Chapter 824 - He’ll always flourish on the milk I fed him

Chapter 824: Chapter 824 - He’ll always flourish on the milk I fed him

"Since you’ve asked that question, there’s something that’s been bothering me. What if Daisy’s evil blood has somehow been passed down to Bryan? I know you raised him, but when you made me spend more time taking care of him, I noticed just how ruthless he could be."

Seraphine smiled, and the affection in her eyes was unmistakable. There was hardly anyone who understood Bryan better than she did, and she wasn’t about to let his biological mother’s history become a reason for anyone to doubt the child she had loved and raised.

"Ruthlessness runs in all our blood. It simply depends on who deserves to experience it. Bryan fed on my breast milk, Ravyn, and no matter how much of Daisy’s blood he might carry, he’ll always flourish on the milk I fed him."

Her words left both men speechless.

Voren stared at his wife with admiration, feeling another wave of love wash over him as he listened to her. He finally understood something he hadn’t fully appreciated before.

Seraphine hadn’t taken Bryan from Daisy simply because she wanted to protect him from his mother’s influence or revenge. She had accepted him with her whole heart, loved him without reservation, and given him the kind of maternal affection that no biological connection could ever guarantee.

To Seraphine, Bryan wasn’t a child she had taken responsibility for out of pity or obligation. He was her son, and she had no intention of allowing anyone to make him feel otherwise.

Ravyn felt something loosen inside his chest, and for the first time in a while, the thought of Bryan’s future no longer troubled him as much.

"In that case, I guess I shouldn’t worry about it."

He turned toward the door again, but before he could leave, Seraphine spoke, her voice carrying a tenderness that made him stop.

"Thank you, Ravyn. You didn’t have to do this, but you chose to do it anyway, and it means more to us than you realize. I could have given up my life to make this happen, but you saved me from having to make that choice and gave me the opportunity to watch the pups I’m raising grow up. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for us."

Ravyn lowered his head, and a shy smile appeared on his face as he tried to hide how deeply her words had touched him.

"Sera, sometimes I find it hard to believe that we were once husband and wife. You never stop amazing me with your kindness. Honestly, I thought you’d use everything Daisy and I did to you as a reason to justify whatever happened to me, and yet here you are, making me feel like some kind of hero when I know very well that I don’t deserve it."

His voice softened toward the end, and his eyes briefly met hers. Perhaps the hardest part of facing his past wasn’t remembering what he had done to Seraphine, but realizing that the woman he had hurt so deeply could still show him such kindness without expecting anything in return.

He had once been the man who broke her heart, yet she was now helping him rebuild his life, welcoming his future mate, and even protecting the happiness of children who had nothing to do with her past suffering.

Seraphine laughed softly, although her eyes remained warm, and she chose not to say anything more. She knew Ravyn understood what she meant, and there was no reason to make him feel even more indebted to her.

Just as he reached for the doorknob, Voren called out again. "Wait."

He leaned toward Seraphine and whispered something in her ear, prompting her to rise from his lap and settle into the chair beside him. Voren then stood up and walked toward Ravyn, who turned around with a questioning expression, only to find himself pulled into a tight embrace.

For a moment, neither man spoke.

Voren’s arms tightened around his best friend, and there was something deeply personal about the way he held him, as though he wanted to make up for every moment they had spent apart, every misunderstanding that had come between them, and every painful experience that had made Ravyn believe he no longer had a place beside him.

They had been through so much together, and although their friendship had suffered, the bond between them had never truly disappeared.

The warmth of Voren’s embrace finally broke through the walls Ravyn had spent years building around his emotions.

The tears he had been holding back came rushing down his cheeks, and he returned the embrace with a force that revealed just how much he had missed having his best friend back.

"It’s good to have my best friend back, Ravyn."

"Best friends again," Ravyn repeated tearfully.

He eventually pulled away, wiping his cheeks with the back of his hand before attempting a small smile.

"And if you don’t mind, can you let your mate train mine while she’s here? Mary knows absolutely nothing about pack life or the responsibilities she’ll have to handle. Sera spent her entire life at the Centenary Pack and served as Luna for seven years, so she understands what Mary needs to learn better than anyone. I don’t want her walking into that position without knowing what she’s doing."

"I’ll do it."

Seraphine answered before Voren could even respond, her voice firm and her expression reassuring.

"As for strength training, we have plenty of capable leaders who can help her with that, and when she eventually returns to the Centenary Pack, you can work with her to perfect her skills. I’ll take care of the administrative and social responsibilities. I’ll teach her everything she needs to know for as long as I have the strength to do it."

Ravyn looked at her, and the gratitude in his expression was impossible to miss. He had come to the Grimroot Pack carrying so many worries, uncertain about his future with Mary and struggling with the consequences of his past, yet Seraphine had welcomed him without judgment and was now offering to help the woman he loved become a Luna.

"I would have asked you for a hug, too, but I think that would be crossing the line. Thank you so much, Sera."

His smile lingered as he turned toward the door, and this time, he left without looking back. His footsteps were steady, and although the problems waiting for him hadn’t disappeared, something inside him had finally begun to heal.

Voren watched him leave before turning toward his wife. The warmth in his expression gradually gave way to concern, especially when he remembered what Seraphine had said about being willing to give up her life.

"Can you please stop talking about giving up your life?"

His voice was softer now, but there was an unmistakable seriousness in his eyes as he reached for her hand.

"I need you, Sera. The packs need you, and our pups need you, too. You’re far more useful to all of us alive than you could ever be dead. Please remember that whenever you start thinking about making another sacrifice. I don’t want to hear you talking about giving up your life again, because I honestly don’t know what I would do if I ever lost you."

Seraphine smiled gently, her fingers closing around his as she looked into his eyes. "I’ll remember that."

She understood why he was worried, and although she had never regretted the sacrifices she had made for the people she loved, she knew Voren needed to understand that her life mattered to him just as much as the lives she was always trying to protect.

Ravyn remained at the Grimroot Pack for a few days, and during his stay, Kael, Damon, and Jasmine returned from one of their external pack audits with some rather interesting news.

The moment the three walked in, their excitement was impossible to miss. Their faces were glowing with satisfaction, and their eyes carried an unmistakable look of triumph, as though they had discovered something significant enough to change the course of events in the days ahead.