Chapter 324: Play The Game Smart

Among the parents watching Violet and Nancy’s joyous reunion was a certain Alpha of the South and his prodigy, Roman Draven. They had been having a conversational stroll when they stumbled upon the scene and stood to watch.

"Who is she?" Alpha Leon asked.

"Which of them?" Roman asked with a taut voice. One that Leon didn’t realize. He hoped to God it was not the "who" he was thinking.

"The one with the purple hair," Leon said, his gaze fixed intently on her. "She’s pretty."

Roman didn’t even know when the threatening growl rumbled from his chest, and that finally drew Alpha Leon’s attention. He raised his brows at his son’s attitude, then stared in the direction of Violet and then back at his son again.

"Don’t tell me you’re into her?" he asked playfully, hoping that wasn’t the case. But when he saw the resolute look on Roman’s face, it dawned on him at once what was going on.

"Oh God." The expression drained from his face. "You’ve fallen for her. She’s the reason you went celibate. You’re fucking in love with the purple head," he said it as if it was a bad thing.

"She has a name, and it’s Violet. Not that I want her name coming out of your mouth," Roman snarled at him.

Leon looked around and realized they were in the open where anyone could eavesdrop on their conversation. He grabbed his son by the arm, saying firmly, "Let’s talk somewhere more private." Then he pulled him along.

Roman did not even protest as his father yanked him forward as if he were a child. He already saw this coming when his fate became entangled with Violet. He was a cardinal alpha with responsibility on his shoulders. His fate was decided even before he was born. It was the reason he was given these powers. His life was never his to live. But for his people. His pack. His father. And now he was about to risk it for Violet. So yes, he never expected it to be easy.

Alpha Leon’s jaw was clenched tight, and his strides were angry. It seemed he didn’t have the patience to wait any longer because he pulled Roman to a corner of the building, secluded from view, and hissed in his face, "What the fuck is going on? Spit it out right now!"

Roman lifted his face and told him, "You already know it. Why ask again?"

"Don’t get cheeky with me!" he warned angrily. "I thought you and Elsie were getting along! What the fuck happened?!"

"We are no longer together. That is what happened. The girl is a fucking bitch, and I can no longer stand her. She treated me like a fucking tool she could use and dispose of whenever she needed!"

"Fucking bitch or not, we need Elsie Lancaster!" Leon yelled back, every ounce of his playful personality gone and the shrewd businessman he was known for coming to life.

"She’s the clause Elijah added as a requirement to being his heir. Elijah hates your ass enough, all of the cardinal alphas already. And you want to test his patience by rejecting the woman he has promised to his heir. Or..." his eyes narrowed sharply with suspicion, "are you planning on giving up on being his heir already?"

Roman gulped.

He quickly answered, "No."

"Thank God," Leon breathed as if that was a long relief.

Then he reached out and grasped Roman’s face with his palms, intending to speak sense into him as he said, "The same way you fell in love with the purple head—"

"Violet," Roman corrected firmly.

"Fine, Violet," Leon accepted the name, if that would change his mind about the foolish decision he was about to take. "You fell in love with Violet, you can fall out of love with her. Or have you forgotten what I taught you, Roman? Men like us are the prize, and women would always flock to us no matter what. I’m sure you think Violet is the one and only one meant for you. But trust me, there are a thousand Violets in the sea. You cannot allow yourself to be weak right now. Not when it’s just a few months to graduation and everything would be ours, son..." he leaned his forehead against his, saying with endearing passion, "... you’d be the next Alpha king, and our pack would rise above the others. Just think about it, son, envision such a future, Roman."

Of course, Roman envisioned the future. Every day. That was the reason he had stayed by Elsie’s side. Because he needed her. Once he became king, it was supposed to be the both of them together. So he had forced himself to try to love her. To look beyond her faults. To stand. To defend. Because of what was ahead. The future.

But that was until Violet came along, and he saw a different future. One where he could breathe. One where he could be happy.

Roman lifted his face and said to his father, "I’m sorry, but I can’t. Not with Elsie."

"And why can’t you exactly? It’s not like I’m asking you to dedicate your life to her! Look at your mother and me. You can do anything you want after you become the Alpha King. The kingdom of the wolves would be yours to dominate and rule, Roman! This is all I ask of you, Roman!" Leon demanded.

"I’m bonded to her!" Roman snapped.

"What?" Leon croaked.

Roman explained to him slowly, "My animal side is bonded to Violet."

At that moment, Alpha Leon looked like he was going to suffer an aneurysm.

"How did this happen?" The man looked genuinely scared as he asked. "Please don’t tell me it’s a mate bond."

"I don’t know. I don’t understand it myself. I’m the first of my kind, after all, and I don’t know how it works. All I know is that I cannot stay away from her. My other side yearns to be with her. Tell me, is that how the mate bond works? Is she my mate?" Roman keenly inquired from him.

Leon looked shaken, his mind spinning as he scrambled for a solution to this unforeseen disaster. All the plans and visions he had for his son couldn’t just fall apart like that. He quickly told Roman, "Don’t do anything for now. Have you mated with the girl yet?"

"Mated?"

"Have you slept with the girl? Don’t make me ask silly questions, Roman."

"No, not yet."

"Good," Leon said. "Let it remain that way. Have your fun with Violet, let her soothe your animal side, but don’t get into her pants yet. Don’t do it, Roman."

"Fine, I won’t," Roman lied.

Leon breathed out. "I’ll look into this and get you an answer as soon as possible. At the same time, try to get on Elsie’s good side. We need to play this game smart if you want to become the next Alpha King. Do you understand me, Roman?"

"Yes, Father."