Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 62: Chapter 62 – Tell me she’s an angel

At the other end of the line, the sharpness of the message landed like a clean bullet to the chest, precise and unapologetic, and Leon found himself staring at the screen for a second longer than necessary before one brow lifted slowly in amused surprise.

He hadn’t expected that. A slow grin tugged at his mouth as he began typing back, his fingers deliberate, entertained rather than offended.

Wow, so fierce. It’s me, Leon. I thought my dad gave you my number when I got yours.

In her bedroom, Seraphine read the message and immediately felt heat crawl up her neck and settle into her cheeks, the kind of embarrassment that made her wish she could physically delete herself along with the text.

She had responded like a guarded soldier to what turned out to be a harmless civilian.

Sorry. I thought it was a wrong number, she typed quickly, her fingers moving faster than her pride could protest. But a date? We never had that agreement.

Leon leaned back slightly, reading her response again, and this time his smile deepened into something thoughtful. He could almost see her through the words.

Polite, yes. Controlled, but blunt enough to cut clean through confusion. There was no simpering hesitation in her tone, no soft fishing for validation. If anything, she sounded almost masculine in her straightforwardness.

Interesting. I can’t take you as a fake plus-one to the Sovereign Circle without knowing you, he replied smoothly. Since the next meeting is a month away, I figured we should at least meet once before then.

There was logic in that. Clean, practical, and reasonable.

Seraphine paused before responding this time, her guard lowering just a fraction.

Oh, she typed. I’ve never actually been on a date before, so I don’t really know how these things work. I was just about to sleep, so sorry if I sounded rude. Tomorrow is fine.

The honesty in her message made Leon’s chest tighten faintly in a way he didn’t expect.

Great, he responded without delay. Dress casual and send your location. I’ll be there at ten on the dot.

Seraphine smiled faintly at the confidence in that line but didn’t reply again after sending the location. She had intended to sleep, but intention meant very little when responsibility was involved.

Before she could allow herself rest, she needed to reach out to the King brothers and verify a few final details about Damon’s stock movement. Timing was everything, and she had to position herself perfectly before initiating the trade during the coming week.

Then a hacking contract came in, ten million. The figure blinked at her like a dare, and sleep lost the battle instantly.

She dove into the job with ruthless focus, the world narrowing to code, encryption walls, firewalls, and countermeasures.

Hours passed unnoticed, the glow of her screen was the only light in the room. Her eyes burned, her fingers cramped, but she didn’t stop until the work was done and the payout secured.

It wasn’t until the quietest hours of the morning, when exhaustion finally dragged her under, that she allowed herself to collapse forward onto her desk and sleep.

A knock pulled her back to consciousness far too soon. ”Come in,” she muttered groggily, her voice thick with sleep and regret.

Corvine stepped inside and froze at the sight before him, his brows pulling together deeply.

”You slept on your desk?” he asked, though the evidence was painfully obvious.

Seraphine blinked up at him, her hair a mess, her clothes still the same ones from the night before, faint lines from the keyboard pressed into her skin.

”Can you blame me?” she said with a sheepish shrug. ”There was too much to do.”

Normally Corvine would’ve teased her, maybe scolded her lightly while secretly admiring her drive, but today there was no amusement in his expression, and she noticed immediately.

She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but he beat her to it. ”I can see that,” he said flatly. ”When were you planning to tell me about your date?”

Her brain stalled, then the memory slammed back into place.

Leon.

Ten a.m.

Fake plus-one.

Her phone.

She grabbed it so fast it nearly slipped from her hand, and when the screen lit up, her stomach dropped.

Over ten missed calls, multiple messages. Checking the time, she saw 9:40 a.m.

”Oh, fuck,” she breathed, jumping to her feet so fast the chair nearly tipped over. ”I completely forgot. He only texted last night that we should get to know each other before our fake appearance at the Sovereign Circle.”

She was already moving toward the shower as she spoke, panic replacing sleepiness in a heartbeat.

”Well,” Corvine added stiffly, ”he’s been here for the past ten minutes.”

She paused just long enough to flash him an apologetic smile that was far too charming for someone in this much trouble.

”Please,” she said quickly, backing toward the bathroom. ”Just keep him busy.”

Corvine’s lips pressed into a thin line as the door shut behind her.

He didn’t like this, didn’t like the way Leon carried himself with quiet confidence, didn’t like the way the man looked effortlessly put together, like he belonged anywhere he stood, and it didn’t help that Leon was human.

Most of their kind had already settled into quiet coexistence with humans, forming bonds that kept them safely distanced from pack politics. In theory, it was practical, but in reality, it was complicated.

The only advantage to such relationships was that it eliminated the need to approach the pack entirely. In Seraphine’s case, that would be easy. She had already decided she would never return, not after her divorcing Ravyn.

Still, something about this felt... off. Corvine walked back to where Leon was waiting and forced a polite smile.

”She’ll be running a little late,” he explained evenly. ”Sera didn’t sleep well.”

Leon stood as Corvine approached, and for a moment, Corvine had to admit the man carried himself like a gentleman straight out of an old dynasty.

”It’s alright,” Leon said calmly. ”Women are usually like that. Patients, friends, even my stepmother. That’s why I arrived thirty minutes earlier than scheduled.”

Corvine studied him carefully. ”So where are you taking her?” he asked, tone casual but probing.

Leon’s smile was subtle, almost secretive. ”It’s a surprise,” he replied. ”But I know she’ll like it.”

Corvine’s eyes narrowed slightly. ”You’ve never even met her,” he pointed out. ”How would you know what she likes?”

Leon opened his mouth to answer, but the words died in his throat.

His breath caught, his gaze shifted past Corvine and locked onto the staircase, and for a second, he genuinely forgot how to speak.

She was descending slowly, sunlight filtering through the windows and catching against her skin, her presence commanding without effort, her expression composed yet faintly apologetic.

Leon’s chest tightened. ”Oh God,” he murmured under his breath, awe slipping past his usual composure. ”Tell me she’s an angel.”