chapter 128
Tori's POV:
I hung up the phone, feeling a strange mix of relief and tension.
Lucas's voice still echoed in my ears, warm and reassuring despite the distance between us, but reality quickly crashed back down.
What a mess everything had become - Hannah's revenge with those photos, Eileen's silent disapproval, and now this awkward standoff in my grandmother's house.
If Lucas came here as he promised, Grandma would surely freeze him out, maybe even refuse to let him through the door.
The thought made my stomach twist with anxiety.
The evening light filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across the floor.
I pushed open the window, letting the cool breeze sweep away some of the stifling atmosphere that had settled over the house since yesterday.
The scent of wildflowers drifted in from the garden, mingling with the faint smell of chamomile tea.
Grandma Eileen still sat in her wicker chair.
"Who was that on the phone?" she asked, breaking the heavy silence between us.
I hesitated, my hand still on the window frame. "Lucas," I answered honestly, watching her face for a reaction.
A shadow passed over her features. She set down her teacup with a soft clink.
"That Alpha," she murmured, more to herself than to me.
"Yes, that Alpha," I confirmed, my voice steadier than I expected.
Grandma's fingers trembled slightly as she smoothed the blanket over her knees.
"Tori, I've seen what happens when girls like you get involved with powerful Alphas. Your mother—" She paused, pain flashing across her face. "Hannah was so young when she got pregnant with you. Left alone to raise a child."
"This is different," I said, though my voice wavered.
"Is it? That male's heart is colder than the Arctic wind. You're too young, too inexperienced to control someone like him."
I moved away from the window, feeling a flare of frustration.
"And Andrew White would be better? You think he wouldn't hurt me?" I challenged. "His own grandmother told me I wasn't good enough for him."
"The Whites are easier to manage," Grandma replied with unexpected pragmatism. "They're not as powerful. If they hurt you, there are ways to fight back."
She shook her head slowly. "I invited Lucas Grayson into this house once. Now I regret ever opening that door."
Her words stung, but I held my ground. "You don't understand what he's done for me, Grandma."
"Then tell me," she challenged, her eyes suddenly sharp.
I took a deep breath. "He's helped me in ways no one else could. Or would."
I continued, my voice gaining intensity. "When I first got out of Silver Fang, I had nothing. No money, no job, not even proper clothes. People would cross the street to avoid me, like being an Omega with a record was contagious. Hannah and Fiona made sure I was humiliated at every turn—publicly humiliating me, spreading rumors, even locking me in bathrooms."
I swallowed hard, remembering those dark days.
"Lucas stepped in when no one else would. He found me work when every door was slammed in my face. He made sure I had food when I was skipping meals to save money for your medicine. When Hannah withheld your medication to blackmail me, he made sure you got what you needed."
Grandma's eyes widened. "I didn't know—"
My voice cracked with emotion. "Not once did he use his help to pressure me or make demands."
"He's never forced a mark on me," I continued. "He's respected my choices every step of the way. That's more than I can say for most Alphas."
She studied me for a long moment, then sighed deeply. "Debts can be repaid in the next life. But you shouldn't sacrifice your happiness in this life to repay kindness."
"It's not a sacrifice," I insisted.
Grandma's gaze drifted to the family photos on the wall, lingering on an old picture of me as a child.
"I remember how the other children used to taunt you. 'The bastard with no father,' they called you." Her voice cracked slightly. "I saw what that did to you, how it shaped you. I don't want you to suffer more pain."
I knelt beside her chair, my throat tight with emotion. "I know you're afraid for me. But Lucas isn't like that."
"All Alphas change once they have what they want," she whispered. "Your mother learned that the hard way."
Grandma's expression remained guarded, but I could see the conflict in her eyes.
"I've never asked you for anything, Grandma," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Tears pricked behind my eyes. "But I'm asking now. Please don't make me choose between you and him. Please don't make me walk away from the one person who makes me feel safe."
A tear slid down my cheek as I finished, landing on her weathered hand.
Grandma didn't open her eyes or respond immediately.
The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken words and years of complicated history.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I glanced down at the screen to see Lucas's message:
Just finished with Elizabeth's situation. Everything's stable. Don't be afraid. I'm heading your way now. Should be there in about an hour. - L
My heart jumped into my throat.
One hour. In sixty minutes, Lucas would be here, at this house where he wasn't welcome.
I looked back at Grandma, anxiety blooming in my chest.
"Grandma?" I whispered. "Lucas's mother, Elizabeth, was taken to the hospital last night," I explained, hoping this might soften her stance. "That's why he couldn't come sooner. "
I tucked my phone back into my pocket, my fingers still trembling slightly.
"He's already on his way here now. I know you don't approve, but please, just... just meet him properly."
The thought of Lucas arriving to Grandma's cold reception made my stomach twist. These were the two people I cared about most in the world, and I couldn't bear the thought of being torn between them.
I watched her face carefully, hoping to see some softening, some willingness to at least hear him out.
Instead, her eyes hardened and her jaw set in that stubborn line I knew all too well.
"Even if he comes here in person with all his Alpha aura and charm, my answer won't change," she said firmly, her voice stronger than it had been all day.
She reached for her tea with slightly trembling hands.
The hour that followed was painfully quiet.
I busied myself cleaning the kitchen while Grandma remained in her chair, lost in thought. Each minute that ticked by only increased the tension coiled in my stomach.
As the clock struck seven, the distinct purr of a high-end engine cut through the evening silence.
The sound grew louder as it approached the house, then stopped abruptly. My heart leapt to my throat.
Moments later, a confident knock sounded at the door.
Lucas had arrived, exactly when he said he would.