Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 385: Chapter 385 - You sound very familiar

Seraphine’s heart slammed against her ribs the second the possibility hit her. Doctor Finn? Out of everyone she could’ve imagined running into in the Grimroot Pack, he was the absolute last person she expected.

A huge wave of memories crashed over her all at once, pulling her right back to those raw, painful years. After finding out she was pregnant, she’d come back to the pack carrying way more heartbreak than joy.

The pregnancy had been brutal from day one, with the physical aches and the emotional storm nearly breaking her. She’d needed something, anything, to keep her mind from drowning in all that misery.

That’s when learning became her lifeline. Instead of hiding away and letting the pain swallow her whole, she’d thrown herself back into the academy for several intense months.

That was exactly where Doctor Finn had stepped into her life. He’d been one of the most respected doctors there, and eventually he became her mentor, pushing her harder than anyone else ever had.

He constantly challenged her to go way beyond the textbooks and traditional pack healing methods, forcing her to think sharper and deeper. Back then, she’d admired him so much it almost hurt.

Even now, after all these years, that respect still sat deep in her chest. Which was exactly why she was secretly hoping like hell that this wasn’t him standing right in front of her.

If even Doctor Finn couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the warriors, it would feel so strange and heavy for her to be the one coming up with the answers.

’He is. Do you know him?’ Voren’s voice came through their mindlink, steady and curious.

Seraphine’s lips twitched into a small, bittersweet smile. ’He was my mentor.’

Voren’s eyebrow shot up, and a teasing grin spread across his face. ’Am I surprised? I guess the student really did end up surpassing the teacher.’

She rolled her eyes, but warmth bloomed in her chest at his words.

Voren wasn’t just being biased because he loved her. Over the years, he had hunted down the best medical minds he could find, pouring everything into building up the pack’s healthcare because he knew well how much it mattered for their survival.

No matter how many brilliant doctors he met, Seraphine’s name always rose above them all. So many other packs were jealous of what she could do, and plenty of Alphas wished they had someone with her insane level of knowledge on their side.

It only made Ravyn’s past actions sting even worse. That man had held something truly priceless in his hands and never once appreciated it the way he should have.

The thought darkened Voren’s expression for a split second before he shoved it away.

The hospital director stepped forward then. "Doctor Finn, meet Doctor Suzette Ash," Voren said, gesturing toward Seraphine with clear pride. "She’s a very good friend of mine with an outstanding medical record. I brought her here specifically to help with the warriors my wolf injured."

Doctor Finn studied her carefully, his frown deepening as the seconds stretched. "Alpha..." The hesitation in the older doctor’s voice was impossible to miss. "I’ve never heard of a doctor by that name." His eyes flicked toward Voren. "To be honest, I was really hoping you’d reach out to Doctor Seraphine for this."

Kael immediately dropped his head, fighting hard to hide his reaction. Doctor Finn kept going, totally clueless. "From what I’ve heard in the rumors, the two of you are business partners." His face grew serious. "The warriors’ condition is incredibly complicated. Even I..."

The whole room seemed to drop in temperature. Doctor Finn froze on the spot. Voren’s face stayed calm, but the raw Alpha authority pouring off him was impossible to ignore.

"Are you questioning my decision?" His voice dropped low, and the power behind it slammed through the air like a storm.

Doctor Finn’s shoulders stiffened instantly, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. "No, Alpha." He lowered his head fast. "I apologize. I spoke out of turn."

The crushing pressure eased just a little. Doctor Finn let out a quiet breath and turned back to Seraphine, his expression softening into one of genuine respect. "If Alpha Voren trusts your abilities, then I have no reason to doubt them. Please follow me, Doctor Ash."

Even with his earlier doubts, he clearly trusted Voren’s judgment completely. The Alpha had never been careless when it came to anything involving the pack.

"There are twenty complicated cases that need immediate attention," Doctor Finn added, adjusting his glasses. "If you’re open to it, I can bring in the other doctors later. It would be an incredible learning opportunity for all of us to see your methods."

Seraphine thought about it for a moment, then shook her head gently. "You can organize the doctors for later. Right now, I’d like to examine one patient first."

Doctor Finn nodded. "Which one?"

"The most critical case," she answered without hesitation. "If I can understand the worst condition, it’ll make figuring out the rest so much easier."

Doctor Finn looked genuinely impressed. That was exactly the approach he would’ve taken himself. But then something else seemed to snag his attention.

His brows slowly drew together as a strange feeling washed over him. The more he listened to her speak, the more familiar she sounded. He stopped walking completely.

Seraphine noticed right away. Doctor Finn turned toward her, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses. "You sound very familiar."

Seraphine stayed perfectly cool and composed. A smile curved her lips beneath the mask. "I get that all the time," she said with a casual shrug. "Most people including your Alpha tell me I sound just like Doctor Sera. I’m still hoping I’ll get to meet her someday."

Kael bit the inside of his cheek so hard it hurt, the urge to burst out laughing becoming almost impossible to fight.

Even Voren looked way too amused for his own good. Doctor Finn stared at her for several long seconds, then slowly nodded. "Perhaps that’s it."

The explanation made enough sense. Satisfied, he turned and continued down the hallway. Seraphine followed quietly beside him, her heart still racing from the close call.

The moment they disappeared around the corner, Voren’s gaze stayed locked on the spot where she’d been.

Every instinct in him screamed to go after her. He hated being separated from her, especially now that he’d finally found her again. But another matter needed his attention.

Remembering what Kael had asked for earlier, Voren reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the hallway and turned to face his Beta. His expression grew serious. "You mentioned wanting to talk about something important."

Kael’s usual playful energy vanished in an instant. The Beta rubbed the back of his neck, looking genuinely nervous for the first time all day.

His eyes dropped to the floor as a heavy silence stretched between them. Voren’s brows furrowed deeply. Whatever this was, it clearly wasn’t good news.

Finally, Kael let out a long, tense breath. "Alpha..." His voice came out lower and rougher than usual. "It’s about Jasmine."