sharply. "Wait." His voice came out flat, controlled with clear effort. "You knew. All this

Nessa exchanged a quick glance, the kind shared by two people who

but firm. "How could we have told you?" She

you have done? She was suffering badly, and you loved her. You would have gone to her and offered yourself as the answer, and she might have accepted just to stop

other, but the love would be built on desperation. She would be with you

tension heavy in the

tightened. He wasn’t pleased, but he wasn’t arguing either, because beneath the hurt, the logic held firm and

stayed quiet, thinking it

a she-wolf separated from her pack. He

agreed to almost anything for relief. And Corvine’s parents

had kept silent, not out of indifference, but because their son’s love for Seraphine wasn’t reason enough to guide her toward him while she was in that