Chapter 20

Lucan’s POV

This is a humiliation ritual

I breathe in and out.

I am subjecting myself to more disrespect

I need to crack the code on how I could be powerful alpha

A little bit of silence in the room for a while. I breathe in and out as I consider the implications of what I am about to say

Finally, I say it

"I need more time,” I say

“So you asked me for a favour?” he gives me that eerie smile of his again

I can’t swear that he understands me. He just wants to rub it in my face that I am asking for a favour from him

“Yes.” I nod

“ I don’t do favours. You have to give me something in return,” he says simply. Almost like I am boring here

“What do you want?” I dread this question that I ask him. It feels like I am giving him an open check

“You tell me,” he says

I take a deep breath, as a thought comes to my head

"You will have access to the Bahbah lands right at the eastern part of this pack. In fact, it would be exclusive for you and your back till I paid the debt. The animals there are plenty for you to hunt and there is already an existing farmland. it is really big, the fruits are ripe and ready”

Alfonso looks at me for a long moment. He is considering this, his expression unreadable. "So how long are we talking about?” he says finally

"An extension on the debt…” I strat, almost stuttering at my proposal. “Give me an extra three years, plus a reduction in the interest rate."

"You're asking me to wait for my two hundred thousand in gold plus my interest of a hundred thousand in gold just for the right to hunt in your pack?"

When he puts it like that, it sounds even worse than I thought. "But the land is good” I insist. "The hunting alone would bring you money. It is worth…”

"Nothing," Alfonso interrupts. "They're worth nothing to me. I have more territory than I know what to do with. If I take your lands, I will still have to employ workers to work on it. That is an additional cost if you ask me. I don’t need your lands, I have enough. What I don't have however is the two hundred thousand in gold plus the hundred thousand in gold interest that your pack owes mine. In total you owe me three hundred thousand in gold"

I don’t know what hits me like a slap, is it the rejection, the huge sum of gold that he is saying that I owe him or the fact that he looking at me like I'm a child who just offered to trade sweets for a car

"I see," I say, while trying to act as if I am not disappointed. "There should be other options, right?”

"There should be." Alfonso's smile is cold and demeaning. "But not tonight. I am tired of this baseless discussion. I'll think about your... all of these you have told me... and give you an answer in the morning."

Look at the way he just dismissed me. Even though he tries to be polite at least, I can feel the sting of his dismissal. I feel the sting of it. He's going to make me wait. He is going to keep me anxious and on my toes. I kind of feel that he is doing this on purpose and he is enjoying the thrill of it all. Do you want to give me waiting before he delivers his final verdict if my pack would be his or not very soon

"Of course," I say, standing. "I'll have the visiting alpha quarters prepared for you by the servants. Feel free to stay back and enjoy yourself. We have a great array of food, wine and women if you want.”

"No. I have my own pack to go to and I can go now,”Alfonso says, rising as well. "

“Night has come and journeying is not safe for you at this point,” I walk to the window and pull up the blinds so that he can see what outside looks like. “For you to go to pack, you have to pass the forests. The forest at night is no place for an alpha to travel alone. By this time, the forest will be full of rogue wolves and wild animals”

“ I am not an ordinary alpha,” he says, gathering his things to leave

"I insist," I say, and this time I mean it. It’s not like I cared, but I did not just want to be the one responsible for his death. If he leaves now and something happens to him on the road, every other Alpha would blame me and that would be a dent on my name. I am asking him to stay just to save my head even though deep in my heart I want him to travel and die. "The roads are dangerous at night, and I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you while you were traveling from my pack."

“You wouldn’t forgive yourself or you just do not want to take the blame of my blood on your head,” Alfonso reads me outrightly

This catches me off guard and I do not say anything for a while. “ Just stay back, please”

“Fine”

"I'll have the best alpha quarters prepared for you."

I am still not over the fact that the meeting with Alfonso had ended with a cold dismissal that wounds my pride, but still I will have to smile as if everything is alright

"I'll have someone show you to your quarters," I offer,

“That won't be necessary. I can find my own way,” he replies curtly

Of course he can.

I watch him walk toward the door. He walks with such honour and power. One day I would be more powerful than him. I crave this kind of power with everything I have

As soon as he is gone, I walk toward the door. This is when a new thought comes to me. Alfonso is here, in my pack, under my roof. He's powerful, yes, but he's also alone. And accidents can happen to anyone. Nobody is above unfortunate accident , not even the alpha king

The thought sticks to my mind like a relentless odour. It is even intoxicating me , What would happen if the great Alpha Alfonso were to meet with an unfortunate accident during his stay? What would happen if he were to simply... die? I would be doing myself and other alphas a favour.