Threat

Robbie's POV

I was halfway drinking my beer when I stopped, hearing Fred's question. I put down my glass and took my time to swallow the beer in my mouth. I scrutinized him before speaking word by word,

"That is between Tony and me! I don't think you have any business asking it."

"Look, old man, I don't know how to beat around the bush, so I'll be clear. I love Tony and have loved him for years, even after my father's disapproval and Tony pushing me away. I don't care if he is bonded to you or had a kid with you. If you hurt him this time, I'll make sure that you never get to see Tony and Twen ever again!" He said with a clear gaze and firm voice.

I narrowed my eyes and asked him in a low, cautious voice, "Love him? Does Tony even know of your feelings?"

"He does," Fred replied without any hesitation.

"Then, I take it that he rejected you," I spoke in a biting tone.

"He did," Fred answered without being phased. However, he quickly picked up the glass of beer and downed it in one go before pouring himself another glass.

"In that case, I do not see why I need to answer you, who is not Tony's boyfriend or guardian."

Fred exhaled and spoke in his usual booming voice, "Yeah, I am not, neither are you. We are in the same boat. So, I don't see how it is yours and Tony's business."

Bang!

I got up on my feet, trembling from head to toe. What is with this guy? Was he not just a simpleton? How did he become so eloquent all of a sudden? He effortlessly touched my nerve, making me see that I have no right on Tony and Twen. Normally I would have punched him in the face, but here I can't because he's not wrong. I breathed, trying to calm myself.

"You are right! We are indeed in the same boat, except, if you drown, you will lose a friend, and if I drown, I'll lose my life."

Fred blinked expressionlessly. His amber eyes gave a weird impression of being looked at by a hawk. When I saw him last, I thought he was just a hot-tempered fool, but now I can see that he is smart and a good speaker. After a one-minute pause, he picked up his beer glass and took a sip. He spoke, exhaling heavily,

"This is not a drama that you are putting out dialogues. You should be careful about what you say. I have seen Tony suffer a lot thanks to your so-called 'thoughtless words'. He finally started smiling and living. I don't want to stand by and watch you destroy his second chance at life by your half-assed attempts to ease your conscience. If you don't have the gall to stand up for him and stick with him through thick and thin, then I suggest you better walk out of his life now, before he gets too involved with you and ends up hurting again."

Fred's words felt like a slap to me. Though I knew that I was the one at fault, I couldn't help feeling extremely angry. I bent down and grabbed him by the collar. However, to my surprise, he remained expressionless. It was so infuriating. He doesn't get provoked, nor does he react emotionally. I have only seen finger-counted people who can remain composed despite the situation.

"I am just warning you." Fred shrugged nonchalantly.

My lips and voice trembled as I said, "Listen carefully! There hasn't been a day that passed, and I didn't regret my words. The moment I decided to make Tony part of my life, I decided to fight for him through thick and thin. Whether I can be part of his life or not, I will be by his side."

Fred kept looking at me straight, trying to read me. After a moment's pause, he sighed,

"Let go of me. I didn't bring you here to wrestle till death."

I glared at him for a few seconds before letting him go and taking my seat, still fuming. I don't know if it was my inferiority complex that was bursting out or envy. But I felt extremely agitated seeing him so firm and strong.

"Tony never stopped loving you," I was taken by surprise when Fred suddenly announced.

A blank look crossed my face. "What?"

"Tony doesn't realize it, but his anger and hate towards you stem from the pure-hearted love he has for you. He can't forgive himself for having feelings for you even after the cruel treatment he received from you," Fred said, picking up a beer bottle and opening the cap with his teeth. He chugged down half the beer at one go and slammed it on the table. This was the first time since we began our conversation that Fred showed a slight hint of resentment toward me.

"I never understood why he just couldn't be with me. I told him that I don't care if he is bonded, and I will try my best to be a father figure to Champ, but he still refused. I later understood that it was simply because he couldn't feel the same for me as I do for him. He was just being considerate. He rejected me harshly, breaking contact with me just so I would give up on him. He wanted me to find someone who would love me too. If only it was that easy! My dad…. Hah!!"

He stopped shaking his head. Seeing his reaction, it immediately felt familiar. Just like my dad, his dad was not very happy about him wanting to be in a relationship with an Omega. Suddenly I felt a little attached to him in spite of myself. I quietly chewed the shrimp, waiting for Fred to continue. After a long 5 minutes of awkward silence, Fred finally gave a laugh which was more like a bark, and said lightly,

"I thought I would mend my relationship with Tony once I am done with my studies abroad. Once I properly stand my ground, I thought of searching for him and proposing to him. My father could not stop me even if he disagreed, as I was an adult and financially independent. Unfortunately, you already entered his life before I could go forward with my plan," Fred said, giving a sad laugh. He sounded very upset.

I am not sure if what Fred said about Tony's feelings are correct or not, but I can't help feeling a little hopeful. At the same time, I can't help feeling bad for this fellow. Unlike me, he is brave enough to fight for the one he loves and is also prepared to go against his dad. Despite our differences, both of us love Tony, and that binds us together.

"I guess I have gotten tipsy. I am talking all emotional nonsense," he exclaimed before giving me a very serious look and speaking word by word, "You are the only one who can heal the wounds of his heart. He has gone through a lot. Don't you dare leave him hanging again! Trust me, I will return that to you a thousand times more," Fred said with a very threatening smile before chugging down the rest of the beer in the bottle.

"So, you are not going to pursue him anymore?" I asked, hesitatingly.

He laughed, more like barked, and said with a mischievous look, "I will always be waiting for you to make a mistake so that I can claim him! So, beware!"

I couldn't help giving a reluctant smile to him. I respect and envy his unflinching and unapologetic love for Tony, but I won't give up on Tony without a fight. I clenched my fist, took a bottle of beer on the table, and took a few swigs. There was something that I felt I needed to say to Fred. I looked at him, who was sitting staring at the tabletop. I spoke in a sincere tone,

"Thank you for taking care of Tony and Twen. He told me that he still feels indebted to you for your kindness, but I feel more indebted. If it hadn't been for you, I might never have met Twen."

Fred gave a sad crooked smile, "He owes me nothing. I did it because I wanted to. As for you, old man, if you can keep Tony happy and protected, that would be your gratitude to me."

"I would try my best," I said earnestly, taking another swig of my beer. "By the way, I didn't know you speak Italian," I said, trying to change the gloomy atmosphere.

"Ahhh si! Io posso! Ma molto poco" he grinned.

"Sorry, I am not knowledgeable in the language."

"Mi dispiace saprelo."

"Are you cursing me in Italian?" I chuckled.

"Si." He laughed in his usual booming manner.

I can finally see what Tony saw in him. An Alpha with such a humble and pure personality is rare indeed. If we had met under different circumstances, we might have been great friends!!