Corvine blinked hard, totally caught off guard by the question. For a second he just stared at Voren, his mind clearly spinning to catch up. Then a quiet chuckle escaped him as he rubbed the back of his neck, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Man, that was not what I was expecting you to ask."

Voren folded his arms across his chest and waited, giving his friend all the time he needed.

Corvine smiled to himself for a moment before answering straight from the heart.

"Physically? Yeah, Jasmine’s definitely my type." His smile slowly faded as he kept going. "But romantically... no."

One of Voren’s eyebrows shot up. "What exactly does that mean?"

Corvine slipped both hands into his pockets and leaned back against the railing, letting the cool evening breeze wash over his face. "I guess working so closely with Sera completely changed how I look at relationships."

His eyes drifted out toward the endless ocean. "Over time, I started getting drawn to women who are seriously ambitious. Looks just aren’t at the top of my list anymore."

Voren stayed quiet, letting him pour it all out.

"I’ve got a real vision for my future," Corvine continued, his voice growing deeper and more serious. "And I don’t want someone who’s just gonna stand beside me. I want a partner who can actually build that future with me, side by side."

He looked back at Voren, eyes intense. "Love isn’t only about feelings. It’s about partnership. It’s about trust. It’s about finding someone who makes your whole life easier instead of piling on more weight and stress."

He smiled faintly, the breeze tugging at his hair. "I want a woman I can trust completely with my company whenever I’m stuck dealing with pack stuff. If pack duties pull me away from the human world, I need someone strong enough to make big business decisions without waiting around for me."

"And if I’m off handling things in New York, I want a woman who’s wise and tough enough to step up as Beta and carry those responsibilities until I get back."

Voren finally nodded like it was all clicking into place, but a hint of confusion still lingered on his face.

Corvine picked up on it right away. "I’ve actually tested Jasmine," he said, his tone calm and honest, not cruel or mocking at all. "She’s just not there yet. Not even close."

Before Voren could take it the wrong way, Corvine kept explaining. "And honestly, I don’t blame her. She had a tough life, and spent the latter parts being groomed by Olivia."

"She was shaped into exactly the kind of traditional she-wolf the academy keeps churning out. women who are taught to obey first, question things later, and never dream bigger than the role they’ve been handed."

He let out a heavy sigh. "But after meeting someone like Sera..." A soft laugh escaped him. "It’s really hard to feel attracted to that old mindset anymore."

Voren nodded slowly, the explanation making total sense to him now.

Still, Corvine could tell something else was eating at his friend. His smile turned warm and understanding. "Don’t get me wrong. I’ve already moved on from Sera. There’s zero hesitation in me about that. I admire her, and I respect her like crazy. But those old feelings are completely gone."

His gaze stayed steady and clear. "What she did was raise my standards sky high. I know there are other strong, incredible women out there, though they might never quite reach Sera’s level." He laughed quietly to himself. "Honestly, I don’t think anyone ever will. But I’m sure there are women ready to learn, ready to grow, and ready to build something real and meaningful together."

Hearing those words hit Voren deep, making him reflect on his own incredible luck. Only now did it fully sink in just how fortunate he really was.

Most Alphas had to shoulder the entire burden of leading their packs alone whenever their Betas were gone. In a lot of packs, the Beta handled everything while the Alpha was away. But that wasn’t how things worked in the Centenary Pack.

Whenever Ravyn was gone, Seraphine stepped up and ran pack affairs with total confidence and power. She didn’t wait for permission or second opinions, she made the tough calls herself, solved problems on the spot, and earned everyone’s deep respect.

Now that she was his wife, Voren didn’t have to carry every single responsibility by himself anymore. He had someone whose sharp intelligence matched his own, someone he trusted with his whole heart, someone who could stand right beside him as a true equal.

A warm, genuine smile spread across Voren’s face. "Thank you, Corvine."

Corvine let out a small laugh and shook his head. "No, thank you for actually understanding where I’m coming from."

Voren’s smile grew even bigger. "I’ll admit something. I was worried."

"Worried?" Corvine raised an eyebrow.

Voren nodded, his gaze soft. "Kael has already made it pretty clear he’s interested in Jasmine. I had no idea how the hell I was supposed to handle both of my Betas going after the same woman."

Corvine laughed as he wiped an invisible tear from the corner of his eye, still grinning. "Then you spent all that time worrying over nothing."

The two men shared a good, genuine laugh before Corvine’s expression softened again. "But I honestly think she’s changed."

There was no pity in his voice, just raw honesty. "She made mistakes, we all know that. But she’s not Olivia." He looked straight at Voren. "I really believe she deserves another chance. She shouldn’t be condemned for the exact same crimes as your evil aunty."

Voren didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached over and gave Corvine a firm, brotherly pat on the shoulder. That simple gesture said more than any words ever could.

Then he turned and walked back toward the rest of the group. The conversation on the deck instantly died down as everyone watched him return.

Seraphine rose from her seat the moment he got close. Without saying a word, Voren sat down and gently pulled her onto his lap, wrapping a strong arm around her waist.

She settled comfortably against his chest, smiling softly as his hand rested protectively around her.

Only then did Voren lift his eyes to meet his father’s.

"Dad..." His voice rang out across the deck, calm but filled with quiet confidence. "I agree with Corvine." He glanced briefly at Jasmine before looking back at Vladimir. "What do you think?