Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 654: Chapter 654 – All hail the Alpha King and Luna Queen—Voren and Seraphine Ashkael

”I’ve never seen a love so deep among men.” Vladimir’s voice cracked as a tear slid down his weathered cheek. He didn’t bother to wipe it away, didn’t hide the emotion that gripped him. ”I only thought such love could only exist between a man and a woman.” His gaze swept across the auditorium, meeting the eyes of those who understood.

Heads nodded in agreement, a slow, solemn movement that rippled through the crowd. ”This kind of love is so rare,” another added, his voice thick with emotion.

Ravyn’s eyes were red, his jaw tight with the effort of holding himself together. He and Voren had been so close, but even he did not think they had ever reached this level.

The depth of sacrifice, the willingness to give up everything for another’s elevation was beyond comprehension.

He’d been there. He’d seen how hard Corvine worked for that crown, the blood and sweat and near-death moments. Ravyn had thought it was all for Liah, for the woman he loved. But now that he thought of it critically, Corvine did it all for Voren.

Had it been just for Liah, indeed, he would have just married her in France and made her a member of the Grimroot pack. With the Grimroot pack on her side, Jaron would not dare to cause trouble.

The crown would have been unnecessary. But Corvine had gone through the fire not for power, not for a throne, but to place it on the head of the man he called brother.

Now, the mega question sat heavy on Ravyn’s chest, a weight that pressed down on his lungs. Would he have been kind enough to give up a crown after working so hard for it? The answer shamed him. He knew it with a certainty that burned.

For the first time, he wasn’t jealous. But neither did he know what he felt—a strange, complicated mixture of admiration, regret, and something that felt almost like hope.

He’d known both Corvine and Voren for decades, and yet Voren and Corvine only become close for a short while. And yet, the bond formed between them was so great, so unshakeable, that it defied logic.

Ravyn could only sigh in the emotionally tense, luxurious hall. Yeah, there were unhappy people, those whose greed burned behind forced smiles, those who would have snatched the crown for themselves without a second thought.

But so were they undeserving of anyone’s attention. They were irrelevant, their jealousy a pathetic echo of something they could never understand.

Suddenly, a soft voice cut through the emotional atmosphere, light and teasing. ”Can you two move away from the speaker?”

Corvine chuckled at the sound of Liah’s voice, the tension in his shoulders melting away. He quickly moved away from the speaker with Voren, their shoulders brushing, their smiles conspiratorial. Liah walked over to it, pulling Seraphine along with her.

Just like everyone, Seraphine had been so dazed by everything that happened. Her mind was still spinning, trying to catch up with the reality that had unfolded before her.

Athaliah had stepped into her life as a threat, a princess, a rival, a woman who bathed royalty, beauty and sophistication. But she had become her greatest comfort instead.

Once upon a time, Seraphine had a few Lunas she trusted enough to allow into her life as comfort. But they turned out to be her greatest threat and regret. Now, she was dazed as she watched Athaliah speak into the microphone, her voice clear and warm.

”It’s not just Corvine who fell in love with Voren. I also fell in love with Sera.” Athaliah’s voice carried across the hall, drawing every eye. ”At the academy, we weren’t close, but I looked for her later in life and did not find her.”

A soft smile curled her lips. ”Meeting her again, she was everything I expected and more. She took on my battles as if they were hers, showed me the love I never expected. If there’s anyone deserving of this crown, then it’s her.” She turned to Seraphine, her eyes shining. ”Luna Sera, will you accept it?”

Even if Seraphine did not want to, she could not refuse when Voren had already accepted it. The symmetry of it, was clear. Two brothers, two sisters, two crowns. ”Do I even have a choice?” she asked in a daze, her voice light with disbelief.

Athaliah smiled elegantly, her eyes twinkling. ”No, you don’t.”

Seraphine took a deep breath, faced the microphone, and her voice echoed through the hall, steady and clear. ”I, Seraphine Ashkael, Luna of the Grimroot pack, reject my position as Luna, and accept the title of the Queen of all Lunas.”

The auditorium seemed to have woken from its daze as hands clapped together in unison, the sound thunderous. Athaliah placed the crown on her head, and it glowed, just as the necklace on her neck, the mythical ruby responding to its twin, a perfect, pulsing light.

She wrapped her arms around Athaliah, her voice loaded with unshed emotions. ”Liah, I love you so much.” All the attention had been on Corvine before, but Seraphine caught what most of them did not catch.

Corvine must have had a plan, but without Liah’s consent, it would have been impossible. If she hadn’t bought into Corvine’s vision, then she could have chosen someone else to marry. But no, she gave up her title as princess, co-Luna and the crown just like that.

”Thank you,” Seraphine added, her voice teary.

Liah smiled, pulling back to look into her eyes. ”Don’t be so modest. You didn’t blink when you had to share your title as Co-Luna with me, did you?” She paused, her expression softening. ”The moment Voren readily shared his title with Corvine, I knew he deserved the crown. Even before Corvine told me his plans.”

Seraphine smiled in understanding. It was just as she predicted. Corvine found the right woman and the happiness he so deserved. The council members and elders surrounded them, their expressions filled with respect and wonder.

Voren and Seraphine were led to the throne, and they sat for exactly one minute before paperwork began. The documents had to change, titles had to be rewritten, and everything was quickly done with practiced efficiency.

The council elder announced, his voice carrying across the hall. ”This is the first time any leader has given away their title after just a minute. My profound respect to Corvine and Athaliah for giving up every leader’s desire.”

Then he turned to the leaders in the auditorium and announced, his voice ringing with finality. ”All hail the Alpha King and Luna Queen—Voren and Seraphine Ashkael.”

Hands clapped together, the applause building like a wave as Voren kissed Seraphine on the lips. No matter what, he always had to get intimate to convince himself that the only woman he had loved all his life was his and his alone.

And just as Corvine and Liah began to congratulate Voren and Seraphine, Atticus’s voice rang through the auditorium, persistent and demanding.

”Corvine, it’s fine that you gave up the Alpha King title. The Nightshade pack is willing to give you your right position.” He paused, his voice carrying a note of triumph. ”And Killian will be your beta.”