Pursuing My Rejected Alpha
Chapter 43

Once Ronan and Lucien got back to Lucien's rented house, the bouquet of white roses was put in a hu Outside of the house, the snowstorm raged for a whole night.

e and placed near the living room's window.

Inside the dimly lit bedroom, the Alpha and his mate were busy making out with each other to make up for the lost time.

"Wait a second," Lucien managed to blurt out between passionate, wet kisses.

"I rented this house from Mrs. Wilson. Doing it in her house is beyond mannerless."

Not to mention in her bedroom. On her bed.

"No need to worry about that," Ronan said without skipping a beat. Under Lucien's amazed stare, he took out a bottle of lubrication from his suit pocket and popped it open with a smooth flicking movement. "I bought this house and replaced the bed when your mom was here."

Debauched as he was, Ronan too could not imagine sleeping with Lucien on Mrs. Wilson's bed.

.....

""

Lucien was speechless. When exactly did Ronan replace the bed? How did he not notice anything? Also, when did her mother start being in cahoots with Ronan Silverback???

"Wait, wait!!!" Lucien shouted again, pushing Ronan away from him when the latter climbed on top of

"No," Ronan snapped, pinning his mate by intertwining their fingers on the bed. A fierce look was plastered on his handsome face. "I am not waiting anymore. Lucien, it has been too long."

Ronan seized the back of Lucien's neck and tilted his head for a kiss. His other hand kneaded down, moving from Lucien's shoulder down to his supple waist and curvy buttocks.

Delicious moans spilled from Lucien's lips when Ronan's lips wandered to his cheek, jaw, and then the side of his neck.

Burning with a violent and insatiable hunger for his mate, Ronan hooked both thumbs into Lucien's pants and pulled them down with one swift movement.

The pair of slender legs were exposed to his blazing eyes, along with the tent between Lucien's legs.

Ronan ripped his suit open and tossed it on the floor ruthlessly. He then approached Lucien and hooked a finger into his shirt, pulling it down slightly.

"Do you want to undress or do you need me to lend you a hand?" He asked with a teasing smile.

In response, Lucien raised a naked leg and placed it against Ronan's chest.

"Why don't you help me out with something else when you are so adamant about it?"

Ronan grabbed Lucien's ankle and kissed it reverently. "Do speak up, my Lulu."

Lucien's lips curled up into a smile. He unbuttoned his shirt and revealed a thin silver chain around his neck. Hanging on the chain was the heirloom of the Silverback family, the "Maiden of Endless Purity". Posted by Ebookex.com; visit us for more free novels. "I need you to put my ring back on my finger."

The corners of Ronan's lips ticked up with a smile.

"Gladly, my Luna."

Lucien's heart trembled slightly when he heard the way Ronan addressed him.

The Alpha unhinged the diamond ring from the chain and slid it on Lucien's ring finger.

"Thank you, Alpha," Lucien said while admiring the brilliant jewel on his ring finger. "It is beautiful."

Ronan pushed Lucien onto the bed and spread his legs open.

His greenish-blue eyes sparkling with mischief, he then folded Lucien's legs to his chest and muttered with a heavy voice full of scorching desire, "Not as beautiful as you."

Lucien's favorite shirt was taken off its owner a moment later. It joined the heap of discarded clothes on the floor.

From the bed, ambiguous sounds of two men pleasing each other with their hands and mouths were heard.

Afterward, Lucien was forced on all fours and Ronan pulled at his waist. The Alpha then rubbed his engorged s****l organ against Lucien's back entrance and slowly pushed in. "Arghh," Ronan groaned from lust.

"So tight, my Lulu..."

Lucien's eyes widened in shock when the pulsing rod inside his body kept advancing without stopping.

"Wait, Ronan...! Arghh!!!"

"Let me in, Lulu," Ronan whispered in Lucien's ear when he leaned closer. "I want to be inside you. I want to be one with you."

Lucien arched his back from pain, his mouth was open in a silent scream as he endured Ronan's intrusion.

Once Ronan was fully inside, he heaved a sigh and pried another kiss from his mate. The pain was so intense that it drew a few droplets of tears from Lucien's eyes.

"Sorry, does it hurt too much?"

Ronan laced their fingers together.

"Mm," Lucien mumbled.

"I need to move," Ronan kissed Lucien's cheek affectionately. "Otherwise, I will knot you here and now."

The Alpha started pumping in and out vigorously, forcing the tight ring of flesh to accept his entire length again and again.

"Ahh... Ahh... Ronan, slowly... You are going to break me, ahhh...!!!"

Instead of slowing down, Ronan gritted his teeth and pounded harder and faster into Lucien. The squelching sound of lubrication that leaked from their connection point as their bodies slammed into each other was louder than Lucien's protests. After he was invaded for a while, Lucien reached his climax. While his p***s spewed its content violently, Lucien squeezed hard at Ronan's c**k, propelling the latter to his own peak of pleasure as well.

"Ronan."

Ronan leaned closer and Lucien hooked an arm around his neck. He tilted his head backward, his lips searching for Ronan's nape. Once he found it, he bit down hard.

A guttural sound escaped Ronan when Lucien's pheromone poured into his body through his nape.

After a few more deep thrusts, he rammed hard one last time into Lucien and knotted inside his mate.

"Mnh...!"

Lucien's body went limp.

The feeling of having Ronan's gigantic rod swell inside his body was always overwhelming no matter how many times they made love with each other. Ronan wrapped his arms tight around Lucien and slumped on top of him.

"Ronan, you are heavy," Lucien complained.

The Alpha merely grunted to signify that he heard his mate, but he made no effort to move away.

Lucien sighed. He closed his eyes to rest, letting Ronan slowly fill him up as they both drifted into the sea of blissful sleep.

Ronan had hoped to spend a relaxing day with Lucien the next day, but when he opened his eyes the next morning, the spot next to him was empty.

The sound of running water that came from the bathroom told him that Lucien was cleaning up from the traces of their passionate lovemaking sessions the previous night.

'Lucien, what's the rush?' Ronan asked using Mind Link while rolling inside the thick blanket. 'It is the last day before the holidays kick in!

'Oh, you are awake. Rise and shine, Ronan.'

... Nnh.'

Fresh after a hot shower, Lucien stepped out of the bathroom without a single thread covering his body.

Ronan opened his eyes to take a peek. His lips curled up in a lascivious smile while his hungry eyes followed a droplet of water that trailed down the deep lines from Lucien's torso to his stomach, his shapely leg, and finally dripped to the floor. "Starting from the second week of January, there will be a section in the art gallery to showcase select artworks of promising and yet undiscovered artists," Lucien explained while he picked the dirty clothes from the floor. "We dub it the 'Hidden Treasures Under The Sea"" Ronan was barely paying attention. He neither understood nor cared for art.

.....

"It does not sound different from the Annual Art Exhibition," the taller man remarked casually. He was more interested in his mate's alluring figure. Ronan became hard just by looking at the marks that he left on Lucien's body.

"Come here, Lulu," he said with a husky voice.

Surprisingly, Lucien complied. If Ronan's mind was not clouded with lust, he would have known that there was a catch to it.

The red-blonde man tossed the dirty clothes into a laundry basket one by one before he climbed into the bed and straddled the Alpha's lap.

Ronan's erection rested between Lucien's buttcheeks comfortably.

"It is not the same kind of event," Lucien insisted while cupping Ronan's face in his palms.

Ronan put both of his hands around Lucien's waist and kneaded at it.

"Oh, really? And how is it not the same?"

"The gallery will feature only three artists that fit the theme instead of showcasing a lot of artworks at once. We need at least a day to finalize the details... Hss..."

Lucien hissed and tilted his head back when the infuriated Alpha nibbled on one of the swollen red buds on his chest. They had been attacked so many times the previous night that they had become sensitive to touch. It was, unfortunately, not enough excuse for Ronan to spare them. "Ronan, don't... Ahh... Ahh...!!!"

Lucien smacked hard against his mate's shoulder. Ronan groaned. He released the swollen n****e and burrowed his face into Lucien's chest instead.

"Lulu, you are so ruthless," he complained woefully. "How could you pick some nameless artists over your mate???"

Lucien hugged Ronan's head to his chest affectionately and slid his fingers into the latter's thick, lustrous hair. "I didn't. It is an initiative to help budding artists. It is something that I truly want to be involved in. To build the art community, we need to help each other to grow and shine."

Ronan growled.

"Then what about me?" He demanded. "What about us???"

Lucien chuckled. He cupped Ronan's face and pinched both of his cheeks at the same time. The sight prompted him to burst into laughter. That did not make the Alpha any happier. His face was as dark as a pot bottom.

44"

"Okay, okay. Since you already bought the house, why don't we stay here one more night? I will go back with you dutifully tomorrow morning." Ronan pursed his lips.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am."

Ronan squeezed Lucien's b**t and grumbled, "Don't think that you can get away with this forever, Lucien Clearwater. I demand payment with interest."

"I shall comply with the Alpha's terms," Lucien answered with a blinding smile.

Nothing that he had not endured before, he thought to himself. If worse came to worst, Ronan just had to carry him to the car for the trip back to the Great Lake City.

Lucien's effort to clean himself was futile because Ronan demanded morning s*x for bribery purposes. After shaking the bed for an hour, it took Lucien another hour to peel Ronan off the bed and get him ready for the day. "The faster I reach the art gallery, the faster I finish my work," Lucien reminded the dejected Alpha when he wanted to lie down again and skip work.

Afterward, the disgruntled man agreed to drag his feet to the car.

When they arrived at a streetside near the art gallery, Lucien asked Ronan to stop.

"I can walk from here."

"No," Ronan said. "I will walk you to the entrance."

Lucien chuckled. "Afraid that I will run away?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Ronan." Lucien shook his head with a smile. "You silly Alpha."

The two men exited the car and walked hand-in-hand until they reached the entrance of the art gallery.

"See you tonight," Lucien smiled at Ronan.

"Mhm."

Lucien tugged at Ronan's tie and gave him a peck on the lips.

Ronan was quick to complain.

"That's it???"

Dissatisfied with Lucien's lacking display of affection, Ronan pulled Lucien into a hug and showered him with tiny kisses all over his face. Laughing, Lucien had to ward off Ronan's attack with both hands. "You kiss monster," he told Ronan.

"You can call me whatever you want. I want a proper kiss," Ronan demanded while leaning closer to Lucien.

"Alright," Lucien said, tilting his head in Ronan's direction.

Their lips barely met when they heard a distinct clicking sound.

Lucien and Ronan separated immediately.

"What was that?" Lucien looked around in confusion.

"Not sure."

Ronan raked across his dark hair with his fingers. He narrowed his eyes at the surrounding hedges.

"Never mind, I am sure it is not important," Lucien said dismissively.

Ronan rubbed at his chin while staring at a distance thoughtfully.

"Go," Lucien urged him with a nudge. "I need to get to work."

Ronan nodded reluctantly.

"Alright, Lulu. I will be back tonight."

"Mhm."

On Christmas Day, the official social media account of Clearwater Contemporary Art Gallery wished everyone a blessed festive season. At the same time, it announced the installment of a new section in the art gallery that was devoted to helping emerging artists rise to fame.

In accordance with the holiday season, the first theme was dubbed "Winter Wonderland". All submissions must be made before the year ended. The three best artworks would be selected in the first week and displayed at the art gallery in the second week of January.

The post, titled "Launch of 'Hidden Treasures Under The Sea' by the Clearwater Contemporary Art Gallery", was quickly reposted by the Silverback Corporation's official account as well.

As a hardworking pack member who loved her job above everything, Mara Keenthorne made it her habit to check social media for any news pertaining to the Silverback Corporation every morning.

It was barely necessary, because his team worked around the clock in shifts to make sure that the name of the group did not get dragged into the mud without any counteractions.

The picture was posted by an anonymous account without a single tag or any caption. Posts like these did not usually attract anyone's attention, but once they attracted the right crowd, they spread like fire and burned the whole forest.

Re-posted many times with various tags, the image finally reached Mara Keenthorne's feed.

The PR Head gasped audibly. She almost got a heart attack then and there.

It was a picture of Ronan and Lucien, kissing each other at the entrance of the art gallery.

.....

The picture itself was already quite disastrous, but the comments were a lot worse.

"What the hell? Why is that hunk snogging another man? Is he gay?"

"Duuuude, if I had a pregnant wife as fine as Lillian Woodland, I would not even blink at another woman, let alone a man!"

"All these rich men are cheaters."

"Poor Lillian Woodland. @LillWoodland, I am rooting for you! Go grab your man, girl!"

Mara Keenthorne quickly called one of her subordinates.

"Thomas, prepare for a meeting right away! We must address the picture quickly before it causes more damage!"

The Silverback Corporation's PR Team was very capable. Before long, they managed to stop the distribution of the picture. Mara Keenthorne contacted Milroy to ask to meet with Ronan. The latter naturally already saw the picture in question.

The Alpha welcomed Mara in his private quartier. He was dressed casually in a dark green sweater and a pair of grey pants. A total contrast from Mara, who was dressed in the Silverback Group's official executive suit.

Lucien entered the living room a few minutes after Mara arrived. The woman had to swallow when she saw Lucien. Although the name Lucien Clearwater was already connected to the Luna position in a lot of conversations, it was the first time Mara caught sight of the person himself.

"Mr. Clearwater, it is my honor to meet you," Mara quickly said.

Lucien smiled at her in return. "Mine as well."

Mara thought that her eyes might deceive her, because she seemed to catch Lucien glaring at Ronan when the latter took his hand and led him to sit on the couch.

The PR Head proceeded to inform the Alpha and his mate about the circulating picture and the action that her team took.

"Let it be. Lucien and I are legally bonded as mates. What's with a little kiss in public?" Ronan responded casually.

Ronan's words stunned Mara.

Did the Alpha forget about Lillian Woodland and the pup inside her belly?

She was thus more than thankful when she heard what Lucien had to say.

"Ronan, don't take this matter lightly. In public eyes, you are a cheating bastard who pays no attention to the pregnant woman who carries your child."

Ronan rubbed at the spot between his brows.

"Mara, excuse us. Lucien and I need to talk."

Mara Keenthorne bowed and left right away. She would hate to be caught in an argument between the Alpha and his mate.

"Lulu, I don't give a shit about Lillian," Ronan said viciously. "I care even less for her stupid fans."

Lucien lowered his eyelashes. Lillian Woodland's reappearance caused a huge ripple in their relationship, but Ronan's words were too harsh.

"Think about the baby," Lucien murmured without looking up. "A distressed mother will affect the fetus."

'Whether or not you wanted the fetus.'

Ronan groaned in his heart.

It was not even his fetus!

The Alpha slammed a fist against the wall in fury.

Lucien left the couch and approached Ronan. He took Ronan's reddened fist in his hand and rubbed at it.

"Ronan, don't be agitated. Let's just not meet up in public for a while, let alone hug and kiss for all eyes to see."

Ronan sighed. He bumped his forehead against Lucien gently.

"Are you upset?"

"No," Lucien answered. "I already decided to stand by you. I am not going to make a scene every time something happens."

"Lulu..."

Ronan circled an arm around Lucien's waist.

"I still don't think that this is right. I am going to make a public statement that you are my legal partner."

"I don't think it's necessary," Lucien shook his head. "Rumors like this one will disappear eventually. You can just ignore it. When they don't see us together in public anymore, they will automatically forget that I even exist." "Or they will know that you belong to me," Ronan insisted.

"That will cast an unfavorable light on you," Lucien pointed out. "You are a father who is expecting a child. You should not be affiliated with anyone but Lillian right now. At least in public."

In the end, Ronan had to give in and choose to ignore the vile post and comments.

Just like Lucien said, the rumors eventually died down. Unfortunately, it did not come without consequences. When the art gallery reopened in January, five employees submitted their resignation first thing in the morning.

After Lucien went back to Infinite Eclipse Pack House, he was fairly busy. He dedicated time and focus to learning the ropes to become a proper Luna for the pack.

Every day the studious, future Luna went to the pack library to read about the past Lunas or discuss with Jake, Quinn, and their mates to replace out everything that he needed to know as a Luna.

The happiest person to guide Lucien was Jake. For him, it was a cooperative relationship. By keeping a close eye on Lucien, he managed to catch Ronan off guard a few times to get him to do his work.

In front of Lucien, Ronan was naturally very obedient. He did not dare to slack off and always played the role of a responsible, earnest Alpha.

After the New Year arrived, the hardworking Lucien received an invitation from the art gallery curator, Mr. Boyd, to join the judging panel.

"It is just befitting to have Mr. Clearwater around to help determine the first three artworks to be displayed in the art gallery," Mr. Boyd explained through the phone. "Is it convenient for you to come over to South Bedford City for a few days?"

"Hmm."

Lucien was flipping through a thick leather-bound book in the library when he took the call.

"Can I vote for the artworks by looking at the pictures only?"

......

"Oh. Sure."

The elder man's disappointment was barely concealable from his voice. On the other side, the curator understood Lucien's position inside the Infinite Eclipse Pack. In fact, he had been at the receiving end of Ronan's wrath when he loaded Lucien with all kinds of works and made him unable to leave South Bedford City in time.

Never mind that the request originally came from Ronan himself.

"I am sorry for the sudden request, Mr. Clearwater. I will send you the highest resolution pictures through mail."

"Wait," Lucien quickly spoke before the curator hung up the phone.

"Yes, Mr. Clearwater?"

Lucien bit into his lower lip.

"Never mind," he then said hastily. "Please take pictures of each artwork from different angles. I would also love to hear feedback from the others because I can't be there personally."

"Of course, Mr. Clearwater."

Lucien put down his phone with a sigh.

Thanks to the scandalized picture on Christmas Day, both the Silverback Corporation and the Clearwater Contemporary Art Gallery sustained some reputational damage.

Lillian Woodland's fans, whether or not they were backed up by the Woodland Enterprise, were very persistent in defending their idol. They caused a lot of ruckus on their social media, re-posting the picture again and again and tagging any business or cause that bore the Silverback and the Clearwater name.

Even Clearwater Finance suffered from this one scandal greatly. Under immense pressure from the board of directors, Lucien handed over his position to his father, Gordon Clearwater.

The elder man thus left his recuperation home and moved back into the Silent Walkers Pack. It was a happy family moment, but Lucien was unable to celebrate with his family. He did not want the whole pack to suffer from his tarnished reputation. Lucien leaned back in his seat and stared out of the open window. For the time being, he had no other choice but to hide from the public eye.

That was the only thing he could do to protect the people that he loved.

Hopefully, the hateful comments would disappear soon and he could resume a normal life outside of the pack house.

As per Lucien's request, he got to vote for the three best artworks by looking at pictures that Mr. Boyd sent almost two hours later.

Despite having high-resolution pictures to stare at and personal feedback from the gallery staff to go through, Lucien was still dissatisfied.

It was a different experience to admire the masterpieces using one's own five senses instead of relying on man-made devices to capture the beauty of said masterpieces.

Nevertheless, Lucien did not wish to disappoint Mr. Boyd's expectations. He spent the remaining of the day checking one creation after another, admiring the works of those who were brimming with potential and yet to be recognized. "Hidden Treasures Under The Sea" was sure to generate a huge impact across the art community, Lucien was pretty sure about it. All artists thirsted to have their talent acknowledged and their works appraised.

Ronan Silverback came back in time for dinner, but his mate was not at home. Confused, he made a call to Lucien who promptly answered, albeit with a slight gasp.

"Sorry," he said. "I am coming back right away."

Ronan chuckled.

"Where are you?"

"In the library. Ahh!!!"

Ronan could hear the sound of a few books falling to the floor in the background, followed by Lucien's curses in a low voice.

"Don't move, let me go and pick you up."

Ronan ended the call and headed to the pack library.

When he spotted Lucien, the man was heading toward the shelves with a bunch of heavy books.

"Hey," he said breathlessly when he caught sight of the Alpha.

"Hello, my Luna," Ronan took the books from Lucien's hands and leaned in to kiss the latter on the lips.

"Busy day?" Ronan helped Lucien returned the books to the top shelves.

"No, it's just... Do you remember the new section at the art gallery I told you about?"

"Yeah, the treasure chest under the sand something."

Lucien pursed his lips.

"You mean 'Hidden Treasures Under The Sea""

"Yes, that one," Ronan grinned. "What about it?"

"It is going to be launched next Monday. The team is in the middle of deciding the first artworks to display."

Lucien picked up his tablet from the desk and showed Ronan the pictures that he received from Mr. Boyd.

"Look, aren't they just precious?" He asked while flipping from image to image.

"Oh, absolutely."

Lucien turned to look at the philistine next to him with a dead-panned expression.

"Which one do you like the most?"

"Oh, the uh... The bunch of dogs over there. So cute."

"... Those are reindeers."

What dog had a shiny nose?

The Alpha cleared his throat. "Oh."

"Forget it," Lucien grumbled. Ronan was never able to appreciate the beauty of paintings and sculptures alike.

Grinning from ear to ear, Ronan hugged Lucien from behind and inhaled his mate's refreshing scent.

"Sorry, Lulu. I don't know what to say."

"Meh, it's okay."

Lucien put the tablet back on the desk.

"Do you want to go to the art gallery next Monday to see the artworks for yourself?" The Alpha asked softly while planting a kiss on Lucien's neck.

A tempting offer, but...

Lucien shook his head.

"It is not a good idea," he stated. "I will submit my votes through email and see the news coverage through the site. It is enough."

Ronan rubbed their cheeks together.

"Lulu, I enjoyed having you to myself during the holidays, but you should not imprison yourself in the pack house."

Lucien turned to look at Ronan with a sneer.

"Aren't you the one who keeps sulking whenever I leave the pack house?"

Ronan cutely tilted his head.

"Only when you leave after an unfinished argument. Other than that, you are free to go anywhere you want and I am free to stalk and sleep with you anywhere I want."

.....

Lucien shuddered at Ronan's last sentence.

"You lecherous wolf," he scolded his shameless mate.

"Then, do you agree? Let's go next Monday, alright?"

Lucien raised an eyebrow at the Alpha.

"What about your CEO job? All done?"

"Oh, Jake can cover for me for a day."

Or a week.

Or

a month.

Jake had done more than that in the past. Ronan was pretty sure that he could go missing for a year and no one in the pack other than Jake and Quinn would notice.

Lucien reached at Ronan's face and squeezed his nose.

"Ow," the Alpha complained.

"Don't you think that you are overloading Jake with work?" Lucien asked with a frown.

Ronan scoffed.

"Did he complain to you?"

"No one did," Lucien replied. "But the last time I met Cassie, she told me that their daughter Willa had been quite unforgiving when her father did not come home to tuck her in every night."

Ronan cleared his throat.

"Fine, I will grant Jake a few days off on Tuesday."

Lucien squeezed at Ronan's jaw.

"You cannot be seen with me in public, have you forgotten? I will go alone if you insist. No need to accompany me."

Ronan's face was crumpled unhappily.

"But I wanted it to be a date..."

Lucien hooked an arm around Ronan's neck and pressed a kiss on his mate's lips.

"We live together," he pointed out. "Are we not past dating?"

Ronan pressed his lips together in dejection.

"Is it so wrong to want to spend time together with the love of my life out there?"

"Unfortunately, right now it is."

Unable to persuade his mate, Ronan ended up working as usual on Monday while Lucien made a trip to South Bedford City with Noah.

After spending more than two weeks cooped up in the pack house, Lucien was ecstatic to finally get out and enjoy some alone time. He leaned an elbow against the window frame, admiring the beautiful winter scenery outside as the car rolled smoothly from Great

Lake City to South Bedford City.

When the car pulled into the parking lot and Lucien stepped out, he saw a lot of eager visitors at the art gallery.

The main attraction for today was not his own creation, but Lucien was more than happy to be there.

Mr. Boyd hurried to greet Lucien the moment he saw Ronan's car approach.

"I am so happy that you can make it," he said with a bright smile. "Come, we are about to unveil the three artworks."

Lucien turned to Noah. "Come with us, it must be boring to wait in the car."

Noah was flabbergasted. He did not expect Lucien to invite him. What an honor! His only fear was that the Alpha might murder him for daring to walk next to the future Luna of the pack.

On the other side, saying no to the Luna was also not an option.

Noah hung his head and agreed to go with Lucien and Mr. Boyd.

The art gallery staff were all present to unveil the three selected artworks. Since Lucien was not part of the staff, he refused to stand together with them and chose to mingle with the visitors instead.

"Respectable art critics, art lovers, established artists, budding artists, and everyone else, welcome to the inauguration of the new section in our art gallery, the 'Hidden Treasures Under The Sea." Mr. Boyd spoke to represent the whole art gallery.

He then explained the concept behind the new section, the hard work that everyone had done in order to make today happen, and thanked everyone deeply for their support.

"And now, we shall reveal to you the three best artworks that fit this week's theme best! These artworks will be displayed for two weeks straight. Please keep your eyes open for the next theme! It will be announced on our website tomorrow morning. Registration for

the next round will be open next Monday!"

The three artworks were displayed under a huge glass case to protect them from the weather.

At the moment, it was covered by a huge red cloth with green and golden ribbons.

The ribbon was cut by Mr. Boyd who then grabbed one end of the cloth. The other end was grabbed by Alistair Greenwood.

The two men nodded at each other with a smile.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

The red cloth was pulled off the big glass case and revealed three artworks inside - two paintings and one tree sculpture.

A round of applause went through the crowd. Three people who must be the creators of the three selected pieces jumped up and down like maniacs.

One of them was Maya Greenwood.

"OH MY GODDESS, I WON! I WON! I WONNNN!!!" she shouted many times. Although Lucien now belonged to Infinite Eclipse Pack, he had not seen Maya for a long time. The disparity of status between them did not allow them to meet easily within the pack house. Not to mention that Ronan was very protective. He was jealous of anyone

who looked at Lucien one second longer and got to spend time with him while he slaved around at the Silverback Corporation.

When Maya spotted Lucien, she went through the crowd and threw herself at Lucien.

"Mr. Clearwater, I won! I wonnn!!!"

Laughing, Lucien rubbed the young woman's head and praised her, "Good job, Maya."

He wanted to ask which one of the three was hers, but then a loud voice full of indignation rang out from the crowd.

"CHEATER!!!"