Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 384: Chapter 384 - This gossip has clearly gotten way out of hand

Seraphine had expected the Grimroot Pack hospital to be impressive, but nothing could have prepared her for just how blown away she actually felt the second she stepped inside.

Her eyes went wide as she took it all in, completely stunned by the sight before her.

The place was built right into the heart of those massive rocky structures that made up the pack’s home, but it didn’t feel like some rough cave at all.

Bright, crisp lights flooded every hallway, making the gleaming floors sparkle under her feet, and the rooms were packed with cutting-edge medical equipment that could easily rival the best hospitals she’d seen back in the human world.

As they walked deeper inside, her amazement only grew stronger, a warm rush of awe filling her chest. This wasn’t just modern, it was straight-up exceptional, the kind of place that spoke volumes about vision and dedication.

Every corner carried the unmistakable imprint of Voren’s hard work, the way he’d taken ideas from the outside world and woven them into something extraordinary for his pack.

Pride swelled inside her for him, but right on its heels came a sharp twist of guilt that settled heavy in her heart. She dropped her gaze, fingers curling at her sides.

’You did all this by yourself,’ she mind linked him, her voice soft and full of emotion. ’I feel so useless.’

The thought of everything he’d carried alone while she’d been off building another pack hit her hard. She wished more than anything that she could’ve been here, sharing every burden and every late night with him instead of being apart for all those years.

Standing in the middle of his incredible achievement now, she felt like she was just reaping the benefits of work she hadn’t helped create.

Voren’s gaze softened instantly, and the corners of his mouth lifted in that gentle way that always made her heart skip.

’You spent your life developing another pack, baby. Stop being so hard on yourself,’ he sent back through the mindlink, his voice calm and reassuring, wrapping around her like a warm embrace. ’Besides, Grimroot still has tons of untouched land. There’s plenty left to build and shape however you want.’

His words brought warmth to her heart as he added, ’When you become Luna, I’ll leave all that development in your hands.’

The knot that had been tightening in Seraphine’s chest loosened all at once. A deep, grateful breath slipped from her lips. ’Thank you so much, V.’

The gratitude poured through every word she sent him, impossible to hide. Now, she truly felt like she belonged here, like she had a real place at his side in this world he’d built.

But the sweet moment was interrupted when a few nurses and patients rounded the corner. "Alpha," they said quickly, lowering their heads in respect. "Beta Kael."

Their greetings echoed down the hallway as Voren gave them a simple nod and Kael flashed one of his easy, friendly smiles.

The three of them kept walking toward the hospital director’s office, but even though the hospital staff were trying to keep their voices down, they clearly forgot one crucial detail: their Alpha, his future Luna, and Beta all had senses way sharper than any ordinary wolf. Every single word reached them crystal clear.

"Who is that she-wolf? Is she gonna be our Luna?" one whispered.

Another voice jumped in right away. "Shh, Luna Oriana already said it’s gonna be Jasmine."

A snort followed. "Everyone knows Alpha Voren doesn’t even like Jasmine. It’s kinda sad, cos she’s actually nice."

Someone else chimed in. "I heard Alpha Vladimir and Luna Oriana are trying to set up a marriage between Alpha Voren and the Alpha King’s daughter."

A few steps later, another voice added, "Maybe. But after seeing how bad our medical system was after our Alpha’s wolf injured even our most skilled warriors, I was really hoping our Alpha would choose Luna Seraphine instead."

Seraphine blinked hard, caught completely off guard. Voren seemed just as surprised.

By the time they reached the director’s office, Kael’s eyes were practically sparkling with mischief.

The Beta opened the door, stepped in, and then totally on purpose, left it cracked just enough. Voren shot him a pointed look, but Kael only shrugged with the most innocent expression on his face.

The gossip outside kept rolling. "We all know Alpha wouldn’t do that because Alpha Ravyn is his best friend," one said, sounding annoyed. "Honestly, I don’t get what he sees in him."

Laughter followed. "Neither do I. I get so irritated every time they show up at training with that Daisy woman. She never participates, she just sits there clapping for Alpha Ravyn like some spoiled princess."

"Exactly!" several voices agreed.

"Alpha Ravyn must be blind," another added quickly. "Imagine picking someone like that over Luna Sera, who’s so elegant and accomplished."

"Right?" A voice dropped lower, full of admiration. "I heard Luna Sera got incredibly powerful in the city. Apparently even our Alpha doesn’t mess with her."

The group laughed, then someone sighed dreamily. "Can you imagine those two together? We’d finally have a Luna who actually cares about the pack members."

Frustration crept into the conversation next. "But that ridiculous Alpha Code is probably what’s stopping him."

Inside the office, Seraphine’s cheeks burned hot under the silicon mask. She carefully avoided glancing at Voren, while Kael looked like he was about two seconds from cracking up completely. The voices outside only grew bolder.

"My friends in the Centenary Pack said things haven’t been the same since Luna Sera left. They’re struggling bad right now."

"I heard they’re dealing with some kind of chemical attack, and Luna Sera refuses to help."

"Can you blame her?" a third voice shot back, full of outrage. Silence hung for a beat before another added, "I also heard Alpha Ravyn attacked her the last time she helped them. Thankfully our Alpha was there."

Excitement rippled through the hallway. "They said he carried her on his back and let her ride in his vehicle. Back then I really thought we’d hear of a coronation ceremony soon. After all, our Alpha never allows any she-wolf in his car."

"Same here. Instead he disappeared and came back with some blonde woman."

The group groaned together. Seraphine nearly choked on her own breath and instinctively touched her hair. Blonde woman?

The final comment hit with the most feeling. "I really hope we’re wrong. I admire Luna Sera so much. She stood up for herself."

Several others hummed in agreement. "Too many she-wolves suffer because of their mates, especially Lunas. Everyone just hides behind that stupid Alpha Code. If Luna Sera became our Luna, maybe other she-wolves would finally find the courage to stand up for themselves too."

The office fell completely silent. Even Kael’s playful energy faded as the weight of those words settled over them.

Across the room, the hospital director looked deeply uncomfortable, his face flushed with embarrassment. "I apologize, Alpha," he said, regret flashing in his eyes. "This gossip has clearly gotten way out of hand."

He moved quickly to close the door, and the voices outside cut off instantly. Silence filled the office, but the conversation kept echoing in Seraphine’s mind.

A small, genuine smile tugged at her lips. Not everyone in Grimroot bought into Luna Oriana’s views. Not everyone judged her for leaving Ravyn. So many of them actually understood and supported her. That realization flooded her with a powerful wave of hope.

Then something else tugged at her attention. Ever since they’d stepped into the office, the director’s voice had felt strangely familiar, and the more she listened, the stronger that feeling grew. Her brows pulled together in confusion. It couldn’t be... could it? Her eyes widened suddenly.

’Voren...’ she reached out through the mindlink, hope and disbelief swirling together inside her. ’Is this Doctor Finn?’