chapter 60
Tori's POV:
I stared at Lucas, trying to determine how long he'd been standing there.
With his Alpha hearing, had he caught any of the conversation with Mrs. White? The thought made my stomach clench with embarrassment.
"That was nothing," I said, seeing toward where Mrs. White and Andrew had disappeared.
"Just neighbor stuff. It doesn't matter." I paused, meeting his eyes directly. "My decision to keep distance was my own."
Lucas held my gaze for a long moment, his expression unreadable.
Then, unexpectedly, "I'm hungry."
The abrupt change of subject caught me off guard.
"Hungry?" I blinked, studying him more carefully. His clothes were immaculate as always, but there was a subtle tightness around his eyes that suggested fatigue.
"Did you... drive all night to get here?"
He didn't answer, which was answer enough.
"There's a decent restaurant in town," I suggested, still trying to process the fact that Lucas Grayson had driven all night to find me. "Moon Blossom. It's only about fifteen minutes away."
"I've been driving for hours," Lucas said, his voice carrying a hint of weariness I'd never heard before.
I glanced nervously at the neighboring houses. The last thing I needed was to be seen with an Alpha male and become the subject of even more town gossip.
Then I remembered—my grandmother and Aunt Janet had gone to the farmer's market in the next town over. They wouldn't be back for hours.
"My family's out," I said decisively. "I have a small cabin in the backyard where I'm staying. I can make you something to eat there."
Lucas nodded once, the slight movement somehow carrying the weight of an Alpha command. "Lead the way."
I led Lucas and Anna around the side of Aunt Janet's modest house, my heart hammering against my ribcage with each step.
The small wooden cabin at the back of the yard had been my refuge since arriving here—a place where I could escape, think, and simply exist without judgment. Now, I was bringing an Alpha—the Alpha—into my personal sanctuary.
"It's not much," I said, fumbling with the key. "Just a guest house my aunt converted into a quiet space."
Tracy, my wolf, prowled restlessly beneath my skin.
Look at you, practically trembling in front of him, she teased. Where's the fearless Omega who survived Silver Fang?
Shut up, I shot back silently. Just stop with the schadenfreude, okay?
The lock finally clicked, and I pushed the door open, hyperaware of Lucas's towering presence behind me.
Lucas surveyed the small cabin with unreadable eyes.
The space was simple but clean—a small kitchenette, a dining table for two, a worn couch, and a narrow bed tucked in the corner.
Books were stacked neatly on a makeshift shelf, and a single potted plant sat on the windowsill—my feeble attempt at making the place feel more alive.
I swallowed hard. "I... I can make something. I don't have much, but—"
"Whatever you have is fine," he said, his voice softening slightly as he took a seat at my small table.
"Anna, sweetie, can you sit quietly and color for a bit while I make some lunch?" I asked, gesturing to the small stack of coloring books I kept on the shelf for her visits.
Anna nodded eagerly, grabbing her favorite book about wolf cubs and settling on the floor with her crayons.
I moved to the kitchenette, grateful for something to do with my hands. The familiar motions of cooking might calm my racing heart.
Opening the refrigerator, I assessed what I had available—some fresh venison I'd bought at the local market, vegetables, and herbs.
"Do you like venison?" I asked, reaching for the meat.
"Yes."
His one-word response hung in the air.
I started preparing the meal, washing my hands and carefully seasoning the meat. As I reached for a knife, Lucas suddenly appeared beside me, his movement so quiet I hadn't heard him approach.
"Let me help," he said, reaching for the vegetables.
Our fingers brushed accidentally, and a jolt of electricity shot up my arm. I jerked back instinctively, nearly dropping the knife.
Lucas's eyes darkened slightly.
"I've got it," I said quickly, my voice higher than normal. "Really. You're a guest."
He studied me for a moment before nodding and returning to his seat.
I turned back to my task, willing my hands to stop trembling.
The venison sizzled as it hit the hot pan, filling the cabin with a rich aroma.
I placed the plate on the table with steadier hands.
I sat across from him, hyperaware of how small the table was, how our knees almost touched in the confined space.
The food between us seemed like the only barrier in a suddenly too-intimate setting.
"This looks excellent," Lucas said, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate through me.
"Thank you," I managed. "It's nothing special."
I couldn't help but notice how Lucas consumed the meat with obvious appreciation. Of course—Alphas needed more protein than other wolves.
Anna, who had been quietly coloring in the corner, suddenly perked up at the smell of food. She abandoned her crayons and approached the table, her eyes fixed on Lucas's plates.
"Brother-in-law, can I have some too?" she asked, looking hopefully at Lucas. "It smells really good."
I nearly choked on my water. "Anna!" I spluttered, heat flooding my face.
"He's not—that's not—" I shot a panicked look at Lucas, horrified by the misunderstanding.
To my surprise, Lucas didn't look annoyed. Instead, his lips curved into a slight smile.
"Of course you can have some," he said, his deep voice gentler than I'd ever heard it. "Tori made plenty."
"Anna," I asked carefully, trying to keep my voice level, "who taught you to call him that?"
"Mrs. White did," Anna replied innocently. "She says I should practice calling Andrew that. She gives me candy when I do."
I carefully glanced at Lucas.
As expected, his earlier smile had completely vanished, replaced by an expression I couldn't quite read.
Just then, the doorbell rang, the sound cutting through the suddenly tense atmosphere.
I rose quickly, grateful for the interruption.
But when I opened it, Mrs. White stood there holding a basket of moonlight berries, with Andrew hovering awkwardly behind her.
"Tori! I thought I'd bring over some—oh!" Her eyes widened as they landed on Lucas, clearly surprised to find a visitor in my cabin.
"Who's your guest?" Mrs. White asked, her eyes darting between us with poorly concealed curiosity.
"This is..." I hesitated, not wanting to reveal Lucas's true identity to the town gossip, "my distant uncle. He's just visiting for the day."
Lucas shot me a pointed look, one eyebrow slightly raised at my hasty fabrication.
Mrs. White's expression immediately brightened.
"Oh! From Hannah's new family connections! How wonderful!" She extended her hand eagerly. "I'm Elaine White, a neighbor of Tori's. We're practically family around here."
I winced internally. Of course she would assume Lucas was somehow connected to my mother's marriage into money. The assumption couldn't be further from the truth, but it was better than her knowing who he really was.
Lucas rose slowly, his towering frame and commanding presence immediately filling the small cabin.
"Mrs. White," Lucas acknowledged with a slight nod. "And...?"
"Andrew, sir. My grandson," Mrs. White said quickly. "He's the one I've been telling Tori about. Such a good match they would make... in the future, of course."
Lucas's eyes flicked to Andrew, then back to me.
Something dangerous flashed in those blue depths.
"Future," he repeated, the single word carrying a weight.
Well, that's the sound of trouble brewing, Tracy muttered inside me.
The atmosphere in the cabin suddenly felt charged with electricity, and I stood frozen between them all, feeling like a rabbit caught between two predators.
Only I knew which one was truly dangerous.