Chapter 61

61 Tell Me What Happened

The first thing that Bjorn did after taking care of the local authorities was contact the Werewolf Council and report Lucien’s disappearance. Early the next morning, Elder Rick and a council assistant arrived at the Seaside View Hotel to meet up with Kinnon.

Although Kinnon was beyond exhausted because he could not sleep a wink, he still agreed to meet up with the two representatives from the Werewolf Council.

The second worst thing that happened to someone after going through a ghastly incident was being forced to retell the story. Once he was done, Kinnon was a nervous wreck.

“Then, we only need Alpha Kinnon’s signature underneath,” Elder Rick concluded. He too did not enjoy the task.

Next to him, the council assistant finished writing down the last lines of Kinnon’s statement. The parchment was then respectfully laid before Kinnon.

Kinnon bit into his thumb and pressed the bloody thumb at the bottom part of the parchment to signify the authenticity of the report. The council assistant bowed at Kinnon before he took the parchment, rolled it up, and put it inside his small suitcase.

“Alright then. We will take our leave. Take good care of your wounds, Alpha Kinnon.”

Kinnon nodded. “Thank you.”

“And also...” Elder Rick gave Kinnon a commiserating look before he turned to leave. “I am very sorry about what happened. Rest assured, a task force has been assembled to search for Lucien Clearwater. We will do our best to find him as soon as possible.”

.....

A task force.

Kinnon heaved a long sigh after the two members of the Werewolf Council left.

The Alpha used his arms to push his body up from the chair, but the wound across his stomach did not allow him to. After several futile attempts, he had to give up. Stifling a frustrated groan, the Alpha leaned back against his seat and closed his eyes.

If someone had told him before that Lucien would attack him and then disappear a few hours after they announced their marriage during the Moon Banquet, Kinnon would have thought that the person was nuts. They were happy together. They were supposed to be happy forever.

Who would have known that this kind of thing could happen?

Forget about the fight, about the wounds that Lucien inflicted on him. What hurt Kinnon the most was the fact that Lucien escaped from between his fingers again. This time he was not sure that he could win him back.

“Daddy...?”

Ralph’s head poked from behind the door. The little boy also woke up in the middle of the night due to the loud noises, but tired children were easy to coax back to sleep. He only noticed that something bad happened when a lot of adults rushed past his suite in a fit of panic.

For the little boy, waiting was torturous. He was thus more than glad when his father was rid of his guests and he could finally meet his father.

Kinnon’s expression softened when he saw his son. He extended his hand toward Ralph.

“Come here, Ralphy.”

Ralph looked more than relieved. He dragged his favorite rabbit doll with him when he ran toward his father. Ralph tried to climb up his father’s lap, but he was too short. Kinnon winced slightly when he had to pull his son up. It was rather pathetic, he told himself. He was not even able to pull Ralph up without experiencing pain.

“Daddy... are you hurt?”

Ralph extended his little hands toward Kinnon’s chest. His fingers brushed against the thick bandages around Kinnon’s body.

“Mmm, just a little.”

Ralph directed his big eyes at his father.

“Daddy... where is Mommy?”

Kinnon’s face darkened visibly.

“D... Daddy?”

“Mommy just went away for a while,” Kinnon said without looking at his son.

Ralph’s little mouth dropped open. His eyes turned as round as the moon. Kinnon furrowed his brows when he saw the unusual reaction. “What is it?”

“Daddy... you also said that about Nana.”

Nana, Ralph’s pet rabbit, died six months ago.

“...”

Ralph fought hard against the tears that were building in his eyes.

“Daddy, is Mommy not going to come back anymore...?”

It was not something that Kinnon wanted to hear. Maybe because what Ralph said sounded like a bad omen that might just come true. Either way, Kinnon no longer wanted to talk to Ralph about Lucien.

“That’s not true. Stop saying that,” he snapped. Unfortunately, his stern face and voice did nothing to placate the little boy. Instead, it served to confirm his fear.

“Waaaaahhhh....!!!” he started to cry.

Kinnon’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down in annoyance.

“Ralphy, don’t cry.”

“Waaaahhhhhhhh... I don’t want Mommy to go. Wahhhhhhh....!!!”

The last thing Kinnon wanted to hear was the incessant sound of a crying little boy.

“Ralphy!” he raised his voice in anger.

Ralph stopped crying almost immediately out of shock, but then he howled even louder.

“WAAAAHHHHHHH...!!!”

Kinnon rubbed at his temple. He wanted to pull Ralph into a hug, but the little boy hopped down his lap and ran away.

“Ralphy, come back!”

The boy did not bother to turn around. Blinded by tears, he almost bumped into a tall man who was standing just outside the door.

“Waaaahhhh... Wahhhh...!!!”

Ralph slumped against Ronan Silverback’s leg and hugged it.

Ronan looked down at the little blonde boy who suddenly went to hug his leg. He was momentarily speechless. Was this not Kinnon’s son? The boy who, during the Moon Banquet, spent the majority of the time in Lucien’s arms?

Ralph’s nanny quickly arrived and peeled the little boy from Ronan’s leg.

“I... I am sorry, Alpha Ronan. He is just a little boy,” the nanny quickly apologized.

Ronan raised an eyebrow disapprovingly. Despite the obvious rivalry between their two packs, he never thought of doing unspeakable things to Kinnon’s son. The mere fact that the Night Prowler Pack members believed that he would was quite offensive.

“You are here?”

Kinnon’s voice was heard coming from inside the room.

Ronan slowly pushed the door open and saw Kinnon leaning against his chair. The two Alphas looked into each other’s eyes.

“Yes,” Ronan confirmed. “I am here because I want you to tell me directly what happened.”