TAMING THE PLAYBOY ALPHA - Chapter 146: Chapter 146

: HIGHER POWER
SILAS' POV:
"What is this about now?" He snaps once we're alone on the balcony.
It's just weird how he hasn't noticed it, the hint of animosity oozing out of Elena and her father, after how it seems to be that they're closely keeping an eye on every single thing we've been doing since they've walked in.
"This isn't the time to be a bastard of a father, so just listen to me." I snap, easily provoked.
"If this is your plan to ruin years of hard work I've put into this agreement, I'll have to remind you whose life is at stake." He points out cruelly without batting an eyelash.
Again, he doesn't bother to hear a single thing I have to say, which irks me even more. How can someone be so prideful that they can't see what's in front of them?
"How loyal do you think Crescent moon pack is to the throne?" I ask.
"Of course, no one can ever be loyal enough. We have more than a handful of wolf packs looking for a chance to overthrow us and take the mantle of power for themselves, and that's why we rule smartly, having the ones with similar objectives right by our sides and making it obvious who is more superior." He begins another lecture again.
I roll my eyes at what he's saying while he still doesn't get my point and he continues.
"...and that is why I need you to sit up and act like a goddamn Alpha Prince and take up your duty. We need this merge to stop these people from having more power than they already do before it's too late and they tip the scale of balance."
Despite all he's saying, I can't help but think he's chosen the wrong family to merge with.
Just what if having them as an enemy is way better than keeping them too close...? Close enough that they merge with us.
"I don't know if you noticed but there's something wrong with Elena... Something dark and almost evil." I say, recalling the purple eyes and black smoke.
The unnatural glare both Father and daughter were passing once our backs were turned.
He scoffs, however, being as stubborn as ever.
"Another excuse to get out of this, I see. Why had I expected something different from you?"
"Goddamnit... Can't you see what's in front of you? Their impertinent behavior, the sly remarks about not bringing their Luna because it's not safe? Are you so prideful to listen to your own son for just a moment without having to put it in my face just how much of a disappointment I am to you?" I yell out, losing my calm again.
Even with my outburst, he's unremorseful, watching me with dead eyes that feel not a single thing towards me.
I give up.
Why had I even considered this, going through him? He will never listen, not to me at least, not until I've forcefully grabbed his attention.
The door to the balcony pulls open and a third party joins our conversation.
"Darius."
We both turn towards the direction of Mother standing right by the door frame with a heavily upset look on her face.
"Lumera? Why did you come outside?" He asks once he sees her.
He walks up to her suddenly at a fast pace.
There's an immediate shift in his expression and tone which all turns soft and gentle always when she's around.
The only person or thing he has affection for.
"You should be inside with the guests, its cold out here." He says, taking off his jacket and resting it on her shoulders without being asked to.
I suddenly want to barf.
"I've had enough of this, Darius... locking our son in chains... forcing him to have this dinner when he clearly looks unhappy about everything." She says once he's satisfied with how well he's wrapped her in his warm blazers.
I'm taken aback by her words, surprised that she's actually disagreeing with the man.
Usually, he takes his time to spin the perfect lie that can convince her well enough that he's doing the right thing for my own good.
"We've talked about this and its importance. All this is for a few more hundred years of peace, to avoid an uprising and keep every other pack in check. We need them and the only way to have them fully on our side is through the mating process." He pushes his ideologies again.
Strangely, she's not taking it anymore.
"I know that, but he's still so young. He has a few more years to grow into the idea of it, we can find some other way." She defends me again.
"Lumera..."
"Don't Lumera me... don't think I haven't noticed all this while. I know I'm not absolved from any blame either. I've watched you grow farther and farther from your sanity, hoping that if I support you and love you, you'd eventually change and due to that reason, I've grown farther away from my own son." She continues.
My jaw drops even further as I witness these people argue for the first time over me, and it doesn't seem like there's a chance of my father getting the upper hand this time.
"...and you've gotten much worse the past few weeks - keeping secrets from me, and trying to convince me as to why he should remain locked up in a cell!"
She swings her hand around in gestures to show just how absurd he's being.
"He aided a criminal in hiding." He tries to defend again.
"A confused young girl that just turned 18, and what did you expect him to do? Come to his parents for help? When we've never given him a reason to trust us?" She counteracts.
"If he listened to me, he'd have no reason to aid one in the first place."
"He's an adult, he's not meant to blindly follow every single command you give him. That's how kids are when they grow up, how you were at some point; mostly insane, but rebellious as well. That's what made you a great leader."
"I want to create an era of peace for years to come, so you never have to see bloodshed ever again like it was years ago." His mien changes to desperation.
I can easily understand what he's referring to; the accident that had happened years ago while I was still in mother's womb, when there had been a plotted uprising and she had been kidnapped and tortured for days.
All the while, he felt every single one of her pain through the mate bond, and grew just a little bit more messed up with every passing day.
I was told that's why he's a controlling nutjob now, but I believe he's just always had a screw loose.
"I understand... but no more of this. No more of being a tyrant to your own son."
"But..."
"No buts... when we go back in there, you're going to explain to them that we have to revise our plans for this mating ceremony to see if the kids really want it for themselves. Then you're going to release his friends and that poor girl from prison."
"Lumera..." He tries to disagree again. "Darius Fredrick Bloodmoon." She says his full name coldly, reducing her eyes to slits in a glare.
He opens his mouth to disagree again but no words come out, then he shuts up.
All this while, I stand there, watching dumbfounded at how easily the tables turn simply because, for the first time, Mother sees just how sick and twisted he's being and chooses to take my side.
Now, I understand why he had made extra effort in making sure she never finds out what he really does with me... because she's the only person he can't go against or control.
For the first time, he seems defeated, looking back at me with a glare.
"Silas Honey..." She coos, turning to me now with her frown deepening just as she approaches me. "I'm so sorry I turned a blind eye all these years." She engulfs me into a deep hug.
"I can't believe it took you being locked up for me to finally figure out what's really been happening, and that I can't trust your father to relay information to me."
"It's fine." I'm just glad that he's actually listening to someone else for a change.
That she finally supported me.
"It's not fine... I'm going to make it up to you one way or another after tonight." She promises. After taking moments to reconcile again, we finally walk back into the room, and I feel relieved and hopeful again.
Maybe once I tell my mom the full story, convince her about Freya being an amazing girl and the best for me irrespective of her status, just maybe I could fully get out of this.
"Seems like the entire family is back from their long conversation." Rowland comments just as we walk in. The atmosphere is more chilly than it had been before we had left earlier...
Mother steps forwards first with her head raised high confidently, no longer riddled with guilt.
"We are deeply sorry you had to come all this way to fix a proper date for the union of our families but after a moment of careful consideration, we decided it's best we revise the decision to force a mate bond with the both of them." She explains diplomatically. His stoic expression doesn't falter for a moment, instead he tilts his head to look at Father partially sulking like a scolded child.
"Did you agree to this, Darius?" He asks father now, completely disregarding what mother had said.
"Of course, her words are mine." Father agrees as well.
"I see... Well, that's perfectly fine. Even with the indefinite postponement of such engagement, our plans will not fall back or be affected."
There's a sudden moment of stone cold silence that grasps the both families staring back at the other. Father's sulking countenance turns serious and he suddenly steps between mother and Rowland, hiding her behind him and away from the other man.
He's finally getting the sense of a threat, just like I had been trying to warn him about. "What plans are you talking about, Rowland?"
"My plans of taking the throne, of course." The doors suddenly burst open and guards waltz in, more than a few that are most definitely not on our side, barricading all exit points with sharp spears in their hands.
"You know, while you were too busy focusing on controlling your son's movement, we meticulously plotted a secret attack."
"This is treason, Rowland! Believe me, you do not want to make enemies of us. We can still flip the scale at any moment."
"True... you might have more skilled man power and numbers in your favor... but we have a higher power on our side as well." He smiles wickedly, gesturing to his daughter to stand by his side, which she does.
Her wicked smile matches his and her eyes glow purple more brightly than before, having no need to hide it any more. Father growls in anger, suddenly reaching to feel the ruby necklace he was wearing earlier, which he always has on for official meetings like this, but it's already missing from his neck.
"Looking for this?" Elena sings, raising his pulsating ruby necklace up in the air and swinging it right in front of his face.
His expression turns pale and I see an emotion of uncertainty I've never once witnessed in his eyes.
Just what is it with that necklace that has him turning as white as a sheet?
"Tsk tsk... the Alpha King using magic, especially when he's banned anyone from using it. Pretty hypocritic, don't you think?"