Chapter 684 - You are worth everything

Chapter 684: Chapter 684 - You are worth everything

"Alpha Vladimir, what are you saying?"

Voren’s voice came out low, controlled, but his eyes sharpened with the kind of focus that preceded violence. His father knew something. Something he had been holding back.

"I’ve heard rumors from the older Alphas." Vladimir’s face grew grim, shadows pooling in the deep lines around his eyes. "Their replacements have decided to fix a punishment that demands your life."

The words landed like stones dropped into still water. Ripples of unease spread through the room. Everybody present felt the weight of them, the cold finality.

"Why do you think I brought this up?"

Voren looked calm. His posture remained relaxed, his hands resting flat on the table. But pain registered in his eyes, a flicker of something raw and wounded that he couldn’t quite hide.

"So if we hadn’t had this meeting, would you have ever told me?"

Vladimir shook his head, the movement slow and heavy. "No."

The admission hung in the air between them. "But I was planning on telling our queen tonight." His gaze moved to Seraphine, then back to his son. "Your courage can be a weakness. Just as she said, you’re always the one to take the fall. Always the one standing in front of danger."

His voice dropped, rough with emotion he rarely showed. "You would have brushed it aside as nothing if I’d told you. And you would have warned me not to tell your wife."

No one knew the son better than the father. Voren would have done all those things. The truth of it sat heavy in his chest, undeniable. But still, he was upset. "I would have still handled it differently."

"No doubt." Vladimir agreed, his tone softening. "But neither I, nor this pack, is ready to lose you."

He leaned forward, his gaze locking onto Voren’s with an intensity that demanded attention.

"You know very well that if you decide to take the punishment, nobody can help you. In this case, I trust in the ability of our queen." A faint smile stretched his lips. "I think her method will be better. Or isn’t that why you married her?"

Voren already had a plan. It was simple. Accept any punishment the Alphas demanded. His queen was worth it. He was ready to give anything, including his life. The thought didn’t frighten him. He had faced death before, stared it down, walked away with scars that told the story.

But then a new realization settled over him, cold and sobering.

Giving his life would make his queen sad. Devastated. Broken in ways he couldn’t bear to imagine. And all Voren wanted, all he had ever wanted, was to make her the happiest woman in the world.

That happiness coiled around him now, a chain stronger than any Alpha Code. He would have to go by whatever plan she had. Swallowing his pride, he turned to her.

"My queen." His voice came out rough, the words dragged from somewhere deep. "So what’s the plan?"

Seraphine stared at him. A beautiful smile curved her lips, warm and knowing and utterly infuriating.

"Oh, my king." Her voice was honey laced with steel. "I would have told you if you had told me about the Alpha Code yourself."

His jaw tightened. "Now, you just have to wait until the Blood Moon Festival."

A chuckle rumbled from across the table. Damon leaned back in his chair, amusement flickering across his features.

"I want to understand something." His gaze moved between Voren and Seraphine. "If our King and Queen weren’t married, and they happened to be fated or second-chance mates, would this ridiculous clause still affect them?"

"No." Vladimir answered on Voren’s behalf, his voice carrying the weight of old knowledge. "Had he waited until after the Blood Moon Festival, then none of this would have happened."

Seraphine’s lips pressed together, a flicker of regret crossing her features. "We could have just waited to avoid all this."

But Voren disagreed. "You are worth everything." His voice was fierce, unyielding. "I knew about it and still married you."

His expression grew bitter, shadows darkening his eyes. "Let’s just say we weren’t married. Don’t you think Ravyn would have made things hard? Do you think he would have given up?"

Seraphine knew he had a point. But she also realized something else.

"Ravyn might not give up. But do you think I would make the mistake of going back to him?"

"You might not want to." Voren’s voice dropped, raw with a jealousy he couldn’t quite hide. "But what if you both are bonded? We haven’t all tasted the mate bond. What if you couldn’t resist? Besides, your wolves are quite connected too."

Seraphine laughed. The sound was bright, genuine, cutting through the tension like sunlight through storm clouds.

"Jealousy again." She shook her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Fine. I don’t blame you anymore. But I’m not telling you my plans. Are we even?"

Voren’s gaze moved across the room, landing on Corvine. An idea sparked in his mind, and a slow smile spread across his face.

"Sure, my queen." His voice was warm, teasing. "It makes me the luckiest man alive to have my wife cleaning up my mess."

Laughter rippled around the table, breaking the heavy atmosphere. Seraphine shook her head, but she was smiling.

"The final clause proposed for amendment is Clause sixteen." She refocused on the document before her. "It reads: all pack members must report for training whether in good health or not."

She paused, letting the old words settle.

"This is the amendment. All pack members, whether in good health or not, must report for training. But the leader will decide who needs rest. Also, training will no longer be compulsory for pregnant she-wolves and severely injured wolves."

She closed the constitution and looked around the room, her gaze sweeping across every face.

"Does anyone have any objection?" ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Silence covered the office like a fog. Just as Seraphine was about to propose the closure of the meeting, a soft voice spoke up.

"This isn’t an objection. But a question."

Every head turned. It was Sloane, the new gamma. She sat slightly apart from the others, her posture stiff with nerves. She was more timid than the rest, intimidated by the company she now kept. But it was only a matter of time before she came out of her shell.

"Go on." Seraphine’s voice was gentle, encouraging.

Sloane drew a breath, steadying herself. "I was informed right after I signed my appointment letter as a gamma that Alpha Ravyn will be appearing with two witches."

Murmurs rippled through the room. "Is it worth the risk?"

It wasn’t Vladimir who reacted first. The elders were equally stunned, their faces contorting with shock and disbelief. "Witches?"