Ryan laid down on his bed to read the book.
He didn't know when he slept off. He was tired and hadn't really rested before going to the library. The book fell off his hands to the cold floor.
Ryan adjusted his head on the pillow and snored off.
__________________
The elder woke up with a troubled heart. He didn't understand what was happening to Ryan and why he had made it a point of duty to always oppose him.
He ate his breakfast with a troubled heart. It tasted bad in his mouth because his mind was elsewhere. The elder stood up from the table. There was still food on his plate but until he solved the nagging feeling he had, he couldn't take one more bite of the food.
He ascended the stairs and turned in the direction of Ryan's room. He pushed the door back without knocking to alert Ryan who was a light sleeper.
The visit was unexpected. Ryan shifted on the bed. The noise had awoken him. He opened his eyes. It was day already, the golden morning sun streamed into his room illuminating the room.
He stretched a hand over his face to see who entered his room. It was the old man. What was he doing in his room? Ryan adjusted on the bed.
"What are you doing here?" He asked the man.
"Have you lost your manners? Is that all you can say? Can't you greet me?" The elder asked in annoyance and moved towards his bed.
Ryan sighed. He suddenly remembered the book he was reading. How would he pick it up? He darted his eyes to the old man and the book and moved to retrieve it when the elder lurched forward to pick up the book.
He had noticed something on the floor when he entered and wanted to pick it to check it out when Ryan had awoken immediately. He frowned when he saw the book title
"What are you doing with this?" The man asked him.
Ryan pursed his lips together. How could he slip into sleep like that? He always locked his door every night too. The thought of what to do to him must have filled up his mind; he had forgotten to lock the door.
Now he was in this mess. He didn't even know what to say.
"I said what is this?!" The elder raised his tone a bit higher.
"A book." Ryan answered him.
He was livid. He had come to find out what was happening to him only to see this. He threw the book to a corner of the room. What had he been doing while Ryan was reading up books on the Alpha position?
How had all these passed under his nose and he didn't even notice? Did he ever notice what was going on in the castle anymore? If someone in his household could do this, how much more those outside?
Ryan had stood up to face the old man, remaining on the bed would put him at a disadvantage if the old man felt the impulse to use his hands. He faced him.
When he first became alpha, the elder had made it a rule that he was not allowed to read anything to him. He also made no books within his reach. He ordered for all the books to be packed away and locked in the library.
He feared for when a day like that would come. He didn't want Ryan thinking of regaining his position as the legitimate Alpha and that was why he tried his best to keep the chiefs happy before they ganged up against me.
"Who gave you the key?'' the elder asked.
"No one," Ryan lied.
He hadn't started working on his plans alone without no support. One of his father's loyal servants had helped him copy a key in the village. He had used it to access the library and also the vaults. That was when he realized that the elder had spent recklessly and that was why he imposed a heavy burden on the people of Glengariff.
The elder blinked. Ryan was defying all of his orders. He had started reading the books which he had warned against. It was surprising. What other things had he been doing behind him?
What if he had been conniving with others? So many thoughts ran through his mind as he stared at Ryan. Under his watchful eyes, Ryan had finally become a man.
He had been scared of this all these years. However with each year, Ryan had behaved more stupid so he thought he would never challenge him. Now it was plain before him.
He felt stupid for not being attentive enough. If he was, he would have seen the signs. The signs he had so much ignored thinking that Ryan was only acting it all up.
Whereas he wasn't, Ryan had been preparing. No wonder he spoke back to him and countered him on so many instances. It was because he was getting ready to become the Alpha.
Ryan wondered what was going through the man's head. The old man clenched his fists and stared into blank space while he thought. The man was unpredictable and one could never know what he was thinking about.
It must have come as a surprise to him that he had defied all of his orders.
However this wasn't big a surprise for him. It would have been better to watch the man sink on his knees in defeat. He wanted to drive his point home.
"Guards come in here immediately!" The old man roared
They trooped in at his command.
"Take this stubborn lad out of here and deal with him! Do not stop until I say so! If anyone dares defy my order, I'll turn my anger on you!" He snarled in anger
The guards went to take Ryan to the punishment room where he was punished thoroughly.
Groans from Ryan shook the castle.