Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Chapter 24 – you will never be Luna Seraphine

The corner of Voren’s lips curled upward, slow and knowing, the kind of smile that promised chaos without ever naming it.

"I already sent the message," he said smoothly. "She crossed the line with me. Just wait and enjoy the show."

Ravyn nodded, gratitude tightening his chest. He didn’t ask questions. With Voren, questions were rarely necessary.

They walked together out of the building, their footsteps echoing faintly, but once they reached the car park, their paths split naturally, two predators choosing different hunting grounds.

At the underground parking lot, engines rumbled to life. Ravyn slid into his car, his thoughts already racing ahead, while Voren drove off in the opposite direction, unhurried, confident. Whatever he had set in motion was already unfolding.

By the time Ravyn returned to the pack, Daisy’s surgery was over.

The sterile smell of the hospital hit him the moment he stepped inside. His heart clenched painfully when he saw her again, small, pale, lying motionless against white sheets that swallowed her fragile frame. The sight stirred something raw and guilty in him.

"What happened?" Ravyn asked sharply.

The doctor in charge shook his head gently. The image of Luna Seraphine flashed uninvited through his mind. Her labor, her pain, the countless moments Alpha Ravyn hadn’t been there.

He hadn’t even visited her once. Then came the chemical that got her bedridden. Again, their Alpha never showed up. They thought it was because he was busy but now, they knew that he meant every word when he said he never loved Seraphine.

Because here he was now, pacing corridors, unraveling over what had been described as a minor incident.

"It’s nothing serious, Alpha," the doctor explained calmly. "A mild bone dislocation. We reset it through a minor surgical procedure. She’ll recover fully."

Relief washed through Ravyn, loosening the tight grip around his chest.

"What exactly happened?" he pressed. A lead warrior stepped forward, hesitating. "Alpha... Co-Luna is still too weak—"

Ravyn’s glare sliced through him like a blade. The warrior immediately shut his mouth. "She got injured while training us," the man corrected quickly. "We had nothing to do with it."

Before Ravyn could respond, Daisy’s soft voice broke the tension.

"It’s my fault," she said, turning her head slightly to face him. "I was already exhausted before I went to the gym. Too many things on my mind, and I lost focus." Her lips curved faintly. "Please don’t blame them."

The warriors visibly relaxed, exchanging relieved smiles. Daisy noticed but knew better than to create enemies. Allies were far more useful.

Ravyn exhaled slowly. "Alright. I’ll return to the city tomorrow to select a beta."

Daisy’s smile faltered, bitterness flashing briefly before she masked it.

"I’m still in a hospital bed," she said softly, wounded. "And you want to leave me behind? Who will take care of Bryan when he returns from the academy?"

Bryan. The name landed heavily. Ravyn stiffened, memories of his conversation with Seraphine rising to the surface.

Nicole’s eyes snapped toward him, unease tightening her jaw. "By promotion," Nicole said coolly, "what exactly do you mean, Co-Luna?"

Daisy smiled, but it never reached her eyes. "It means your position isn’t guaranteed," she replied. "If you fail, it can be taken. You have two weeks."

Nicole’s fingers curled into fists. "This position isn’t just about finding a cure," she said sharply. "Not everyone can handle it. Luna Seraphine understood that, and that’s why she entrusted it to me."

The mention of Seraphine snapped something inside Daisy, her mask slipped because the comparison had began. "Then you can follow her," Daisy hissed. "Wherever she is." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

She expected fear, or pleading, but instead, Nicole laughed softly, incredulous. "You’re right," she said. "My fiancé is in the city anyway. I quit."

The words struck harder than Daisy expected. Still, she forced her composure.

"Fine," she said coldly. "Whoever finds the cure becomes director."

Nicole turned to leave, then paused. "Good luck managing this pack," she said quietly. "But trust me, you will never be Luna Seraphine. You will never compare to—"

The rest of her words were cut short as Daisy’s fist connected sharply with Nicole’s face.

Nicole staggered but straightened immediately, refusing to cower. What she said next shattered Daisy, not because it was cruel, but because every word rang painfully true.

And deep down, Daisy knew it, and the question was never whether it was true. It was whether she could ever accept it.