Chapter 670 – I have news

Chapter 670: Chapter 670 – I have news

"And?" Voren pressed, his voice taut with impatience.

The outlander leader’s response came quick, almost breathless. "I was trying to see if I got that recording. I wasn’t expecting it, so I wasn’t fast enough. But here’s the thing, he said he can’t trust me if I refuse his kindness. So he’s giving me three days to give him an answer."

Voren’s jaw tightened, a muscle twitching beneath his skin.

"Then he added something else." The leader’s voice dropped, weighted with unease. "He said Lycans love to dwell among humans. The underworld mafia, to be precise. So he won’t have any use for me over there."

A cold fury coiled in Voren’s chest, tightening around his ribs like a serpent. The underworld mafia. Of course. The Lycans had sunk their claws into every dark corner of the human world, and now they were reaching for more.

"Well," the leader continued, "I also don’t want to leave the outlands. So I told him the reason we’re out here isn’t because we did anything bad. We just don’t like pack leadership, and we don’t have what it takes to lead a pack. In the end, we didn’t have a closure."

Voren absorbed the words, turning them over in his mind like stones in a stream. "Thank you for the information."

He paused, something flickering in his memory. His mother. A slow smile curved his lips, dangerous and knowing. "Keep an eye on the cat. And on the Lycans. Continue to report their movements." His voice hardened with purpose. "I’ll come later to see the entry to their world."

The thought crystallized in his mind, sharp and brilliant. Perhaps he’d have a way to crack whatever incantation locked their world. Perhaps his mother’s knowledge would be the key.

He was about to end the call when the outlander spoke again, his tone hesitant. "One last thing."

Voren waited. "I heard him speaking on the phone with a man he casually called Alpha Ravyn." The leader’s voice was careful, measured. "Is that your best friend?"

The question hit Voren like a fist to the gut. His breath caught, his heart stuttering in his chest.

He forced his voice to remain steady, betraying nothing. "What did they discuss?"

"I only used my sixth sense to eavesdrop on the conversation." A note of apology crept into the leader’s tone. "He was telling Alpha Ravyn to help him get someone into your pack during the Blood Moon Festival."

The words landed like poison, spreading through Voren’s veins. His hand tightened around the phone until his knuckles ached.

"Thank you for your honesty." His voice came out flat, controlled. "I shall send your payment."

"Please don’t, King Voren." The outlander’s voice softened with genuine warmth. "This is nothing."

Voren ended the call. Then he sent the payment anyway.

A moment later, his phone buzzed with a frustrated emoji from the outlander. He knew Voren never liked to owe anyone.

Voren stared at his phone, Ravyn’s name burning in his mind. His thumb hovered over the contact, trembling with the urge to call, but he didn’t.

Ravyn was the one who promised to be his spy. If Voren couldn’t trust him now, then what was the point of any of it? He had to rely on the times when things were flawless between them. Had to trust Ravyn again. Even if the doubt gnawed at his insides like a hungry wolf.

He shoved the phone into his pocket and turned his attention to the children.

Preparing them for the academy was a chaotic dance of missing shoes and tangled hair and Bryan’s insistence that he didn’t need help with his jacket even though he absolutely did.

Seraphine offered to help, her hand reaching for Esperanza’s backpack, but Voren gently waved her off.

"I’ve got this." He flashed her a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "You rest."

They were late, of course. But when the kids ran to their mother to say goodbye, their faces bright with joy, Seraphine’s laughter filled the room like music, Voren knew it was worth more than punctuality.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of work and quiet companionship. Voren set up his office in the suite, Seraphine working beside him.

She was in charge of the guest accommodation and he did not want to take that away from her. Furniture arrived in waves, deliveries stacking up at the door until Damon volunteered to receive them on her behalf.

Then came the second set of items, personally addressed to her. Voren directed the placement himself, his vision taking shape piece by piece.

When the studio he prepared for her was finally complete, huge monitors glowing to life, keyboards arranged just so, every detail tailored to her needs, he stepped back and watched her face.

Seraphine’s eyes went wide. Her hand flew to her mouth, and for a moment, she said nothing. Just stood there, drinking it in. The space he’d built for her. The corner of the world where she could be herself again.

"V." Her voice cracked, thick with emotion. She turned to him, eyes glistening. "Thanks a lot."

"Don’t thank me." He crossed the room and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. His voice dropped, warm and teasing. "Since I’m going to help with your job per your unique requirements, I figured you could spend your time doing what you love best."

He winked, and she laughed, a sound so bright and free it chased away the shadows lurking in his mind.

It had been a while since Seraphine traded. She’d missed it more than she’d admitted. And now, with her studio complete and Voren’s support wrapped around her like a blanket, she didn’t feel restricted anymore. She felt alive.

Three days slipped by, each one busier than the last. More items were ordered, delivered, and arrange towards preparations for the Blood Moon Festival that loomed on the horizon like a gathering storm.

Corvine and Liah were finally allowed to join training. But before Liah threw herself into the drills, she came to find Seraphine. The two women settled into a quiet corner, their voices low and warm, sharing laughter and whispered confidences.

Voren watched them for a moment, something soft unfurling in his chest. Then he turned to Corvine, ready to prep him on his Alpha responsibilities.

His phone rang. Voren pulled it from his pocket, and when he saw Ravyn’s name glowing on the screen, a sigh of relief escaped him. Maybe the doubt had been misplaced.

He excused himself and stepped into the balcony, pressing the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Voren." Ravyn’s voice came through the speaker, exhausted and rough, like he hadn’t slept in days. "I have news."