Chapter 18: Unrequited Love From Years Ago
Kinnon Youngshaper wished to take Lucien Clearwater as his Luna.
That was his only condition, and none other. The Silent Walkers Pack had practically raised Lucien since birth. Although the latter suffered from a tragic misfortune that caused him to live as an outcast far away, a lot of the pack members still held a deep affection for the alpha man. They saw it as a huge insult. Aunt Catherine on the other side saw it as a good trade-off.
“Wonderful proposal,” she praised wholeheartedly. “Let’s find an auspicious date to conduct the wedding ceremony at the Holy Temple of Moon Goddess.”
The Holy Temple of Moon Goddess was the official site to hold wedding ceremonies between werewolves, particularly the Alpha weddings. The wedding took place under the full moon at midnight at a sacred cliff in front of the Moon Gate.
All she-wolves dreamed about climbing up the steps to reach the cliff with a handsome and powerful Alpha by their sides.
Lucien did not. Lucien was not a she-wolf. The sheer image of him letting Kinnon take his hand as they both headed to the cliff filled him with nothing but trepidation. It was nothing short of a humiliation.
Kinnon flashed the eager Aunt Catherine a charming smile, but then he fixed his gaze on Lucien, who looked so pale as if he was about to vomit soon.
.....
“Lucien? Do you have something to say?”
Lucien had nothing to say. He merely pinned Kinnon with a glare. The Alpha was not surprised. He expected that much.
Aunt Catherine cackled. “What else is there to say but ‘yes’?”
Alice shot Catherine a sharp look. “Shut up, Kat. Why must Lucien sacrifice himself just so you can live in your stinky hole???”
Aunt Catherine’s laughter echoed throughout the room. “Me??? His willingness to marry into the Night Prowler Pack will allow EVERYONE in the Silent Walkers Pack to remain in the pack. And we will be affiliated with one of the strongest packs on the continent. How is that a bad deal???”
With a cruel smile on her face, Aunt Catherine added, “Besides, it’s not like...”
She did not get to finish because Alice hissed and launched an attack at her. The room quickly turned chaotic as werewolves jumped in to prevent the two she-wolves from clawing at each other’s throats.
“DON’T YOU DARE OPEN YOUR FILTHY MOUTH AND SAY A THING ABOUT MY SON!!!” Alice roared, tears falling down her cheeks like two streams of waterfall. “DON’T YOU DARE!”
Aunt Catherine had three long scars on her cheek, caused by Alice’s sudden attack. One end was very close to her right eye. Shaken from the ferocity of Lucien’s mother, Aunt Catherine finally quieted down and said nothing else.
It was clear to everyone what she wanted to say. It was not as if Lucien never rolled around another male werewolf before. His past romance might be short-lived, but the witnesses were aplenty. Lucien raised a hand to rub at the aching spot between his brows.
“Please give us a few days to think about this.”
Kinnon gave Lucien a look full of understanding. He nodded in assent. “Of course. One week from now?”
“Ten days.”
“Alright, ten days it is.”
“Also, I need to talk to you now.”
“...”
Lucien led Kinnon to his childhood bedroom. Although he vacated it seven years ago, Alice had been keeping everything clean. When Lucien came the previous day, the bedsheet was replaced every month, the carpeted floor was vacuumed, and all surface was dust-free. Even the window panes were clean. It was as if Lucien never left. The framed photographs at the walls and on the desk showed pictures of a bright alpha boy from childhood to teenagehood. And then it stopped there.
Kinnon looked around. He rubbed his finger against teenage Lucien in a particular group photo. “You still keep a picture from that year’s Alpha Camp.”
“My mom did,” Lucien corrected him.
Alice was ecstatic when she sent her son to the Alpha Camp. All alpha moms were. There was no telling how disappointed she was when Lucien only went one time, and then never again because of his recurring sickness.
Kinnon looked at the group photo thoughtfully. His eyes darted between one corner where his younger self stood with a sullen face, and the middle of the first row where young Ronan and young Lucien stood next to each other, their hands linked intimately. It was a negligible thing, but maybe it was all Lucien had from his brief romance with Ronan. The mere fact that Lucien kept this one photo hanging at his bedroom wall while he was lying sick on his bed irked Kinnon tremendously. Just what was he thinking?
Kinnon’s line of thought ended there when he felt something pressed against his neck. It was the dull edge of a blade. The Alpha slowly turned around to face Lucien, who slowly flipped the blade so that the sharp edge was pointing at Kinnon directly.
“What were you thinking?” Lucien asked, narrowing his eyes at the childhood friend in front of him. “Is this payback? Do you wish to humiliate me?”
Kinnon chuckled. “Is that what you think?”
Lucien raised an eyebrow at him. “Or else?”
Kinnon grabbed Lucien’s hand and pulled him close. “Was Ronan all that you can remember from the Alpha Camp that year?”
Lucien furrowed his brows. He glared at Kinnon while trying to free himself, but Kinnon was not giving in at all. He was sick of waiting for Lucien to change his mind. He was sick of waiting for Lucien to finally look at him.
Kinnon held Lucien so close that their faces were only centimeters away from each other. He could see the anxiety pooling in Lucien’s eyes, the irregular breath that blew at his own face. The soft lips that spoke harsh words, a shield of words to hide the real Lucien Clearwater beneath all the pretense.
“I confessed my love to you, do you remember?”
Mass Release
There will be additional 5 chap release on 17th, 23rd, and 29th!