Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Chapter 22 – Don’t even try

"Marjorie Steward."

Seraphine’s voice was calm, stripped of warmth, as she settled into the leather chair directly opposite Ravyn.

Her posture was composed, almost relaxed, but her eyes were empty, hard, distant, nothing like the woman he remembered.

On either side of her stood two men in dark suits, silent and alert, their presence unmistakably protective. They didn’t look like assistants. They looked like men trained to intervene if necessary.

Maddox glanced between them, brow creasing. "You two know each other?" he asked, genuine confusion coloring his tone.

No one answered. The silence pressed down heavily, thick enough that Ravyn felt it lodge in his chest. His shock was immediate, and sharp. For a brief second, his composure cracked.

"No," he said finally, shaking his head once as if dismissing the entire situation. "Sadly, Daisy is injured, so I have to leave. I don’t have time for this."

He rose from his seat, irritation rolling off him in waves. But before he could take more than a step, Corvine moved, positioning himself squarely in Ravyn’s path.

"I’m sorry, Ravyn," Corvine said evenly, his voice polite but firm, "but you need to sign the documents before you go."

The way Corvine addressed him by name, without title or deference, sent something dark stirring behind Ravyn’s eyes. Once upon a time, that tone alone would have been unthinkable.

But this wasn’t the pack, and they weren’t alone. More importantly, they weren’t on sacred ground.

Ravyn could feel the absence of the invisible current that usually answered his call. The city obeyed different laws, and the gravity here was heavier, duller, resistant. His Alpha authority had no reach in this place.

Here, they were all human, and in a fight Ravyn would have no advantage over Corvine.

Slowly, Ravyn turned back around, his gaze locking onto Seraphine. Confusion and suspicion darkened his expression. "What proof do you have that you’re Marjorie Steward?"

Seraphine didn’t respond. Instead, she glanced at Maddox.

Maddox immediately understood. He retrieved a folder from his briefcase and placed it neatly on the table. "Here is her identification documents. Marjorie Steward is not a registered legal name. As you can see, the additional paperwork states that the client requested anonymity. Her real identity is known only to us, but these documents validate the transaction."

Ravyn sat back down slowly and flipped through the papers. His fingers tightened as his eyes scanned the forms.

There it was. Seraphine’s real name, clearly written. Beneath it, a legal provision allowing the use of a decoy identity.

His thoughts raced. He had come here prepared to negotiate with a stranger, to persuade Marjorie Steward not to reclaim her shares and was never prepared for this.

He looked up sharply. "Where did you get all this money?"

Seraphine’s gaze flicked to Maddox. "Can you excuse us for a moment?"

Maddox hesitated only briefly before nodding. "Of course." He exited, closing the door behind him.

Seraphine leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other with deliberate ease. "How I make my money does not concern you. You’ve been given proof it’s mine. Sign the transfer agreement."

"No." Ravyn’s refusal was immediate. "You stole from the pack. Otherwise, there’s no way you could have acquired this kind of money," he accused her but Seraphine’s jaw tightened, teeth grinding together audibly.

"Before you accuse me," she said coldly, "you should produce evidence. Otherwise, I’ll sue you for slander."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify