Chapter 629 - Soft for her Alpha and fierce for her pack

Chapter 629: Chapter 629 - Soft for her Alpha and fierce for her pack

At midnight, the Grimroot pack lay in peaceful slumber, but not its leaders. The shaman’s cave was brightly lit, the flickering flames of dozens of candles casting dancing shadows across the ancient stone walls.

Everyone had gathered, their faces etched with solemn anticipation. Only Vladimir had delayed.

Voren went to his father’s floor, knowing the old Alpha would need help with Olivia. Indeed, when he arrived, Vladimir was carrying Oriana in his arms, her lifeless form cradled against his chest like something precious.

The problem was Olivia, who followed behind them like a shadow, her expression a mixture of fear and desperate hope.

Voren quickly pulled the woman by the arm and followed his father into the elevator. The doors slid shut, enclosing them in silence.

"Voren, since I’m going to give my life for my sister’s..." Olivia’s voice was trembling, fragile. "Can I hug you for the last time?" Her eyes pleaded, but no one paid attention to her. "I’ve always loved you as my own," she added, her voice cracking.

Voren finally responded, his tone cold and cutting. "For a woman who so casually gives up on her own child for someone else’s, I can’t figure out what you understand by love."

Olivia’s head lowered instantly, her words caught in her throat. The truth of his accusation hit her like a physical blow. When she assumed the role of the Luna of the Grimroot pack, she could have indeed made amends.

She could have found her daughter and helped her secretly, could have done something, anything to make up for her abandonment. But she had even sent her daughter away when she came to the Grimroot pack, too afraid of exposure, too addicted to the power she had stolen.

Clearly, Olivia had gotten power drunk. She loved Voren because of the power that came with him, because of the status and security he represented. And everything was clear as day now. Her love had always been conditional, always selfish.

Reaching the shaman’s cave, three beds had been prepared, arranged in a neat row. The shaman gave them plain hospital gowns to change into. Everyone else waited in front of the cave, their breaths held, their hearts heavy.

Vladimir changed Oriana with gentle, reverent hands, treating her lifeless body with the tenderness of a man still deeply in love. Then he changed himself, his movements slow and deliberate. He placed Oriana on the middle bed as instructed by the shaman, her face peaceful in the candlelight. Then he laid to her right, his hand reaching out to touch hers.

Olivia laid to the left of her twin sister’s lifeless body, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, her expression unreadable.

The shaman stepped out to ask Voren, her voice low and serious. "Do you have a way to send Olivia’s corpse to her pack? She would not be buried here."

Voren nodded, his expression grim. "Don’t worry. I can get her back to her pack in no time."

The shaman was pleased with the response. She returned to the cave and placed a vial on Olivia’s chest. Her voice rose in ancient incantations, the words strange and powerful, echoing off the stone walls.

The vial began to glow, filling slowly with a red liquid, vibrant and pulsing like living blood. She picked up the vial and placed it in Vladimir’s hand, her fingers closing his around it.

"You must let Oriana drink it when you meet her." Her voice was heavy with warning. "If she doesn’t, she will not wake."

Vladimir nodded, his eyes never leaving his wife’s face. As the shaman performed the next incantation, his eyes fluttered closed, his body going slack. He was unconscious, his journey to the ethereal realm beginning.

The shaman stepped out and informed Voren, her voice carrying a note of finality. "It’s done. Olivia should be buried in her pack, in the same grave Oriana was buried in before."

As soon as Olivia’s remains were carried out, her position was replaced by Madison. Another incantation was performed, and the middle-aged woman slipped into unconsciousness, her breathing deep and even.

Outside the cave, Corvine informed Voren, his voice earnest. "I will go with you."

But Voren refused, shaking his head firmly. "Stay and train. I’ll do this with Damon."

Damon was stunned by the assignment, his eyes widening slightly. But it was clear that among the other leaders, he was the only one who hadn’t worked directly with Voren.

Their relationship had been limited to the city, to brief encounters and formal exchanges. This was a chance to prove himself.

After they left in a chopper to the seasoned pack, Seraphine felt the weight of responsibility settle on her shoulders. The pack was hers now, at least for the moment. She had to lead, had to protect, had to ensure everything ran smoothly in Voren’s absence.

The next morning, she made breakfast for the kids, her movements efficient despite her exhaustion. She had them shower and change, then sent them herself to the academy, pressing kisses to their foreheads before they left.

From there, she joined training. With Seraphine in charge, the warriors expected her to be soft because of her condition. She was pregnant with twins, after all, but they were in for a surprise.

Their Luna wasn’t weak. She could relax when her Alpha was around, could lean into his strength and let him carry the weight. But without him, she would quickly wear his shoes and lead the pack with the same ferocity he did.

Her commands were sharp, her expectations high, her presence commanding.

Still, Corvine was disturbed, his brow furrowed with concern. "Voren would kill us if anything happens to you or the pups in your belly." His voice was low, urgent. "You’re training too hard."

Seraphine smiled but did not respond. She pushed through the session with relentless determination, showing no sign of weakness.

After training was over, everyone began to look at her differently. The warriors exchanged glances, their respect for her deepening.

They realized that she pretended to be vulnerable whenever Voren was around, a calculated strategy, not a sign of weakness. She knew how to be soft for her Alpha and fierce for her pack.

Athaliah was enchanted, her eyes shining with admiration. "Sera, you’ve motivated me a great deal." Her voice was filled with determination. "I’ll train harder. I want to be like you."

Seraphine was pleased, a warm smile crossing her tired features. "That’s the spirit."

As soon as she reached her suite at the pack house, she was about to go shower, her body aching from the exertion, when her phone rang. Thinking it was Voren, she answered it quickly, her heart lifting.

"Sera." The voice on the other end was familiar but unexpected. "I’ve been trying to reach Voren, but he seems to be out of coverage area. Is everything all right?" It was Kylie.

"I need to warn you about the Blood Moon festival." Kylie’s voice was urgent, tense. "Ravyn has been training so hard and has been receiving strange visitors since his return. Something is going on, and I think you need to be prepared."