Pursuing My Rejected Alpha
Chapter 53

"WAIT!" Elijah cried. "I... I didn't mean to do anything bad!!!"

Ronan gritted his teeth. He grabbed Elijah by his collar and lifted him a few centimeters off the ground. The poor priest cried with fright as he flailed around in a futile attempt to free himself. "Trying to murder my Luna is one thing, but denying the deed when you are caught red-handed is utterly shameless!"

Ronan threw Elijah easily to the ground like a ragged doll. Jake who had transformed back into his human form quickly seized him. Elijah's hands were twisted together behind his back. "You caught me red-handed trying to feed Lucien Clearwater something, but do you even know what it is? It is a cure! Yes, a cure!!!" Elijah sputtered, cold sweat running down his face. "Ooh?" Kinnon raised an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

Ronan walked over to Lucien. He lifted his mate off the ground and carried him back to the Cleansing Pond.

"It is the truth!" Elijah cried. "It is not harmful at all! If... If you don't believe me, I can drink it! You will see that nothing will happen to me!"

The poison only worked for fated mates. It did not work for normal werewolves with no fated mate connection.

Even if he failed to kill Lucien, at least he could save his own life. Surely Madam Woodland would not begrudge him for his failure? He tried! He did not expect the two Alphas to sneak into the temple in the middle of the night! "Pray tell, who has given you this miracle cure?" Ronan asked, his distorted visage hidden by the gigantic tree's shadow.

"The... The... The High Seer did!"

If Elijah had known what came next, he would have kept his mouth shut and his head bowed.

"Is that so?"

An unhurried voice rang out from the other side of the clearing, followed by the sound of a robe dragging across the grassy surface.

"After two hundred years, I guess I still cannot escape the curse of aging. Please remind me, Child, what kind of cure did I supposedly give you?"

Elijah's mouth dropped open.

"High Seer..."

The High Seer wore an expressionless face as she gazed down at her subject.

"It pained me to experience this blatant betrayal of my own, Alpha Ronan," she said. "Even though I saw it coming."

Elijah struggled against Jake's grip.

"High Seer, please," he begged. "I have been your servant for over ten years. I admit my oversight. Please help me."

The High Seer closed her eyes for a few seconds. When she opened them again, her eyes were blazing with cold glares. "Attempting to murder a Luna is a heavy crime that is punishable by death. How do you presume to ask for mercy?"

"But..." Elijah shook visibly. "He is not even a Luna yet. He and Alpha Ronan have not even registered their wedding at the Werewolf Council, let alone set a date for the wedding ceremony in the Holy Temple!" The High Seer heaved a deep breath and shook her head at her folly subject.

"As someone who has been serving the Moon Goddess for over ten years, you should have remembered that we are not average human beings but werewolves.

According to the rules that had been set hundreds of years ago, a Luna is an Alpha's mate, not an Alpha's wife. By our law, Lucien Clearwater has become the Luna of the Infinite Eclipse Pack months ago."

The convicted priest froze on spot for a while before the knowledge set in. Once he realized that he was done for without a way out, he started to laugh frantically. Once he was convicted of a crime, he automatically lost the protection of the Holy Temple.

Without a pack to back him up - no even if the Ironclad Claws Pack was willing to support him - there was no way he could go against the Infinite Eclipse Pack. He was doomed!

Doomed!

"HAHAHAAHAHHA!!! HAHAHAHAHAH!!!"

Elijah's maniacal laughter rang through the temple until he was dragged out of the clearing by Jake and Kinnon.

"Alpha Ronan, it is time," the High Seer softly reminded him.

Above them, the full moon was shining brightly. Its soft light fell through the dense expanse of leaves, shining directly on Lucien.

The High Seer held a palm upward and a blade with a silver handle materialized from thin air.

She then pinched the tip of the blade and handed it over to Ronan.

Ronan took the blade from the High Seer and stepped into the Cleansing Pond.

Once he held his mate in his arms, a strong wave of sorrow and regret washed over Ronan again. One that he repressed for days. Adding to that was the numbing fear. The High Seer laced her fingers together and watched Ronan.

"Is he going to be in a lot of pain?" The Alpha asked, his thumb brushing against his mate's ice-cold cheek.

"Yes, but it will be the last time," the High Seer confirmed. "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger. You have to take the leap of faith in your mate's stead, Alpha Ronan." "Alright," Ronan gave her a stiff answer.

He did not have any other option. It was clear to him three nights ago as it was tonight.

Ronan held his beloved mate with one hand and the blade with the other hand, its pointy end hovering over Lucien's beating heart.

With one swift movement, the knife dove into Lucien's chest. It sunk deep, sending Lucien's blood splattering everywhere.

Lucien's eyes opened instantly. His mouth opening from shock, he clawed at Ronan's arms desperately. Lucien's body started spasming from the immense pain. Disbelief and pain were reflected in his beautiful eyes when he looked at Ronan. Tears welled up in Ronan's eyes.

"I love you," the Alpha sobbed. "Lulu, I have to do this. I am so sorry."

Lucien closed his eyes. A single tear escaped his eye as he sighed out his mate's name, "Ronan..."

Then, his hands slid down Ronan's arms and the remaining bit of life left his body.

Three nights ago, Lucien in his dying state was laid underneath the Tree of Life. His lower half was immersed inside the Cleansing Pond to draw benefits from the pond water.

The purification effect of the pond put the poison in Lucien's body to sleep. It halted the deterioration of his body and stopped the passage of time for him. To completely eliminate the poison and save Lucien's life, Ronan needed something a lot stronger. He did not want any divination, he had said. All he wanted was to save his mate.

No matter how small the possibility was, or how arduous the task was, Ronan was willing to do it.

"Anything," he begged. "Anything to revive Lucien."

The High Seer had only one solution for Ronan Silverback.

"Three nights from now, when the full moon is shining high up in the sky, I will give you a special blade, made from the essence of the moonlight during the full moon. This blade carries the power of the Moon Goddess at its peak," the High Seer explained. "You can use this blade to cut the poison inside your mate's heart, or to cut his lifeline and sever the connection between the two of you."

"I want to cut the poison," Ronan had said right away while squeezing Lucien's hand. "How do I do that?"

.....

"Pray. Use these three days and nights to think about the love and connection that you share with your mate and with all your heart, make the decision to eliminate the poison inside your mate's heart."

"I don't need three days or three nights," Ronan said. "I don't think I can love Lulu more than I already do. If he can't make it, I too won't last for long."

A thin smile spread on the High Seer's lips. "That is the curse of the fated mate connection. Thankfully, this blade could also sever the relation between fated mates."

"Should you fail and end up killing your mate instead, you will at the same time end the fated mate connection between the two of you and you will be free from the curse." Ronan shook his head.

"If Lucien dies, I will follow him into the grave. With or without the curse."

The High Seer gave a little nod.

"If you are determined, you have nothing to lose. Be here three nights from now."

"High Seer, can I ask for a favor?" Ronan quickly asked before he was dismissed.

"Do what you need to do," the High Seer said. "I allow it."

"Thank you," the Alpha said in response.

Of course the High Seer knew what Ronan wanted to ask.

She also knew what would happen. Her silence neither discouraged nor encouraged Ronan. Even if Ronan did not know whether his plan would work out or not, it was something that Ronan had to do. He should have done it months ago instead of listening to Lillian Woodland.

Should Lucien end up leaving this mortal world, Ronan would make sure that he did not go alone.

Ronan would not rest until he sent all those who hurt Lucien to hell. Only then would he dare to follow Lucien in the afterlife.

In the present time, after everything had happened, the Alpha had exhausted all of his confidence.

Without caring the least for his pride, Ronan sobbed uncontrollably with his hand still clasped around the silver hilt of the blade. "Lulu... No, why is there so much blood..."

Ronan wanted to staunch the flow of blood from Lucien's left chest, but the High Seer grabbed his wrist.

"Don't," she said. "Have faith, Alpha Ronan."

Ronan scoffed to himself.

"Right now, I trust everyone more than myself."

He messed up so many things that he was not sure that he could do anything right anymore.

"Have faith in the Moon Goddess," the High Seer corrected him. "Let go."

Despite her old age, the High Seer had a strong grip. She pulled Ronan to his feet. Lucien's body slipped from Ronan's embrace and sank to the bottom of the pond. The knife was still embedded in his chest. Soon, his blood bathed the entire pond in red color.

Ronan was no longer able to see his mate.

Panic rising in his heart like a tsunami, Ronan turned to the High Seer and asked, "Did I make it?"

"Let's wait and see," she answered.

Ronan obliged and waited by the pond side.

The redder the color of the pond water became, the more discouraged the Alpha became.

He would never be able to forgive himself if he failed this task. He did not even know how to apologize to his mate when they met in the afterlife.

Just then, a wisp of dark smoke rose from the surface of the pond.

"Alpha Ronan!" The High Seer suddenly shouted. "Scatter it with your claws!"

The initially thin smoke became denser and formed a skull. It let out an ear-splitting cry. Ronan slashed through it with his claws, ripping the unknown entity into pieces. It dissipated into the air. The High Seer smiled.

"Congratulations, Alpha Ronan."

At the end of her words, the Cleansing Pond was engulfed in a blinding golden light. Ronan had to cover his eyes and squinted through his fingers to see what was happening.

The red color slowly disappeared. The blood was gone, the clear pond water was restored, and Lucien lay still at the bottom of the pond.

The knife in his chest had disappeared, and so did the stab wound.

Ecstatic, Ronan rushed to the edge of the pond, intent on stepping inside and dragging Lucien out.

"High Seer, can I...?"

Ronan was unable to bring his question to the end. His mouth dropped open in amazement when he saw what was happening.

A sudden breeze blew through the clearing, whipping leaves off the tree and made them swirl above their heads. The flames inside the lanterns shook erratically, trying their best to survive despite the strong gust of wind.

The wind came from all directions and started to dance around the High Seer. It lifted her bangs and exposed her forehead. The intricate symbol on it lit up and her turquoise eyes began to glow. After a while, the commotion died down.

The strong gusts of wind unraveled and dissipated into thin air. The swirling leaves lost their vigor and dropped to the ground one by one. A deafening silence sank around them once again.

The lanterns that hung at the wall and from some branches of the tree swayed lightly back and forth, but the flames within were back in a peaceful state. None of them were extinguished by the wind.

The symbol on the High Seer's forehead stopped glowing. Her long bangs covered it perfectly, hiding it away from curious eyes. Her eyes assumed its usual bright turquoise color.

"High Seer? Is everything alright?" Ronan asked, breaking the silence.

The leader of the temple did not immediately answer. She stood in a daze for a while before she snapped back into reality. Once she did, she broke into a smile.

"Yes. Alpha Ronan, do take your mate out of the pond."

"Oh, right."

Distracted by the mysterious phenomena just now, he almost forgot about Lucien.

.....

The Alpha quickly climbed into the pond, waddled through the icy water, and dragged his mate to the surface.

Once they were out of the pond, Ronan lay Lucien on the grass and wiped at his face with his sleeves.

"Baby? Lulu, can you hear me?"

Ronan tapped at Lucien's cheek impatiently. There was no answer, but it was expected. Usually, Ronan would be distraught but he could sense that Lucien was no longer at death's door. Cold as ice and pale as death he might be, but he was breathing. His heart was also beating. His mate looked like he just fell asleep inside a pool of cold water.

"He is alive!" Ronan announced gleefully. "His breathing is stronger. I mean regular. And his heartbeat... It is also stronger!"

Ronan was out of vocabulary to express how extraordinarily normal Lucien's condition was.

Lucien made it.

He was going to recover!

A thousand words of gratitude could not perfectly communicate the overflowing emotions in Ronan's heart. He wanted to weep and laugh at the same time.

"Thank you, High Seer," Ronan turned to the High Seer finally with Lucien in his arms.

The High Seer stared at him and gave him a cryptic smile.

"Thank the Moon Goddess. I am also very thankful for tonight. Your children are going to achieve great things."

Ronan was prepared to answer the first sentence, but not the last. The words that he wanted to say all disappeared when he heard the words "your children". What children?

"My children? What?" he repeated dumbfoundedly.

He would never sire any children in this life.

"The children of the both of you," the High Seer corrected Ronan again. "They will achieve great things."

Ronan stood there with his mate in his arms, unable to say anything.

She said, the children were his and Lucien's. Lucien's and his.

A lot of questions went through his mind, but he could not say them in a straightforward manner.

Not to the High Seer.

It would be extremely impolite.

But just how the hell were he and Lucien supposed to produce said children? They were both males!

Unless...

Unless the Cleansing Pond and the silver knife changed Lucien's physique and allowed him to give birth to children?

Preposterous.

No.

It could not be.

Ronan's cheeks reddened from imagining Lucien with a pregnant belly. Well, he was going to be a very good mother, that was for sure.

The High Seer snorted and broke into laughter.

"Oh, children," she then said while wiping the ends of her eyes. "What imagination they can generate. Though I do not completely rule out the possibility, it is not what you are thinking at all." It was then that Ronan realized something else.

"High Seer, you... You can read minds???" he asked with a certain degree of horror.

The High Seer smiled.

"It is a crude expression. Minds are not books that one can open and read. But yes, I can translate the intricate labyrinth of thoughts and put them into words."

Ronan clammed up right away. He was pretty sure that no one was aware of this particular gift that the High Seer possessed.

Goddess.

What shameful, embarrassing thoughts had she intercepted during the yearly celebration of the Moon Goddess? What about the time when she officiated the weddings of Alphas and Lunas?

There must be a lot of dirty laundries that the werewolf pack leaders unknowingly exposed to the High Seer just by thinking about it.

The High Seer flashed Ronan a charming smile.

"You are not going to tell everyone, are you?"

Ronan shook his head fervently.

"What? Me? No! Of course not!"

"Thank you for keeping it a secret, then."

Ronan nodded stiffly.

He would not dare to do otherwise.

From within the building, a priest and a priestess emerged. They bowed deeply toward the High Seer who summoned them through Mind Link. She then gave them an instruction, "Alpha Ronan and his Luna are taking their leaves. Please escort them outside of the temple."

"Yes, High Seer," they answered in unison before they walked toward Ronan and positioned themselves left and right of the Alpha.

"Alpha Ronan, allow us to be of service."

Ronan threw one last look at the High Seer.

"Thank you for everything, High Seer," he said sincerely. No amount of thanks could ever be enough to repay the blessings that they got tonight.

"I am a mere servant of the Moon Goddess," the High Seer replied smoothly.

"Goodbye, Alpha Ronan. Take good care of your mate. Do not waste this third chance of happiness."

The High Seer was spot on.

The first time was when they fell in love and started dating at the Alpha Camp.

The second time was when they rekindled their romance after the war.

The third time was after Lucien went through a life-and-death battle against the poison.

Ronan pressed a chaste kiss on Lucien's forehead.

"I will not," he said. "I will not repeat the foolish mistakes that I did. I will never doubt Lucien again in my whole life. I will love and cherish him even beyond death."

When Lucrethia Woodland received neither the news of Lucien Clearwater's passing nor a report from Elijah two hours past midnight, she knew that her plans had been foiled.

Just like what she did when Gavin Ashmore was caught, she went to clear the traces that might point out her involvement in the crime.

In this case, it meant Elijah's son, the eighteen-year-old Erick Summertide.

When a woman wanted to have things done quickly, she did it herself. This was something that Lucrethia knew from her years of experience.

She rose from her bed in the wee hours and crept into the servants' quarter. In anticipation of Elijah's failure, she had arranged for the young man to be placed within her vicinity. Finishing him was not going to be difficult at all. These young werewolves croaked so easily, with no single strand of resistance in their feeble bodies.

The matriarch of the Woodland family thus did not at all expect the bed to be empty. In fact, the bed was made. The young man did not sleep in his bed at all.

Fuming, Lucrethia summoned her head servant instead.

"Jonas, where did that youngling - Erick Summertide - go???"

Roused from his bed so early in the morning, Jonas Wickham did not expect this question at all. Why would the most important person in the Woodland family look for an insignificant young male servant who hailed from an unknown origin?

.....

And in the middle of the sleeping hours too?

"I... I will replace out, Madam," Jonas stuttered in confusion.

"Find him right away and bring him to me," Lucrethia hissed angrily.

Jonas had never experienced her this way. Erick Summertide must have done something unspeakable. If he could not replace the young man in time, he himself would be at the receiving end of Lucrethia Woodland's wrath.

He never expected said youth to be miles away from Pine Groove City, in the safe protection of the Silent Walkers Pack.

"I want to see him," Annalynne Clearwater demanded when Ronan called her to tell her and Alice that Lucien was doing fine.

"He is still unconscious," Ronan reasoned.

"I want to visit him," Annalynne insisted. "I will come to the Infinite Eclipse Pack House at night. No one will know about my involvement, not even that bitch Lillian Woodland."

"You can't," Ronan said. "Lucien is not going to be there. I am hiding him far, far away."

Annalynne furrowed her brows in disbelief.

"You are lying. You never wanted Lucien to be away from you, not even for a second."

"That is in the past. Lulu's life is more important than my wish to be with him. We need to both stick with our roles in order to bring Lucrethia Woodland down." "That old hag," Annalynne cursed. "That witch!"

"Keep that young man alive. That is all I ask of you," Ronan said. "Bye, Anna."

"Wait...!!!"

Ronan ended the call despite Annalynne's protest. Sitting in a car with Lucien on his lap, Ronan could still barely believe what happened in the past few days.

He almost lost his mate.

If they could pass this ordeal safely, he promised to be an avid supporter of the Holy Temple.

After Ronan took Lucien out of the temple, he and Kinnon took the man to the Seaside View Hotel in Hapsborough City.

They purposefully booked a normal room in Noah's name instead of a suite in order to not attract any attention.

While Ronan bathed Lucien in warm water, Kinnon went shopping and bought Lucien a dry new set of clothes.

After being bathed and dried, color slowly returned to Lucien's body. His cheeks turned rosy and his lips red.

Ronan had kissed those lips many times in an attempt to wake his mate, but so far he had not succeeded.

The High Seer had not told him when Lucien would open his eyes again.

Ronan just hoped that it would be soon.

From the hotel, they split and each drove a car. Noah drove alone back to the Infinite Eclipse Pack, while Ronan and Lucien went elsewhere.

Ronan pressed another kiss on top of Lucien's head before he started attacking his mate with an avalanche of words.

'My baby, we have to stay apart for a while. But no worries, I will come to get you back as soon as I am done with Lucrethia Woodland. I will not let her run free, I promise.'

'I love you, I love you very much. Don't miss me too much.

...

'Baby, please wake up soon. I want to see your beautiful eyes, hear your beautiful voice. I don't think I can stand another day being apart from you!

Lucien sighed in his heart.

Ronan was so contradictory. Who was going to miss whom the most? Didn't he just proclaim valiantly to Annalynne that Lucien's life was more important than his desire? What's with this "I can't stand another day being apart from you"??? 'Baby, can you hear me? Our Mind Link should have been fixed. Please, say something!

If Lucien could, he would have rolled with his eyes. In the end, he gave in to Ronan's incessant pestering.

'Ronan, you are so noisy. You can wake even a dead man.'

Ronan sucked in a deep breath.

He showered his mate with kisses.

'Oh, Goddess. Baby, you are awake. You are awake!'

Lucien scoffed softly in his heart.

'Yes, but I can't open my eyes and move even a finger. My body feels so heavy!

'You have been sleeping inside the Cleansing Pond for three days and three nights. We need to work on your blood circulation and nutrition and...'

'Ronan.'

'Yes?'

'Be careful, please. I don't want you to carelessly walk into danger.'

'Don't worry, I will be careful. I still need to marry you and take you back home to be my Luna.

'Heh, you still remember that.'

'How can I forget?'

'By the way, where are you taking me?'

'To the place that Lucrethia Woodland expects you the least.

"Alpha, we are here," Milroy announced from the driver's seat.

Ronan looked up and saw the unfamiliar gates of the Night Prowler Pack House.

Hundreds of pairs of eyes were directed at the Alpha of the rival pack as he made his way in the direction of the Night Prowler Pack House, a huge mansion that could easily be mistaken as a five-star hotel.

Behind him, Milroy kept throwing glances left and right, fearing for his life.

The two packs had after all engaged in an intense war that killed altogether twenty-five werewolves from both sides.

When the survivors from the Night Prowler Pack saw Ronan Silverback, all they remembered was the fierce battle between him and their own Alpha, Kinnon Youngshaper. And then, the catastrophic mudslide that buried the unfortunate ones underneath.

On top of the white stone staircase that led to the foyer, Bjorn was already waiting for them.

"Alpha Ronan, welcome to our pack house," he greeted Ronan with a bow.

"Thank you for the hospitality, Beta Bjorn."

"Let me take you to Lucien's room. Our best Healers are already waiting. We will make his stay here as comfortable as possible. He will want for nothing."

Ronan nodded in assent.

"Please follow me, Alpha Ronan."

Something tugged at Bjorn's heartstrings when he saw the unconscious man that was pressed to Ronan's chest.

Once, Kinnon had gathered all of them and introduced Lucien as their new Luna. At that time, Bjorn had thought that Lucien would be very happy together with Kinnon. They got along so well. Even little Ralph adored him.

Who would have known that once Lucien left for the Moon Banquet with Kinnon, he was never to come back?

Not as their Luna, anyway.

Ronan shared the same sentiment.

'How ironic, Ronan said to Lucien. 'I worked so hard to get you out of here, only to take you back here!

Ronan's tone was dripping with jealousy and displeasure. It was uncalled for, but Lucien found it funny.

'Are you leaving your Luna in your rival's hands? Alpha Ronan, I have never seen this generous side of yours!

Ronan's lips inadvertently curled into a smile. He pressed a kiss on Lucien's forehead. If his mate was able to spit sarcasm, then he was doing just fine.

'I don't expect you to be as generous, but please tell Landon not to kill anyone here!'

Goddess forbade they started another war.

Lucien chuckled in response.

'Landon is being a good boy right now. He will not ruin your plan.

In fact, Landon was still in a stupor from the death sentence and then the unexpected recovery. The wolf only wanted to sleep for a long time, not caring about what was happening outside.

Ronan lay his mate on the bed, after which the Healers started to get busy with him.

"Undernourished and dehydrated," was the diagnosis, to Ronan's greatest relief. They wanted to stick him with an IV drip, but Lucien objected as soon as he heard them.

'Please no,' he begged Ronan, the only one who could hear him. 'I don't want to be treated like a sick person anymore. Please don't. I will wake up soon.

Lucien had been stuck with an IV drip for a long time after the poison kicked in.

It was traumatic.

It awakened the painful memories from the days he was resigned to death.

Neither Ronan nor Lucien liked to be reminded of those days.

When a Healer approached the bed with an IV drip, Ronan stopped him.

"He will wake up soon, there is no need for any IV drip."

The Healer disagreed.

"But Alpha Ronan, he needs water and nutrition! We don't know when he will wake up!"

They had a point. Ronan could not begrudge the Healers for wanting to do their job.

"What do you want to give him?" he asked.

The Healer stared at him.

"A bowl of concoction and two glasses of water will do for the time being."

"Then, please prepare them for him."

The Healers looked at Ronan as if he had gone crazy. Seeing that Ronan did not get the message, they turned to look at Bjorn instead.

"Do as Alpha Ronan asks," he said.

The Healers thus left to brew the concoction, not without leaving a jug of water and a glass for Ronan.

"Excuse us, Bjorn," Ronan said.

Bjorn understood what Ronan planned to do. He nodded and left the room to grant the couple some privacy.

Ronan climbed into the bed and held his mate in his arms. Lucien's lips parted slightly when his head was tilted backward. After taking a sip of water, Ronan pried Lucien's mouth open. Sip by sip, he patiently gave Lucien the water his body needed through kisses.

Even after the two glasses of water were gone, the Alpha continued kissing Lucien.

Until a Healer cleared his throat loudly and almost made Ronan's heart jump out of his ribcage.

The taller man broke the kiss right away. One thing was being interrupted by your own subjects in your own pack house. Another thing was to be interrupted by the subjects of your mate's ex-lover in his pack house.

Ronan could tell which one was a lot more uncomfortable.

The Healer brought a bowl of steaming medicine. As he put the bowl on the night table, he threw Alpha Ronan a lot of judgmental looks. The kind that he never would dare to throw at his own Alpha no matter what he might do.

Ronan took a sip from the bowl and wrinkled his brows.

'Heck, this one's bitter.'

... Get it away from me,' Lucien said without skipping a beat.

Sadly, the Alpha refused to cooperate.

'No, you need nourishment.'

... Nourishment does not have to be bitter.

'You have no choice, Baby. Suck it up!

...

Ronan chuckled.

It was good that Lucien was unable to control his body, otherwise he would spit everything out.

He just finished feeding Lucien the bitter medicine when Kinnon's weary voice was heard from the door.

"Well, well," he said. "Ronan, can you stop eating Lucien's face for now? We have a lot to talk about."