Ronan tightened his grip around Lucien's wrists. The man was like an ice blade, and his words were like poison. It was evident that past affection left no trace in Lucien's heart. Lucien was the lucky one out of the two. Ronan gritted his teeth in fury and shot the man a burning glare.
It had been seven years, but there was not a day when he did not ask the Moon Goddess for the reason for the injustice. For his one-sided suffering.
Why was it that the rejection only had an effect on Lucien?
Why was it that Ronan was still plagued by endless turmoil and heartbreak night after night after separating from Lucien?
Why was it that nothing could quench his thirst for this man? Neither man nor woman could satisfy him in bed no matter how many or how often.
Once, Ronan thought that maybe Lucien tricked him. Maybe the werewolf who rejected the fated mate would suffer more than the one who was rejected. His theory was quickly toppled by the Pack Elder who claimed the other way. The one who got rejected was supposed to suffer more.
"So why is Lucien doing fine while I am hurting every day??" Ronan had asked indignantly.
And how did the Elder respond to him?
The elder werewolf had drawn a deep breath before he gave Ronan a compassionate look.
"The pain that we feel after a rejection is related to the feelings that we have for our fated mate. Ronan, you have just met Lucien two times. It is perfectly normal if your fated mate is not overly attached to you yet."
What the Elder did not say out of kindness was that it was abnormal for Ronan to feel that much for Lucien. Despite the fated connection, they did not know each other that well.
Ronan was the fool who insisted on pursuing Lucien. Lucien was the sensible, wise alpha who knew when to stop the momentary infatuation between two Alpha heirs that was not meant to last.
"Let me go," Lucien snarled at Ronan. "Damn it, let me go!"
Lucien thrashed against Ronan's grasp, but the Alpha refused to let him go. The more Lucien struggled, the redder Ronan's eyes became. Until desolation, anger, and frustration bubbled up in his heart and consumed the last bits of his self-restraint.
Against better judgment, Ronan lowered his head and captured Lucien's lips in one movement.
"Mmmh… Nggh…!!!"
It was not a gentle kiss. It was ravenous and wild. Ronan half-sucked and half-bit Lucien's lips, then he moved to plunder the inside of Lucien's mouth. The latter was not prepared to be at the receiving end of such a violent display of intimacy at all. He was slowly running out of breath.
Ronan stopped restraining Lucien and pulled him into a tight embrace, but the man refused to cooperate. He used his fists to punch every part of Ronan's body that he could reach and his feet to stomp on Ronan's boots.
Like oil that was doused in a burning flame, it did nothing but ignited the Alpha's desire to conquer him even more.
Adult Lucien was shorter than him by half a head. He was strong, but Ronan was stronger. He dragged the man by force to the bedroom and threw him on the bed. Dizzy from being thrown, Lucien did not get up in time. When he wanted to get off the bed, Ronan was already pinning him on the bed.
An exasperated sigh escaped Lucien's lips.
"What do you want, Ronan?"
It was their first meeting after seven years but Lucien was acting as if there had never been anything between them. As if they were complete strangers. Ronan could not accept it, and neither could Beowulf. His wolf was as agitated as he was, and it only served to irritate Ronan further.
"I asked you two questions. Answer me."
Lucien looked away from the man on top of him and sighed again before giving him the most perfunctory answer.
"I am, as you see, living by myself away from my pack. Landon has left me."
Lucien refused to look at Ronan. He also stopped trying to get away from the Alpha. He just lay there on the bed, his head turned to the side, and his gaze unfocused.
"Why are you not with your pack and why did Landon leave you?"
The follow-up question displeased Lucien even more.
"I do not have to answer any of your questions. Ronan, are you or are you not letting me go?!"
Ronan finally released Lucien and climbed off his body. He stood by the bed and observed Lucien.
"So," he said with a hint of mockery in his eyes. "You stopped being a werewolf just like that and then you seduced a young woman into your bed? Heh. I am not sure if it is luck or unluck that your little lover just has to be someone from my pack."
Lucien grabbed a pillow from behind him and threw it at Ronan's smug face.
"It is Maya's misfortune to have an Alpha that is as ignorant as you. If you had known all the facts, you would do more than just come here to drag her out of my house."
They were both alpha werewolves, but Ronan refused to take criticism from someone who not only failed to be an Alpha but also lost his wolf and got exiled from his own pack.
Compared to Lucien, he had achieved a lot more! It was absolutely unacceptable for someone like Lucien to describe him, the Alpha of the great Infinite Eclipse Pack, as ignorant!
A sneer appeared on Ronan's handsome face. He looked down at Lucien and spoke each word slowly and clearly to make sure that Lucien did not miss even one word.
"And it was Landon's misfortune to be paired with someone like you. Look at your pathetic self. You are so cold-blooded that not even your wolf is willing to stay with you."
When Ronan saw hurt flashing across Lucien's eyes, he knew that he had won. The Alpha roared in laughter as he walked out of the bedroom and left the house, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.