Chapter 621 - You deserve to be prepared
Voren woke up with Seraphine’s arms wrapped tightly around him, her soft body pressed against his back, her warm breath ghosting across his skin.
Everything inside of him wanted to just remain in her arms, to soak in her warmth and forget the world outside. But there was a huge responsibility on his head, a weight that couldn’t be ignored.
Everything in him wanted to wake Sera when he glanced at the bedside clock. 2:55am. The dim glow of the numbers mocked him with the earliness of the hour.
However, she was carrying his twins, his precious heirs, so he had to cut her some slack. With remorse settling heavy in his chest, he gently detangled himself from her, moving with painstaking slowness to avoid disturbing her slumber.
Her hand reached out instinctively, seeking him, and he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before slipping away.
He went to the bathroom to freshen up, splashing cold water on his face to shake off the lingering drowsiness, before putting on his gym clothes. The fabric felt cool against his skin, a welcome contrast to the warmth of the bed he had just left.
He was about to knock on Corvine’s door, his fist raised, when the door swung open. Corvine stepped out, already dressed for training, his expression alert and ready.
They walked to the elevator without a word, the silence between them comfortable and companionable. But when the elevator doors opened, Vladimir was standing there, his weathered face lined with worry.
"Dad, why did you wake up so early?" Voren’s brow furrowed with concern. His father was not a man who rose before dawn without reason.
Vladimir glanced at Corvine before saying, his voice carrying a note of urgency, "I needed to talk to you." His gaze drifted to Corvine. "Do you mind?"
Corvine shook his head quickly. "I’ll just wait in my room." He stepped back, giving the father and son their privacy.
Vladimir pulled his son into the elevator and pressed the number to his floor. The doors slid shut, and the lift descended in silence. When they stepped out of the elevator and entered Vladimir’s room, Voren raised a brow, his confusion deepening.
He completely ignored Olivia, who laid pitifully on the floor, her eyes red-rimmed and pleading. His focus was entirely on his late mother’s corpse on the bed. His heart seized in his chest. "How is this possible?" His voice was barely a whisper, laced with shock and disbelief.
Oriana was looking better than when they had exhumed her corpse from the grave almost a week ago. Her skin had lost the pallor of death, her features relaxed and peaceful. It was as if the woman was just sleeping, merely waiting to wake.
He also noticed that his father had been bathing and changing Oriana’s clothes, even styling her hair with gentle, loving hands. The room smelled faintly of her favorite perfume.
"Our shaman said she’ll only talk about it in your presence." Vladimir’s voice was heavy. "But your wife has to be there too." He paused, his expression darkening. "The reason I called you here is because of Corvine."
Voren frowned, his gaze snapping to his father. "What about him?"
"The shaman said that she sees Corvine wearing the crown for just one minute." Vladimir’s voice cracked slightly. "And even she does not understand why." He met his son’s eyes. "Voren, I know you’ll only blame yourself if something happens to him, so I thought you should know. You deserve to be prepared."
Voren went stiff, his entire body locking up. This was the first time he had heard something that genuinely troubled him, that sent a cold tendril of fear curling through his gut. But something else came to mind, a logical thread he clung to.
"If she was privy to him wearing the crown, then it means he won against his opponents, right?" His voice was sharp, demanding confirmation. "I’ll train him harder. And before he wears the crown, I’ll be there to ensure that no one outsmarts us. No one will touch him."
"Good." Vladimir nodded, relief flickering across his features. "But are you joining the pack training too?"
Voren nodded firmly. "Of course. But it’s been long since I trained with Corvine, so I have to start with him. After the pack training, I’ll continue with him alone." He paused, calculating. "Sera should be up by then, and we can meet with the shaman together."
Vladimir agreed with the plan, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Alright. I’ll wait for you to mindlink me when you’re ready."
Voren went back to get Corvine, his steps purposeful and quick. He wanted to take him through the pack bonding ritual but remembered that Damon had to go through it too. As such, he decided to let the shaman do it when they got to her cave later. For now, training came first.
The Grimroot pack’s gym was enormous, bigger than Corvine expected—a vast space filled with state-of-the-art equipment, training mats, and sparring rings. But he quickly realized that Voren was in his full Alpha mode, his demeanor cold and focused.
Somehow, Corvine wished that Seraphine was there because this Voren was scary. Not only was he not talking much, but he also seemed cold throughout their warmups, his expression unreadable, his movements precise and deliberate.
"Alpha Voren, is everything alright?" Corvine asked politely, his voice cautious.
Voren stared at him, his eyes hard. "Good thing you know." His voice was flat, devoid of warmth. "During training, I won’t be nice."
It was just as Corvine expected, and his heart sunk. Back at Stanley’s gym when Corvine and Sera trained with Voren in New York, Voren had paid more attention to Seraphine, so Corvine had only learned some moves from a distance.
He had observed, had studied, but he hadn’t been the focus of Voren’s relentless attention. Nevertheless, he knew that Voren would be harder on him than Sera for the mere fact that Corvine was a man, and an Alpha in training.
"We have just three days to get you ready." Voren’s voice was grim. "And who knows, King Jaron might surprise us." The hint in his words was unmistakable. The rules of the contest could change at any moment, and Corvine had to be prepared for anything.
Corvine nodded in agreement, squaring his shoulders. "I’m ready." The words barely left his mouth before he instantly regretted them.
A punch from Voren sent him straight to the floor, the impact jarring his entire body. The pain was excruciating, radiating through his jaw and skull. Before it could even fully register, Corvine noticed Voren about to kick him.
He quickly rolled to his side and scrambled to his feet, sending a kick of his own. But Voren dodged with fluid grace, his movements almost lazy.
"You’re too slow." Voren barked, his voice sharp with criticism.
Corvine made another move to throw a punch, only for Voren to block it effortlessly before kicking him to the stomach. Corvine fell again, the air driven from his lungs.