Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 534: Chapter 534 – Being selfish

Corvine felt completely numb as they left the first vehicle after firing up the engine and switching on the heater, then moved over to the next one. He understood every single word Voren had laid out, but actually accepting what it meant was a whole different story.

”If I’m getting this right, King Jaron would make me Alpha of the Silver Pack once he hands the Alpha King title over to his son. And if that happens...” His voice grew heavier as the full weight of it settled in. ”I’d have to walk away from the Grimroot Pack.”

The idea left a bitter taste that wouldn’t go away.

Joining the Grimroot Pack was something he was looking forward to, never intending to join another. All he’d ever wanted was to stay close to Voren and Sera.

Voren had stepped into the role of the older brother Corvine never had, ready to guide, and teaching him things he couldn’t just learn anywhere.

Now both Voren and Sera were his leaders, and those two had turned his whole life around in more ways than he could even count. The last thing he wanted was to leave them, especially while they still hadn’t figured out who the hell was hunting the White Wolf.

On top of that, if he took over the Silver Pack and kept handling the businesses in New York, Seraphine would have to split herself between MindNest and pack business because Corvine’s time in the city would be limited.

Unlike Voren who was patient to teach him, the Alpha King would not, and Jasper would already be busy with his new role. In the end Voren wasn’t just looking out for Corvine—he was fixing two problems at once.

A faint smile tugged at Voren’s mouth as he flung another shovelful of snow out of the way.

”I’m glad you put it together,” he pointed out, his eyes still locked on the buried SUV in front of them. ”And don’t go thinking I’m only doing this for your sake. I’ll be honest. I’m being selfish as hell about it.”

He drove the shovel deep into another pile of snow before he kept going. ”I need you, Corvine. Kael needs training about business in the city too. If you’re still with the Grimroot Pack, Seraphine won’t have to worry so much about MindNest.”

”If anything ever goes sideways, I know I can count on you to handle both the pack and our businesses in the city because you already know every corner of it. You’ll also help to train Kael, and he wouldn’t have to be stuck in the pack all his life.”

Corvine turned it all over in his head before another question rose up. ”Can’t I just marry the princess without taking any of the titles that come with her?”

Voren stopped long enough to think it through, then let out a quiet breath. ”If I was the Alpha King, that would probably be easy enough. But with King Jaron...” His brows pulled tight. ”I seriously doubt he’d ever allow it.”

His expression softened as another thought crossed his mind. ”I’m planning to change a few things in our pack’s constitution, but I need to talk it over with my wife first. After that I’ll work through every possibility. And if you ever become Alpha King, you’ll still have me right here to help you settle into the role.”

Deep down Voren already knew Corvine was more than just a Beta. Whether people called him Co-Alpha or Beta, the man would still step into the role of either an Alpha, or Alpha King one day.

The real problem was that Voren couldn’t stand the idea of Corvine leaving Seraphine’s side.

If there was one man in the entire world he trusted around his wife without a second of hesitation, it was Corvine.

There was another reason sitting right under the surface. If Corvine became Alpha King while still serving as the Grimroot Pack’s Co-Alpha, there would be no reason for him to leave at all.

Keeping him close would also make it a hell of a lot easier for Voren to keep the more power-hungry Alphas in line through someone he trusted completely.

Prince Jasper was a different story. The man had potential, no question, but Voren’s influence over the future leadership of the werewolf community would never reach the same level through him. Because Voren knew exactly what was coming.

War.

He could feel it creeping closer with every day that passed. There would come a time when Seraphine could no longer hide her powers. Once she gave birth those abilities would only keep growing stronger, making any kind of concealment impossible.

And the second that happened, the attacks would start. The Black Gifted Wolf would see the future long before anyone else and prepare for war before the rest of them even realized it was on the way.

That was the real reason behind everything Voren had just proposed. Corvine was an asset he could not let go off and hence, creating the position that would keep him at the Grimroot pack for the needed time.

Corvine lowered his eyes as an entirely different idea started taking shape in his own mind. It wasn’t something he was ready to share with Voren yet, not until he talked it through with Athaliah.

If everything unfolded the way he hoped, it might change more than just his future. For now, though, he understood Voren’s vision and was willing to stand behind it.

A small chuckle slipped out of him. ”You’re getting way ahead of yourself, Voren. The princess hasn’t even accepted me yet.”

Voren only smiled and didn’t argue. The two of them kept working side by side in the freezing cold, clearing thick piles of snow from around the vehicles without a single complaint.

Once there was enough space for everyone to move safely, Voren brushed the last of the snow off one of the remaining SUVs and opened the passenger door. He helped Seraphine climb in first, making sure she was settled before he started the engine and turned the heater on full.

Warm air slowly filled the car as he closed her door. Only then did he walk around and help Athaliah into the vehicle, shutting her door as well so both women stayed warm while the rest of them kept working.

After that Voren headed back toward the hall. Most of the leaders were still inside, their attention glued to the videos, while Ravyn personally dragged Daisy toward the dungeon. The sight of the other Alphas being entertained by the videos darkened Voren’s expression in an instant.

His thunderous roar exploded through the hall and made the walls tremble.

”What the hell are all of you sitting around for?” His furious glare swept across every Alpha in the room. ”Do you only use your strength to fuck women? Get your asses out here and start working!”

Not a single person dared challenge him. After everything they had just witnessed in those videos, a lot of them were carrying enough guilt to keep their heads lowered in shame. Without another word the Alphas, Betas, warriors, and guests hurried outside into the bitter cold.

The moment they stepped into the snow, a lot of them froze. Their eyes went wide. Alpha Voren, Alpha Killian, even Prince Jasper. Every one of them was already out there shoveling snow like it was the most natural thing in the world. Not one of them complained, nor acted like the work was beneath them.

To many of the leaders watching, this was the kind of labor reserved for omegas and lower-ranking warriors, but Voren clearly saw things differently. To him real strength came with responsibility.

If somebody had the ability to help, they helped. Titles didn’t mean a damn thing when there was work that needed doing.

Then, without any warning, a loud, excited howl tore through the icy air. It carried so much pure happiness that everyone instinctively stopped what they were doing. Every head turned toward the sound.