Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 465: Chapter 465 - Could you help us... just this once?

Corvine couldn’t tear his eyes away from Athaliah. She was absolutely breathtaking, the kind of woman who made everything around her feel a little brighter.

Everything about her seemed so effortless, that gentle smile, the quiet confidence she carried in every move. Just watching her made his throat go dry.

He swallowed hard, doing his best to keep his cool even as warmth bloomed deep in his chest. From the very first time they’d met, the way she spoke about her business had blown him away.

She was sharp, respectful, and never once acted entitled even though she was the Alpha King’s daughter.

For one wild, reckless second, real hope flickered to life in his heart. Then she spoke.

”Well...” A helpless little smile crossed her face. ”My father would never let me marry anyone below an Alpha.”

Corvine’s heart plummeted. The words hit like a punch to the gut, but he kept his face carefully blank.

She kept talking, completely unaware of the pain slicing through him. ”I’ve honestly had Alpha Voren in mind ever since I met him decades ago.” She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh. ”But that’s over now.”

Her eyes held nothing but quiet acceptance. ”Since he’s completely unavailable, I just want to understand what kind of woman could make a man like him fall so deeply in love. Maybe if I figure that out, I’ll know how to catch the attention of the next Alpha who actually makes my heart race.”

Every single word chipped away at that fragile spark of hope Corvine had been clinging to. His chest felt tight and heavy, but he stayed calm on the outside, refusing to let the disappointment show.

Seraphine ended her mind link with Voren and turned her full attention back to Athaliah, a gentle smile spreading across her face. ”Trust me,” she said, her voice warm and sincere, ”that she-wolf isn’t nearly as special as you’re imagining her to be.”

She chuckled softly. ”The real secret is just being yourself. You don’t have to pretend to be someone else just because the guy you love happens to be an Alpha.”

Seraphine’s eyes softened with real emotion. ”If you’re willing to stand by the person you love no matter what the world throws at you, you’ll find this incredible peace, the kind of real love, and a happiness so deep that nobody can ever take it away from you.”

Athaliah felt her wolf stir strongly inside her. Every instinct screamed that Seraphine was speaking straight from experience.

There was so much quiet confidence behind those words, it didn’t sound like generic advice. It sounded like a woman describing her own hard-won life.

Deep down, her wolf grew even more certain: Seraphine was the one Alpha Voren loved with all his heart. But Athaliah kept those thoughts locked away for now. This wasn’t the right moment to mention their secret relationship.

Instead, she let out a quiet sigh. ”It’s just... I already went against my father when I decided to stop chasing Alpha Voren.” She lowered her eyes, her fingers twisting together nervously.

”I can’t love a man whose heart already belongs to someone else. I really do want to fall in love, but my father...” She shook her head, a sad smile tugging at her lips. ”He would never approve of me marrying an ordinary werewolf.”

A small spark of hope returned to her eyes. ”Maybe I’ll make a wish during tomorrow night’s Full Moon Festival. Maybe the Moon Goddess will finally favor me with a man who would only look at me.”

She had no idea how deeply her words were cutting into Corvine. He sat there silently beside them, maintaining that same steady, calm mask he always wore. No one could tell how badly it hurt.

Seraphine tilted her head thoughtfully. ”What if you were fated to someone who wasn’t an Alpha? What if your mate turned out to be an ordinary werewolf, or maybe even a Beta during the Blood Moon Festival?”

Athaliah’s eyes widened in surprise. ”The Blood Moon Festival...” She laughed and gently smacked her forehead. ”I completely forgot about that.”

Hope slowly crept back into her expression. ”I hate admitting it, but maybe that’s my only real way out.” She glanced toward the large windows where the snow was still pouring. ”I guess I’ll wait and see what the Moon Goddess has in store for me.”

Seraphine smiled and smoothly changed the conversation. ”Speaking of plans...” She looked over at Corvine. ”Corvine here is the CEO of MindNest.”

Athaliah immediately turned toward him, her beautiful face lighting up with a warm smile. ”When your schedule isn’t too crazy,” she said politely, her voice full of genuine hope, ”could you maybe find some time for me? I’d love to talk about the business partnership with you.”

Corvine stared at her for a moment, caught off guard again by how humble she was. She was the Alpha King’s daughter. She could’ve demanded a meeting without a second thought but instead, she was asking nicely, respectfully. It made his heart soften even more toward her.

Just as he opened his mouth to answer, a loud voice cut through the crowded gym. ”Everyone, may I have your attention?”

The room gradually fell quiet as all eyes turned toward Daisy. She stood proudly in the center of the hall, wearing a perfectly practiced graceful smile.

”As the soon-to-be Luna of this pack,” she announced with confidence, ”I’d like to officially welcome all of you to the Centenary Pack.”

Her gaze swept across the room before it landed on Athaliah and finally settled on Seraphine. A fake trace of concern flickered across her face.

”I also regret to inform everyone that several of our warriors haven’t been able to enjoy today’s gathering.” She lowered her eyes just enough to look sympathetic. ”They were exposed to a chemical attack that left them completely powerless.”

Then she looked straight at Seraphine, her smile turning softer and almost pleading. ”Please, Luna Seraphine...” She placed a hand dramatically over her chest, putting on a convincing show of vulnerability. ”Could you help us... just this once?”