Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 102: Chapter 102 – I want her to suffer

Voren found Ravyn almost immediately after leaving Leon, because even inside a crowded hall filled with investors, servers, and curious onlookers, it had never taken him very long to locate the man he had trusted more deeply than anyone else in his life.

Ravyn had always been the closest thing Voren had to a brother, someone who had stood beside him through countless victories and setbacks, someone who understood the complicated pieces of Voren’s life in ways that most people never could.

Voren valued that understanding more than anything, because Ravyn possessed a rare ability that very few people in their world had ever managed to offer him.

Ravyn knew how to handle Voren’s problems without exposing them, without forcing him to revisit wounds he preferred to keep buried.

Whenever trouble surfaced in Voren’s life, Ravyn would deal with it quietly and efficiently, and afterward he would act as though the problem had never existed at all. That silent loyalty created a space where Voren could breathe without constantly feeling the weight of his past pressing against him.

The last thing Voren ever wanted was someone repeatedly pointing at the broken pieces of his life as if those scars defined him, and Ravyn had always respected that boundary without needing it explained.

For years that had been enough to cement their friendship.

Yet the men Ravyn surrounded himself with had never earned the same trust from Voren, because most of Ravyn’s Alpha companions carried reputations that made Voren uneasy.

That uneasy feeling had grown heavier in his chest ever since he overheard that conversation earlier, and the image of Seraphine collapsing after being poisoned with wolfbane still lingered in his mind like a shadow that refused to fade.

As Voren walked through the room, weaving between tables and clusters of wealthy guests, a cold resolve formed inside him with increasing clarity.

Ravyn might have been his closest friend for years, but Voren had already made a quiet promise to himself that if Ravyn had played even the smallest role in what happened to Seraphine tonight, then their friendship would not survive the truth.

No matter how long their bond had lasted or how many memories tied them together, there were certain lines that could never be crossed without consequences.

”Ravyn!” Voren called out the moment he spotted him across the room.

Ravyn stood with a group of investors near one of the tall tables, laughing in the relaxed way he often did during business gatherings, looking completely at ease as he entertained the men around him.

The sound of Voren’s voice cut through the room sharply enough that Ravyn’s laughter stopped instantly, his body stiffening before he even turned around.

Confusion crossed his face as he excused himself from the group and walked toward Voren.

”Voren, what’s the matter?” Ravyn asked once he reached him, his tone carrying genuine curiosity as his eyes studied Voren’s tense expression.

Voren did not answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer until they stood within quiet speaking distance, lowering his voice slightly so the human guests standing nearby would not overhear the conversation that was about to unfold.

”What did you do to Sera?” Voren asked, his voice rough with restrained anger.

The question carried more weight than the words alone suggested, because Voren had never forgotten what Ravyn had done to his own child because her mother was Seraphine.

If Ravyn could eliminate his own just because of his hatred for Seraphine, then Voren had no illusions about the darker possibilities of Ravyn’s character.

This was not about trust.

This was about knowing exactly what his best friend was capable of when pride or revenge entered the equation.

Ravyn blinked in obvious confusion. ”Excuse me?”

Voren leaned slightly closer, his jaw tight as he spoke under his breath. ”Someone drugged her with wolfbane tonight, and I seriously hope you don’t have anything to do with it.”

While speaking, Voren kept his eyes fixed on Ravyn’s face with unwavering focus, carefully observing every subtle reaction because he wanted to catch even the faintest trace of guilt.

Ravyn looked genuinely startled by the accusation, but Voren had spent too many years in the Alpha world to rely on appearances alone.

Ravyn’s brows pulled together as concern appeared in his expression.

”Never,” he said quickly while shaking his head. ”Yeah, I hate her, but I don’t want her dead. I want to see her suffer for all she did to Daisy.”

Every Alpha alive understood the meaning of wolfbane, and everyone in their world knew that if the antidote was not administered in time, the poison would gradually destroy a wolf’s body until death became unavoidable.

The simple fact that Seraphine had been given that substance tonight meant that someone had intended serious harm, and Voren had absolutely no intention of ignoring it.

”Your friends did this, Ravyn,” Voren said firmly, unable to hide the anger tightening his voice.

For a brief moment Ravyn studied him as if something about Voren’s reaction seemed unusual, because the intensity in Voren’s tone almost suggested personal concern for Seraphine.

Then Voren said something that wiped his earlier suspicion. ”You know everyone here is technically my responsibility tonight.”

Understanding crossed Ravyn’s face as he frowned slightly. ”My friends?” Ravyn repeated. ”Everyone here is my friend.”

Voren’s jaw tightened with visible irritation. ”Gray and Riven,” he said bluntly. ”I heard them talking.”

Ravyn’s eyes widened with shock as the names left Voren’s mouth.

”What?” he asked incredulously. ”I messaged them earlier to invest in Seraphine’s company on my behalf, because you know I can’t approach her directly after everything that happened, and after how she blocked your server, I thought there was still a small chance she might succeed, and you know how much I need more investment after she pulled out hers.”

Voren stared at him in surprise as Ravyn continued explaining.

”If Gray actually did something like that, then it must be because she rejected their proposal,” Ravyn went on. ”They tripled the amount I originally planned to invest, which means they were seriously interested in funding her stupid game as well, but I never suggested poisoning her.”

Voren’s eyes narrowed as he continued pressing the issue. ”Not even for revenge after she exposed those nude videos of yours?”

The question landed heavily between them but Ravyn shook his head immediately, frustration clearly visible on his face.

”I already told you,” he insisted. ”I want her to suffer in a way that’s worse than dying. I had nothing to do with poisoning her.”

Voren remained silent for a moment as he studied Ravyn’s expression once again, carefully weighing the sincerity in his reaction.

Even though he disliked Ravyn’s cruel attitude toward Seraphine, the fear and irritation in Ravyn’s eyes did not resemble the response of someone who had secretly arranged something this serious.

A long breath slowly left Voren’s chest as some of the tension inside him eased.

”Fine,” he said finally. ”Then I’ll handle it.”

Before Ravyn could say anything else, Voren turned away and moved through the crowd once more, his sharp eyes scanning the room with focused intensity until he quickly spotted the two men he had been searching for.

Gray and Riven stood near the exit with several other guests, exchanging polite goodbyes and casual smiles as though they intended to leave quietly before anyone paid attention to their departure.

The moment Voren recognized them, anger surged through him again.

”Stop!” Voren shouted across the room.

Both men froze instantly, their bodies going rigid at the sound of his voice. They turned toward him for a split second, and panic flashed across their faces as the realization of who had called them settled in.

Then they made a sudden decision to run.

That single decision became the worst mistake they could possibly have made.