A weak smile spread on Lucien's face when he heard that one sentence. Gordon could not bear to look at his son. He hung his head and sighed.
It had been seven years. He thought that they were over it. Apparently, they were not.
"Did you meet with Ronan Silverback lately?" Gordon heard himself asking.
Lucien had nothing to hide. "Yes. One of the students in my class happens to be a she-wolf. She is part of the Infinite Eclipse Pack."
Lucien told Gordon about Maya and Gavin, and the events that led him to meet with Ronan again. Gordon waited until Lucien was done with his story before he asked, "Has Ronan Silverback shown any interest to pursue you again?"
He had indeed. Despite Lucien's harsh treatment and cruel words. Lucien was stuck with two official marriage proposals, one from Kinnon Youngshaper and one from Ronan Silverback.
Gordon sighed.
The father and son duo fell into a deafening silence. Outside, it had begun to rain. Lucien immediately thought about his sister who was still buying ingredients to cook family dinner for the three of them.
"It is raining. I should ask Anna if she can make it back here without help."
Gordon grunted in agreement. His eyes were locked on his son, never once leaving his face. Surely Lucien knew what Gordon wanted to say. What he needed to say. Whenever Dane Silverback was mentioned, it was to end whatever there was between Lucien and Ronan.
"Lulu..."
"Dad..."
They spoke at the same time and stopped at the same time from the awkwardness. Then Gordon cleared his throat. "Go ahead, Lucien. What do you want to say?"
Lucien put his hand over Gordon's and spoke in a calming voice, "Dad, rest assured. I have already rejected Ronan's proposal before coming here."
Gordon's eyes widened in shock. The turmoil in his heart was supposed to subside, but it instead raged stronger than ever.
"Lulu, you..."
"I wrote the rejection letter myself. I believe Mom sent it out on my behalf this morning. Dad, you will not hear any complaints from Dane Silverback."
"..."
A certain numbness prevented Gordon from saying anything in retaliation. This was what he wanted. This was what he wanted to tell his son to do, so now that it happened, why did Gordon not feel happy at all?
And then it hit him like thunder striking across the sky. Lucien had automatically assumed that Gordon wanted him to reject Ronan so he sent out the rejection letter without even consulting him. Lucien's initiative stemmed from Gordon's unreliability.
Gordon had been hating himself for seven years. He hated himself for not being able to protect his son's happiness. For asking his son to end things with his fated mate after a brief period of romance. For ruining his son's life. For the second time.
"I am sorry," he said with a hoarse, emotional voice as he crumbled into a heap of sobbing mess. If his pack members got to see the current Gordon Clearwater, they would not recognize him at all. The once so powerful Alpha who ruled over their pack had been reduced to a pathetic version of himself.
Gordon cried even harder when he felt a pair of arms hugging his bent shoulders. He did not deserve to have a son like Lucien. No, it was inaccurate. Lucien deserved to have a better father than Gordon. He deserved to have a father that could stand up for him and shield him from the oncoming storm and heavy rains. An eighteen-year-old Lucien was not supposed to shoulder a burden that was too heavy for Gordon to bear.
Gordon had single-handedly ruined Lucien's life. The worst part about it all was that Lucien did what Gordon told him to do without the slightest resistance. He did it seven years ago and he did it again in the present time. Gordon would never forget the silent tears that the immature Lucien shed in front of him when the teenager heard what he had to do. After that fateful day, Lucien no longer shed tears in front of others. He kept a brave front, biting back all the resentment in his heart and pretending that he did not care about it. That he accepted his life as it was.
Broken.
Destroyed.
Losing his chance to shine at his prime age.
"I am sorry... Lulu, I am so sorry... Your father is incapable. I am so sorry..."
Gordon apologized over and over while Lucien patted his back.
"Dad, it's okay. It is all over. This is the last time."
Ronan proposed to him in a fit of jealousy. He probably just wanted to shift his own weight around and showed Kinnon that he still played a prominent role in Lucien's heart.
Of course he did.
But did it mean that Lucien would automatically accept his marriage proposal and ruin the relationship between the three packs for all eternities?
Of course not.
Gordon had taught Lucien that an Alpha had to be strong not only physically but mentally. Physical strength was built by engaging in rigorous training on daily basis. Mental strength was built by making the right decisions for the benefit of the pack although the Alpha himself had to suffer for it.
Gordon did it, and Lucien wished to do the same. It did not matter whether he became the Alpha of the Silent Walkers Pack or not. Or whether he still lived in the Pack House or not. As long as he was able to protect his pack, he would do so without the slightest hesitation.
That was why Gordon did not have to be sorry. This was what Lucien had to do, so he did it.
The seven years of agony told Lucien that when something was not meant to be, it was not meant to be. There was no reason to push the wheel of fate to rotate in a direction that does not align with the universe.
As for his fated connection with Ronan?
Well, it was simply a mistake made by the Moon Goddess. There was no way they could end up together.