Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 25: Chapter 25 – How did you let this happen?

Whoever left the pack in a fit of rage did so with no intention of ever returning, and Nicole was no exception. The finality of her decision hardened her spine and sharpened her tongue.

There was no need for restraint anymore, no reason to soften the truth for people she would never see again.

”Enjoy this little privilege while it lasts,” she said coldly, her voice steady and precise. ”And pray we never cross paths in the city. As for your son, you will never find a cure. Luna Seraphine completed part of the process alone, after we had already closed the procedure and left. If you understood even the basics of how the shifts work, you would know that.”

She paused only long enough to inhale, watching with grim satisfaction as the color drained from Daisy’s face. Then she struck again, harder and far more deliberate.

”No one witnessed the entire process. No one. So if you truly want your son to live, you should go and beg Luna Seraphine to create another tether. Because according to her, there was never a cure to begin with.”

Daisy snapped, her fury surged violently to the surface, and she swung again, desperation fueling the punch. This time, Nicole anticipated it. She stepped aside smoothly, the movement effortless, practiced.

”Is that all you’ve got?” Nicole sneered. ”You’re nothing but a two-faced bitch.”

The insult landed with brutal precision. Daisy trembled, rage and humiliation warring inside her chest. The doctors in the room averted their gazes, pretending to be occupied. They knew better than to intervene. This was no longer about medicine, but power, pride, and blood.

Daisy lifted her hand, instinctively preparing to mindlink Ravyn, but stopped.

If questions were asked, if the wrong people started digging, the truth would surface, especially concerning her lack of formal medical expertise, the corners she had cut, and the things she had pretended to understand but never truly mastered.

She watched Nicole walk away without looking back, her footsteps echoing with permanence. Two doctors gone, lost forever, and it was all because of Seraphine.

Daisy’s fingers curled into her palm until her nails bit into skin. Her teeth ground together as hatred simmered just beneath the surface.

Once Bryan was cured, she would hunt Seraphine down wherever she was hiding and put her firmly back in her place. The medical team resumed their work, tension lingering thick in the air.

Ravyn remained at the pack grounds for several days, restoring order, stabilizing the hierarchy, and addressing fractures that had begun to spread after Seraphine’s departure.

One issue loomed larger than the rest. The vacant Beta position.

Ravyn reached out to pack members who had settled in the city, wolves who had built successful, comfortable lives far from the brutality of pack politics, but one by one, they declined.

None of them were willing to sacrifice stability for a role that came with relentless pressure and little mercy. Pack life was unforgiving. One misstep, one perceived weakness, and even a Beta could be cast aside without ceremony.

In the city, their lives were predictable, and secure. Still, a few days later, Ravyn was surprised by the return of one of those he had called.

The man was unmarried, childless, and though prosperous in the city, not bound to it.

”Damon Locke,” Ravyn said, disbelief and relief mingling in his tone. ”You changed your mind?”

Damon inclined his head respectfully. ”Yes, Alpha. I remembered something important. If we all abandon the pack... what becomes of our wolves? We need the pack just as much as it needs us.”

Relief washed through Ravyn, easing a tension he hadn’t realized had settled so deeply in his chest.

”Thank you,” he said sincerely. ”This is a sacrifice, and I promise it won’t go unrewarded.”

Damon didn’t hesitate. ”Yes, Alpha, and I believe we should begin charging successful pack members when they return for New Moon festivals. They refuse responsibility, yet still want the benefits.”

Ravyn studied him, impressed. ”I like the way you think. I’ll walk you through pack affairs, but first, get settled. I’ll show you to your room.”

He led Damon to Corvine’s former quarters. The space had been meticulously cleaned, scrubbed of any trace of its previous occupant. Luxurious, expansive, and eerily empty, it looked as though no one had ever lived there at all.

”Thank you, Alpha,” Damon said. ”I’ll shower first.”

”Good. I’ll have the maids prepare food. Afterward, I’ll introduce you to the co-Luna.”

Damon paused. ”Co-Luna?” he asked carefully. ”Why not Luna? If Luna Seraphine is gone, shouldn’t someone replace her?”

The question struck closer than Ravyn expected. He wanted Daisy to become Luna. That had always been the plan, but during his absence, she had failed to manage the pack effectively, and had paid for it with injury.

It left him uneasy. ”Daisy is still undergoing training,” Ravyn replied evenly. ”When she’s ready, the title will be hers.”

Damon smiled politely. ”Understood, Alpha.”

Yet something about him felt... off, subtle, indistinct. Ravyn couldn’t identify it, but the instinct lingered. He made a mental note to observe Damon closely.

Once, Damon had been among the strongest warriors of the pack. He had left for the city to pursue advanced education, eventually rising to manage a major corporation. Now, he had abandoned that power without protest to return as Beta.

Ravyn was grateful, but cautious. That evening, Damon joined them for dinner. He was immediately fond of Bryan, engaging him with warmth and easy humor. Daisy, however, was another matter.

The tension between them was unmistakable. Clearing her throat, Daisy forced a smile. ”Damon, you used to admire Seraphine quite a bit. Are you happy... or disappointed not to see her?”

The question sharpened the air, Ravyn’s attention snapped to Damon, but Damon only smiled, unbothered. ”Everyone admired Luna Seraphine,” he said lightly. ”I mean, who wouldn’t?”

”Then you must hate me now for—”

He cut her off smoothly. ”Not at all. You are the apple of the Alpha’s eye.”

The words settled poorly, and Daisy’s smile faltered. He had praised Ravyn’s affection, not the pack’s acceptance, not her worth, and that left a bitter taste in her mouth.

A few days later, while Ravyn was walking Damon through pack administrative procedures, his phone rang. The name on the screen made his chest tighten.

”Sir,” Kevin said urgently, ”our stocks have been plummeting for days. I’ve exhausted every countermeasure, but nothing’s working. We’ve dropped to number six on the Forbes list.”

Ravyn stopped walking. ”What?” he roared, his eyes flashing red. ”How did you let this happen?”