Alpha's Regret: The Seventh Time was Forever

Chapter 635: Chapter 635 - The pack has changed

Oriana turned around once more to look at the gate of the ethereal realm, her eyes tracing the golden light with desperate longing. The paradise she had spent eighty-one days dreaming of, the peace she had craved for thirty-two years, called to her like a siren’s song.

But Vladimir brought the vial to her lips and fed it to her, his hands gentle but insistent. The liquid slid down her throat, warm and thick like honey, and she emptied the content. Still, she turned again, her gaze fixed on the gate of the ethereal realm.

Before Vladimir could stop her, she began to walk toward it, her feet carrying her forward with a will of their own.

But he quickly caught up and swept her into his arms bridal style, cradling her against his chest as he hastened to the other end of the bridge. His legs carried them toward the gate of the werewolf world, the familiar landscape of their home drawing closer with each step.

As soon as they crossed the gate, they found themselves in a familiar place, the shaman’s cave. The ancient woman’s eyes widened in shock, her face creasing with surprise. "I was just about to announce your funeral," she admitted, her voice carrying a hint of relief.

Vladimir rose from the bed and quickly helped Oriana up, his hands steadying her as she found her footing. But then he noticed that the third bed was empty, its occupant gone. "Is Madison alright?"

"Very well," the shaman replied, her voice warm. "She’s recovering with her family."

The shaman turned to Oriana, her expression softening. "It’s good to have you back."

Instead of gratitude, she was met with a slap. The sound echoed off the cave walls, sharp and sudden. "Back then, you weren’t oblivious." Oriana’s voice trembled with accusation, years of pent-up anger finally finding a release.

The shaman only smiled faintly, her hand rising to touch her reddened cheek. "I knew something was wrong, but I wasn’t strong enough back then." She lowered her gaze, her voice softening with regret. "My powers weren’t as they are now. I couldn’t see clearly."

Oriana took in a deep breath, the anger slowly draining from her. "I’m sorry." The words came out genuine, her shoulders relaxing.

"It’s okay." The shaman smiled, her eyes kind. "You have every right to be upset. After all, you were the one trapped for over thirty-two years."

"Thirty what?" Oriana’s face drained of color. From the ethereal realm, things had moved so quickly, she had hardly noticed so much time had passed. "Isn’t it just a few months?" She blinked, confusion clouding her features. "I was surprised to see that my son was so old all of a sudden. It felt like I had only been gone for a short while."

It was clear that her interpretation of things from the ethereal realm, where her soul had been trapped, was quite twisted. Time had moved differently there, stretching and compressing in ways she couldn’t comprehend.

The shaman sighed, her ancient eyes carrying a weight of understanding. "There is a lot you need to learn, and sadly, you’ll have to spend more time with me than your husband because my time is quite short." She paused, her voice dropping. "You have to catch up on everything you’ve missed. The world has changed. The pack has changed."

"I’m not leaving her side." Vladimir said seriously, his hand finding Oriana’s and squeezing it.

Both women smiled at his possessiveness as the shaman replied, her voice warm. "Sure, you can stay. And after her training, she can use this cave for connecting with the ethereal realm and still live in your suite at the pack house." Her eyes twinkled. "The best of both worlds."

"Sound good to me." Vladimir nodded, his relief palpable.

"Shaman, who are you talking to?" Voren’s voice rang from outside, sharp with curiosity. The voices inside were low and one sounded unfamiliar, a woman’s voice that carried a tone he hadn’t heard in his lifetime.

He didn’t get a response. But three people stepped out of the cave, and he could tell immediately that his mother had been awakened. The sight of her alive, standing in the moonlight, stole his breath away. I

t was as if she wasn’t more than twenty, her skin smooth, her eyes bright, her hair flowing and full of life. Standing beside his father, the contrast was obvious.

Vladimir looked every one of his years, weathered and worn ever since he heard about the swap, while Oriana seemed untouched by time. It was as if they were father and daughter standing there, the years that had taken their toll on him had spared her entirely.

Voren felt warm arms wrapped around him, and tears he didn’t know he’d been holding slid down his cheek. The warmth of his mother was different from any other warmth he ever felt in his lifetime. It was the comfort of being held by the woman who had given him life, who had sacrificed everything for him.

"Mom." His voice cracked at the edges, barely a whisper. "Is it really you?" He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in, the scent of her, the feel of her, the reality of her presence.

It was as if time had stopped before the woman pulled away and smiled. She looked so young that one might think she was Seraphine’s rival, a laughable thought.

Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she pinched his cheek playfully. "You were really a hard one to birth." She laughed, the sound like music. "Look at you, all grown and looking more handsome than your dad."

"Really?" Vladimir’s voice rang behind them, filled with jealousy.

Voren chuckled, the sound thick with emotion. He wrapped his arms around Seraphine and pulled her close to him, his wife’s presence grounding him. "Mom, this is—"

Oriana’s voice cut through, her eyes sharp with ethereal knowledge. "The two-edged mysterious white wolf." She smiled before turning back to Voren, her gaze knowing. "She wasn’t meant to be yours, but you both love each other so much." She paused, taking a deep breath, her expression changing. "Where is her mother?"

"Mom is taking care of the kids." Seraphine said, her voice soft as she looked at her mother-in-law with complicated feelings. The woman who had sacrificed everything for her son, who had been trapped in the ethereal realm for decades, was now standing before her. The weight of that history pressed down on them both.

Oriana smiled at her, a warmth in her eyes that surprised Seraphine. But then her gaze settled on Voren, her expression turning serious. "We need to talk." Her voice carried a weight that made the air grow heavy, the joy of the reunion suddenly shadowed by something unspoken.