Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 474: Chapter 474 - Too sacred to be stained

Ian stood quietly beside Olivia, still gently supporting her weight after helping her up from the cold, snow-covered ground.

Although Vladimir’s unexpected question had caught him completely off guard, he didn’t dare refuse or hesitate. The Alpha standing before him wasn’t someone you could brush off or ignore.

Vladimir ruled one of the most powerful and influential packs in the entire werewolf community, and no one in their right mind turned down a direct request from him.

Ian nodded respectfully, his posture straight and deferential. "Of course, Alpha Vladimir. I’ll tell you everything I know."

Just as he was about to begin sharing the story, Vladimir’s eyes rolled to the back. A familiar voice suddenly sliced in his mind through mind link. "Dad, I thought we agreed you wouldn’t have this confrontation without us."

It was Voren. Vladimir answered smoothly through the link. ’It only just started, son.’ A faint, knowing smile crossed his lips. ’Come join us.’

A few moments later, the sound of footsteps crunching through the fresh snow reached them. Voren and Seraphine approached together, the cold wind swirling loose snowflakes around their figures in delicate, dancing patterns.

The moment Ian recognized them, he quickly straightened up even more and lowered his head in deep respect. "Alpha Voren." His eyes then drifted toward Seraphine with the same deference. "Luna Sera."

Seraphine offered him a polite, warm smile in return. Voren, however, barely acknowledged the greeting at all. His sharp attention had already zeroed in on the young she-wolf standing beside Ian.

The resemblance between her and Olivia was absolutely striking—she looked almost like a younger, fresher version of the woman who had raised him all those years.

Anyone looking at the two of them side by side would immediately notice they shared the same bloodline running through their veins. Even so, Voren wanted clear confirmation before jumping to any conclusions.

His calm, steady gaze rested on the young woman. "And her?"

The she-wolf immediately lowered her head, nervousness written plainly all over her face. "Alpha Voren..." She swallowed hard, her voice shaky. "I’m Ira." She glanced apologetically at Ian before forcing her eyes back to Voren.

"Please forgive us. Your mother... Luna Oriana... looks so much like my late mother." Her voice grew softer, almost fragile. "I was the one who begged my father to come over." She hesitated for a second, clearly struggling. "I..."

The words seemed to get trapped in her throat. Her eyes slowly filled with unshed tears that glistened in the dim light. "I’ve been waiting for years to ask whether we’re related."

She wiped the corner of one eye with a trembling hand before continuing. "My grandmother... my mother’s mother... she told us during my mother’s funeral that Mom had a twin sister."

A heavy silence surrounded the small group as the weight of her words settled over everyone. Ira drew another shaky, emotional breath. "I came to the Grimroot Pack five years ago." A painful mix of hope and deep disappointment played across her expression. "But your warriors wouldn’t let me inside."

The confession stunned both Voren and Vladimir into momentary silence. Neither of them spoke right away as the pieces finally clicked into place.

For years, Olivia’s hidden past had been knocking persistently at the gates of the Grimroot Pack, yet somehow every single loose end had quietly disappeared or been shut down before it could ever reach Vladimir or Voren.

Olivia hadn’t simply hidden her past, she had gone to great, ruthless lengths to bury it completely.

Voren slowly eased his full attention back to Ira, keeping his expression carefully calm and controlled. "Really?" He spoke so gently that Ira seemed to relax just a fraction. "What reason did the warriors give for turning you away?"

Ira opened her mouth to respond. "He—"

Before another word could leave her lips, Olivia suddenly interrupted in a rush of panic. "Voren..." Pure desperation filled her voice. "Please." She shook her head desperately, her eyes wide with fear. "There’s no need for this. None at all."

"There is." Voren’s reply was calm but incredibly firm, leaving no room for debate. His eyes remained locked directly on Olivia. "You were the one who ordered them to send her away."

It wasn’t a question. It was a flat, undeniable statement.

Olivia’s face instantly drained of all color. Her knees nearly buckled beneath her again.

She had hoped to reconnect with the family she had so cruelly abandoned, since Ian looked like a changed man now.

But everything was crumbling apart right before her eyes in the worst possible way, and the person ruthlessly exposing every buried secret was the very son she had raised and protected for thirty-two long years.

The boy she had sacrificed everything for, even her own daughter.

Olivia slowly turned her tear-filled gaze toward Ira. The young woman had grown into such a beautiful, radiant she-wolf, carrying her mother’s warm smile, expressive eyes, and gentle warmth.

Yet Olivia couldn’t even bring herself to call her daughter. The emotional and physical distance between them felt impossibly vast and heartbreaking. Her vision blurred with fresh, hot tears. "Voren..." Her lips trembled violently. "I..."

Before she could scramble for another excuse or lie, Vladimir’s voice sliced through the icy air like a deadly blade. "If you tell another lie... I’ll make you regret it more than you can imagine."

Olivia shivered violently from head to toe, not because of the freezing winter weather biting at her skin, but because of him.

Voren would not raise a hand against her, but Vladimir was entirely different. Ever since learning the full truth, he had transformed her life into an endless, torturous nightmare.

He had tortured her over and over without mercy. Every single time her wolf worked to heal the wounds, he would start the cycle of pain all over again.

It was almost as though watching her suffer brought him a dark, twisted satisfaction. The memories alone made her entire body tremble uncontrollably. She no longer had even a shred of courage left to lie.

Her shoulders slumped in complete and utter defeat. "Yes." Her voice was barely audible over the wind. "I told the warriors to send her away. I was afraid seeing her would make people suspicious and start asking questions."

A heavy, painful silence followed her raw confession. Ira stared at Olivia in absolute disbelief, her face a mask of shock and heartbreak.

She slowly stepped closer, confusion and pain filling her tearful eyes. "Luna Oriana..." Her voice cracked with emotion. "Why? Why did you send me away without even talking to me first?" Her breathing became uneven and ragged. "What if..."

She couldn’t finish the sentence. She wanted so badly to ask what if they truly were family.

Before she could continue, Vladimir’s furious voice suddenly exploded through the snowy clearing like thunder. "Stop calling her Oriana!"

His powerful roar startled everyone present. His cold eyes blazed with intense, barely contained anger. "That name is too sacred to be stained by someone like her."

Ian’s eyes widened in complete shock. He looked frantically from Vladimir to Olivia, then over to Voren and Seraphine, trying to make sense of the chaos.

Nothing added up anymore. His brows knitted tightly together in deep confusion. "Wait..." His voice trembled with uncertainty. "What’s going on here?"