Voren could endure almost anything his parents threw at him. Their disappointment, their sharp criticism, their harsh words, even their outright rejection he had lived with all of it for years.

Somewhere along the way he had learned how to bury the pain deep beneath an emotionless face. If someone slapped him, insulted him, or challenged him directly, he could usually let it go. His pride was not worth fighting over.

But Seraphine... that was an entirely different story.

The moment anyone directed even the smallest bit of hatred toward his wife, every ounce of patience he possessed vanished in an instant.

Touch Voren, and there was a chance he would simply walk away without a second thought. Touch Seraphine, though... there would be real consequences.

It did not matter who the person was, family, friends, pack elders, or even his own parents. No one received special treatment when it came to hurting the woman he loved more than anything.

Long before the truth about Seraphine had come out, his father had already done everything in his power to break them apart.

He had ignored everything Voren had gone through. He had ignored Seraphine’s pain. Instead of trying to understand them, he had tried to destroy the relationship they had fought so hard to build. That alone had left a scar on Voren that he could not forget.

Then the truth had finally been revealed. Seraphine was not just any doctor. She was Doctor Ash, the same woman who had risked her own safety, using her powers to save wounded warriors from the Grimroot Pack, the same doctor his father had admired without ever realizing who she truly was.

Voren had believed that once his father learned the truth, everything would finally change for the better.

Instead, Vladimir had still spoken to Seraphine with disrespect. He had still insulted her without hesitation. That memory continued to burn inside Voren like a live coal.

Every cruel word aimed at her echoed in his mind. Every look of disrespect only fueled the anger he had been holding back for so long.

To everyone else, it might have looked like he was being stubborn but to Voren, it was much simpler than that. No one had the right to disrespect his wife. No one. Not after everything she had sacrificed. Not after everything she had survived.

He also knew Seraphine far too well. She had one of the kindest hearts he had ever seen. If someone apologized sincerely, she would always find a way to forgive them.

She would probably forgive Vladimir because he was Voren’s father. She would overlook her own pain if it meant keeping peace within the family.

That was exactly why Voren could not leave this matter in her hands. He refused to let her carry that burden. This was not her fight. It was his.

As her husband, protecting her was not just something he wanted to do. It was a promise he had silently made the day he decided to spend the rest of his life with her.

No matter who stood against her, no matter whose feelings he had to hurt, he would always stand between Seraphine and anyone who tried to tear her down.

Even if that person was his own father. Because in Voren’s eyes, no one, not even his parents, had the right to throw insults at his wife. NO ONE.

Seraphine quickly reached for his arm. Her fingers gently wrapped around his wrist. "V..." She looked into his eyes. "Please." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Don’t say anything that’ll upset him." She glanced toward Vladimir. "His health matters right now."

Voren frowned. He clearly was not happy. Every instinct told him to protect his wife from the man who had once humiliated her. Still, when Seraphine looked at him like that, his anger slowly settled. He let out a quiet breath.

"I’m only staying quiet because you asked me to." His eyes never left his father. "But don’t mistake my silence for forgiveness."

Vladimir lowered his gaze before looking back at Olivia. His expression became cold again. Pain remained visible beneath the anger. "You stole your twin sister’s place." His voice carried years of betrayal.

"You lived her life, sent her body back to your former pack." He laughed bitterly. "That tells me you never intended to tell me the truth." His eyes narrowed. "You planned to bury it forever."

Olivia nervously wrung her hands together. She could not deny it. Everything he said was true. She had nothing left to defend herself with.

Vladimir slowly closed his eyes. Old memories began flooding back. "When you came back after giving birth..." His voice softened with disbelief. "You couldn’t remember simple things."

He looked at her carefully. "You didn’t even know where the pack house was." His breathing grew heavier. "The midwife told me your memory loss was temporary." He gave a bitter laugh. "I believed every word." He slowly shook his head. "You fooled me." His gaze became distant. "You fooled me so well."

Then his attention turned toward Jasmine. She immediately turned pale. Fear settled across her face. Vladimir looked at her with deep disappointment.

"I only wish your mother were still alive to see this." His words made Jasmine’s eyes fill with tears. "You carried this secret all these years." His voice grew heavier. "You watched me force my own son toward a marriage with you..." He swallowed. "And you never said a single word."

Jasmine’s lips parted, but no sound came out. She knew there was nothing she could say. Nothing that could undo the past.

Vladimir slowly looked away from her. His attention returned to Olivia once more. His expression hardened.

"Oriana never told me she had a twin sister." His eyes searched Olivia’s face. "So where exactly did you come from?" He frowned deeply. "If I’d known you even existed..." His voice filled with regret. "I would’ve questioned everything the moment you claimed you had amnesia from the pain of childbirth."

He laughed bitterly at himself. "You came back acting like a stranger. You had to learn where everything was. You had to learn about me. You had to learn about the pack from the very beginning."

His shoulders slumped under the weight of realization. "I can’t believe I was fooled so completely..." His eyes slowly swept across everyone standing there. "by three shameless she-wolves."