Chapter 311: Chapter 311 – The birthmark
Voren didn’t look away. Didn’t flinch from it either. His face stayed serious in a way that had nothing fake about it, just a man who had already sat with a hard decision by himself for a long time and made it with his whole heart on the line.
"I already know." There was no hesitation at all, his voice deep and steady like an oath carved in stone. "I’ll choose you every single time, Sera. That’s not something I even have to think about. You’re it for me. You’ve always been it."
"And as for the memory thing, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Not for a second. I’m going to find out what happened to you. To both of us. Let me know your schedule, and we can plan a short trip to the Grimroot pack first. I want to dig into this with you, hold your hand through every dark corner until we get the truth."
Seraphine was excited about a trip to the Grimroot pack and readily agreed, a spark of hope and anticipation lighting up inside her chest at the thought of uncovering their past together. "Okay. I’ll confirm everything tomorrow. I can’t wait to finally start piecing us back together."
Voren pulled her into his arms then, strong and sure, wrapping her up against his broad chest so they could feel each other’s heartbeat thumping in sync.
It was calming and peaceful, yet underneath it all, that low, constant hum of desire simmered between them, his scent wrapping around her like a warm blanket, making her want to bury her face in his neck and breathe him in forever.
"The moon festival is where we get our answers," he said over the top of her head, his voice rumbling through his chest and vibrating against her. "All our parents will be there. Someone in that circle knows something and I’d bet my whole pack on it. We’ll face it side by side, baby. No more secrets tearing us apart."
Seraphine thought about that, her mind drifting while her body melted a little more into his embrace, loving the solid feel of his muscles under her cheek.
The moon festival always stretched across a full weekend, three whole days packed with multiple events, the kind of big gathering where wolves from dozens of packs came together and old histories had a way of surfacing whether anyone wanted them to or not. It felt like destiny calling them both home.
It was the perfect place to shake something loose. Once the DNA test confirmed everything, she would have to discuss with Leon to re-look at her schedule because she would need more time to spend with her daughter—precious moments she’d been robbed of for too long. Also, she’d want to choose her daughter’s name herself.
"Then I need to get things in order before we get there," Seraphine said, more to herself than to him at first, her mind already starting to move ahead even as her fingers traced lazy circles on his chest.
"Investor meetings I’ve been putting off, a few new business deals I need to close, and my schedule at the hospital." She exhaled softly, her breath warming his skin. "I have to sit down and actually map it all out properly so I can make space for us... for this beautiful second chance we’re building."
"You’ll have time," Voren promised, pulling away slowly, his eyes locked on hers with such intensity it made her stomach flutter.
He leaned in and kissed her, slow and unhurried and warm, like a man with nothing to prove and nowhere else to be, his lips moving against hers with deep, lingering affection that quickly heated into something more passionate.
His tongue teased the seam of her mouth, tasting her, claiming her softly until her thoughts needed a second to pull themselves back together, her body tingling all over with fresh need.
When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against hers for a beat, breaths mingling. He turned to the nightstand and pulled open the top drawer with the ease of someone who had been planning this for a while, his movements confident and full of quiet intention.
He came back with a pendant and a bracelet, both clearly expensive, the kind of beautiful craftsmanship that didn’t come from some mall or online store, the kind where you could feel the care and intention in the weight of every piece, each gem and link whispering of long-held love.
The gems caught the light in a way that made Seraphine go still just looking at them, her heart swelling with emotion.
He clasped the pendant around her neck first, his fingers careful and warm against her nape, brushing her hair aside tenderly and sending shivers racing down her spine.
Then he lifted her wrist and secured the bracelet, his touch lingering on her pulse point like he was savoring the feel of her skin.
His eyes moved over the pieces with quiet satisfaction, like he was seeing them exactly where they had always been meant to be, on her body, marking her as his.
"You might not remember," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion, "but you asked for these once. A long time ago. I kept them safe, waiting for the day I could put them on you."
Something pulled behind Seraphine’s sternum, a feeling she couldn’t quite name, half grief for the lost years and half sweet recognition, like reaching for a word that was just out of reach but finally coming home.
She had seen it from the video and even after everything, Voren had still kept it for her all this time. It made her feel guilty for a while, but with a spell twisting her memories, she could not blame herself too much. Instead, it only deepened the warm ache of love and desire she felt for this man.
Seraphine lifted the pendant between her fingers and looked at it closely. The moonstone caught the light and scattered it in thin silver lines across her skin, beautiful and ethereal, just like the love they were rebuilding.
"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice husky with feeling, wondering what she could do for him in return.
He already took care of and protected her daughter without knowing the full truth, raising her with so much love it made Seraphine’s heart overflow.
For some reason, she felt that marrying him was even not enough to make up for the good life he gave her daughter. She wanted to give him everything, her body, her trust, her forever.
Voren’s eyes moved over her slowly, and there was nothing rushed about it, just a man looking at someone he loved deeply, taking his time like he was drinking in every curve and shadow.
The way his gaze darkened made heat pool low in her belly, her nipples tightening under his attention.
Then his gaze stopped, taking in her half-naked form again, his eyes landing on her stomach where it was partially visible.
There was a small mark right above her panty line, faint but distinct. He’d seen that shape before. He was almost certain of it, and the realization hit him like a spark to dry tinder.
His voice came out different when he finally spoke, lower, a little unsteady in a way that was very unlike the strong Alpha she knew. "Sera." He leaned in slightly, his eyes locked on the spot, breath warm against her skin. "Is that a birthmark?"
