Chapter 118 CHAPTER 118
Breakfast at the Moore household passed in a heavy silence.
Sebastian sat at the long wooden table, his plate barely touched, his fork moving more out of habit than hunger. The food had gone lukewarm, but he did not seem to notice. His gaze stayed fixed on nothing in particular, his thoughts far away, replaying moments from the previous day over and over again. Lisa’s face. Her posture. The way she had looked through him instead of at him. The way she had walked away.
Richard Moore noticed everything.
He sat at the head of the table, his posture straight, his expression unreadable, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed him. After a few moments, he cleared his throat, the sound sharp in the quiet room.
“Did you speak to her - the princess?” he asked.
Sebastian did not look up. “No.”
Richard’s jaw tightened. “Why not? You didn’t get the chance?”
Sebastian shook his head slightly. “I tried. It didn’t go well.”
Richard leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly through his nose. “Sebastian, listen to me carefully. This does not only involve you or whatever feelings you have about her. This involves the entire pack.”
Sebastian’s fingers tightened around his fork.
“We are in serious trouble,” Richard continued. “When the Hales’s brought Cindy... I mean Lisa to Silverpine seventeen years ago, I should have reported the presence of an Omega to the King immediately. That was my responsibility as Alpha. I failed to do that. And now we find out that the Omega was not just anyone - she was the missing princess of Mooncrest.”
He paused, his voice lowering. “If the King decides to pursue this, I could be stripped of my title. Our pack could face punishment. Everything we have built could crumble.”
Sebastian finally looked up. “I know.”
“No,” Richard said sharply. “I don’t think you do. What you are doing now is not about your bond with her. It is about saving this pack. It is about saving me – your father.”
The words landed heavily.
“You do not go to her with charm,” Richard went on. “You do not go to her thinking you can smooth this over with a smile or a half-hearted apology. You humble yourself. You give her the respect she deserves as a princess. Until you are on good terms with her, I cannot go before King Ethan. I cannot risk it. I need her on my side. Do you understand?”
Sebastian pushed a piece of food around his plate. “It’s not as easy as you think.”
Richard frowned. “What does that mean?”
“She’s different,” Sebastian said quietly. “She’s not the girl we knew.”
“Then bring that girl back,” Richard replied. “Appeal to Cindy. Remind her of who she was. Surely there must be something good she remembers about silverpine. Your mother…. Remind her that the Luna was kind to her…”
Sebastian let out a short, humorless breath. “Cindy is gone. It’s only Lisa now.”
He finally met his father’s eyes. “She’s confident. Powerful. She walks into a room and everyone feels it. Even I do. I feel small standing near her. You should see her, Father. If you did, you’d understand why this isn’t something I can fix by just asking for forgiveness.”
Richard studied him, silent for a moment, then shook his head. “That doesn’t change what needs to be done.”
Across the table, Lydia Moore had been watching the exchange closely. She set her cup down gently and spoke before the tension could rise further.
“Richard, you’re pushing him too hard.”
Richard turned toward her, irritation flickering across his face.
“He’s already carrying enough,” Lydia continued. “When Sebastian rejected her, everyone supported that decision. It wasn’t just him. And what happened to Lisa at the Hale household was not his doing. You can’t place all of this on his shoulders.”
Richard’s expression hardened. “Now is not the time to soften the blow, Lydia. He needs to understand the gravity of this situation.”
“And he does,” Lydia replied calmly. “But breaking him won’t help you fix it.”
Before Richard could respond, a sharp honk sounded from outside, cutting through the tension.
Sebastian flinched slightly. “That’s for me… I should go. I’ll be late for school.”
Richard stood immediately. “Who is that?”
“A friend,” Sebastian said, already reaching for his bag.
Richard’s eyes narrowed. “That friend better not be Sarah.”
Sebastian did not answer. He stood and moved toward the door, his father following closely behind.
Outside, a familiar car sat idling at the edge of the driveway. Sarah leaned over the steering wheel, her fingers drumming impatiently as she honked again. Sebastian had already slid into the passenger seat when Richard stepped forward and motioned sharply for the window to be lowered.
Sarah smiled brightly. “Good morning, Alpha Moore.”
Richard ignored her completely. His gaze stayed fixed on Sebastian. “Get out of the car.”
Sebastian stared at him. “What?”
“Now,” Richard said firmly.
Reluctantly, Sebastian opened the door and stepped out, embarrassment burning his face. “Father, what is this about?”
“You will not be going to school with her,” Richard said evenly. “You will take your own car.”
Sarah frowned. “Sir, I don’t understand. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Richard finally turned his attention to her, his expression cold. “From now on, you will drive yourself. You will not come around this house. Sebastian has bridges to build, and they do not involve you.”
Sarah stiffened. “We told you from the beginning that Sebastian and I would reject our mates. You agreed on that. We were supposed to end up together – I don’t understand.”
Richard’s voice did not waver. “That was before things changed. This no longer concerns bonds or promises. Do not come here again.”
She turned to Sebastian, her eyes searching his face, waiting for him to say something, anything. Sebastian swallowed, then shrugged helplessly.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
Richard gestured toward the house. “Come inside. Get your keys. You’ll drive yourself.”
Sarah’s jaw tightened. Without another word, she started the engine and pulled away from the driveway, her thoughts already racing. This was not a complication she had anticipated when she came to Silverpine. She had to come up with a solution quickly. Lisa was already making things difficult for her.