Chapter 10: The Lost Connection
(Third-person's POV)
Lucas Silverstone pushed away his half-finished plate of venison, his appetite gone. The throbbing pain in his lip was a constant reminder of his father's rage. He dabbed at it with a napkin, wincing at the sting.
"I'm going upstairs," he announced, rising from the table. "I can't go out looking like this."
Victoria's eyes flashed with fury as she studied the bruise on her son's face. "Your father will pay for this. No one touches my children, not even the Alpha."
"Mother, don't," Lucas warned, glancing nervously toward the door. "You'll only make it worse."
Victoria reached out, gently touching his injured face. "When will you stand up to him, Lucas? He favors that girl over his own son."
Lucas said nothing. The humiliatio
