Chapitre 23: The Alpha Was Scolded Harshly

Ronan and Lucien came back from the forest after disappearing for an hour. Even a blind werewolf could feel the uncomfortable atmosphere between them.

The air seemed to be loaded with gunpowder. A single spark sufficed to blow them all into smithereens. The more observant werewolves saw a glaring and bloody mark on Lucien's nape, clearly left by Ronan during their "private discussion".

After agreeing to give the Silent Walkers Pack ten days to decide, the representatives from the Infinite Eclipse Pack left as quickly as they came.

Ronan went back to his Pack House at Great Lake City with a smug grin on his face. It was quickly wiped out when an uncomfortable-looking Quinn came to report that Ronan's esteemed father, the previous Alpha of the Infinite Eclipse Pack had come to pay a visit.

The word "fuck" left Ronan's lips instantly. Jake and Quinn exchanged glances. They both knew it would happen. Ronan's careless action was sure to invite frowns on the pack members' faces, though very little of them dared to question the Alpha. Not so with Dane Silverback, who was additionally a renowned member of the Werewolf Council.

Dane Silverback might have retired from his Alpha position, but he still enjoyed the reverence from the Infinite Eclipse Pack members without exception. Jake and Quinn thus did not hesitate at all when Dane dismissed them with a mere "Leave us". Accustomed to his father's domineering attitude, Ronan did not react at all.

The father and son glanced at each other for some time. At fifty years old, Dane was still as robust as always. The only difference was that he had gotten accustomed to wearing lighter color suits compared to the time when he was still the Alpha and the CEO of the Silverback Corporation. And yet the lines on the elder werewolf's face seemed to be etched even deeper into his face, giving him an eternal scowling expression.

"Long time no see, Father."

"Hmm. You look well."

Ronan struggled to maintain a smile on his face. Sure enough, Dane followed up with an unpleasant remark.

"I, however, am not convinced that you are truly well."

Here it is, Ronan thought to himself, trying hard not to roll his eyes at his father. He crossed the hall and walked toward the drinks counter to pour himself a glass of whiskey.

"Do you want one too, Father?"

"If your drinking habit is to blame for your bad decisions, maybe we should ban alcoholic drinks from the Pack House," Dane Silverback quipped.

Ronan downed a full glass of whiskey nonetheless. Dane strode over and grabbed Ronan by his upper arm.

"What on earth do you think you are doing? Explain it to me properly," he hissed at his son.

"Is this about my proposal to marry Lucien Clearwater?"

Dane gave Ronan a pointed look while spreading his arms in a desperate gesture. "Well, is there more that I need to be concerned about???"

Ronan squared his shoulders in defiance. "Father, I am a grown man. I am no longer that young pup that needs you to point out directions for him to go."

"With age come responsibilities! Ronan, Lucien was thankfully the reasonable one between the two of you. He broke things off with you seven years ago and I could not be more grateful. Now you are literally grabbing him to fall together from the cliff. What. The. Hell. Are. You. Thinking???"

Reasonable? Lucien broke his heart. How was that "reasonable"? The glass in Ronan's hand cracked and broke into pieces that cut into Ronan's hand. A muscle on Dane's temple twitched violently.

"I have danced according to your pipe for years, and I have accomplished what you asked me to. There is only one thing I want for myself and that is to marry Lucien. You cannot stop me. He is mine. He can only be mine."

A crisp slap caused Ronan's face to turn violently to the other side. The stinging pain did nothing to change his mind. It merely fueled his resolution even more.

"For your information, Father. The only reason why I agreed to reject Lucien was his wish to be an Alpha of his own pack. Now that he no longer clings to this dream, I have no reason to not hold on to him."

"Lucien cared about his own pack. What about you?? Don't you care???"

Ronan pulled a grimace.

"There are a lot of alphas in the Infinite Eclipse Pack. Not to mention that you also sired a few alpha sons with your lovers. They can take my position after I die."

"RONAN!!!"

"The discussion is over," Ronan decided. "Good day, Father."

Dane was left alone in the hall. His burning gaze followed Ronan's back until it disappeared around the corner. The elder werewolf kicked a chair hard, causing it to crash against the granite floor.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.

He doted on Ronan the most. His eldest son, his pride. But Ronan never once forgave him for cheating on his mother. To add salt to the wound, his wife had since been hospitalized from the trauma.

Dane never thought of himself as the epitome of a good husband, but he was at least a responsible Alpha and father.

He fulfilled his tasks conscientiously. He made sure to get an heir and raised him to be the next Alpha. And what about Ronan?

His womanizing way was at the same level as Dane's if not worse.

And he did not even think about leaving, let alone raising an heir!

Dane refused to hand over the Alpha position to other alphas in the pack. No way. He had worked hard to get the Alpha position since he was young. The Alpha position must stay within his family no matter what.

Dane Silverback rummaged inside his pocket and pulled out his phone. He searched the address book for a certain person who he had only contacted once and never again. Someone reliable.

"Hello?" Dane spoke into the speaker when the call connected. "This is Dane Silverback."