If Lucien's initial reaction to Kinnon's proposal was humiliation, then his initial reaction to Ronan's proposal was unbridled fury. The half-opened proposal was slammed against the table surface as Lucien rose to his feet and towered over everyone who was sitting at the table. Some of them gaped at Lucien in disbelief. Some, like Jake, had predicted that Lucien would not take the proposal with a smile, let alone a thanks.
"You," Lucien growled, his eyes gleaming with uncontained rage. He did not even bother to address Ronan politely anymore. "Come with me."
Ronan calmly rose to his feet and followed a fuming Lucien outside. Lucien brought Kinnon to his bedroom to talk, but he did not feel safe about doing the same with Ronan. Not after Ronan's savage behavior the last time they were left alone behind a closed door.
They instead walked into the forest behind the Silent Walkers Pack House. Once Lucien thought that they were far enough into the woods, he turned around and glared at Ronan. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" he snapped completely. "Is this a joke to you?"
Ronan crossed his arms in front of his chest and tilted his chin upward slightly. "It is not a joke. I am serious."
"We have broken up," Lucien reminded him. "Seven years ago, if you recall."
Ronan gnashed his teeth. How could he forget? It was the worst day of his life.
"Oh, I remember it as clear as yesterday. Thanks for the reminder, though."
"Then do you also remember that I no longer want anything to do with you?"
"Your wish doesn't matter. This is an official marriage proposal from one pack to another."
Lucien threw his neck back in laughter. "And how are you so confident that the Silent Walkers Pack will choose your pack over Kinnon's?"
A cold smile formed on Ronan's lips. "Oh, I am sure of it. It all comes down to the terms after all."
Lucien left the proposal behind when he stormed out of the room, so naturally he could not read it at the moment.
"Care to enlighten me, Alpha?"
Ronan hummed.
"Since Mr. Clearwater is asking so politely, I shall indulge you. In addition to everything that the Night Prowler Pack offers the Silent Walkers Pack, we are willing to pay any amount of money to reimburse the war tributes that the Silent Walkers Pack owes the Night Prowler Pack. The Silent Walkers Pack can keep everything that they have currently. Nothing will be taken away. Also, the Silent Walkers Pack can elect their own Alpha from the prospective alphas internal of the pack. The elected Alpha has no obligation to report to the Alpha of the Infinite Eclipse Pack. Instead of submission, we offer the Silent Walkers Pack cooperation on the same level."
It was a very generous offer. More than enough to sway the majority of the Silent Walkers Pack members, should they ever decide to vote between the two packs.
"And what does the Infinite Eclipse Pack stand to gain from this very generous proposal?"
"You," Ronan answered uninhibitedly.
Lucien scoffed.
"Just how terrible of an Alpha are you? You are wasting the Infinite Eclipse's resources for your own selfish ambition? And what about heirs? Do you even care to leave any pups behind to continue your bloodline???"
Ronan gave Lucien an impassive look.
"What the Infinite Eclipse Pack agrees on internally has nothing to do with you. Whether or not I leave heirs behind too, has nothing to do with you. All you need to think about is picking the best proposal of the two. Whichever serves your pack better. Because you are such a good Alpha. Oh wait, you are not," he added cruelly.
Lucien sucked in a deep breath and pinned Ronan with a glare. But then he decided that no tongue lashing was going to solve the problem so he decided otherwise.
"Kinnon can always negotiate better terms," Lucien said. "We are done here."
Lucien turned around to leave, but Ronan pulled him back and wrapped his arms around Lucien intimately. His hot breath blew at Lucien's neck, his pheromones attacked Lucien's nose and made his knees go weak. The scalding chest that pressed against Lucien's back threatened to burn him alive. Lucien was barely able to stifle the burning sensation that grew in the pit of his stomach. The half bond mark was still in effect. Lucien was unable to resist Ronan's advances.
Ronan knew that too. He pushed Lucien's hair aside and licked at the mark on the latter's nape.
"You look good with my mark," he chuckled.
Lucien's eyes were burning from humiliation. He wanted to strike Ronan but his body was pliant to Ronan's touch. Aggrieved, Lucien resorted to closing his eyes and ignoring Ronan altogether. He focused only on breathing.
Seeing that Lucien turned into a block of ice again, Ronan became rather unhappy. He sank his fangs into Lucien's nape again and tore at Lucien's flesh. The latter widened his eyes in shock.
"Ahhh...!!! No!!! Ronan, you beast! How many times do you intend to do that???"
Ronan lapped up Lucien's blood as if he had never drunk anything more delicious. Then he grabbed Lucien's neck, turned his head toward his own, and kissed Lucien with his bloodied mouth.
"Mmphh...!!!"
The trees around them became silent witnesses as Ronan pushed Lucien to the ground and the two alphas rolled around in an attempt to gain the upper hand over each other.
By the time they were done, both were panting hard. Ronan pressed his face into Lucien's chest that moved up and down rapidly. Lucien's heart was pounding hard. As hard as his own did.
Ronan lifted his head to look into Lucien's dazed eyes. The latter's eyes were misty from a mix of lust and reluctance. Ronan caressed Lucien's cheek gently.
"You are mine, Lucien Clearwater," he declared with a husky voice. "In this life or any life, you can only be mine. I will not let anyone else touch you."
In Ronan's head, Beowulf howled in approval.