Consequences

Back at the mansion, Lily found herself standing in the large living room alongside Lucas and Liam, their heads down as their father’s seething gaze bore into them. 

The silence hung thick in the air, as if waiting to be shattered by the wrath that simmered just below the surface.

Their father clenched his fists, his jaw set in a hard line as he surveyed the three of them with a mixture of fury and disappointment. 

When he finally spoke, his voice was low but laced with an undeniable edge. 

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’re setting a disgraceful example for the rest of the pack" He said, his fury threatening to destroy them both.

It was obvious that he was disappointed in his son's behavior for engaging in a fight in school grounds where they could easily be spotted.

If it was left to him, he wouldn't be angry if they had fought where no one could see them. It was normal for Alphas to fight but it was an embarrassment to get caught.

Liam shifted uncomfortably beside Lily, and she could feel his tension radiating like a storm cloud. 

She feared she might get caught up in everything and even though she was actually the cause of what happened, she didn't want the twin's father screaming at her like a deranged person.

“Father, we didn’t mean for things to get out of hand,” he began, his tone cautious.

But his father cut him off with a cold, furious glare. 

“Didn’t mean for things to get out of hand? Fighting on school grounds, getting detention—it’s an embarrassment! You’re Alphas! You’re supposed to show discipline, strength, leadership—not impulsiveness and recklessness most especially in school"

Lucas took a step forward, trying to explain. 

“Father, there was a situation—someone was disrespecting us in our territory and we felt that it was only right to defend ourselves. I mean, we don't want to be seen as weak in the eyes of our pack."

“Silence!” The Alpha roared, his voice echoing through the room. “I don’t care what the situation was! There is no excuse. Do you understand me?”

The twins’ mother, standing by her husband’s side, looked at her sons with a mixture of disappointment and sadness. 

She didn't enjoy scolding them, but it was the best thing to do when they make such a mistake that would cause the family name to be smeared.

“Your father’s right. You’re supposed to be the examples that the others look up to. Instead, you’re causing trouble and drawing unnecessary attention to yourselves.”

Lily glanced sideways at Lucas and Liam, feeling an unexpected pang of guilt. 

She hadn’t intended for things to escalate this way, but there was little she could do now.

All she prayed for was that the old Alpha won't direct his anger towards her. It might be inevitable but she would prefer if she could avoid it entirely.

Suddenly, the Alpha's piercing gaze turned to her, and she felt herself tense under his anger.

Her prayer had not worked and she was left to endure the Alpha's wrath.

“And you, Lily,” he said, his tone colder than ice. “Instead of going to call a teacher, perhaps you could have shown some sense and separated them yourself. I don't blame them fir defending our territory but I blame you for being a snitch and reporting them.”

The accusation stung, and Lily’s mouth opened in shock. She hadn’t expected the blame to entirely fall on her. 

In the heat of the moment, she’d thought finding a teacher was the best way to stop the fight.

With as much calm as she could muster, she said, “I… I thought getting a teacher would be the fastest way to end things. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

The Alpha's face darkened. 

“And yet you thought it wise to involve outsiders in a pack matter. You brought shame upon us by calling someone else to handle what should have been handled within the family.”

“But that’s not fair,” Lily protested, unable to contain her frustration. “I didn’t—”

Her words were cut short as the Alpha took a menacing step toward her, his posture rigid with anger. 

His hand twitched, as if the impulse to discipline her for speaking out had taken hold. 

“How dare you talk back to me?” he growled. “You’ve already embarrassed this family enough.”

Before she could react, Lucas stepped between them, his stance firm as he held his father’s gaze. 

“Father, please. If anyone is to blame, let it be me,” he said, his voice steady, though Lily could sense the tension within him. “I was there. I should have handled it better.”

The Alpha's gaze shifted from Lily to Lucas, his eyes narrowing as he studied his son. 

The anger in his expression flickered, replaced momentarily by something else—perhaps a reluctant respect for his son’s protective instincts. But it lasted only a moment, and his face hardened once more.

“I am deeply disappointed in all of you,” the old Alpha said, his voice filled with contempt. “You’ve embarrassed yourselves and the entire pack. I hope this serves as a lesson to each of you.”

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room, his wife following closely behind him. 

The door closed behind them with a heavy thud, leaving the three of them in tense silence.

Lily glanced over at Lucas, who was still standing protectively in front of her. She felt a strange mix of gratitude and confusion. 

He had defended her, taken the blame on himself even when he could have easily let her face their father’s wrath alone.

“Thank you,” she said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Lucas glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. 

For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze holding hers with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat. Finally, he gave a small nod. 

“You don’t need to thank me,” he replied, his voice surprisingly hateful. “Just… stay away from us, Lily.”

The words hung between them, carrying a weight that she didn’t fully understand, but that seemed to resonate deeply nonetheless.