Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 417 - I loved the wrong woman

Vladimir’s shoulders slumped under the crushing weight of all his regrets. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and every single word that left his mouth sounded heavier and more painful than the last.

"What Olivia did..." His voice cracked badly. "It destroyed me."

He covered his face with one hand for a moment before forcing himself to keep going. "For years, I convinced myself that Oriana’s memory loss was the price the Moon Goddess demanded for bringing you into the world instead of her life." His gaze slowly found Voren. "I told myself losing her memories was better than losing her life."

Another tear slipped down his face. "I clung to that belief because it hurt less. I never imagined that she had been dead all along."

Silence swallowed the entire deck.

Vladimir’s eyes filled with fresh tears. "She gave everything for our son." His fists trembled at his sides. "And instead of honoring that sacrifice, we lived our lives as though she had never existed."

The guilt in his voice was absolutely heartbreaking. "I spent decades giving Olivia every bit of love that belonged to Oriana. I stood by her even when I knew she was wrong. I loved the wrong woman."

No one spoke. There were no comforting words that could possibly lessen that kind of deep, soul-crushing pain. Even those who had been angry with Vladimir earlier found it hard not to sympathize with him now.

Looking back, it finally made sense. The reason Vladimir had fought so hard against Voren’s relationship with Seraphine wasn’t because he hated Seraphine.

It was because he believed he was protecting the woman he thought had stood beside him for decades, sacrificed so much for their son. He had defended Olivia because he believed she deserved that loyalty. The truth made the betrayal feel even crueler.

if I had known your mother died that day,

you enough to trade her own life for yours." He smiled sadly. "So why wouldn’t

in my heart, not in the Grimroot Pack, and not anywhere." He closed his eyes tightly.

his father’s words only strengthened the

he would only have one wife no matter what happened. Even if the thought made him sick to his stomach. If

stand where Seraphine once stood. No one could ever replace her. Not in his heart, and most

filled his mind, another memory surfaced. The shaman. Kael had once told him about a strange conversation Olivia had with her. That mysterious old woman

for her strange predictions to come true, they should

the day after you were born." His voice carried another heavy layer of regret. "I remember every word she spoke." He swallowed painfully. "She looked at me and said, "’not everything that glitters

rubbed his forehead. "At the time, I had no idea what she meant."

finally crumbled completely. He covered his face and cried openly. The mighty Alpha cried like

He had believed his own family had suffered enough. Compared to Vladimir’s tragedy, their pain suddenly felt much

His eyes remained swollen and red, but his voice carried renewed determination. "Olivia is a criminal." His gaze landed

to meet her husband." Disgust flashed across his face. "I have to retrieve my wife’s remains from

wiped the remaining tears from his face with the back of his hand.

cries echoed loudly across the deck as she wailed without caring who heard her. But no one pitied her because they understood

Vladimir or Voren. She was only sorrowful for herself

total disgrace waiting for her. For years, she had enjoyed respect from every pack. Because Voren had remained without a Luna for so long, many people had admired her supposed

her enough to arrange Voren’s marriage to Athaliah.