Ian started to get up to go to his room, willing to play his games until he fell asleep, when Adam was firm with him, saying;
"Wait, Ian. We need to talk."
He looked at his mother, who nodded, and then sat back down in the chair. He looked at Kate anxiously. He didn't want anyone to hear his father scolding him, but when he realized that she wasn't actually there, he reassured himself and looked at his father. At the same moment, Anna decided that she should let them sort it out by themselves and go to bed early, because the next day, before she called her family, she wanted to spend two or three hours with Sarah. She went into the kitchen and out onto the balcony, where she asked Caricatura to let Adonis know that they would be leaving at five o'clock in the morning, and then went straight to her room. She didn't worry about Ian in Adam's company, as she could see that he seemed to have a magnet for Ian, who listened to him and admired him. It didn't seem to be because of the werewolves' loyalty to the Alphas. Their feeling was something much deeper. They both had a greater chemistry than Ian had with the man who raised him. And as soon as he lay down, he fell asleep.
...
"Do you have something to tell me?" Adam asked Ian, looking serious.
"Dad..." Ian started to speak and turned to Kate, afraid that she had heard him, but she remained fiddling with her fork, totally oblivious to what was going on. "I didn't want you to kill anyone else because of me. I'm sorry I lied. I promise I won't do it again."
"Ian, I recognize my guilt for not having warned you about Alexander before. But I thought I should let you see that we have to punish those who defy us, or we'll lose the respect of the others. I'm not really going to kill Alexander. We just let him say goodbye to life, because of his rebelliousness, but we have to know how to punish fairly. His mistake wasn't so serious. But it was still a mistake. At this time, he'll be having dinner with his family, believing that it'll be his last meal."
"That relieves me."
"Did you like him that much?"
"Yes, I like him, but that's not why. His son told me that when he grows up he's going to avenge his father's death.
Adam leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to travel to Alexander's eyes, to get a better look at his future killer. It was likely that Ian didn't know he was talking about his biological father or that he could never kill a werewolf, but the idea of having a child growing up with the desire for revenge in his heart, against him, the Alpha and most powerful of the werewolves, made him feel fulfilled. He would like to see the look of surprise on the boy's face when he tries to kill him in a few years' time. That boy would die that day. He thought happily and turned to Ian, who was looking at him inquiringly.
"Well... It won't be this time. It won't be a problem for at least another ten years... Do you want to go with me to see everything? His family will be there. I sent you to pick them up after Alexander left home for his destination."
"Yes, I do!" Ian said excitedly. "So I can tell his son that I won't have to kill him to avenge you!"
Adam frowned. He didn't know he had that in mind, but he liked knowing that he was liked enough to plot revenge without anyone else knowing.
They got up and left, leaving only Kate at the table. She still looked vacant and absent.
Adam began to worry. When he got back, he would talk to Kate, to find out if she had a problem. He shouldn't meddle in human drama, but Kate was his childhood friend. It was hard not to feel attached, and he knew only one way of not having to bother with these people's problems. By killing them.
Adam arrived with the men and Ian at an old chapel next to the mansion, where Alexander had chosen to die by shooting himself in the head. Everyone was armed. Even Ian had been given a gun and was proud of it.
Alexandre watched them arrive with indifference. After a while, when no one said anything, he knelt down and his family arrived in tears, accompanied by some men who were close friends of his. He would rather his family hadn't seen it, but he knew that the boss liked cruelty, and he resigned himself to it, closing his eyes when he saw everyone, even little Ian, pointing their guns at him. He would pretend he was somewhere else so as not to hear his family's cries. Suddenly, he felt someone rushing towards him and felt a jet of water fall on his head, along with a lot of amused laughter. Even so, all soaked, he refused to open his eyes, until his wife and son came and hugged him, laughing happily.
"You can open your eyes now, darling." Lory's voice told him, as she ran her hand lovingly over his face.
He dared to open his eyes, and saw that tables and chairs had been set up there, and several Styrofoam boxes, and his friends, were all sitting around drinking. While Adam was standing in front of him, together with Ian, who couldn't hide his joy.
"Take Ian, Lory, there's a table for you with proper drinks. I need to have a word with your husband, and then he'll keep you company."
Lory got up and walked over to Adam, kissed him on the cheek and then slapped him across the face.
Adam stared at her as if she had gone mad.
"Don't you ever dare deceive me like that again. I nearly gave birth to my Ladye prematurely." She said and looked at her son and Ian. "Come with me."
They went and Alexander stood up.
"Why did you do that?"
"What?"
"I've never seen you go back on your sentences. You always said it would make men stop respecting you and... You spared me. Why?"