Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 47: Chapter 47 – Take it down

Voren’s fingers curled hard into his palm the second Ravyn came into view, his nails biting skin as irritation flared hot and immediate in his chest, because the sight of that man alone was enough to ruin everything he had planned for today.

Any slim chance he had of getting Seraphine to ease off his server, of talking to her calmly and privately, vanished the moment Ravyn appeared, because Ravyn never knew how to exist in a room with Seraphine without turning the air sharp and volatile.

Voren already knew how this would end, with raised voices, bruised pride, and Seraphine’s temper flaring instead of cooling, and the certainty of it made his jaw tighten.

”Sera, we need to talk.” Ravyn’s voice cut through the space like ice dragged across stone, cold, clipped, and vibrating with barely restrained fury, his dark gaze locked on her with the kind of intensity that demanded obedience instead of conversation.

Nicole felt regret slam into her almost instantly, thick and uncomfortable in her gut, because in that moment she finally understood why Seraphine had been furious when she arranged this meeting.

Voren was dangerous in his own calculated, corporate way, but Ravyn was something else entirely, sharp-edged and explosive, the kind of man who never realized how much damage he caused simply by entering a room.

Before Ravyn could get any closer, Corvine stepped directly into his path, his body angled protectively as his voice dropped into something flat and lethal. ”Don’t even dare.”

The warning hung heavy in the air, and even though Corvine’s tone was calm, it carried a threat that made the nearby humans shift uneasily.

Voren cleared his throat, forcing himself to remember where they were, surrounded by people who had no idea what any of them truly were, and no reason to be dragged into something that could spiral out of control fast.

”I know the manager,” Voren said, forcing civility into his voice. ”Let’s use a private room.”

Seraphine turned slowly, her eyes cold and her expression closed off, and when she spoke her voice carried the same chill, steady and unbothered by the tension coiling around her. ”There’s no need for that. I have nothing to say to either of you.”

She moved to step around Corvine, clearly done with the entire situation, but Ravyn shifted and blocked her path, his presence looming as his voice dropped into something openly threatening. ”Take it down,” he ordered.

Seraphine stared at him like he had grown a second head, disbelief flickering briefly before hardening into irritation. ”What exactly are you talking about, Mr. Walker?”

Ravyn glanced around sharply, suddenly aware of the attention they were drawing, his jaw clenched as his gaze slid back to Voren.

Whatever Voren was doing here with Seraphine raised a thousand questions in his mind, but the viral video mattered more in this moment, his reputation bleeding out in pack while the internet feasted on it. He shoved his suspicions aside and spoke through clenched teeth. ”Private room now.”

Voren was already on his phone, making a call, when Corvine spoke again, his voice firm and unyielding. ”You can’t force her to talk if she doesn’t want to, and you sure as hell don’t get to order her around.”

Pete’s heart was pounding so hard he could feel it in his throat as he watched the scene unfold, because to him these men were all idiots, rich, powerful, and completely incapable of setting their egos aside.

Every second wasted here translated into more losses, more damage control, more fires to put out, and yet none of them seemed willing to prioritize sense over pride.

What Pete did not understand, could never fully understand, was that these men were werewolves, and their egos were not accessories but core instincts, dominance woven into their very nature, and submission to a woman was something none of them had ever learned how to navigate.

”Sir, you promised,” Pete said when Voren’s call finally connected, desperation creeping into his voice.

Voren spoke into the phone without even glancing at him, his tone low and controlled, and when he ended the call he finally turned to Pete with a look that brooked no argument. ”Wait here for me.”

Pete opened his mouth to protest, but Nicole was already there, catching his arm firmly, her grip steady as she leaned closer. ”Let them be,” she said quietly, her eyes sharp. ”But don’t think I’m forgiving you for tricking me.”

Remorse flashed across Pete’s face, genuine and raw. ”I’m really sorry,” he said quickly. ”I didn’t have a choice. Miss Walker wouldn’t give me an audience, and I couldn’t just sit back and watch the losses keep piling up.”

Nicole’s gaze flicked to Seraphine, who stood unflinching in the middle of it all, fearless and unbothered, like she knew exactly how much power she held. After a moment, Seraphine exhaled sharply. ”Fine,” she said. ”Which private room?”

Corvine immediately moved to Seraphine’s side, his presence unmistakably possessive as he spoke. ”I’m coming with you.”

Ravyn let out a harsh, humorless laugh, anger burning through his words. ”Of course you are, like her damn dog.”

Corvine smiled, slow and deliberate, the kind of smile that cut deeper than any insult. ”I’d rather be her dog than your assistant.”

The words hit Ravyn like a sudden storm, his expression faltering as the insult landed deeper than he expected. ”You—” he started, but Voren cut in sharply.

”Enough,” Voren said, his patience finally wearing thin. ”I ordered food and drinks. Let’s go sit down and talk like civilized people.”

That ended it. They followed Voren to the private room, tension trailing behind them like a living thing, and when Pete tried to follow, Nicole stopped him again, her voice calm but final. ”Don’t worry, let them handle it. This is way beyond you.”

Pete hesitated, wanting to argue, but something in her tone told him to listen, so he stayed back.

Inside the private room, Seraphine paused, genuine surprise flickering across her face as she took in the spread laid out before them.

Voren had said he ordered food, but this was a full-blown feast, more than enough to feed a small army. She raised a brow slowly, incredulity coloring her voice. ”And who exactly is supposed to eat all this?”

Voren swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he met her gaze. ”It’s an apology,” he said quietly. ”For ruining your lunch.”

Ravyn scoffed immediately, bitterness dripping from his tone. ”Why are you apologizing to her when you know exactly what she’s done?”

Corvine had already pulled out a chair for Seraphine, his movements careful, and she sat with effortless grace, regal and composed, not touching the food as she settled in. Voren’s patience snapped as he turned to Ravyn, his voice dropping into a dangerous growl. ”Unless you brought someone who can fix my server, you should keep your mouth shut or leave.”

Ravyn was too angry to hear reason, his humiliation too fresh. ”No,” he snapped. ”She violated my privacy, sent that video viral, and turned me into a damn joke.”

His gaze locked onto Seraphine, hard and accusing. ”Take it down.”

Seraphine smiled slowly, but there was no warmth in it, no softness at all. ”You want me to take it down?” she said evenly. ”Fine. I’ll do it, but only on one condition.”

The shift in her expression made all three men uneasy, something predatory flickering beneath her calm exterior, and even so, Ravyn asked, ”What is it?” because in that moment he would have agreed to almost anything to erase the shame burning through him, or at least he thought he would.