Chapter 376: Chapter 376 - She died for two minutes
Voren had turned that exact possibility over in his mind more than once. Every single time the question bubbled up, though, he’d shoved it aside because the connection between Bloodfang and Seraphine’s wolf brought him a kind of peace he’d never known before.
It quieted the restless ache that had lived inside him for years. Whether it was normal or not hadn’t seemed to matter as long as his wolf was content. And if Bloodfang was happy, then Voren was happy too. That had always been enough.
But now, after everything they’d been through and after hearing Seraphine voice the same worry out loud, he couldn’t push it away anymore. His brows knitted together as the weight of it settled over him. "That’s actually a really serious question."
Seraphine watched him closely, her eyes full of curiosity and trust. Voren rested his hands on her waist, grounding himself in the warmth of her body.
"Let me reach out to our shaman before she starts her meditation again. Once she goes into that purification journey, nobody can disturb her, not even me."
He didn’t waste another second. He reached through the mind link, and relief flooded him when the connection clicked into place right away.
The shaman’s familiar voice filled his head, smooth, calm, and carrying that deep wisdom he’d always relied on. ’Is she awake? Did she remember everything?’
Voren glanced at Seraphine, who was still comfortably settled on his lap. A small smile stretched his lips for a brief moment before it faded, his eyes rolling to the back as he communicated with his shaman through mind link. ’Yes, her memories are back, but that’s not why I’m contacting you.’
The shaman stayed quiet, waiting patiently as Voren took a deep breath. ’Before you begin your purification journey, there’s something important I need to ask. We all know the mate bond doesn’t work but when Seraphine came back to the pack after leaving Ravyn, Bloodfang and her wolf seemed unusually attached to each other almost right away. I think it’s strange.’
To his surprise, the shaman answered without any hesitation. ’From what I can see, she died for two minutes.’
Voren’s entire body went rigid. His arms tightened around Seraphine without him even realizing it. ’You brought her back.’
A deep frown carved itself across his face. ’Nothing like that happened,’ he shot back through the mind link but the shaman’s voice stayed perfectly calm and unmoved.
’The spirits do not lie. She was poisoned with wolfsbane, and without her wolf active enough to protect her, the damage was severe. If you think the anti-wolfsbane serum saved her, you’re mistaken.’
Voren felt like the floor had dropped out from under him. Memories of that horrible night crashed over him in a brutal wave, the raw fear, the panic, the complete helplessness as he watched her body grow colder in his arms, watched her stop responding, watched the life slowly slipping away from the woman he loved more than anything.
His fists clenched around Seraphine’s waist as the shaman’s voice continued echoing in his head. ’You cried to the moon goddess and your tears carries weight. With just a few words blending your tears, you rewrote both of your destinies.’
For several long seconds, Voren couldn’t even form a response. The room around him blurred and faded. All he could see was Seraphine lying motionless on that bed.
All he could hear was his own broken voice begging the Moon Goddess, praying, crying, completely falling apart as he pleaded for her life.
That had been the second time he’d cried but for a different reason. He begged the moon goddess for her life.
His chest tightened with a painful ache. ’You mean... she became my mate because of that?’
The shaman released a thoughtful hum. ’I’m not certain it’s a true mate bond. It’s closer to a soul tie, a connection formed with the man who saved her life.’
The words landed like a heavy stone in his gut. A soul tie. Voren’s gaze drifted to Seraphine. She was still looking at him with those curious, trusting eyes, completely unaware of the storm tearing through his mind.
The shaman went on, her tone turning serious. ’But don’t become too comfortable. Soul ties can break, just like mate bonds.’
Voren hated those words with every fiber of his being. The shaman’s voice softened just a little. ’What truly matters is your love for each other.’ There was a brief silence before she added one final thought. ’If she’s safe and awake, then I can begin my journey.’
Before Voren could ask anything else, the connection vanished completely. He blinked, the sudden quiet in his head feeling strangely empty. "What did she say?" Seraphine’s voice gently pulled him back to the present.
Voren forced a smile, but it felt hollow, never reaching his eyes. "She speaks in riddles, as usual."
Seraphine rolled her eyes with a small laugh that warmed the air between them. "That sounds about right."
Voren nodded, his fingers lightly tracing soothing circles on her waist. "She cut me off because she’s beginning her purification journey in preparation for the Blood Moon Festival. We can ask her again during the festival."
Seraphine seemed satisfied with that, but Voren was anything but. There was one devastating truth he couldn’t bring himself to tell her, not yet, and maybe not ever.
The fact that she had actually died that night. That his desperate prayers and broken pleas had somehow pulled her back from the edge. How could he lay that on her?
Protecting her had always been his responsibility, and he had failed her. She had nearly died right there under his watch, so why should he get any credit for saving her afterward? The guilt alone made him feel sick to his stomach.
But another darker thought lingered, far more dangerous and possessive. If the shaman was right... if that night was truly what tied their souls together... then what would have happened if none of it had ever occurred? His jaw tightened painfully.
Would Seraphine have belonged to someone else? Would another man have been her fated mate if that incident hadn’t happened before the blood moon festival?
The mere possibility made Voren’s blood boil with jealousy. A low, possessive growl rumbled from deep in his throat before he could stop it. His wolf stirred angrily, territorial, and fierce, jealous of a man who might not even exist.
Who the hell was he? Who would have claimed her? Who would have touched her? The questions left a bitter, burning taste in his mouth.
"V?" Seraphine’s voice came out cautious now, concern shining brightly in her eyes. "You’re scaring me."
Voren blinked and immediately forced the tension out of his body. He hadn’t even realized how intimidating he had become. Before he could apologize, her expression brightened a little. "Marsha is ready to speak with you." Then she narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "But you have to promise me something first."
Suspicion flashed across Voren’s face. "What?"
Seraphine crossed her arms, a stubborn little smile spreading across her lips. "You have to let me speak with Bloodfang."
