Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 668: Chapter 668 - Why am I on the floor?

Seraphine bolted upright, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. The sudden movement jolted Voren from sleep, his arm flailing across the empty space she’d left behind.

”V.” Her voice cracked with urgency as she grabbed his shoulder, shaking him hard. ”Has Corvine gotten his Alpha wolf yet?”

”What?” Voren’s voice came out thick and groggy, his eyes struggling to focus in the dim light.

”V, go to Corvine’s suite.” Her fingers dug into his skin, her entire body trembling. ”His wolf seems to have taken over their—” The words died in her throat, but the implication hung in the air like a blade.

Sleep vanished from Voren’s face. He threw back the covers and lunged for the closet, yanking a pair of pants and a shirt from their hangers with frantic, jerky movements.

”I found it strange that he healed so fast.” He shoved his legs into the pants, his mind racing. ”If he has a new wolf, then he’ll indeed lose control because that wolf is untrained.” He paused, his gaze finding her pale face. ”I’ll get Mom to come take care of you.”

Seraphine shook her head violently, her dark hair whipping across her cheeks. ”No. Tell Jasmine to bring the kids to keep me company. Mom should go help Liah.” Her voice dropped, thick with fear. ”I can’t reach her anymore.”

”Fuck!” A vicious curse tore from Voren’s lips. He was out the door before the word finished leaving his mouth, his bare feet slapping against the cold floor. His mind reached out desperately for Corvine, but the link slammed back into him like a wall of solid stone. Blocked.

He stabbed at the elevator button, his patience fraying with every passing second. The moment the doors slid shut, he reached for his mother through mind link. ’Mom, meet me in Corvine’s suite. It’s urgent.’

The elevator lurched upward. He was already moving before the doors fully opened, his long strides eating up the corridor. His mind link found Jasmine next. ’Send the kids to Sera. I’ll prepare them for the academy when I return.’

’Well noted.’ Jasmine’s response came swift and sure.

He skidded to a stop in front of Corvine’s suite and jammed his finger into the doorbell. The chime echoed mockingly from within, met with nothing but silence. His was about to enter the master code when the door swung open.

The sight that greeted him turned his blood to fire.

Corvine stood in the doorway, his lower half wrapped in nothing but a towel. His chest was bare, muscles taut and gleaming with a sheen of sweat. But it was his face that sent ice through Voren’s veins.

His expression was cold, distant, wrong. His eyes, usually warm and steady, were dark pools of barely contained violence. And when he spoke, his voice rumbled deeper than it should have, resonating with something ancient and predatory.

”What are you doing here?”

His wolf was still in control. Voren could see it in the rigid set of Corvine’s shoulders, the way his fingers curled and uncurled at his sides like claws seeking flesh. The only way to bring him back was pain.

Voren’s fist connected with Corvine’s jaw before he could think twice. The crack of bone against bone echoed through the corridor. Corvine crumpled, his body hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

Three seconds of stillness. Then Corvine jolted awake, gasping, his eyes flying open. He blinked up at the ceiling, then at Voren, confusion flooding his features. ”Voren? What’s going on? Why are you here?” He pushed himself up on his elbows, wincing. ”And why am I on the floor?”

Before Voren could answer, the elevator chimed. Oriana stepped out, her white dress flowing around her ankles, her face set in grim determination. Voren turned to her, his voice tight with barely restrained panic. ”Mom, please check on the Luna. It was supposed to be their honeymoon, and his wolf took over.”

Oriana went rigid. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, and her eyes blazed with fury. ”How could that happen? Can’t control your wolf?”

She didn’t wait for an answer. She swept past them, her footsteps sharp and quick against the polished floor. The suites were all designed with the same layout, elegant, spacious, every detail considered. But tonight, the beauty of the space felt obscene against the horror unfolding within.

Corvine glanced down at himself, at the towel barely preserving his modesty, and shame flooded his face. His cheeks burned crimson. ”Voren, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.”

”Have you got your Alpha wolf?” Voren’s voice was clipped, controlled.

Corvine nodded slowly, pushing himself to his feet. ”Yeah. His name is Sword, and he healed me back then.”

”That explains it.” Voren’s jaw tightened. ”I’m giving you three days for your honeymoon. After that, it’s wolf training for you. But until then, you have to temporarily block your wolf.”

Corvine’s brow furrowed. He reached out for his wolf but there was no response. He gritted his teeth, frustration etching lines into his face. ”He must be ashamed. He blocked himself.”

”Good. Keep it that way.” Voren’s voice dropped, cold and hard. ”Don’t ever allow him control until he’s trained. Had your woman not mind linked mine, you would have killed her.”

The words landed like a physical blow. Corvine staggered back, horror dawning in his eyes.

Voren’s gaze swept the room, taking in the scattered rose petals, the flickering candles, the champagne chilling in a silver bucket. His brow lifted. ”I never thought you’d have the time to set up something romantic like this.”

Corvine blinked, his confusion deepening. ”I didn’t arrange it. I thought it was a pack thing.”

Voren’s own confusion flickered, but the mystery of the rose petals could wait. ”Go check on your wife.”

The words broke whatever spell had held Corvine frozen. He bolted for the bedroom, his bare feet pounding against the floor.

Liah lay pale and still on the bed, her dark hair fanned across the pillow like spilled ink. Her chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths. Oriana moved around her with quick, efficient movements, preparing a bath, her expression unreadable.

The doorbell rang again. Voren opened it to find Vladimir, a canvas bag dangling from his hand. ”These are herbs. Your mother told me to bring them.”

Voren took the bag, his fingers brushing against the rough fabric. He didn’t dare enter the bedroom, didn’t dare intrude on the raw, private moment unfolding within. Instead, he called for Corvine and handed him the herbs, watching as the man disappeared back into the room.

When Oriana finished preparing the bath, Corvine lifted Liah into his arms as if she were made of glass. Tears welled in his eyes, tracking silver lines down his cheeks. His voice cracked, barely a whisper. ”What have I done?”

Voren wanted to leave. Every instinct screamed at him to retreat, to give them privacy. But Seraphine would be worried, would demand to know Liah’s condition. So he stayed, his back pressed against the wall, his gaze fixed on the closed bedroom door.

Only when Liah regained consciousness did he allow himself to breathe. Only then did he slip out, leaving Oriana behind to prepare more herbs.

The training grounds greeted him with the familiar scent of sweat and earth. He threw himself into the exercises, pushing his body to its limits after he informed the pack that the Alpha was still on his honeymoon and would join training after three days.

When the session ended, he pulled Damon aside for their exclusive training. As expected, Damon fell unconscious within minutes, his body crumpling to the ground like a puppet with cut strings.

Voren waited, arms crossed, watching the rise and fall of Damon’s chest until his wolf healed him and consciousness returned.

By the time Voren made it back to the suite, he was greeted by laughter, bright and warm.

His two children barreled into him, their small arms wrapping around his legs, their voices a chorus of delight. He scooped them up, one in each arm, and pressed kisses to their cheeks.

Then his phone buzzed.

He repositioned Esperanza to his hip and pulled the device from his pocket. The screen glowed with a single message, and the words sent a chill racing down his spine.

’King Voren, about the Lycan’s pack, please check out the video for yourself.’