Chapter 336: Chapter 336 – What kind of love story is that?
Voren left the office a lot earlier than usual that day. Before heading out, he spent nearly half an hour with Pete going over reports, signing documents, and giving detailed instructions on several projects that couldn’t wait.
Normally he would’ve stuck around longer, but today was different. There were still too many loose ends he wanted wrapped up before he and Seraphine left for the pack.
Most importantly, he wanted real answers. The discoveries about Esperanza had changed everything, and for the first time in years, it finally felt like the truth was close enough to reach out and grab.
As he drove through the city, another thought crossed his mind—Corvine. A small smile tugged at his lips. He still couldn’t believe the Beta had agreed to move into the mansion instead of going back to Stone Manor.
The arrangement made life easier for everyone, but more than that, it had given Voren something he never expected: family. Not by blood and not by pack law, but family all the same.
The more time he spent around Corvine, the more he understood why Seraphine trusted him so completely. The man was loyal to a fault, reliable, protective, and surprisingly funny when he wasn’t busy trying to look daunting.
Voren chuckled to himself. Honestly, having Corvine around felt like suddenly having the brother he never knew he needed. Men like that were rare, and Voren had every intention of keeping him close.
Traffic wasn’t bad, so he reached the hospital sooner than expected. The building was its usual hive of activity—doctors rushing down hallways, nurses moving between rooms, and patients filling up the waiting areas.
The organized chaos reminded him exactly why Seraphine loved working here so much.
As he stepped into one of the main hallways, his eyes quickly landed on the person he was looking for.
Leon stood with two nurses, reviewing patient files. Even from a distance, the doctor looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and a wrinkled white coat that suggested a long shift.
Leon happened to glance up, and surprise flashed across his face the moment their eyes met. He excused himself from the nurses right away and walked over. "Mr. Ashkael?" His eyebrows lifted. "Are you sick?"
The genuine concern in his voice almost made Voren scoff. Apparently, nobody expected to see him in a hospital unless something was wrong. "Do you have a few minutes?" Voren asked, his gaze flicking briefly toward the nearby nurses.
Leon followed his line of sight, then glanced down at the reports in his hands and let out a weary sigh. "Sure. Just give me five minutes." He handed the files off to one of the nurses. "I’ll be right behind you."
Voren thanked him with a nod and made his way to the office. True to his word, Leon walked in less than five minutes later.
The doctor closed the door behind him and dropped heavily into his chair, exhaustion written all over his face. He loosened his tie a little. "My shift officially ended ten minutes ago," he said with a tired smile. "So what do I owe this visit?"
Voren stayed standing for a moment before taking the seat across from him. "It’s about Seraphine."
That immediately got Leon’s full attention. His eyebrows rose, and a teasing smile appeared. "What happened? She finally decide she doesn’t believe you saved her at Bohemian Grove?"
Voren shook his head. "Not even close." The smile faded from Leon’s face the second he caught the serious look in Voren’s eyes. This clearly wasn’t a casual conversation. Voren leaned forward slightly. "What we’re about to discuss stays between us."
The firmness in his voice made Leon adjust himself uncomfortably, not because he felt threatened, but because he could already tell things were about to get complicated.
He glanced quickly toward the quiet hallway outside. "Luckily there aren’t any staff around right now."
Voren nodded. "Good." Then he got straight to the point. "I’m marrying Seraphine next week."
Silence filled the room. Leon blinked once, then twice, as the words slowly sank in. "You... you’re marrying Seraphine?" The color drained from his face as the reality hit him. Suddenly dozens of little things started making sense—the strange tension, the constant arguments, the way Voren always seemed to show up whenever Seraphine was involved, how he’d reacted to the proposal, and how Seraphine acted every time Voren entered a room.
Leon slowly leaned back in his chair, disbelief written all over his face. "You two were constantly at each other’s throats. What kind of love story is that?"
For the first time, Voren actually laughed—a real one full of irony. "Trust me, it’s a very long story." Leon believed that immediately.
Voren folded his hands together, his expression softening. "But what I can tell you is this. Sera, Ravyn, and I were childhood friends."
Leon froze as everything clicked into place even faster. A memory from Bohemian Grove surfaced. The strange look Seraphine had given both men, the hesitation, the unexplained familiarity.
"I knew it," he said, pointing at Voren. "There was something off about that day. When you and Ravyn showed up, I kept feeling like she already knew both of you, but she brushed it off like it wasn’t important."
Voren’s expression darkened slightly. "There were misunderstandings." That was putting it mildly. Years of lies, manipulation, and pain. But he wasn’t here to unload the whole story. "The reason I’m telling you this is because I need your help. If news of our marriage reaches Ravyn before we’re ready, there could be problems. If he comes here looking for Seraphine for any reason at all, call me."
Leon nodded slowly, the seriousness of the request sinking in. Still, something clearly bothered him. He leaned back and studied Voren carefully. "Can I ask something?"
"Go ahead."
"If you love her that much, why keep the marriage secret?"
Voren sighed. "Because Ravyn is her ex-husband."
The room went very quiet. Leon stared, then stared some more as realization dawned. "Oh." A complicated look crossed his face. "So let me get this straight. Ravyn is your best friend—"
"Was," Voren corrected immediately. Leon nodded. "Fine, was. And now you’re marrying his ex-wife." The doctor winced. "Honestly? If I were in his shoes, I’d feel betrayed."
Voren didn’t react defensively. He understood why an outsider would see it that way. "If you knew the full story, you wouldn’t feel that way." The conviction in his voice made Leon pause.
Whatever had happened between the three of them clearly ran a lot deeper than he realized. Fortunately, Leon wasn’t foolish enough to push for more details.
"So what’s the real reason you’re here?" Leon asked, changing the subject.
A grin appeared on Voren’s face, and Leon immediately grew suspicious. "I plan to spoil my wife."
Leon blinked. "What?"
"Unexpected vacations, trips around the world, and more time together," Voren said to cover for their pack visits. Leon groaned and buried his face in his hands. "You are trying to make her quit."
Voren chuckled. "Absolutely not. Sera loves being a surgeon, and I know that. So she’ll still be here for emergencies, complicated cases, anything that needs her expertise."
Relief washed over Leon’s face. "That’s much better." He shook his head, still looking stunned. "I still can’t believe any of this." His gaze narrowed. "Although... I always felt something between you two." A mischievous grin spread across his face. "You used saving her life to convince her to marry you, didn’t you?"
Voren’s expression darkened instantly. "No." The answer came so fast Leon almost laughed. Voren leaned forward, all traces of amusement gone. "And she must never hear that. Do you understand?"
Leon was genuinely curious now. "If that’s not how you convinced her, then how did you do it?"
Voren stood up smoothly, signaling the conversation was over. A polite, almost dangerously polite smile appeared on his face. "It’s been wonderful talking to you, Doctor Hawthorne."
Leon groaned. "Seriously?" Voren ignored him and headed for the door. "I’ll send you the wedding date and location. I hope you don’t miss it."
"Voren." Leon tried one last time as Voren reached for the handle. "How did you do it?"
