Chapter 30
Lucas's POV:
The drive back to the Grayson estate gave me little relief from my thoughts.
My patience was wearing dangerously thin.
Despite our repeated encounters, we seemed to be making no progress whatsoever. She still regarded me with the same wariness, still kept herself at a careful distance.
Perhaps I need a different approach entirely, I thought. The subtle route clearly wasn't working with Tori Sullivan.
When I arrived home, the massive wrought iron gates opened automatically as my car approached.
I pulled into the garage and made my way inside, expecting the solitude I craved after a long day. Instead, I found my mother in the living room, a book in her lap that she immediately set aside when she saw me.
"You're back earlier than expected," she commented, her elegant eyebrows rising slightly.
I shrugged off my coat. "The meeting concluded sooner than anticipated."
"Did it?" Her lips curved into a knowing smile.
"That's interesting, because Dylan Freeman called to thank me for that bottle of scotch I sent over. He mentioned you suddenly remembered an urgent matter that needed your attention."
I sighed heavily. Of course, Dylan couldn't keep his mouth shut. The Alpha of the Freeman Pack had always been notoriously unreliable with information.
"Dylan talks too much," Duke muttered.
"He also mentioned a young lady," my mother continued, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Someone who apparently required your personal attention. Who might this mysterious girl be, Lucas?"
I kept my expression neutral. "Dylan should focus more on his own affairs and less on mine."
Elizabeth sighed deeply, her shoulders dropping slightly. "Your mate situation has been my primary concern for years now, Lucas. You know that."
Here it comes. I braced myself for the conversation I'd successfully avoided for months.
"Even your nephew Ethan has found a mate before you," she said with a sigh. "Though I admit, after that terrible business four years ago, he was unstable for quite some time. Flying into rages, drinking himself unconscious... Being with Fiona has helped him tremendously."
"Ethan's situation was different," I countered.
"He was obsessed with that girl who went to prison. It took years before he finally came around and agreed to take Fiona as his mate."
"Lucas," my mother's voice softened, "I worry about you. At thirty-one, most Alphas have found their Lunas, started their families."
"I'm aware of my responsibilities," I replied.
"Are you?" She leaned forward. "Sometimes I wonder... you've shown no interest in any of the she-wolves I've introduced you to."
I met her gaze directly. "They weren't right."
"None of them?" She tilted her head, studying me with motherly concern. "Lucas, darling, you know I would support you regardless, but... you're not gay, are you?"
I nearly choked on my water. "No, Mother."
"Because if you were—"
"I'm not."
She raised her hands in surrender. "I'm simply saying, at this point, my only requirement is that you bring home someone female. I cannot compromise further than that."
An image of Tori flashed through my mind—her silver-gray eyes reflecting moonlight like rare precious metals, the defiant tilt of her chin despite the weight she carried.
Every detail about her seemed designed to capture my attention.
"Don't worry, Mother," I found myself saying. "I'll find her. Before the year is out, I'll bring her home."
Elizabeth's eyes immediately brightened. "This sounds promising. Does this mean you already have someone in mind?"
I didn't answer her question. Instead, I stood and headed toward the stairs. "Good night, Mother."
---
The following morning, I walked the polished hallways of Moonridge High School.
After the Grayson group established a substantial scholarship program and made a significant investment in the school's facilities, the administration eagerly extended an invitation for me to tour the campus.
Dr. Williams, a nervous principal, seemed determined to showcase every improvement made possible by my company's funding.
"And here is our mathematics wing," Dr. Williams explained, gesturing toward a row of classrooms. "Our students have shown exceptional progress in—"
I stopped abruptly as we passed one particular classroom.
Through the glass panel in the door, I spotted Tori immediately. She sat near the window, the morning sunlight catching in her dark hair.
A male student—tall with sandy brown hair—had just approached her desk and was leaning against it casually. Their interaction seemed comfortable, almost friendly, as the boy smiled at something Tori said.
An unexpected surge of possessiveness shot through me.
Dr. Williams followed my gaze.
"Ah, that's Tori Sullivan. Quite remarkable student—she's currently the top-ranked student in her grade despite missing four years of education." The pride in his voice was evident.
I felt a strange sense of satisfaction hearing about Tori's academic achievements. "Is that so?"
"Yes, absolutely brilliant, especially with lunar calculations. She has an intuitive understanding that's quite rare," Dr. Williams said proudly. "Tori is actually the first recipient of the Scholarship your company established."
I couldn't help the surge of pride that washed through me.
I nodded, still watching the interaction between Tori and the boy.
"And the young man speaking with her?"
"That's Daniel Cole, class president of our advanced placement program. "
My eyes narrowed slightly. "So he's not from her regular class?"
"No, he's not," Dr. Williams replied, suddenly noticing my shift in demeanor and becoming somewhat uneasy.
"Perhaps," I suggested coolly, "the school should enforce stricter policies about students wandering between classrooms."
Dr. Williams swallowed nervously. "You're absolutely right, Alpha Grayson. I'll make an announcement immediately."
"Wait," I added, my tone deceptively casual, "perhaps a reminder about appropriate relationships between students would be beneficial as well."
The principal's eyes widened slightly. "You mean... a policy against dating?"
"Just a suggestion," I replied, finally turning away from the classroom door.
Dr. Williams nodded vigorously, hurrying to keep pace with me.
"I completely agree, Alpha Lucas. This is precisely the time when students should be focused on their academic development. Romantic entanglements only serve as distractions from their studies. I'll add that to the announcement immediately."
As we turned the corner, we nearly collided with a girl hurrying from the direction of the restrooms.
She had curly brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail and wore the same uniform as Tori. I recognized her immediately—Morgan Baker.
Upon seeing me, Morgan's normally bright expression faltered.
Unlike her usual exuberant greetings, her eyes briefly met mine before darting away, her face flushing with unmistakable guilt.
I opened my mouth to address her, but before I could utter a word, she mumbled a barely audible "excuse me" and darted past us, disappearing around the corner with remarkable speed.