Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 573: Chapter 573 – Voren, you are right.

Voren knew Jasmine had always been eager to have a family of her own, but why would she make such a move when he had openly supported Corvine and Athaliah?

It was almost like icing on the cake that Corvine’s choice of a wife happened to fall perfectly in line with Voren’s plans, even though most of the decisions Voren made had been based purely on instinct.

The cool night air in the garden carried the faint scent of damp earth and distant city traffic, but none of it eased the tight knot sitting in his chest.

Seraphine sat speechless, her mind drifting back to Jasmine earlier that night.

The red-haired woman had been sitting on the floor, crying so hard that her eyes had turned swollen and her face was nearly the same shade as her hair. Now Seraphine finally understood why, and the realization settled heavy and uncomfortable.

”Even if I felt something for her, I never plan on getting involved with a woman until she’s completely mine,” Corvine stated seriously, voice low and steady under the soft garden lights. ”I learned that from my dad. He told me how he dated my mother for close to a year and only took their relationship further on their wedding night.”

His expression softened slightly as he thought about it, a small, almost private smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

”It’s the most romantic story I’ve ever heard, and I planned to do the same. Though my grandmother on my mother’s side was human, so my mother has a stronger human side than I do. She’s the reason my dad spends more time in the city.”

A quiet sigh of relief escaped Voren, the tension in his shoulders easing a fraction. He was glad everything was still in place but Jasmine. Voren only wanted to get back to the pack early enough for Kael to make a move.

That would settle Jasmine and all her desire for a family but the revelation about Corvine’s mother said a lot.

It explained why Corvine seemed completely unaware of whatever connection existed between him and Killian. No wonder Killian hated Corvine so much. He didn’t mind losing to Voren but Corvine seemed to piss him off and no, it wasn’t anger, but pure jealousy.

Voren had suspected that Corvine might know more than he was letting on, but after hearing him talk about his childhood and his family, Voren was beginning to believe he truly had no idea. Still, Voren wasn’t ready to tell him anything yet. For now, there were more pressing matters.

To defeat the Lycans, he would need the crown, and he didn’t care about the means to use to get it to Grimroot Pack. His family’s safety came before everything else.

”So, what happened with Liah?”

Corvine smiled, but there was nothing happy about it. The expression looked more like regret than anything else. If only he had believed her.

If only he had taken her warning seriously, he would have been more careful. Even though he had handled the situation with Jasmine without giving in to her, guilt still gnawed at him, sharp and constant. Liah hadn’t even had the chance to see him naked, yet Jasmine had. To Corvine, she ruined his magic moment.

”Before she left, she told me to be careful of Jasmine,” Corvine admitted, the words coming out rough. ”But I defended Jasmine.”

Voren ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, the motion quick and restless. ”The princess isn’t the petty type.”

He remembered the way Athaliah had immediately stepped back when Voren made it clear that he was in love with someone else. She hadn’t tried to interfere or compete for his attention.

Yeah, Athaliah was not the kind of woman who would share her man with another woman. And she certainly wouldn’t go near a man who already belonged to someone else.

Corvine nodded, the weight of it all still sitting heavy on his face. ”She handled my response maturely, saying that she believed me, but now I’m scared.”

”You deserve to be,” Seraphine cut in, her voice quiet but firm, eyes locked on him.

Corvine looked at her helplessly, the garden shadows softening the edges of his expression. Seraphine continued, leaning forward a little.

”Even if you don’t believe your woman, never make it obvious.”

Voren nodded. He had to admit it. Women often noticed things men completely missed. Their instincts could be frighteningly accurate, especially when it came to another woman.

”So what do I do?” Corvine asked, looking between them, the question carrying real weight.

”Keep trying to get in touch with her,” Voren replied. ”If you don’t get through to her before the meeting with the investors, then we all leave for France.”

A breath of relief escaped Corvine, some of the tightness finally leaving his shoulders. ”Thank you, Voren.”

”I told Jasmine to call Coco, but her phone is switched off,” Seraphine added, frustration creeping into her voice as she pulled Voren’s jacket tighter around herself against the night chill.

Voren frowned, the pieces starting to turn in his mind. ”Wait. Coco is a model, and Athaliah has a show. What if...?”

Seraphine turned toward him, eyes narrowing slightly. ”What? That Coco could be in France?”

”Maybe she’s already on her way there,” Voren corrected. ”The last time I checked, her agency had grown bigger, and she contracts models for designers.”

His brows slowly pulled together, the suspicion settling deeper. ”But Liah should have her own models. Something isn’t adding up.”

The thought stayed with them through the night, quiet and unresolved. It wasn’t until the next morning that several pieces finally began falling into place.

Voren and Seraphine woke up to a knock on the door. Still half asleep, Voren assumed it was Espe and got up to answer it. But when he opened the door, surprise immediately crossed his face.

Corvine stood there, phone in hand, expression tight with something between relief and urgency.

”Voren, you were right. Liah sent me this.”