67 North Ridge Forest
Ronan exited the Art Exhibition Center with copies of the three files in his hand. By the time he reached the car, his newly recruited assistant was already waiting for him.
Ronan handed the copies to him. “Get me all these paintings, no matter how much they cost. Then find out from the South Bedford Art College dean about the date and time of the auction. Buy all of Lucien Clearwater’s artworks. Make sure you get everything inside the studio.”
Milroy, the poor man, gaped at Ronan for a split second before he started writing whatever he could remember from Ronan’s instructions. Poor boy, the driver thought. The Alpha always expected anyone to know what he wanted just by dropping random orders. Milroy would have to pick up on every single hint and trace it backward in order to fulfill his tasks. Knowing that he had a long day ahead of him, the man excused himself before Ronan could give him more assignments.
The driver on the other way had a much easier task. He only needed to drive Ronan Silverback around.
“Where do you wish to go next, Alpha?” he politely asked.
Ronan sat inside the car, busy with his thoughts.
A few minutes of silence passed, interrupted only by the frantic typing on Milroy’s phone as the latter tried to google some information. the driver started to panic. Had the Alpha started to expect him to know where he was going without even saying a single word?
The driver thus thanked the Moon Goddess for all of her blessings when Ronan suddenly became wiser and realized that his driver could not read minds.
“Noah, to the North Ridge Forest.”
.....
“Right away, Alpha,” was what the elated Noah, the driver, said as he started the car, but then a lot of questions popped into his mind.
North Ridge Forest?
Why?
Where exactly?
What for?
“Excuse me, Alpha. Are we going to the Werewolf Council Headquarters?”
“No.”
...
That was it? A single no?
Where exactly at North Ridge Forest are you planning to go to, Mr. Ronan Silverback??
Ronan Silverback was completely oblivious to his driver’s distress. He closed his eyes to take a nap not long after the car pulled onto the highway that led to the North Ridge Forest.
That fourth painting.
It was the place where he confessed his love to Lucien.
The eighteen-year-old Ronan was not very happy about having another alpha male as his fated mate, but he was unable to escape the Moon Goddess’ will.
The more he resisted Lucien Clearwater, the more he fell for the boy.
Ronan who never once had sexual thoughts about anyone, boy or girl, started to pay more attention to Lucien. Lucien always appeared calm and collected. Mature for his age. He was not fun. He did not know what fun meant. He liked to stay in the art room and paint for hours.
Lucien, boy or girl, was not Ronan’s type at all!
Despite all of that, Ronan still ended up stalking Lucien whenever he was bored or had some free time in his hands.
This alpha teenage werewolf sucked at hiding. It did not take long before Lucien ran out of patience and pulled him out of his hiding place to confront him.
“What do you think you are doing?” the redhead snapped in annoyance. “Why are you following me every day?”
Ronan still remembered how nervous he was. There, in the middle of a grass field with yellowing ends and the scent of summer, he gathered his courage and confessed.
“Lucien Clearwater, I like you!”
I like you.
Lucien, I like you.
Ronan Silverback sighed in the present time.
Once they arrived at North Ridge Forest, Ronan finally had the grace to inform his driver where exactly they were heading.
“Alpha Camp.”
It was “The Place Where Their Memories Stopped”.
The Alpha Camp was only open for three weeks in summer, then closed for the whole year. At that time it was already the end of summer. The weather was still warm, but sometimes the chill of autumn could be felt through random gusts of wind that blew through the camp area.
The Alpha Camp site was directly connected to the North Ridge Forest itself. It was a training ground for alpha werewolves after all, so the camp instructors were not afraid of wild beasts or anything.
Ronan walked into the empty piece of land and looked around.
“Lucien...?” He called out.
No answer.
He went to the woods, the spot that inspired the first painting.
There was no one there.
Then he went to the lake where they once had that balloon-collecting game.
Not even Lucien’s shadow was around.
Ronan went to the hut where they spent nights in each other’s arms. It was now a dilapidated hut. After breaking up with Lucien, Ronan never again came back. Neither did Lucien because he only visited Alpha Camp once.
Naturally, Lucien was also not there.
Ronan started to grow restless.
His feet took him to the grass field. The field was the same as it was seven years ago, but Lucien was also not there.
In his fury, Ronan punched at yet another innocent tree. Thankfully this one was thicker than the other one. It shook violently but it remained standing.
Ronan bit into his lip.
Was he wrong?
Was Lucien not in the Alpha Camp after all?
Ronan rubbed at his face and roared in exasperation.
But then where did he go???
Ronan already went through all the places that held the slightest meaning for Lucien and yet the man remained missing.
Lulu, where the hell are you?
Don’t scare me. Almost three days have passed. Where are you???
Tired, the Alpha took a seat on a nearby rock. His elbows rested over his knees while his both hands were supporting his head.
Did he miss something? During the three weeks of Alpha Camp, was there another place that might hold any meaning to their relationship?
Oh, wait.
There was one more place.
It was located on the north side of the Alpha Camp. It was the place Lucien took him to in order to break up with him.
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