(Author’s POV)
"Where are you going, Dion?" Alaric asked when he saw Dion all clad up in his professional attire. He was in a clearwater blue shirt and black striped trousers, looking all dapper.
Dion munched on the apples and kiwis in his plate as he replied, initially with a slight pause, "Ahh~ .... I~ I am going to Red Stone." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
Alaric, who was in the middle of cutting his sunny side up egg, stopped. He then raised his sapphires ever so slightly to give his younger brother a hard, deadpan look. He refrained from saying anything and just kept looking at him in the same manner. After yesterday’s spat, Alaric thought Dion would come to his senses and not be adamant about going to Red Stone, but clearly that wasn’t happening.
His reaction was within Dion’s expectations. With a lighthearted tone, he started, "Al~ I know what you are thinking. And I understand all your worries and concerns very well. What you said to me last evening was right. I am not a serious guy, always playing around, being careless, reckless~ ...."
"I didn’t say all that, Dio. You are~ ...." Alaric interrupted instantly, listening to his choice of words.
"Noo~ Al, let me finish. And~ ... noo~ .... you might not have said any of this. But I will not deny that this is all a fact. I know I am like that. I am such a person — Playboy, womanizer, unserious, dilly dallying kind of guy. I am very well aware of that," Dion countered Alaric. He then continued with his heartfelt words, "Al, people, even in our pack, our pack members, they hardly take me seriously. For them, I am just a privileged wolf who somehow got lucky and was born with a gold made spoon and Lycan blood. They have no choice but to show respect towards me. Whether they feel it that way or not is a totally different question. Even I sometimes feel inept. But now~ ... I want to change all that. I want to change for good. Yesterday, after teaching the kids, I felt rejuvenated after a long time. It felt meaningful, purposeful to me. So, I~ ...."
Whatever Dion said to Alaric, he genuinely meant it. Though Myra’s presence was a big part of the reason for him to go to Red Stone, but he really enjoyed his time giving a lecture.
Alaric was listening to his words very carefully, without interruption. His facial expressions neutral.
As Dion’s words concluded, Alaric muttered, "Dion~ .... No one disrespects you. Just take that thought out of your brain. Lycan or not~ .... you have been training since childhood with the pack members, Elio and me. We know how hard you have worked. You possess all the ability and power, so no one can look down on you. As for the other thing~ ... if you like teaching so much, when we return home, you can run the pack school or take the professor’s position at Kingsterdom. But Red Stone~ ... it is a big, bold no. You cannot go there." His words were filled with decisiveness as he put down his cutlery with a light cling.
"Al~ .... I have already had a talk with Jacob Larson. He doesn’t have any issue with me giving some more lectures. The things you are worried about~ .... that won’t happen. You have my word," Dion tried to assure his brother.
But Alaric was not having any of that. His rare soft voice was now replaced by his usual stern one, as he concluded, "Dion, I have already conveyed to you my opinion on the matter. Let’s just drop it here." His words were filled with finality.
"ALARIC~ .... I have told you what I want as well," Dion was adamant as well as resolute.
The two, just like last time, were once again at a stalemate. Neither of them even tried to back down.
With thumping feet, Dion exited the room.
Alaric gritted his teeth as Alex made an appearance and murmured inside his head, ’Al, what’s going on with you, huhhh? I understand if you don’t want to go near Red Stone because of our mate, but why are you stopping Dion as well?’
’But what if he sees My~ .... that human?’ Alaric questioned, his voice full of frustration.
Myra sighed and said, "Alright. Text me if you need anything. After finishing my lecture, I will come." Saying this, she walked out of the house.
As soon as Myra departed, Yelena sprang up from the couch and made her way towards Myra’s room. She has been contemplating all night about the intruder. Yes, she did not encounter anyone suspicious, but she kept having a nagging feeling inside her that someone was definitely in Myra’s room.
She marched, opened the door, and stepped inside. After giving a once over, Yelena began searching, starting with the window. She overturned the entire room, searching every nook and cranny, every corner, but even after that, she found not a single clue.
With a scrunched up face, she murmured, ’Am I just imagining it? Am I being paranoid?’ She was doubting her judgment as she started keeping the things in place.
As she kept an areca palm plant in its place, her eyes landed on a shiny thing that was inside the ceramic pot.
"What is this?" Yelena muttered as she took out the object. A black chain, embedded with silver and raven stones, was stuck in a small place. She raised her hand and gazed at it carefully, "This style~ ...... I have never seen such a thing with Myra. It is definitely not hers. Maybe~ .... it is Wendy’s?" She mumbled. "I will ask her when she comes home today." Saying this, she kept the chain in her pocket and resumed her work.
________________________
To Be Continued . . . . . . . .

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Mated To My Best Friend's Lycan Alpha Brothers