Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 391: Chapter 391 - If happiness unlocks your abilities then...

Voren wasn’t sure whether to feel pleased as hell or seriously worried. Part of him lit up with real satisfaction that the pack had already started warming up to Seraphine, even without knowing her true identity.

But the other part of him felt a sharp twist of unease, too much attention right now could turn dangerous fast, especially after the wild scene at the hospital. He shoved those worries down and zeroed in on Kael’s mindlink.

’My mom?’ Disbelief dripped from his voice, making Kael chuckle on the other end.

’Yeah, Alpha.’ The Beta sounded completely worn out. ’Believe it or not, Luna Oriana is dying to meet Doctor Ash.’

Voren pinched the bridge of his nose, a headache already blooming behind his eyes.

Kael kept going, his tone dead serious. ’And if you’re thinking I’m gonna be the one to tell her Doctor Ash is actually Luna Sera, you can forget it. I like being alive.’

Despite everything, a reluctant smile tugged at Voren’s lips. ’I’m serious,’ Kael pushed. ’I’m shocked she hasn’t already cornered you about it.’

Voren’s expression darkened. ’Why?’

’Because she announced to half the pack that she planned to talk to you. She wants Doctor Ash to become a permanent member of Grimroot.’

That hit Voren like a punch, freezing him in place. A permanent member. The irony burned so strong it was almost funny. If only his mother knew just how deeply Doctor Ash was already tied to Grimroot in ways she’d never accept.

He exhaled slowly. Deep down, he would’ve loved for Seraphine to soak up all that genuine pack affection. For once, people were praising her openly, respecting her skills, admiring her, actually wanting her around.

After everything she’d suffered, she deserved to feel truly valued and wanted. But the risk was too high.

Doctor Finn had already pieced together parts of her identity through the disguise, and if one person could do it, others might too. He wasn’t about to put her in jeopardy, not with the Full Moon Festival breathing down their necks and their wedding only days away.

’Tell everyone Doctor Ash already left,’ Voren instructed.

Kael caught on instantly. ’That’s exactly what I figured you’d say.’

Voren nodded to himself. ’But let them know I plan to bring her back after the Full Moon Festival.’

’Good.’ Relief flooded Kael’s voice. ’That’s what I was hoping for.’

A beat later, Voren remembered something else. ’Kael.’

’Yes, Alpha?’

’Inform my parents to meet me at the top of the pack in six hours.’

’You’re heading out that soon?’

’The helicopter will be there by then.’

’Understood.’ Kael paused, then let out a soft laugh. ’Good luck dealing with Luna Oriana.’

The mindlink cut off before Voren could fire back. When he turned around, Seraphine was already watching him, bright blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What happened?"

He walked over and laid it all out, the excited pack members, the party his mother had thrown together, her sudden fascination with Doctor Ash, and all the requests to meet her.

As he spoke, a warm glow spread through Seraphine’s chest, building until her eyes shone with pure emotion. Without a second thought, she stepped straight into his arms.

Voren wrapped her up tight, holding her close. She rested her cheek against his chest, a soft smile curving her lips. "I forgot to tell you something."

His fingers slid gently through her hair. "What is it?"

A quiet laugh escaped her. "Marsha finally explained part of what happened today."

That immediately caught his full attention. "Oh?"

She nodded against him. "Apparently I’ve got access to way more abilities than I ever realized." Her cheeks warmed as she continued. "And she said those powers grow insanely stronger when I’m happy. Really, deeply happy."

A slow, tender smile spread across Voren’s face. Seraphine looked up at him, her voice softening with raw feeling. "I think that’s why I could heal those warriors. Because of you." Emotion thickened in her throat. "For years, nothing like that ever happened. But lately... I’ve been happier than I ever thought possible."

Voren stared down at her for a long moment, his heart squeezing with overwhelming love. He leaned in and kissed her forehead, slow and full of devotion. "If happiness unlocks your abilities," he murmured, voice dropping low and intimate, "then you’re about to discover a whole lot more."

Seraphine laughed, the sound bright, genuine, and full of joy that wrapped around his heart like nothing else. He wanted to hear that laugh for the rest of his life.

The remaining hours slipped by in peaceful bliss. For once there were no emergencies crashing in, no crushing secrets, no battles or painful conversations. Just the two of them.

They cooked together, shared stories that made them laugh until their sides hurt, teased each other playfully, and ate way more than they probably should have.

Every now and then Voren would catch himself staring at her with pure adoration, and each time Seraphine would notice and burst into laughter, making his chest tighten with fierce happiness.

Eventually the time came to leave. An hour before departure they showered and dressed, neither of them wanting to walk away from the quiet magic of the cabin. But the city waited, and so did their wedding. The thought alone filled both of them with warm, bubbling anticipation.

Hand in hand, they made their way to the highest point of the pack where the helicopter would land. As they approached, Voren noticed immediately that the helicopter had already arrived and they weren’t the first ones there. Luna Oriana and Alpha Vladimir were already seated inside, waiting.

Seraphine felt a sharp spike of nerves hit her. Voren noticed right away and reached for her hand without hesitation. The simple, grounding touch eased the anxiety flooding through her.

Together they climbed aboard. The moment they sat down, Voren pulled her tight against his side, completely ignoring the fact that his parents sat right across from them.

He ignored the disapproving glare already forming on his mother’s face, ignored everything except the woman in his arms.

Then he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered, the words soft yet loud enough for both his parents to hear clearly.

Seraphine’s heart melted completely. A radiant smile bloomed across her face. "I love you too."

The sweet exchange lasted only seconds, but it was more than enough to set Luna Oriana off. She cleared her throat loudly but Voren didn’t even glance her way.

Another cough followed, then another. Finally she spoke, her voice dripping with disapproval. "Voren."

He reluctantly looked over. His mother had her arms folded tight. "I heard you brought a remarkable doctor to heal the warriors your wolf injured."

Voren already knew exactly where this was going. "Mm."

Luna Oriana continued, her disappointment obvious. "Why didn’t you let me meet her? I spent hours organizing a welcome celebration."

Seraphine had to fight hard not to laugh. The woman had unknowingly thrown a whole party for her, only to miss her completely.

Luna Oriana sighed dramatically. "Then I found out she’d already left." The hidden message was crystal clear. Doctor Ash had impressed the pack deeply, pulling attention away from Seraphine and reminding everyone that other talented doctors existed in the world.

Voren caught every layer of it, amusement dancing bright in his eyes. His mother had no idea. A confident smile spread slowly across his face. "Mom."

The certainty in his voice made both parents look at him sharply. "The pack members might believe that story," he said, his grin widening, "because they don’t know Sera was here."

Confusion flashed across Vladimir’s face. Oriana frowned. Voren shook his head. "But I never expected you to fall for it too."

Silence filled the helicopter. His parents exchanged baffled looks, neither understanding. "What are you implying?" Vladimir finally asked.

Voren leaned back comfortably, then smirked, the kind of smirk that immediately made his mother nervous. "Doctor Ash... and Doctor Sera... are the same person."

The helicopter suddenly went dead quiet. Voren had to bite back a laugh because the color drained from both of his parents’ faces at exactly the same time.