chapter 86
Tori's POV:
The shrill ring of my phone cut through the peaceful silence of my dorm room.
I'd been enjoying the rare moment of tranquility after finishing the lunar phase mathematics finals yesterday.
My body still ached from the mental strain of calculating complex lunar patterns for six hours straight, but there was satisfaction in knowing I'd done well.
I glanced at the caller ID and my heart skipped a beat.Alpha Lucas.
"Hello?" I answered, keeping my voice neutral despite the sudden acceleration of my pulse.
"Congratulations on completing the finals," his deep voice rumbled through the speaker. "I heard you were exceptional."
I bit my lip, wondering how he already knew about my performance when results wouldn't be announced for another week.
"Thank you," I replied cautiously.
"Do you might want to move in with me at my private residence," he continued, his tone casual as if he were discussing the weather rather than asking me to live with him."I can take better care of you at my place."
My wolf, Tracy, perked up at the suggestion, her silver eyes gleaming with interest.
Say yes, she urged, practically wagging her tail in my mind. His territory will be safe.
I mentally shushed her.
"I appreciate the offer, but I promised Morgan I'd spend time with her during the break," I lied smoothly.
Well, not entirely a lie—I had mentioned to Morgan that we should hang out, but nothing concrete had been planned.
Coward, Tracy accused, but I ignored her.
There was a pause on the other end. "I see," he finally said, his tone unreadable. "Another time, perhaps."
After ending the call, I flopped back on my bed, staring at the ceiling.
Why was I avoiding him? The answer was simple yet terrifying: because every time I was near Lucas Grayson, I felt myself wanting to trust him, to lean on him. And after what happened with Hannah's trap, I'd promised myself not to trust anyone too easily, especially not powerful men who could destroy me with a single word.
What made it worse was how little I actually knew about Lucas.
Just when I thought I was beginning to understand him, something new would appear—like Vivienne Blackwood suddenly materializing at that party, apparently his former flame that everyone seemed to know about except me.
The realization that I was starting to care about Lucas more each day terrified me.
My phone buzzed again—a text from Morgan this time.
Jason got a great contract! He wants to celebrate at Gold Moon restaurant tonight. You HAVE to come with me!
I smiled despite myself. Morgan's enthusiasm was infectious, even through text.
This was perfect—a normal dinner with friends, exactly what I needed to clear my head.
Sounds great. What time? I replied.
Three hours later, I found myself walking into Howling Plaza.
Morgan chatted animatedly beside me as we made our way to Gold Moon.
The Bakers had always been kind to me, treating me with a warmth my own mother never showed.
The host led us through the restaurant toward a private room Morgan seemed unsurprised, but I felt a twinge of unease. Private dining rooms weren't cheap.
"Morgan, are you sure—" I began, but my words died in my throat as the door swung open.
Sitting around the elegant circular table were four men: Matthew Howard, his familiar grin widening at our entrance; Dylan Freeman, whom I recognized from previous encounters; a silver-haired male I didn't know; and at the head of the table, Lucas Grayson himself, his intense silver-blue eyes locking with mine the moment I stepped inside.
My body froze as if I'd walked into an invisible wall. Morgan stopped abruptly beside me, her expression mirroring my shock.
"What the..." she muttered under her breath, then plastered on a smile. "Jason just said he wanted a lively celebration. I had no idea he meant..." she gestured subtly toward the table of powerful men.
"Morgan..." I began, my voice tight.
"Let's just sit down," she whispered, gently guiding me forward. "Jason's going to get an earful from me later, I promise."
With leaden legs, I moved to the table. The silver-haired male—introduced as Caelum Sterling—studied me with curious eyes as I sat down.
"You look familiar," he mused, tilting his head. "Have we met before?"
"I don't think so," I replied cautiously, avoiding his searching gaze.
He continued staring at me, his eyes narrowing until they suddenly widened with recognition.
"Wait—you're that Omega who pulled the fire alarm at Enchanted a month ago," he said, his voice rising slightly. "You caused quite the commotion rescuing your friend. Half the club evacuated before we realized there wasn't actually a fire. Cost me a fortune in refunds and comped drinks that night."
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I hadn't expected that incident to follow me here, and I certainly hadn't known this man owned the club.
"I'm sorry about that," I began, "I didn't mean to—"
Matthew waved his hand dismissively. "Ancient history. Don't worry about it, Tori. Caelum isn't the owner anymore anyway. The club changed hands last month."
Matthew cleared his throat. "Lucas bought the place for what, 500,000 moonstones? "
I stared at Matthew in shock, then at Lucas, who was watching me intently.
"You... bought the entire club?" I managed to ask.
Lucas shrugged slightly. "It showed potential as an investment opportunity."
My mind raced with suspicion. What an incredible coincidence.
I'd always wondered why nobody had come after me for that fire alarm incident. Now it made perfect sense—Lucas had somehow found out and quietly taken care of the whole situation.
He'd bought his friend's club and erased my problem without ever mentioning it to me. How many other messes had he cleaned up without my knowledge? The realization sent an unexpected warmth through my chest.
Throughout dinner, I barely touched my food, my appetite gone. The conversation flowed around me, but I remained lost in my thoughts, trying to process this revelation.
Suddenly, a plate appeared in front of me, replacing my barely-touched one.
Lucas had moved beside me, serving me a small portion of moonlight honey-glazed silver salmon.
"You need to eat," he said quietly. "This is milder and easier to digest. "
Dylan's voice cut through the moment. "Well, well, Lucas," he teased, "quietly buying the club and personally serving food. You've certainly got the little beauty wrapped in your protection, haven't you? "