Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 348: Chapter 348 – Under the moonlight

’You brought her here. That means she stays, got that?’ Bloodfang’s voice slammed through Voren’s mind with enough force to make him wince.

The Alpha resisted the urge to rub his forehead. ’It’s not that simple.’

’Seems pretty damn simple to me,’ Bloodfang argued, Voren let out a long, weary breath. ’We came here to break the spell first. After that, we’ll head back to the city and get married before anything else.’

For a moment Bloodfang stayed quiet. Then the wolf practically exploded in his head.

’Why even bother with marriage? Just crown her as your Luna already and cancel that stupid Blood Moon Festival!’

Voren closed his eyes for a second, fighting back a headache. Sometimes he really wondered who was harder to deal with. Bloodfang, or his parents.

’The Blood Moon Festival has to happen,’ he explained patiently. ’There are traditions, laws, and serious obligations tied to it. Without the mate bond restoration, we can’t mark each other, and enjoy that unique attraction only the mate bond offers.’

’That’s exactly why I want to marry her first. Once we’re officially married, nothing can tear us apart. Not politics, not challenges, not even the mate bond itself.’

Bloodfang grunted, sounding almost reluctant. ’Fine. I’ll admit you’re smarter than I gave you credit for.’

The wolf’s tone carried a hint of disappointment, like he’d been hoping for a simpler, more primal solution. ’How the hell did you even convince her? You couldn’t pull it off with my help, and trust me, I was being extremely charming.’

Voren nearly laughed out loud. ’Charming isn’t the word I’d use.’

’Then what word would you use?’

’Annoying.’

Bloodfang scoffed dramatically. ’Same thing.’

A small smile tugged at Voren’s lips despite himself. ’I’ll tell you the whole story later. Right now I need to go find the shaman.’

The wolf muttered something that sounded a lot like a complaint before finally going quiet.

Voren turned his full attention back to Seraphine. She was still wandering around the cabin, eyes wide and sparkling as she took in every little detail like she couldn’t decide what she loved most.

The sight of her genuine happiness after everything they’d been through warmed him straight to his core. It felt priceless.

”If you want to cook, go right ahead,” he said, his voice pulling her focus back to him. ”I’ll check in on the pack, see how everything’s running, and bring the shaman back afterward.”

A teasing grin spread across his face. ”Though I have to admit, I’m already really looking forward to tasting whatever you make and tasting you as well.”

Seraphine blushed, a soft wave of warmth blooming in her chest. She had way more planned for him than just cooking a meal, but first things first—the shaman, breaking the spell, and then everything else could unfold naturally between them.

”Okay,” she replied softly.

Voren turned toward the door, but he’d barely taken a few steps when her voice stopped him.

”Wait.”

He looked back immediately, concern flickering across his face. Before he could even ask what was wrong, Seraphine crossed the room in a hurry. The distance between them vanished in seconds. She rose onto her toes and pressed a quick, heartfelt kiss to his lips.

It only lasted a second, but the emotion behind it hit him hard enough to leave him completely distracted. When she pulled away, Voren stared down at her, his arm instinctively wrapping around her waist to draw her closer. A low, possessive rumble vibrated deep in his chest.

”Careful,” he warned, his voice coming out rougher than he intended. His eyes had darkened with heat. ”You have no idea how hard you’re making it for me to walk out that door.”

The blush that crept across Seraphine’s cheeks only made the fire burn hotter. A playful little smile tugged at her lips. ”Tomorrow is almost here.”

The simple words carried so much promise that Voren understood exactly what she meant. His expression softened. He’d already waited years for her. A little longer wouldn’t kill him, hopefully.

Part of why he’d agreed to leave Esperanza behind was because they both desperately needed this time together—no interruptions, no heavy responsibilities, no chaos swirling around them. Just the two of them, finally.

Voren reached up and brushed a loose strand of hair gently behind her ear, savoring the quiet moment. Then another thought crossed his mind. ”Actually, there’s something we should do first.”

Seraphine tilted her head, curious. ”What?”

”The mindlink.” His voice grew more serious. ”We should activate it now.”

One of her brows lifted. ”Isn’t that supposed to happen in front of the entire pack?”

”Normally, yeah.” A smile returned to his face. ”But our situation isn’t exactly normal.”

Seraphine laughed, the sound light and genuine. That was definitely true.

”Besides,” Voren continued, trying to sound all important and official, ”this is one of the big advantages of being involved with an Alpha.”

”Oh?” she teased. ”What exactly?”

”I have veto power.”

The pride in his voice was unmistakable, even if the softness and love in his eyes completely ruined the serious effect. Seraphine rolled her eyes affectionately at him. ”Of course, you do.”

Her laughter filled the cabin again, wrapping around him like a warm blanket and instantly relaxing the tension in his shoulders.

”Alright,” she finally said with a nod. ”Let’s activate the mindlink.”

Her expression turned thoughtful. ”I guess we won’t be able to rely on our phones all the time anymore.”

”Exactly.” The mindlink would be faster, safer, and way more useful during the upcoming festival.

Voren offered her his hand, palm up. ”Come on.”

Seraphine slipped her hand into his without hesitation. Together they stepped outside into the night.

Full darkness had settled over the mountains, but the moon hung brilliantly overhead, its silver light reflecting across the water and rocks, bathing the entire sanctuary in a soft, almost magical glow. The atmosphere felt sacred, heavy with meaning.

For a moment neither of them spoke, just soaking it in. Then Voren turned to face her fully. His large hand gently cupped her face, the deep affection in his eyes making her heart skip a beat. His thumb brushed tenderly across her cheek.

His playful side faded away, replaced by the solemn weight of the future. Under the moon’s watchful gaze, he looked straight into her eyes.

”Seraphine Walker, do you agree to become a member of the Grimroot Pack, become its future Luna, help defend it, protect it, and enjoy everything it has to offer?”