Corvine hadn't been wrong.
The moment Seraphine picked up the call, Humphrey didn't waste time circling around the issue or pretending it was anything else. His voice came through heavy with sincerity, carrying regret.
"Sera… I'm sorry," he said, the apology quiet but honest. "I shouldn't be calling you about Ravyn."
Seraphine didn't need an explanation. She already knew where this was going, and just the thought of it stirred something bitter in her chest, something she had worked hard to bury.
"You want me to help him?" she asked, her tone calm, but there was an edge beneath it, sharp, restrained, but unmistakable.
It wasn't just about Ravyn, but everything tied to him.
Humphrey let out a slow breath on the other end. "I only agreed to ask because this concerns the pack," he said carefully. "But I made it clear to him—he'll have to pay. And whatever conditions you set… he has to accept them."
