"No, it wasn't." Years of built up rage tumbled out of Randal's mouth. "Your schemes got you and Raymond banished, and me sanctioned by the alpha. I doubt there is a clan out there that would accept you. Don't you get it? You fucked up. You brought this on yourself when you tried to take something that doesn't belong to you. This is all on you."
"Silver Lake Clan is mine!" Ralph shouted like a broken record.
"No, it isn't." Randal felt like a broken record himself. "It was never yours. How many times do people have to tell you that for you to understand? This clan was never yours. It is never going to be yours, and nothing you do can change that."
"No one is going to keep me from taking what is rightfully mine."
Randal saw a flicker of movement behind his father. He knew he needed to keep Ralph's attention on him. He crossed his arms and glared. "And just how are you going to do that? Tell me. Because even if you somehow manage to take Rob out, there will be someone else to take his place. And someone after that and someone after that. The council already knows you've been banished. It's recorded in their record books. They will never let you have the clan. The people here will never let you have the clan. So, you tell me, how are you going to do that?"
"There are ways," Ralph said. "I have friends. They know it's my birthright to be alpha of the Silver Lake Clan. They'll help me get it."
"You mean the people you've been illegally inviting into the clan, telling them you are alpha?"
"I am alpha!"
Randal shook his head. They were just arguing in circles and getting nowhere. "It's over, Ralph. You're done."
"I'm done when I say I'm done!" Ralph snapped.
"No." Rob stepped behind Ralph and wrapped one arm around his throat. He knocked Ralph's hand away from Luca's throat with the other. "You're done now."
Randal held out his arms. Luca raced across the floor and right into them. Randal took a moment to breathe in Luca's sweet scent, hugging the man to him until there wasn't a glimmer of space between them.
"Are you okay, mate?" he murmured into Luca's hair.
Luca nodded, but didn't lift his face from where it was buried in Randal's chest. Randal gave him one more tight hug before returning his attention to his father. After today, he doubted he would ever see the man again.
Ralph had not only been banished, but he had broken shifter law by coming back and trying to set up a shadow clan. He wasn't going to see the light of day for a very long time.
"Do you see what all of your scheming has brought you?" he asked. "The council is going to throw the book at you, and for what? You never had a hope of becoming the alpha of this clan. You almost destroyed it."
Ralph's glare was pure venom. Even held between Harvey and Jeb, he still tried to lunge for Randal. He was quickly jerked back, of course, but that didn't keep him from snarling, "You betrayed me, boy. You'll pay for that."
Randal rolled his eyes. His father would never admit that he was wrong. "Whatever." He pulled Luca over to one side of the room, out of the way. "Can you please remove this piece of garbage from our home, Alpha Colton? He's stinking up the place."
Rob raised an eyebrow. "You don't have anything to say to him?"
"No point," Randal replied. "He'll never learn."
"Fair enough." He pointed toward the door. "Harvey, Jeb, will you please take Mr. Kersey to the sheriff's station? He can cool his heels in a cell until the council guards arrive to take him away. Billy, I'd like you to guard the door in case any of Ralph's friends show up."
"What about this guy?" León asked as he pointed to the guy George was holding up by the arm.
Randal shook his head. "My brother tried to kill me, Luca, the alpha. I have no idea who else. He's just as bad as Ralph, maybe even worse. He doesn't think for himself. Just does every damn thing Ralph tells him to do."
"Then he can sit in a cell right next to him." Rob smirked. "I wouldn't want to break them up."
Randal was surprised by how light his heart felt as Ralph and Raymond were escorted out of the apartment. He would have expected to feel some sadness, but all he felt was relief.
"Who are you?" Rob asked as he pinned his gaze on the last guy in the room.
"He-Henry."
"That's the guy who took your laptop," Luca said.
Rob pointed to the laptop the guy was holding against his chest. "That laptop?"
"No, I...uh..." The guy frowned. "I'm confused."
