Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 545: Chapter 545 - You crossed that line

King Jaron had already settled the matter with Vladimir last night, and the last thing he ever expected was for the older man to turn around and tell Voren every detail.

If he had managed to take that little girl away when the chance first appeared, every one of his problems would have vanished like smoke in a hard wind. Now his only real option was to cling to whatever alliance might still keep his pack from collapsing under the weight of everything he owed.

”Alpha Voren,” Jaron began, forcing his voice to stay even while the muscles in his jaw worked hard against the urge to snap, ”let’s discuss this in private.”

”No.” Voren didn’t hesitate for even a heartbeat. ”You threatened me in front of everyone here.” His eyes swept slowly over the gathered warriors and servants, taking in every tense face and dropped gaze before settling back on Jaron with open contempt. ”Unlike you, I still have my pride.”

Jaron’s hands curled into tight fists at his sides, the knuckles bleaching white. There had been a time when he admired Voren’s courage, the way the younger Alpha never backed down from a fight. Now that same courage had turned into a blade pointed straight at his throat.

”I’m the Alpha King, Alpha Voren.” His voice hardened, trying to reclaim the authority that felt like it was slipping through his fingers. ”I deserve your respect.”

”That’s true,” Voren agreed, and for a brief moment the tension in Jaron’s shoulders eased, the flicker of hope that Voren might finally be backing down lighting up his eyes.

Then Voren continued, the words dropping colder with every syllable. ”But I also have one rule I never break. I stay away from what’s not mine.” He took another step forward, closing the space between them until the air itself felt thinner. ”You crossed that line the moment you tried to kidnap my daughter.”

”I wasn’t trying to kidnap her.” Jaron spread his hands wide as though the accusation itself were ridiculous, a forced smile that never reached his eyes stretching across his face. ”I only wanted to talk to her. She’s a cute little girl.”

Voren’s expression didn’t change by a single muscle. His eyes alone made it painfully clear that he didn’t believe a single word falling from the Alpha King’s mouth. ”Tell me why you wanted my daughter.” His voice echoed through the hallway, low and final. ”Or you’ll never see yours again.”

For the first time the confidence in Jaron’s eyes faltered, a crack appearing in the careful mask he wore. The truth sat heavy behind that crack: Voren had protected Esperanza so thoroughly that the Full Moon Festival had been the only real chance Jaron ever got to get close to her. She matched every description his business partner had given him down to the last detail, and that knowledge still burned in the back of his mind.

”Alpha Voren,” Jaron said, lifting his chin in a desperate grab for dignity, ”how dare you accuse me of something I didn’t do?” His voice grew louder, trying to drown out the quiet threat hanging between them. ”If you can prove I truly intended to kidnap your daughter, then you’ll have every right to take my arm.”

Voren stood perfectly still, his face revealing nothing beyond the cold calculation already turning behind his eyes.

Jaron had already decided to lie his way out of this mess, and with the corrupt council standing solidly behind him they would almost certainly believe the Alpha King over the word of a little girl.

Still, the more Voren turned over everything Jaron had said, the clearer one hard truth became. The Alpha King wasn’t the real problem. Whoever wanted Esperanza was the one pulling the strings.

Even if Jaron died right here on this hallway floor, someone else would simply step into his place and keep hunting Esperanza. The answers Voren needed were buried deep inside this man’s secrets.

Unfortunately forcing them out with claws and blood wasn’t an option. Jaron was still his elder, and there were lines even Voren refused to cross no matter how badly the rage under his skin demanded otherwise.

”I believe my daughter.” His voice remained calm, almost conversational, yet every warrior in the hall felt the weight behind it. ”But I’ll make you an offer.”

Jaron waited, the silence stretching taut between them.

”Let Corvine compete for Princess Athaliah’s hand...” Voren’s gaze sharpened until it felt like a physical pressure. ”And I’ll stop coming after you.”

”Never!” The answer exploded out of Jaron before he could stop himself, the word ringing sharp and final through the corridor.

Voren’s eyes darkened, his claws slowly extended from his fingertips, the sharp tips catching the overhead lights in cold flashes. Realizing his mistake a second too late, Jaron quickly forced his expression back under control, the panic smoothing out of his face with practiced effort.

”Alpha Voren,” he said more carefully, the words measured now, ”taking my arm would mean war.” His expression turned smug again, the old arrogance trying to reclaim its place. ”Are you really willing to start one with the Alpha King?” He let the title hang in the air like a threat of its own. ”I carry two crowns.”

A faint smile crossed Voren’s face, the kind that never reached his eyes and left only ice behind. Jaron seemed to be the only person who knew the full truth about the mysterious creatures pulling the strings behind the scenes.

And the only way to uncover that truth was to place Corvine close enough to earn the Alpha King’s complete trust. Voren wasn’t afraid of fighting the Silver Moon Pack.

If it came to open war, he could rely entirely on the Outlanders without risking a single one of his own warriors. But war wouldn’t give him the answers he needed.

Every minute he spent talking to Jaron only convinced him more that the Alpha King knew exactly who was protecting those mysterious creatures.

If Corvine could earn Jaron’s trust in any way, the truth would eventually surface.

Sometimes letting the smaller fish swim free was the only way to catch the bigger one lurking deeper beneath the surface.

Voren met Jaron’s gaze without the slightest hint of fear, his own eyes steady and unblinking. ”What makes you think I’m afraid of either one of your titles?” His voice carried through the silent hallway, clear enough for every listening ear to hear.

”Either you let Corvine compete fairly...” His claws glinted beneath the lights, a quiet promise of violence if the answer came out wrong. ”Or I take your arm.”

The temperature in the hallway seemed to drop several degrees, the air itself growing heavier. ”No one touches my family...” Voren’s dark gaze locked onto Jaron’s with a finality that left no room for argument. ”And lives to tell the story.”