Pursuing My Rejected Alpha
Chapter 66

Ronan's question was like a dagger that hit right in the middle of the target board.

Lowell's facial color changed from red to purple then white in quick succession.

If the man did not know better, he would think that Ronan's Alpha Voice worked on him.

"Four months ago on Valentine's day," Annalynne's boyfriend finally confessed. "We have been very careful about making sure that our scents don't stick." Ronan scoffed.

Being a man who had his fair share of adventures, he knew that Lowell bedded Annalynne months ago.

Besides, with Annalynne's personality, why would she disallow herself the joy of pairing?

"And what is your intention toward Anna?" Ronan asked while pinning the man with a glare.

Lowell turned beet-red.

.....

"I... I wish to marry her."

"Really? When?"

"... I... We don't know yet."

Ronan put down his wine glass and crossed his arms before his chest.

"Either you propose or you don't. I don't want Lucien to be worried sick about his sister, should you get her pregnant with your pup." "She isn't!" Lowell hastily said.

"Ah?"

Ronan gave the man in front of him a sneer. "So you had a pregnancy scare."

Lowell closed his eyes and sighed heavily before he further confessed, "... The condom broke. But now she's on pills."

Wow.

So much for Lucien's innocent twin sister.

If Lucien knew, what exactly would he do?

Because he loved his sister so much, he would refuse any suggestion that Annalynne willingly slept with Lowell.

Maybe it was not Ronan but Lowell who was about to get castrated soon.

Ronan had to look away to prevent Lowell from seeing the schadenfreude on his face.

Annalynne, oh, Annalynne...

A wicked plan manifested itself in Ronan's mind. Maybe it was not a bad idea at all to let Annalynne and Lowell come with them to the romantic cruise vacation.

"Look, you and I are with our beautiful lovers on a luxurious cruise ship," Ronan pointed out. "Their birthday night is in three nights. I would love to make love to my Luna all night. Undisturbed."

"

Lowell was speechless due to Ronan's brutal honesty.

"Don't you want the same?"

Lowell cleared his throat.

Of course, he did.

"Yes, but Anna is very adamant about spending the night with her brother. I can do nothing to persuade her."

Ronan cocked his head to the side.

"You will think of something, won't you? It might be good to tell Lucien that he no longer has to safeguard his sister's virginity. It was lost months ago." Lowell swallowed hard.

He knew what Ronan was trying to say. Either Annalynne confessed that she slept with Lowell months ago, or Ronan would rat them out.

That was not very gentlemanly of him at all.

"I... I will talk to Anna," Lowell said while curling his fingers into fists.

Ronan smiled.

"Do that."

"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

Lowell turned on his heels to walk away from Ronan. He needed to think about the best way to tell Annalynne the bad news.

He stopped in his track when he heard Ronan's smooth voice calling after him again.

"Oh, and Lowell?"

"Y-yes?"

Lowell turned his head to face Ronan.

Leaning against the balcony railing in a relaxed pose with the bright lamps from the lower decks as his backdrop, the Alpha looked especially terrifying.

"You have taken my sister-in-law's chastity. I expect you to do the right thing and propose to her as soon as we get off this ship. The Holy Temple of The Moon Goddess shall decide when you two shall be wed." "I-I understand."

Ronan chuckled when Lowell escaped from the balcony without wasting any more seconds of his life.

Annalynne monopolized Lucien for the rest of the night.

For once since they embarked on the cruise, Ronan did not mind. He even passed Annalynne smiles on a few occasions, giving the woman goosebumps.

She knew that something was up, but she didn't know what.

Lowell sat on the living room couch, pale with fright.

When the clock hit 11 PM, they decided that they should go to sleep.

The ship was going to dock at a port tomorrow, and passengers were allowed to visit the town for a few hours.

Annalynne and Lucien went to their master bedroom. Ronan and Lowell exchanged nods before they each went to the smaller bedrooms.

Despite the comfortable bed, the fresh and cool air, and the lulling sound of the ocean waves, the Alpha was unable to fall asleep.

He tossed and turned on the bed in irritation.

For months now, he slept with his arms wrapped around his mate.

It felt unusual to sleep alone.

He needed Lucien.

He needed his soft and warm body.

He wanted to smell his orange and honey scent.

Ronan groaned and rubbed at his temples.

This addiction was torturous.

Ronan glared at the fluorescent clock that hung in his bedroom.

2 AM.

Really?

He had been rolling around for three hours and he did not even get a wink of sleep!

Just as Ronan was hurling curses at Annalynne in his head for occupying the bed that was reserved for him, he heard the sound of his bedroom door opening.

Ronan craned his head toward the entrance and saw someone standing at the door.

It was Lucien.

"Lulu?"

"You are still awake, I see," Lucien chuckled.

He then approached the bed and sat at the edge.

Ronan swiftly pulled Lucien into his arms and buried his nose into the man's neck.

"Ahhh," he moaned when Lucien's scent entered his lungs. "I need you to fall asleep, Lulu..."

"I know," Lucien said. "I had to wait until Anna fall asleep. Here, I brought you something."

The man shook a small bottle in front of Ronan's face.

.....

"What's that?"

Ronan turned on the night lamp and narrowed his eyes at the bottle in Lucien's hand.

"It is lavender oil. It can help with sleep."

"Ah?"

Lucien rolled the sleeves of his pajamas up.

"Take off your shirt and lie on your stomach. I will give you a massage."

"Oh?"

Ronan did not need to be asked twice. He took off his shirt and obediently lay on his stomach.

His eyes sparkled with expectation when Lucien climbed on his back and sat on his firm a*s. "Ooooh..."

"Mmmm... So good..."

"Lulu, you are so good with this..."

"Oooohh..."

Ronan's muffled sound was heard coming incessantly from the pillow while his mate kneaded his neck, shoulder, back, and waist expertly. The pressure that he applied was not too much and also not too less. It was just right. Through Lucien's hands, the knots in Ronan's body loosened immediately.

At the same time, he began to feel drowsy.

Against his wish, his eyes started to flutter shut.

He was so, so, so tired.

.....

The Alpha soon drifted into the dream world. In his dream, he was swimming in a sea of oranges, bobbing up and down together with the fruits. Above him, the sky was the most beautiful color of blue. The air was permeated with a lavender smell. The waves brought him and the many oranges to a remote island where Lucien was waiting for him.

Dressed in a simple white shirt and short pants, his mate looked as beautiful as always.

"Ronan," he whispered while smiling and extending his hand toward him.

Ronan rose to his feet and closed the distance between them in long strides.

Unfortunately, before he could take Lucien's hand, he woke up with a start.

Ronan blinked at the white ceiling. The sound of ocean breeze could be heard coming from outside.

Ah, yes. He was on the cruise ship, and he had to sleep alone for the entire week.

The Alpha let out a groan, then he rolled into a ball inside his blanket, intent to go back to sleep so that he could take Lucien's hand and kiss the man until he melted in his arms.

Alas, the dream was already over.

Ronan pushed himself up to a sitting position and inhaled a lungful of fresh air.

His body smelled like lavender thanks to Lucien's massage, but there was another scent that stuck to him and lingered in his bed. It was Lucien's.

And it was not a dream. Lucien slept in his arms for the whole night. He only left not long ago, probably to sneak back into the master bedroom.

The dark-haired man snickered in delight. His dearest Luna was still too soft-hearted after all. He could not bear to leave Ronan alone. He loved him too much.

In an excellent mood, the Alpha took a quick shower before heading out of the bedroom. The other three people already started eating breakfast by the balcony.

A huge charcuterie board occupied the center of the table, next to a basket of fresh and warm bread of various kinds. It was filled with cured meats, several kinds of cheese, boiled eggs, fresh strawberries and grapes, avocado slices, donuts, pancakes, waffles, and a few jars of condiments.

The butler stood next to a trolley with milk, coffee, and a selection of tea and fruit juices. When Ronan arrived, he was just passing Lucien a glass of apple juice.

"Good morning, Mr. Silverback. What do you wish to have? Coffee? Tea?" the butler asked.

"Coffee, please. Black, no sugar."

"Good morning, Ronan," Lucien greeted his mate with a smile.

He patted the empty spot next to him. "Come and have some breakfast."

As a response, Ronan pulled Lucien to his feet and gave him a huge smooch on the lips.

"Good morning, baby."

"Hmmm..."

At the table, Annalynne made a gagging gesture.

Lowell gave Ronan empty stares. When the latter looked at him, he quickly averted his eyes.

Ronan grinned.

So Lowell had not told Annalynne anything? Well, he sure was taking his sweet time.

Ronan grabbed an Emmentaler cheese cube from the charcuterie board in front of Lowell, startling the poor man.

"Time passes quickly," he reminded the man subtly while popping the cheese cube into his mouth.

"Y-yes," Lowell agreed. He then proceeded to make himself and Annalynne a sandwich.

"Esteemed lady and gentlemen, the ship is due to arrive at Florentine soon. The town is famous for its fruit orchard in the southern area, and also for the boulangerie and confectionery along the Trianon River. Are you interested to take a walk for a few hours?"

"Sure," Ronan said while flashing his mate a bright smile. "They have a great number of cake selections in the town. Let's go and take a look."

Being a fan of fancy cakes and sweets in general, this was an invitation that Lucien could hardly say no to. He happily nodded in assent.

Lowell cleared his throat and turned to Annalynne, "Anna, I don't feel too well. Can we please just stay aboard and talk?"

Annalynne blinked at her boyfriend dumbfoundedly. It's not like they went on cruises every year. Why would he waste the opportunity by staying behind on the cruise ship?

A knowing smile laced Ronan's lips.

"Let the butler bring you some medication. There is plenty of time to visit the town. We will go ahead first, you two can come later."

"Yes, thank you, Alpha Ronan," Lowell said in a hurry.

And so after breakfast, the two couples parted ways.

Ronan was more than ecstatic to have Lucien for himself again. As soon as they left the ship, he draped his arm around his mate and took him to a famous bakery in town. "The pies and pastries here are world-class," he spoke as if he himself was a big fan.

Fortunately, he was not wrong.

Lucien sucked in a deep breath when he put a spoonful of rhubarb and blackcurrant pie into his mouth.

"Wow, it is good," he mumbled. "No, correction, it is heavenly."

Ronan grinned at Lucien. He only took the edges and leave the sweetest parts for his mate.

"Like it?"

"Love it."

"Which one do you love more, the cake or me?"

"Hm, I need to think about it. Why don't you kiss me so I know which one of you tastes sweeter?"

Ronan laughed. He leaned forward and captured his mate's lips in a sweet kiss.

They broke their kiss when they heard someone's voice nearby.

"Alpha Ronan?"

The one who spoke was a tall and beautiful blond woman who stood by a cake counter. Next to her was a boy with dark brown hair. He lit up as soon as he saw Ronan.

"Papa!!!" he shouted while running into Ronan's arms.

'Papa, eh?'

Lucien's thorny words jabbed into the center of Ronan's heart while the boy put his arms around Ronan and hugged him ecstatically. Judging from his height, he must be around four or five years old.

'He is not my son!' Ronan's eyes widened in terror. 'Lulu, I swear!!!'

...

In Lucien's head, Landon roared in fury.

'I am going to kill him!' he shouted. 'Lucien, let me out! Now!'

Lucien furrowed his brows and rubbed at his forehead.

'Landon, no. Stay put.

Ronan should be thankful that Lucien was still the master of the body. Otherwise, Landon might just shred him into pieces out of wrath and jealousy.

.....

The mother of the boy quickly rushed over. She was more than apologetic. Peeling her son away from Ronan, she apologized to Ronan before speaking to him sternly, "Nicky, how many times do I need to remind you? Alpha Ronan is not your father!" Nicky pouted and released Ronan.

"Sorry, Alpha Ronan," he said.

Ronan patted the boy's head. "It's alright."

Smiling, the woman then extended her hand toward Lucien.

"Hello, Mr. Clearwater. I heard a lot about you. My name is Marie, I am..."

Ronan coughed loudly in the middle of Marie's introduction.

"... I am an old friend of Alpha Ronan's."

Lucien pressed his lips into a thin smile. What old friend? She was obviously an old flame!

He rose to his feet and shook Marie's hand nonetheless.

Ronan looked like someone who was watching his house burn slowly into coal and ashes. He tugged at Lucien's elbow and gave him a beseeching look.

"Nice to meet you."

"Lulu, I can explain."

"Really. Go ahead and explain then."

"Well? I am listening."

Marie broke into laughter when she saw the exchange between the lovers.

"Alpha Ronan, do you mind accompanying Nicky to play for a while? He misses you so much. Why don't I take a walk with Mr. Clearwater? Oh, and can I call you Lucien?" Lucien nodded stiffly.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Ronan said with a grim expression.

"I would love to chat with Marie," Lucien overrode his mate's view. "Stay here, Ronan."

The Alpha had no choice but to watch helplessly as Lucien and Marie left the cake shop. Next to him, little Nicky begged the Alpha to play with him.

Marie took Lucien strolling along the street. In June, the streets were bustling with vendors that sold roses and children's toys.

Shops put up chairs and tables outside so that their customers did not miss out on an outdoor dining experience. Everyone was glowing with happiness. Everyone but Lucien.

The two people walked side-by-side awkwardly.

Marie turned to look at Lucien and smiled.

"Can I touch your hair?"

"... Uh... Sure, I guess?"

Marie gingerly reached out for a lock of the red-blonde hair. She squinted at it and tossed out a sigh.

"Gosh. What pretty color. I don't think that anyone could get this color right."

"... What do you mean?"

Marie giggled. She gestured for them to sit in a nearby bench.

"I believe you have guessed that I am one of the many women that Alpha Ronan frequented in the past."

"Yes, I have," Lucien said while he took a seat on the bench.

"Well, I happened to know that he especially favors the redheads. To curry his favor, I bleached my brown hair and dyed it red-blond. It was not bad, but I was never able to hit the right color balance."

Marie stared into the distance when she recalled the past.

"We met five years ago when I had just given birth to Nicky. Both my husband and I were rogue werewolves. My husband passed soon after Nicky's birth. It was Alpha Ronan who helped my depressed self get back on my feet. I owe him a lot."

"He took very good care of both me and Nicky. Thanks to him, I managed to visit a college and graduate with a degree. Otherwise, we would not be able to live well, Nicky and I."

Lucien's eyes fluttered slightly. He knew he should not, but his heart was trembling from jealousy.

"How long were you dating?"

Marie blinked at Lucien.

"Excuse me, what?"

"I said, how long were you in a relationship?"

"Oh, no. We never were. We had s*x a couple of times a week, but that's all there was."

That did not make Lucien any happier.

"Did he force you?"

"No, of course not. I did it willingly."

There was pain in Lucien's eyes when he turned to look at Marie.

Willingly?

"You loved him, didn't you?"

Marie heaved a sigh and bowed her head for some time. When she lifted her head again, she gave him a firm answer.

"Yes, but he was in love with you."

Lucien averted his gaze and scoffed.

"Weird way of showing it," he said.

"Look, it is an embarrassing thing to say, but he really was. When we were in bed, he always did it inside my a*s and nowhere else. And then, in throes of passion, the name he called was not mine, but yours."

Lucien stared at Marie in bewilderment.

So that was what Ronan meant when he said that he covered all the bases? He never once did it without protection, and when he did, he never came inside any woman's belly.

Marie gave Lucien a curt smile. She took his hands and squeezed them.

"No matter how many men and women he slept with, he never once thought about them during s*x. It has always been you and no one else. Always."

"You don't know that," Lucien scoffed.

"I do!" Marie insisted. "Look, our affair went on for years. I was the longest he had ever been with. Our last s*x was a year ago."

A year ago.

"It was the last time we met. I got a job and moved here with Nicky," Marie explained. "At that time, he told me that he finally found you again. He wanted to pursue you earnestly, so he didn't want to fool around with anyone anymore."

""

"I was so happy for him. It might be awkward, but I secretly hoped to be able to see you one day."

"... Why?"

Marie squeezed Lucien's hands again. Her eyes welled up with tears.

"I want to tell you that Alpha Ronan loves you deeply. You can rest assured with him by your side. Please don't begrudge him his past, and cherish him well."

Nicky did not remember his biological father. The man who he saw again and again as he grew up was Ronan, who came by often to help out with their little family.

In Nicky's mind, Ronan was his "Papa".

He would always be his "Papa" although Marie explained to him many times that he was not.

When Marie took Nicky to move away from Great Lake City to the small Florentine town, Nicky was initially very unhappy.

The school was new, the friends were new, the neighbors were new, and even the sweet vendors were new!

And "Papa" also didn't come to visit anymore.

A year passed, and they happened to meet again.

"Papa" had changed a lot.

He looked dispirited. The adult man sat at the wooden table with two cups of coffee and the half-eaten rhubarb and blackcurrant pie in front of him. He was lost in his own thoughts.

.....

"Papa, I want ice cream," the little boy demanded.

"Mm... Okay, let's get some ice cream."

Ronan rose to his feet to go, but a shop attendant stopped him.

"Sir, you haven't paid."

""

...

Ronan pulled out a black credit card from inside his jacket.

"How much?"

The shop attendant's eyes widened in delight when she laid eyes on the distinct trim and style of the credit card. Overlaid with tasteful mix of pattern in gold and silver on top of a pitch-black surface, it was the kind of credit card that the Silverback Capital Bank

only issued to their richest investors. When she saw the name that was printed neatly across the card, she almost fainted from excessive excitement. A rich customer!!!

"Do you also want to pay for this little gentleman's mother's order??? She ordered this one and this one..."

"Sure, pack them up."

Ronan rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. He could pay for the cake, but he didn't have any cash to pay for the ice cream. This had been a recurring issue for some time. Maybe he should start carrying cash.

After he was done paying for the cakes on his and Marie's behalf, Ronan took Nicky by his little hand outside.

"Let's replace your mother first, alright?"

"Why?" the little boy cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"Because I don't have the money to pay for ice cream," Ronan laughed.

The street was straightforward, leading from the port to the fruit orchard at the south. Ronan and Nicky walked southward, and eventually bumped into Marie who waved at them, smiling.

"Thanks for taking care of my boy, Alpha Ronan."

"He wanted ice cream. So sorry that I don't have the cash to buy him any."

Marie broke into laughter.

"Oh, you. After so many years, you haven't changed."

"Where is Lulu? I mean, my Lucien."

"Your Lulu is waiting by the bridge," Marie added with a wink. "Oh, and..."

The beautiful woman took out her wallet and took out some banknotes. She pressed them into Ronan's hand.

"Alpha Ronan, at the bridge they sell locks that you can attach to its railing. According to legend, couples who place their locks there and throw the keys into the Trianon River will be eternally locked with each other."

Ronan smiled.

"Thanks, Marie."

He held the cakebox up. "I have your cake order right here."

The woman blinked at him in confusion.

"What cake? I didn't order anything yet. Oh, those naughty shop attendants!"

""

"Never mind, thank you, Alpha. Why don't I compensate you additionally for the cakes?"

Ronan held up his hand.

"No need. Just take them. I hope that you at least like the cakes that they picked out."

Marie

giggled.

"Women always like cakes, Alpha Ronan."

She held her hand out for Nicky, who was still hugging Ronan's hand and refusing to let go.

"Baby Nicky, let's go home, alright? Mama will buy you ice cream on the way home. What flavor do you want?"

"I want cookies and cream!"

The boy was quickly persuaded to come to his mother's side.

"He is so lovely. Lucien, I mean," Marie said while she patted the side of her son's head.

"I read in an online post that you two are to be married soon. I wish you both eternal happiness."

"Thanks, Marie. Are you doing well here? Feel free to reach out whenever you need anything. We are friends, aren't we?"

Marie smiled, but there were some tears in her eyes.

"Yes, we are. And no, I don't need anything right now. I have Nicky, and life is good to me. Florentine is an amazing town. The decision to move here was the best that I could make in this lifetime."

Ronan pulled Marie into a hug, causing the tears to spill from her eyes.

"Glad to hear that," he whispered. "Goodbye, Marie."

"Farewell, Alpha Ronan."

The mother and son hiked up the street and left the tourist zone. Nicky kept turning his little head around and waved at Ronan, who waved back until they disappeared from sight.

Sighing, the dark-haired man tucked the money into his pocket and made his way southward, heading to the bridge where Lucien was waiting for him.

There were mostly couples on the bridge, huddling together intimately while they whispered sweet words to each other.

Among them, a red-blonde man stood out. He was leaning against the bridge railing, looking out to the Trianon River.

He had his hands clasped together on the railing, and there were tears dripping down his cheeks.

"My

baby."

Ronan rushed to his Luna's side. He grabbed Lucien's arm and pulled him into a hug.

"Why are you crying? I am so sorry. Please don't cry. I did have a long-term affair with her, but it was all in the past," the Alpha rambled.

Lucien clawed into his mate's back and sobbed.

"I know," he said. "I know."

Lucien loosened his hug and tilted his head up. Ronan gladly lowered his head and locked their lips together.

"I love you," Lucien sighed. "I love you, my Alpha."

Ronan brushed against Lucien's cheeks and wiped the tears away.

"I love you too, forever and always. Ever since we met, you have bewitched me, body and soul. My heart belonged to you from day one. There is no one I love more than you, my Luna."

On top of the bridge, just by the railing, they exchanged kisses again and again, confirming and reconfirming their feelings for each other.

Padlocks and keys were available for sale along the bridge. Vendors could be found every 50 meters, sitting happily in the middle of the bridge with a bag full of goods.

In entire Florentine, there was no better place to sell padlocks, so an old vendor told them.

The bridge that stretched across the Trianon River was eight hundred meters long.

No one knew when the legend started.

It probably started with a romantic couple who sought to seal their love at the bridge. Other couples might end up thinking that it was such an excellent idea. In the end, the railings at both sides of the bridge were full with padlocks.

One would think that that was the end, but tourists were very resourceful. They ended up attaching their locks to other locks just so they could get a place at the famous bridge.

The poor bridge eventually collapsed the previous year, prompting the town council to remove the railings and the padlocks every month for recycling purposes.

Not only that, the many keys that couples threw into the river ended up polluting the river, so that was another laborious work that the town council had to do every month.

After hearing the story, Ronan and Lucien bought two padlocks but they decided to not hang their padlocks to the bridge railings.

.....

"There has to be something else we can do," Ronan grumbled.

"Well,

I have an idea," Lucien piped up.

"Oh? What is it?" Ronan perked up immediately.

Lucien dragged Ronan into a souvenir shop and came back with two boxes.

He locked the two padlocks together and put them in one box. The keys were linked to each other and laid in another box.

Lucien handed one box to Ronan and said, "You can go and hide this box anywhere you want in Florentine. I will do the same with mine. If we want to split up one day, we have to come back and retrieve each other's lock."

Ronan's

lips curled up in amusement.

"Alright, baby. Meet up in thirty minutes here?"

"Okay," Lucien agreed.

He gave Ronan a peck on the lips before he took off to hide his box away.

Ronan, the one who held the box with the padlocks inside, went to a blacksmith.

His instruction was quite simple.

Melt the padlocks together into another padlock with no keyhole.

In return, he was willing to give the blacksmith all the money that he got from Marie. The latter's eyes turned round in amazement. The sum was larger than what the job merited.

"I cannot accept that much money!" he exclaimed. "A tenth would be enough for this order."

A strange order, he mentally noted.

"You can have it all, but I have another request."

"... What is it?"

Ronan showed the blacksmith the empty box.

"When the new padlock is done, you can put it inside this box, and help me bury it somewhere."

The blacksmith roared in laughter.

"Alright, I will do that. Mister, don't regret your decision because you are going to be with your lover forever!"

Ronan's lips curled up in a smile.

"Oh,

I won't."

Even

if Lucien one day regretted his decision and wanted to break up with Ronan, he wouldn't be able to separate his lock from Ronan's.

Ronan then went back to the bridge to wait for his mate. The red-blonde man came back a little later than the agreed time.

"You were fast," he observed.

Ronan pressed a kiss on Lucien's forehead.

"Mhm, just a little earlier than you. Shall we?"

Ronan and Lucien gave the bridge one last look before they made their way to the renowned fruit orchard.

In summer, the fruit orchard was full of fresh cherries, all kinds of berries, apricots, grapes, and nectarines.

Visitors were allowed to eat as many fruits that they could pick from the trees and vines on spot against a small entrance fee.

Another option was to harvest the fruits to take home, but then the visitors had to pay for them by weight.

Lucien and Ronan took turns feeding each other fruits.

Ronan was usually very picky when it came to food, including fruits. Then again, it depended on the person who fed him. Since it was Lucien, Ronan had nothing to complain about.

He would naturally eat anything that his mate served him.

After spending almost an hour in the orchard, Lucien started to look around. He craned his neck in search of the two people who were supposed to catch up with them but were yet to be seen.

"Where are Anna and Lowell?" he asked with a frown.

Ronan hid his smug grin beneath the hand that he used to rub his lower face. If Lowell picked this time to talk to Anna, both were surely not in the mood to do anything romantic at the moment.

They might be in the middle of a mental preparation to confess the truth to Lucien.

Ronan would hate to be in their position right now.

Pfft.

Smiling, the Alpha pulled his Luna into a hug.

"Don't worry about them. They are adults. Come, let's go over there. They have their own small winery. The wine that they produced here has a different aroma than the one that we drink regularly at home..."

The visit to Florentine lasted for half a day before they returned to the ship. By then, it was already quite late in the afternoon. A lot of passengers returned around the same time they did.

When they reached their suite, Annalynne and Lowell were not around.

"Where are they?" Lucien asked in exasperation.

"The other two esteemed guests left about an hour after the two of you left," the butler informed him. "They had not come back yet."

Lucien took out his phone and dialed Annalynne's phone number.

The call went unanswered.

He called Lowell, but the man also did not answer his phone.

"Ronan, I am worried about Anna and Lowell. Let me go back to Florentine to search for them."

Before he took off from the suite, Ronan circled an arm around his waist and pulled him back to his arms.

He shook his phone in front of Lucien to show him his chat message with Milroy.

"No need. I just received news that they are on their way back to the ship."