Lucien flashed Ronan a sweet smile despite the latter's grim expression. Ronan knew that he was about to hear another jab before said jab even landed.
The man who was covered in bandages gathered himself and climbed out of the bed. He walked around the bed languidly and stood in front of Ronan with squared shoulders, his eyes were full of unsuppressed contempt.
"What do you want me to say, Ronan? That you were so irresistible that I could not help it? That I was so overcome by lust that I let you top me? That you were destined to be a great Alpha just because you managed to fuck another alpha?"
Ronan shook his head, his eyes never leaving Lucien's while his lips formed a bitter smile.
"I would not dare. After all, you were the one who broke up with me."
Lucien scoffed and threw his head back in exasperation. Rolling with his eyes, he started to criticize Ronan.
"That is your biggest problem, Ronan. You fucked me once and you acted as if we were married.
Who can stand that? You acted like a clingy wife. If I did not, as you put it, 'break up' with you back then, I would do so days later.
Or weeks later. It didn't matter. Thankfully I am not the sort of person who likes to waste my time or my supposed fated mate's time. Be thankful for that."
"Oh, I am," Ronan said with a poisonous grin. "Thanks to you, I was able to taste many other men and women. I can say that their company is preferable to yours."
"I am excessively happy for you," Lucien said with cold exaggeration. He averted his eyes afterward. Ronan thought that he saw dark clouds hushing over Lucien's face for a while, but it must have been his imagination. A moment later, Lucien's head snapped back up and he shot Ronan a glare.
"After I answer your boring question, can I leave? Infinite Eclipse Pack members sure think that they are so great that they can detain anyone for as long as they want."
The statement was pretty vexing. It was less a detainment, more a medical treatment.
"I brought you back to treat your wounds," Ronan pointed out.
"Wounds that I got thanks to your incapability as an Alpha," Lucien snapped. "So you are welcome."
Lucien put his bloody white shirt back on and left the room without another word. Ronan stood in the middle of the hotel room with fire burning in his eyes. He was so angry that he could punch the nearest wall. What exactly made Lucien think that he was better than Ronan? How infuriating!!!
Ronan's mood was entirely foul when he departed with his little group in tow that morning. It was made especially difficult because Maya broke into hysteria as soon as she caught sight of Gavin. Not that Gavin was all that well-behaved either. He knew what was waiting for him once they arrived at the Infinite Eclipse Pack House, so he tried to escape a lot of times. Ronan had to use Alpha Voice to subdue both of them.
Upon arrival, Gavin was immediately detained in the Pack Prison and Maya was returned to her parents. Although she was resistant to going home at first, it was her parents' warm embrace that eventually calmed her down. And yet, she was still very shaken from the recent events in her life that she immediately clamped up upon being questioned.
After trying hard for a whole day, the Healer reported to Ronan that Maya would require a longer time to heal, possibly months. Gavin could impossibly be imprisoned for months while waiting for Maya to recover. There was only one other person that they could turn to. Someone who might know the story from his point of view and Maya's point of view.
Having met with his wife again and ensured that she was still well-fed, safe, and sound, Jake was again ready to attend to his responsibilities conscientiously.
"Alpha, why don't I go back to South Bedford City tomorrow and ask the man some questions? He can provide us with some insight into this matter. Besides, the pack owes him. He protected Maya for days."
Ronan replied with a noncommittal grunt as his fingers rubbed against a decorative carving at his seat.
A tight smile formed on Jake's lips. He waited for Ronan to tell him to go and do that, but somehow it did not seem that Ronan heard him at all. Jake was already wondering if he should repeat his words when Ronan finally decided to give him some attention.
"Do you know who he is?"
Jake averted his eyes for a split second before he met Ronan's eyes again. His gut told him that it was the beginning of a very unpleasant conversation. "I found out. His name is Lucien Clearwater. He is an art professor in the college that Maya attends. Maya is one of his students."
"I see."
Jake swallowed and tried his best to maintain the polite smile on his face.
Ronan narrowed his eyes at his Beta. "What else?"
Jake sighed in his heart. Of course Ronan knew that he had dug further. For the first time since he became Ronan's Beta, Jake regretted taking initiative in this matter. If he knew what he was about to find out, he would not even do so unless Ronan asked him to specifically look into it.
Anyway, there was no room for pretense. Jake cleared his throat and told Ronan everything that he knew about Lucien.
"I also heard that Lucien Clearwater used to be one of the alphas that belonged to the Silent Walkers Pack. And," a muscle at Jake's cheek twitched visibly, "that you and he used to be fated mates."
Ronan rubbed at his lips thoughtfully while pinning Jake with an unfathomable look. Jake could see a hidden sneer forming behind his fingers. He just didn't know what it was that Ronan was thinking.
"You have found out that much and you are now offering to meet up with him directly. What is your intention, Jake?"