The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Keeping up with the Tanners’ 2
Nathan

My heart skipped a beat. Why was he here?

I shot to my feet reluctantly, bowing my head in respect that I didn’t feel.

“Lycan Leader,” I said feigning surprise. “To what do we owe the honour of your visit?”

“Yes!” My father came to stand next to me as he addressed Ramsey. “Alpha, I – what brings you here, to my home?”

Ramsey’s cold gaze flickered toward me, then back to my father. “Beta Tanner, I need to speak to your son,” He said in a commanding tone. “Alone, if you don’t mind.”

My father hesitated, his eyes flickering towards me for a second. He was clearly taken aback by Ramsey’s sudden appearance and request but also torn between his duty to obey the Lycan Leader and his desire to protect me.

“Of course, Alpha,” he said finally. “I’ll … I’ll be in the living room if you need me.”

“Beta!” Ramsey faced my father. “You don’t understand. It’s best if you stay outside. The conversation between me and your son is like a secret and I wouldn’t appreciate it if someone else heard it too. That’s why I came in alone and left my Beta and the warriors with me, outside.”

My father shot me another worried glance but I nodded to him flashing him a smile. “I’ll be fine, Dad. I’m sure, the Lycan Leader just wants to talk and nothing more. We’ll be done in no time.”

As soon as the door closed and we were finally alone, Ramsey turned to me, the coldness in his eyes was turning into fury. “Where is she?” he demanded without preamble.

I arched my brow at him. “Where is who?”

“Lyla!” he replied. “I need to know where Lyla is.”

I blinked, taken aback by the directness of his question. I recovered a few seconds later and pointed in the direction of the pack house.

“Lyla? She lives next door at the packhouse. You should be asking her parents. You could go over there and ask them, I’m sure the Alpha and Luna are at home.”

His hands curled into fists at his sides as he gritted his teeth in annoyance. “Listen, Nathan… I didn’t come here to waste my time and play games with you and I’m really trying right now to be the best version of myself, so please don’t test me. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Of course, I know you’re talking about, Lyla,” I continued without skipping a beat. That’s why I’m suggesting that you go to her house to look for her. Isn’t that good enough for you, Alpha?”

Frustration flashed across Ramsey’s face. In two quick strides, he closed the distance between us, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt.

“You’re testing me, Nathan Tanner,” he snarled. “I know you were the last one to see her before she left. Where did she go? Give me her address in the human world right now and we don’t have to take this any further.”

My mind raced. How did Ramsey know about that? And why was he so desperate to find Lyla? Did he want to punish her more? Unless…

A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I scoffed looking into his furious eyes without fear.

“Shouldn’t you know where she is, Alpha?” I taunted. “I mean, she’s your mate, right? Isn’t it your job to know where she is at all times?”

His grip tightened, his eyes flashing furiously. “Answer the fucking question. Where is she?”

I held his gaze without flinching. “Why should I know? I’m just her friend and the Beta’s son. Oh wait…” My voice dripped with sarcasm. “I forgot. She masked her scent and your mate mark. She blocked you out, didn’t she? Looks like she doesn’t want to have anything to do with you again.”

In a rage, Ramsey struck me across the face with a force that sent me stumbling back. Blood pooled in my mouth but I only laughed as I stared up at him in defiance.

“I didn’t take you for a violent person, Alpha Ramsey but if you think hitting me would get you answers,” I spat, wiping the blood from my lip. “You can beat me to death if you want but I’m not telling you anything.”

He ran his hand through his hair, pacing back and forth. “Fine!” he said. “I’m sorry for hitting you but I need to find her and at least make amends…”

“Make amends? After you rejected her? After you let her walk away thinking she wasn’t good enough and you think she would accept you with open arms? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“It’s between me and her, it’s none of your business,” Ramsey exploded.

“Well, good luck finding her then. Hint; she’s in the human world,” I said.

Ramsey lunged at me, striking me again and again, each blow harder than the last. I refused to fight back- I was no match for him and there could be consequences in the future if I fought with the Lycan leader. So I remained quiet while he rained blows on me. I stayed still without making a noise – I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

After what felt like an eternity, he stopped, breathing heavily, his fists still clenched in rage. I lay on the floor, blood dripping from my mouth, my body bruised and battered.

Ramsey stood over me, shaking with frustration. “You’re making me do this… If you know where she is, you have to tell me.”

For a moment, I was tempted. The pain in his voice seemed genuine and a part of me wanted to believe he regretted everything he did to Lyla, but then, I remembered Lyla’s tears, the devastation in her eyes as she left.

“No!” I said firmly. “I won’t betray her trust. If Lyla wanted you to find her, she wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to disappear.”

His expression hardened. “You don’t have a choice. As your Lycan Leader, I order you to tell me where she is.”

Ragnar bristled at the command but I stood my ground. “With all due respect, Lycan Leader, my loyalty to Lyla comes before my duty to you. I won’t tell you where she is, no matter what you threaten me with.”

“You’re pathetic,” he growled, kicking me in my stomach. “You think you can protect her by keeping quiet. I will find her, with or without your help.”

I coughed, spitting out blood before looking up at him with a smirk. “Then do it,” I rasped. “Find her. But you won’t get anything from me.”

His eyes which were blazing with fury a while ago, suddenly cooled off as he paced the room again. “You like her?” he asked coming to stand in front of me. “This is why you’re doing this, right?”

I didn’t reply.

“It’s wrong, Nathan!” he growled, the anger returning. “She’s my woman and not yours. You have no right to like someone like her. Lyla is mine!” as he made to strike again, Lenny entered the room, followed by a group of warriors.

Lenny rushed forward and held him back. “Control yourself, Ramsey!” he yelled pushing him backwards. “You cannot treat him like a commoner, he’s an Alpha heir.”

“Then let him give me the answer, I want!” Ramsey shouted trying to fight his way back to me. “Ask him to tell you where Lyla is?”

“Just calm down a bit!” Lenny sighed, then came over to where I was.

“Are you alright?”

“Clearly, I’m not but being nice to me won’t make me say a word about, Lyla. You can get lost too,” I said quietly.

Ramsey – where he was standing, stared at me with a mix of hatred and frustration. Then without warning, he turned to the warriors. “Arrest him,” he ordered.

The warriors stepped forward, grabbing me roughly and pulling me to my feet. My father burst into the room, his face went pale with shock when he saw my condition. He rushed to my side.

“Are you alright, Nath?”

I nodded. I would have attempted a smile, only my face hurt. Then he turned to Ramsey.

“Alpha! Please, there’s no need for this…”

“Your son is withholding information,” Ramsey said coldly. “He’ll be detained until he agrees to cooperate.”

My father looked at me, ready to urge me to spill what I knew but I shook my head. “It’s fine, Dad,” I said quietly. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Just give him what he wants. What does he want?” My father asked.

“It’ll be fine, Dad,” I assured him again as the soldiers dragged me out of the house, leaving my father standing there, helpless. “I’ll be back in no time. I promise.”

Ramsey followed behind us, his knuckles bruised and his face set in grim determination.

As they threw me inside the van, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction. I had stood my ground. I didn’t break and even if it means that I had to play god over my best friend’s life… I didn’t care.

But deep inside, I felt worried… Ramsey wasn’t going to stop. And I knew, somehow, that when he finds Lyla, nothing would ever be the same.