Pursuing My Rejected Alpha
Chapter 33

Five days later, Kinnon Youngshaper arrived at the Silent Walkers Pack House. He was not at all surprised to replace Ronan there, guarding Lucien like a precious pearl. Kinnon was not alone. He brought Ralph with him. The little boy lit up as soon as he caught sight of Lucien.

"Mommy!!!" He shouted and threw himself at Lucien.

Lucien picked him up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He was beyond glad to see that despite the bandages around the boy's limbs, he did not seem to carry severe psychological trauma from the attack. "Hello, Ralphy."

Ronan's face was as dark as the valley where their last war took place.

Sipping on his cup of tea, Kinnon pretended to not notice Ronan's death glares at all.

Ronan was itching to separate Kinnon's son from Lucien, but he did not know how to do it without appearing like a petty, jealous boyfriend.

He thus pestered Lucien using Mind Link.

.....

'Lulu, how much longer do you want to hug him?'

'LULU!'

Lucien sighed via the Mind Link.

'Seriously, Ronan? Ralph is only a little boy!

'He is Kinnon's little boy!' Ronan argued.

Lucien rolled with his eyes.

"Mommy, is this your pack house? Take me around, please~" the little boy in Lucien's arms begged with a pair of cute large eyes and spoiled tone.

Ever since he was born, Ralph rarely left the pack house. When he did, he was only allowed to go to East Temple City with a lot of bodyguards if not his father personally.

The little boy was ecstatic to be able to leave the boundaries of East Temple City, even if he ended up in another pack's pack house. At least it was a change of scenery.

Lucien would love to do that, but did Kinnon not come to negotiate the best way to settle the Silent Walkers Pack's debt to the Night Prowler Pack?

"Can you do me a favor and show Ralph around, Lucien?" Kinnon asked as he leaned back on the couch. "I would love to have a chat with Alpha Ronan."

Ronan narrowed his eyes at Kinnon. The last private chat they had took place when they were buried under mud. Despite their heavy injuries, they still managed to aggressively throw sarcastic remarks at each other's heads. Lucien shared Ronan's sentiment. He draped a hand around Ronan's neck protectively.

"I don't think it is a good idea," he declared, furrowing his brows at Kinnon.

Kinnon scoffed.

"Unlike Alpha Ronan, I know when to declare defeat."

As he said the last sentence, he gave Ronan shifty eyes.

"I will not resort to violence, I promise."

Ronan pressed a kiss on Lucien's hand.

"Go," he urged Lucien. He was curious about what Kinnon wanted to tell him.

"I will be fine."

Lucien exhaled.

"Fine. Try not to rip each other's heads while I take Ralph for a walk."

Bjorn and Ralph's new nanny dutifully followed behind Lucien and Ralph.

After the little entourage left, Ronan and Kinnon were left alone in the audience hall.

"Well?" Ronan cocked his head to the side. "What do you want to tell me?"

"I have some news."

"What is it?"

Kinnon took his phone out and showed him a few pictures.

All of them depicted a dead man. Ronan did not need to ask who it was. Kinnon had forcefully transformed the rogue werewolf who tried to kill his son into a human form. "Who is this?"

"Do you know someone by the name of Gavin Ashmore?" Ronan's eyes grew large at the mention of the two words. Indeed he knew a Gavin Ashmore.

Just to be sure, Ronan looked through the pictures again.

The last time he saw Gavin, he just sentenced the young man to imprisonment on Black Reef Island for five years. One year had not even passed and the young man had conducted another crime. His last one. This time his target was the only heir of the rival pack. "I know him," Ronan said.

He sighed and rubbed the spot between his brows.

"He was one of my pack members. I banished him from the pack because he violated another pack member."

"Did you just kick him out of the pack house?"

Ronan shook his head. He pushed Kinnon's phone back to him.

"I sent him to Black Reef Island."

"Who delivered him?"

"My Gamma, Quinn."

Ronan could guess what went through Kinnon's head, so he refuted it right away. "Quinn has been the pack's Gamma for years. She served my father before me. Both her loyalty and her integrity are flawless."

"Why did your Gamma deliver Gavin to the prison? It is too much an honor for a criminal, isn't it?"

"Quinn raised Gavin. Gavin was an orphan."

"Ah."

Kinnon leaned in and spoke in a low voice.

"Lucien trusts you unconditionally. I believe to know your character after years of rivalry. You are not someone who pulls this kind of dirty scheme. But, you must admit that both the belt and the identity of the criminal point toward the involvement of someone from the Silverback family."

"I know."

Gavin had been banished from the pack. A probable scenario would start with a visit from someone influential in the pack. Preferably someone from the Silverback family.

The person might approach Gavin with the insidious plan. In return for successfully completing the job, he might be offered a place back in the Infinite Eclipse Pack.

For someone like Gavin, it was like a chance for a new life. No one in Black Reef Island would refuse this kind of offer.

Especially if the person who came was someone he trusted. For example Quinn.

Even if Quinn was involved - and the probability was infinitely small- there must be someone else behind the scene.

Who was the person who pulled the strings from the dark?

His father?

His father's lovers?

His father's extramarital children?

It could be anyone but Dane Silverback. Dane Silverback cared too much about the Infinite Eclipse Pack, particularly about the Silverback family. Even if he sought to destroy Ronan, he would not do it in a way that besmirched the Silverback family's good name. A plan brewed in Ronan's mind.

"Alpha Kinnon, I have a favor to ask," Ronan decided.

The two Alphas exchanged piercing gazes.

"Do speak up, Alpha Ronan," Kinnon said finally.

Lucien knew that he should trust the two Alphas who should be mature enough to lead a conversation without exchanging fists. On the other side, these two Alphas only recently engaged in a mortal one-on-one fight.

After accompanying Ralph for thirty minutes, Lucien thus handed Ralph over to Bjorn and the nanny before he rushed back to the audience hall.

The man was more than delighted to replace that the two Alphas still maintained the same distance between them.

They were even chatting amicably with each other.

At least that was what it looked like until Lucien drew closer.

"I have not even talked about that time when you stole my client in the Middle East," Ronan grumbled.

"If you are going to hold a grudge over every defeat, you are not going to keep your current clients either," Kinnon quipped.

"How can I not? Your offer was a cent below mine!"

Kinnon laughed.

.....

"That is called market intelligence."

"Bordering on espionage."

"You complain a lot about the loss on your side, Ronan Silverback. Why don't we talk about that one time when you sank my ship near Spain?" Kinnon furrowed his brows at Ronan. "Do you know the amount of loss that you incurred?" Ronan pursed his lips. "I have no idea what you are talking about," he denied with a flat tone.

"Of course. It was just such a coincidence that you had exactly the same amount of the same product ready to offer from your side," Kinnon sneered.

Ronan took a sip from his cup of tea and looked away from Kinnon.

"It was a stroke of luck," he commented.

Kinnon scoffed. "Aren't you one lucky bastard?"

Lucien cleared his throat and took a seat next to Ronan.

"Is everything alright, Alphas?"

"Of course," Kinnon muttered while giving Ronan a stink eye.

"Couldn't be better," Ronan replied with a glare.

Lucien poured himself a cup of tea.

"So, can we talk about how to settle the first war's aftermath?"

"Certainly."

"What do you have in mind, Kinnon?"

Ronan tried to sneak an arm around Lucien's waist, but his hand was slapped away by the latter.

'Stop it, Lucien hissed using Mind Link.

'Stingy.

The exchange did not escape Kinnon's eyes. He pinned Ronan with a glare before he shifted his gaze back to Lucien.

"I want you to continue helping me raise my son."

Ronan almost choked on his spit.

Lucien was stunned.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me correctly. I want you to be there for Ralph whenever he needs you."

Ronan rose to his feet, his face almost blue from anger. "What do you mean, 'whenever'?"

"From now on until death do them part," Kinnon answered.

Ronan was about to go out of his mind.

"How can you demand such a thing??? Your son is your responsibility!"

"I never said otherwise," Kinnon replied calmly with a wicked smile.

"Lucien is to be my Luna! How on earth do you think such an arrangement should work???"

Kinnon too rose to his feet.

"If you remember, he was supposed to be my Luna first before you came and messed everything up."

"Again, Alpha Kinnon, it is not my fault that you fail to charm Landon."

"I did not even have the time to charm him, did I? In any case, Ralph is emotionally very attached to Lucien. Fine with me if he can no longer be my Luna but what about Ralph?" "Enough!!!" Lucien shouted to end the petty argument.

He pulled at Ronan's arm while facing Kinnon. "Alpha Kinnon, can you excuse us for a moment?"

"Sure, take your time," Kinnon nodded.

Lucien dragged Ronan out of the audience hall. They exited the pack house and headed toward the training ground.

"Lulu!"

Ronan yanked Lucien's hand impatiently.

"Don't tell me that you are seriously considering Kinnon's ridiculous proposal!"

Lucien heaved a sigh. He turned around and cupped Ronan's face with both hands.

"I am, but not for the reasons that you think."

"What other reasons can they be?"

"Ronan, think about it. Your pack and Kinnon's pack have been competing against each other for ages. Isn't it time to end the strife?"

Ronan sighed.

"Lulu, the grudge between the two packs runs deep. Even if I want to end it, I can't."

"You can start making the change starting from your generation," Lucien insisted. "And how?"

"By fostering a good relationship with the next heir of the Night Prowler Pack."

Ronan slumped against Lucien and groaned.

What Lucien said made sense, but Ronan was still unwilling.

"I don't want you to play his 'Mommy' for all eternity," he mumbled against Lucien's shoulder. "It's as if I am sharing you with Kinnon. I don't want to. I want it to be just the two of us."

Lucien patted the big Alpha who was hanging onto him like a big wolf-dog that was asking for love.

"Stupid, it will still be only the two of us. Stop focusing on what word Ralph uses to call me. He will grow up eventually. He is not going to call me 'Mommy' forever."

Ronan was not so sure about that. The little brat did not look too bright.

"I see this as an opportunity to establish good cooperation between the two strongest packs in this continent. The werewolf community needs to stand together. Wars among the packs must stop."

Lucien's body trembled slightly when he said the last sentence.

"I don't want to lose you."

Ronan hugged Lucien and pressed a kiss on the latter's forehead.

He was so insensitive. The last war must have been traumatizing for Lucien.

Ronan could not imagine what would happen if it were not him but Lucien who engaged in a deathly match with Kinnon, only to be buried alive under the mudslide.

He might have gone insane on spot. He would not even be able to take care of other things when Lucien lay there, lifeless in his arms after being dug out.

"I am sorry," Ronan said before pressing a kiss against Lucien's lips, wishing that he could erase the painful memory from Lucien's mind.

Lucien did not realize how much the past events haunted him. In the first nights after the war ended, nightmares plagued him continuously. When he was awake, he had to see the wounded werewolves. When he was asleep, he was back in the wretched valley. The land collapsed, burying the unlucky warriors underneath.

Including Ronan.

No matter how loud Lucien screamed, his voice did not reach Ronan.

"Lulu?"

Lucien inhaled a deep breath.

He put his arms around Ronan and buried his face into the latter's chest.

He could feel the Alpha's steady heartbeat. His warm breath. His warm body.

The war was over.

Twenty-five precious lives were lost.

.....

Lucien hated himself for being thankful that Ronan was not among those who passed away. He did not know what he would do if Ronan was no longer around.

"I love you," Lucien whispered. "Don't ever leave me."

Ronan tilted Lucien's chin up and locked their lips together again.

"I will never leave you," Ronan promised. "I love you to the moon and back."

A gentle smile appeared on Lucien's face.

"Then, you agree, right?"

"Ronan...?" "... Fine."

The Alpha earned himself another kiss as a reward for his cooperation. Lucien happily pulled him back to the audience hall by his hand, while Ronan dragged his feet reluctantly behind Lucien.

The Alpha could not help but feel that Lucien had no qualms about rejecting Ronan's advances, but Ronan was more than willing to exchange favors against kisses.

He never fell this desperately in love before. It was rather infuriating. Ronan made a mental note to demand quality time with Lucien in the future for every second the latter spent with that brat from the Night Prowler Pack.

Shortly before Lucien and Ronan came back, Bjorn, the nanny, and Ralph returned to the audience hall.

"Have you two come to an agreement?" Kinnon asked, shifting his gaze between Ronan and Lucien.

"We accept," Lucien said with a smile. "With this, there is no more debt between the two packs, right?"

"Correct," Kinnon confirmed.

He then turned to the excited little boy on his lap and said, "Ralphy, Mommy is going to play with you whenever you want."

"Really? Yayyyy!!!"

Ronan rolled with his eyes. He was regretting it already.

"By the way, Kinnon..."

Ronan put his arms around Lucien intimately.

"I hope you don't abuse Lucien's kindness. I am also entitled to reserve Lucien's time. Unless of course you want your son to have a second 'Daddy"."

Kinnon narrowed his eyes at Ronan.

"I will keep that in mind. Excuse me."

Ralphy hopped down from his father's lap and ran toward Lucien and Ronan. He then extended his little arms toward Lucien.

"Mommy, hug. And kiss."

Lucien gladly complied.

While Ralph was in Lucien's arms, he threw a curious glance at Ronan, who furrowed his brows at him.

Ralphy went back to Kinnon, but he kept glancing back at Ronan. Not Lucien but Ronan.

"What is it, Ralphy?" Kinnon asked.

"It's just that... Why does Mommy smell like that Uncle?" Ralph asked loudly, pointing at Ronan.

Bjorn cleared his throat.

Ralph's new nanny turned bright red.

Lucien covered his burning face in embarrassment.

Ronan had a victorious smirk plastered all over his face.

Kinnon furrowed his brows.

"That's because Uncle Ronan cannot keep his pants on around Mommy."

Ralph tilted his head cutely to the side in confusion.

Ronan's smirk was wiped off his face and replaced by a scowl.

How dare Kinnon criticize him? Ronan had seen how he had his hands all over Lucien at the Moon Banquet. What a hypocrite!

"Hey, Ronan."

Kinnon gestured for Ronan to come closer.

As soon as Ronan was within his arm range, Kinnon yanked him by the collar and spoke in a low voice.

"You have a real chance at happiness here. Don't mess it up."

Ronan smiled.

"I won't."

After Kinnon left, Ronan too needed to get back to his pack. Ever since he left his pack to join the war, he had only come back for two days before leaving again to meet up with Lucien and Kinnon.

Jake had very subtly reminded the Alpha of his neglected duties both in the pack as well as in Silverback Corporation.

Besides, he still had to investigate the belt's origin and replace out the person who hired Gavin to commit the crime.

Lucien too was surprised to hear about Gavin's involvement.

"That person? How come?"

"I thought that you sent him to prison."

Lucien remembered Gavin's beastly nature. Alone the thought of him molesting Maya was enough to enrage him. To think that he almost took Ralph's life!

"I did," Ronan remarked. "Someone got him out and gave him this evil assignment."

"Who?"

Lucien frowned.

Black Reef Island was not an amusement park. Werewolves did not just go in and out casually as per one's wish.

"Kinnon suspects my Gamma, Quinn. She is the one who raised Gavin, and she has enough authority to get Gavin out of there if she wants to."

Lucien parted his lips in surprise.

"What do you think?"

"It's not her," Ronan said. "I know her for years. I don't want to believe that she did this kind of thing."

Lucien patted Ronan's back.

"Go and replace out. Be careful. Tell me if you replace something, or if you need help."

"Alright."

Ronan pinned Lucien to the wall and kissed the breath out of his lover before he left.

"I am going to miss you," Lucien whispered.

Ronan caressed Lucien's cheek and gave it a slight pinch. "Call me. Text me. Let's have a video call every night. Until we meet each other again."

"Mm."

Lucien remained standing at the gate for a long time after Ronan's car disappeared.

Now that the issues between the Silent Walkers Pack and the Night Prowler Pack had been settled, it was time to build up the Silent Walkers Pack.

.....

The time to elect a new Alpha from all the alphas in the pack had come.

The news regarding the end of the dispute between the two packs was received very well by the entire Silent Walkers Pack.

Kendra Firemoon as the current Luna announced that she did not wish to make use of her right as a widowed Luna to select a new Alpha. That meant that all alphas who were interested in becoming the next Alpha must partake in a competition.

The winner would become the next Alpha by default.

The night before the competition began, Alice Clearwater found Lucien lounging alone at the edge of an open window, looking like a lost soul.

"Lulu? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, Mom. Everything is fine," Lucien answered automatically, smiling at his mother to placate her.

"Lucien, do you plan to participate in the competition tomorrow?"

When Lucien was a child, he was automatically selected as the heir because his father was the reigning Alpha at that time.

Her son was too young to exhibit good Alpha attributes, so Alice personally never saw him as a strong Alpha candidate.

.....

It was not until he came back, wolf-less, to help out his birth pack that Alice realized what a wonderful Alpha Lucien would make. Landon was strong, of course, but what saved the pack, in the end, was Lucien's mental fortitude as well as endless care for the pack. Alice wanted Lucien to be the next Alpha. It was not even about keeping the Alpha position in the Clearwater family. It was about rebuilding the pack. No one could do it better than Lucien.

And yet, Kendra informed her that despite Kendra's willingness, Lucien had refused to become the next Alpha by marrying her.

Alice was rather disappointed.

But then she thought, maybe Lucien did want to become the Alpha, just not by marrying Kendra because he was in a relationship with Ronan. Winning the competition was the best way to seize the Alpha position. It would shut up those whose conventional minds

still believed that strength was everything.

To Alice's greatest disappointment, Lucien shook his head.

"No, Mom."

Alice swallowed hard.

"If you do not wish to be the Alpha, are you looking forward to serving as the Beta maybe? Or the Gamma?"

Betas were as good as Alphas. If the Alpha was not good, as long as he trusted the Beta, the Beta could still make some changes. Desmond, bless his heart, did not have a good enough relationship with Deacon to counsel him.

Or, Lucien could be the Gamma. Acatha was good, no doubt about that, but Alice could see Lucien in that role as well.

Again, Lucien shook his head.

Alice sighed.

"Is it because of Alpha Ronan?"

Lucien's eyelashes fluttered slightly when he heard Ronan's name.

"Yes," he said in the end.

"Lulu, you can keep both the Alpha position and your relationship with Alpha Ronan," Alice tried to coax her son. "The pack will understand if you decide to adopt a child or pass the position to someone else later on."

"I know, Mom. I am grateful for that, but Ronan and I might be planning to take our relationship to the next level in the future."

Alice's eyes grew round.

"Are you planning to be his Luna? The Luna of the Infinite Eclipse Pack?"

Lucien took a while to answer, but when he did, his tone was unwavering and his eyes harbored no doubt.

"If Ronan asks me to be his Luna next time, I would like to say yes."

That was why he could not fill any critical position within the pack. He must be replaceable. The best he could do was provide counsel to anyone in the pack, be it the Alpha, Beta, or even Gamma.

"Lulu... My son, are you sure?" Alice asked, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Mom has neither prejudice nor objection toward your choice of partner, but we are talking about the Alpha of the Infinite Eclipse Pack here."

Infinite Eclipse Pack was a huge, powerful pack. Such packs typically required their Alphas to lead a typical, idealistic life and fulfill their responsibilities conventionally.

Even more so Ronan Silverback, who carried two powerful bloodlines in his body.

Alice could not help but bite her lip in regret.

If only Lucien were a woman.

Alice had seen with her own eyes how much Ronan doted on Lucien. Ronan and Lucien would have been a perfect couple if only Lucien could give birth to the couple's pups.

Unfortunately, Lucien was a man.

Alice did not want her son to suffer. The path leading to the Luna position of the Infinite Eclipse Pack was full of roadblocks and spiky barbs. Even if Lucien attained the position through marriage, would he be able to gain everyone's respect and rule over those who

rejected his mere presence?

"I understand, Mom," Lucien replied.

He too had thought about this matter for months before making the decision.

"Ronan and I will overcome the challenges together."

Alice exhaled.

She was not sure why, but she trusted Lucien's judgment. Her son had rejected Ronan's advances fiercely for months. If he then complied, then it must mean that the couple had come to a relatively secure place in their relationship.

Following Alice's urges, Lucien went to bed early.

The next morning, all alpha werewolves in the pack who wished to fight for the coveted Alpha position gathered in the courtyard. Young and old, all of them were ready for what was to come.

Desmond and Acatha refused to participate in the competition, citing a lack of interest in the Alpha position. They would rather enjoy the competition and root for the ones that showed high potential.

While the non-competing pack members were putting up a small elevated arena for battling purposes, the competition participants were asked to draw lots from a leather bag. After everyone got their numbers, the order of the matches would be established by another lot drawing, this time by Kendra and Lucien.

The two of them watched as the alphas walked past them one by one and drew their numbers. Having been away from the pack for a long time, Lucien only recognized a handful of them.

And then he saw someone who he would recognize from miles away.

"Anna???!" Lucien shouted in surprise.

His twin sister was clothed in protective gear, ready for a fight.

Lucien pulled Annalynne aside after she drew her lot.

"Anna, you... Do you want to be an Alpha?" He asked in disbelief.

His twin sister nodded.

"Yes. Why are you asking, Lulu? Am I not a good fit?" She returned the question to her brother.

"That's not it," Lucien quickly answered. "You are also an alpha. Naturally, you have the right to fight for the position as well. It's just that..."

Annalynne knew what Lucien wanted to say without him saying it out loud.

Alpha she-wolves didn't usually go for the Alpha but the Luna position.

The woman shook her head.

"It is up to us to rebuild this pack. If you are not willing to be the Alpha, then I will."

.....

"Anna! I am sorry that I can't be the Alpha, but it doesn't mean that you have to be in my stead," Lucien said while grabbing Annalynne's wrist. "Let's go. Forget about this competition."

Annalynne pulled her hand free from Lucien's grip.

"Lulu, have you ever thought that maybe the Moon Goddess made a mistake with us?"

Lucien furrowed his brows.

"What do you mean?"

"Well..."

Her eyes turned glassy when she spoke.

"You are the male and I am the female, but you have two Alphas chasing after you while I have none. In the end, you, who are supposed to be an Alpha, decide to be a Luna instead. Maybe the Moon Goddess meant for me to be the Alpha."

Lucien

sighed.

"Did Mom tell you?"

Annalynne nodded stiffly.

"Make no mistake, Lulu. I am not blaming you. I wished I could have a romance that is half as passionate as yours. Recently I realize that it is just not meant to be. Not for me."

Annalynne pressed a palm against the scar on her face.

Lucien pulled her hand away, revealing the three dark-red lines that marred her otherwise attractive face.

"Anna, you are still so very beautiful even with the scar. I will take you to the best plastic surgeon on the continent, alright? We will fix it."

"No, Lulu, you don't understand. This scar isn't distressing me. It is a sign. As an alpha she-wolf, I can choose between beauty and power. Since beauty has been taken away from me, only power is left."

Lucien

sighed.

Annalynne put her arms around Lucien and leaned against the latter's shoulder.

"Lulu, don't worry. It is not a war. It is just a competition. Let me give my all. I want to know if the Alpha position is fated to be mine or not."

Lucien sank his fingers into his sister's thick curly hair and gently massaged her scalp. More than twenty-five years ago, the Clearwater family was blessed with twin alpha pups. One was a boy and one was a girl. Both babies were very beautiful. Back then the Elders kept saying that the boy was going to be a mighty Alpha and the girl would marry into

a strong pack as a Luna.

The twin babies were supposed to bring prosperity to the pack.

Tragedy struck without warning, and once everything was over, their roles had been switched.

The boy grew up to be a man who was to marry into the Infinite Eclipse Pack as Alpha Ronan's Luna, and the girl grew up to be a woman who stood a chance to seize the Alpha position in the pack.

What kind of a messed-up fairytale was that?

Unable to change Annalynne's mind, Lucien was forced to return to where Kendra was.

Kendra gave him a sympathetic pat on the back.

"Lucien, you should not continue seeing Annalynne as a little helpless girl. She is now a woman."

Lucien furrowed his brows. "She is just twenty-five years old," he argued.

Kendra gave Lucien a meaningful stare. "I am twenty-four years old. I married Deacon when I was only twenty years old. I got pregnant a year ago."

"I am really sorry to hear that," Lucien said. "I wish that things could be different for you."

Kendra dismissed his words with a wave of her hand.

"I am not trying to switch the focus of the talk to my sad, miserable life. All I am saying is that Annalynne is a woman that can fall in love and can make her own decisions. She has been standing in your shadow until now. It is good that she finally decides to come

out

on

her own."

"I am his brother. It is my duty to protect her."

Kendra heaved a long sigh.

"Lucien, oh Lucien. You always want to protect everyone. Including Anna. But just how long do you want to keep her under your wings like that?"

"As long as possible," Lucien quipped.

"Nope," Kendra said with a stern tone. "Stop that. Let Anna run free, for Goddess' sake. Let her live. You can still interfere if she turns out to be a dumbass who is running toward a cliff."

Lucien stared at Annalynne's silhouette in the distance. If he stopped controlling Annalynne's life, would she be able to take control of her own life? Or would she, like Kendra just said, run toward a cliff?

"Come on," Kendra said while pulling at Lucien's elbow.

"They have all drawn their numbers. Let's decide the order of the match."

Lucien reluctantly dragged his feet to the second leather bag that contained the same numbers as the first one.

Kendra drew a number three.

"First match, the first contestant is number three!" She announced loudly.

A cheer went through the crowd as number three, an alpha in his thirties climbed the steps to the battle arena.

Lucien reached into the bag and drew a number forty-seven.

"Number forty-seven," Lucien announced while holding the piece of paper up into the sky. His heart lurched to the ground when he saw who number forty-seven was.

Annalynne slowly walked from the end of the crowd to the front.

She gave her brother a bittersweet smile before she too climbed the steps to the arena.