"Voren, can you not be so mean?"
Ravyn’s voice cracked through the line, raw and desperate. "I didn’t know about all that. But I’m ready to make amends, only for the chance to see and talk to my daughter."
Voren’s expression softened, the hard edges of his anger yielding to something gentler. "I don’t have a problem with that. Sera already agreed."
Relief flooded through the line, audible in the shaky exhale Ravyn released.
"Just get the identity of the witch before time," Voren continued, his voice steady. "Let me confirm if she’s the one we’re looking for. The second one, though—" He hesitated, something dark flickering across his features. "That’s Coco."
Ravyn went rigid. The name hit him like a physical blow, stealing the breath from his lungs. "We won’t be able to find Coco. She looks like Sera."
"Not anymore." The words landed cold and final. "We managed to destroy her face, so she might come in a different form." Voren’s tone held no remorse, no hesitation. Just fact. "Whatever the case, allow the witch. Even if it isn’t the one we’re looking for, we can still get some information."
Ravyn absorbed the words, his mind spinning. The woman who had tormented Sera, who had worn her face like a mask was now disfigured. He should have felt relief. Instead, he felt the weight of everything unsaid pressing down on his chest. "Alright. I’ll let you know what happens after."
The call ended.
Voren pocketed his phone and turned his attention back to Corvine, who waited with the patience of a man eager to learn. The weight of the Alpha role sat on his shoulders now, and Voren intended to make sure he carried it well.
He walked Corvine through the duties, taking over training, distributing pack finances evenly, reviewing reports from every department, ensuring each leader handled their responsibilities without faltering. His voice was methodical, precise, leaving no room for confusion.
Then he led Corvine to the office.
The space was grand, befitting an Alpha. Dark wood paneling. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the pack lands. A desk carved from ancient oak, its surface polished to a mirror shine. Voren gestured around the room, a ghost of nostalgia flickering in his eyes.
"This place used to be mine, but it’s yours now." A wry smile tugged at his lips. "I can’t wait for Sera to prepare a new office for me. She won’t be happy if I do it myself."
Corvine chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. "Yeah, that’s the Sera I know." His gaze traveled the room, taking in the expensive furnishings, the weight of responsibility embedded in every corner. Then something flickered in his expression, a memory surfacing.
"Kael told me he was recruiting a gamma. Jasmine applied too." Corvine’s voice was calm, thoughtful. "He showed me the report earlier. Jasmine passed through the tests with flying colors, but I feel she’s too busy for the position."
Voren’s brow lifted, curiosity piqued. "I want to make an exception," Corvine proposed.
When Voren had instructed them to recruit a she-wolf for the position, he’d wanted the leaders to use their intuition. To decide on the number themselves. If Corvine got this right, it would prove he was settling into the role.
"What’s the exception?"
"I want to tell him to recruit two gammas." Corvine straightened, confidence threading through his words. "Jasmine would be a gamma, but also in charge of the children’s academy. The second gamma can help the Luna with her administrative duties."
Voren smiled, a genuine warmth spreading through his chest. He shrugged, the gesture easy. "You’re the Alpha. Do what you must." His voice dropped, a hint of steel beneath the casual tone. "But tonight, we begin your wolf training."


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