Chapter 186

Chapter 186
Lucas’s POV:
I swept my arm across the desk in a violent motion, sending documents and pens crashing to the floor. The sound echoed through my office, but it did nothing to ease the humiliation burning through my veins.
Ryder's guards had escorted me out of the castle like some common criminal, their hands firmly gripping my arms as the Prince's cold voice rang in my ears: "Take him back to Starlight Pack. He is not to return. He is not to contact Princess Sophia again."
I—an Alpha—had been physically removed from the royal grounds and forbidden from seeing Sophia.
But beneath the rage burning through me was something far worse—the memory of Sophia falling, the sight of blood pooling beneath her.
My hands shook as I remembered the look of pain and fear in her eyes, the way she'd instinctively clutched her abdomen. And when I had tried to reach for her, tried to help her, she had recoiled from my touch as if I were poison.
"Don't touch me," her voice echoed in my mind, weak but filled with such revulsion. "I will never forgive you for this."
The rejection had cut deeper than any physical wound.
But what haunted me most was watching Michael sweep her into his arms without hesitation, the way she had immediately relaxed against his chest despite her pain.
He had carried her toward the medical wing with such tenderness, whispering reassurances while I stood there like a useless fool, covered in my own mate's blood.
I buried my hands in my hair, gripping the strands so tightly it hurt, as if the physical pain could somehow eclipse the agony tearing through my chest.
Micheal is her fated mate.
The words burned through my mind like acid.
How could the Moon Goddess be so cruel?
First, she had sent me Aria as my fated mate only after I had already fallen in love with Sophia, already built a life with her.
And now, just when I was finally beginning to understand where my heart truly belonged, just when I was ready to fight for Sophia with everything I had, the Moon Goddess had delivered her cruelest blow yet. She had given Sophia her own fatedmate—Michael Wilson.
It felt like some cosmic joke, a deliberate punishment designed to show me exactly what my indecision had cost.
A knock at my door interrupted my spiraling thoughts.
"Come in," I called out, my voice hoarse.
Marcus entered, his expression carefully neutral as he surveyed the mess of papers scattered across my office floor.
"Alpha," he said quietly. "Are you alright?"
I let out a bitter laugh. "Nothing about this is alright, Marcus. This whole thing was orchestrated. The timing, the video, everything—it's all too convenient."
I turned to face Marcus directly. "It was Prince Ryder. It had to be. He never wanted Sophia with me."
"The anonymous email, the timing of the video during the celebration, even the way he had those divorce papers ready—he planned every single detail. He wanted to destroy me in front of the entire werewolf kingdom, and he succeeded."
Marcus remained silent, watching me with that careful expression he wore when he was weighing his words.
"Lucas," he said finally, his voice measured. "When I returned from the celebration, I encountered Ruth. She shared some... enlightening information with me."
I fixed my attention on him. "What kind of information?"
Marcus took a deep breath. "According to Ruth, Prince Ryder and the Lycan King have never supported your relationship with Sophia. They've been opposed to it from the very beginning."
"I knew it," I started to say, but Marcus held up a hand.
"But," he continued, "Ruth also told me that Sophia fought for you repeatedly. Time after time, she defended your relationship, convinced them to give you another chance."
The words hit me like a physical blow, but Marcus wasn't finished.
"Prince Ryder agreed to give you a final test," Marcus said quietly. "And you failed it."
I stared at him in shock, my mind reeling. "A test? What test? What are you talking about?"
"This situation was a test from Prince Ryder," he explained.
"That's not fair!" My voice grew more agitated as the full scope of the deception hit me. "This is completely unfair, Marcus. That's not a test—that's entrapment. They rigged the entire situation against me from the start."
"But Lucas, he didn't restrict your choices. He simply sent an anonymous email regarding Aria. He didn't force you to respond to Aria's emergency."
"Of course I had to respond!" I exploded, my voice echoing off the walls. "Aria is my fated mate, Marcus. She was being assaulted—humiliated by those males. What kind of Alpha would I be if I ignored that?"
"I saved her out of basic fatedmate instinct," I continued, my voice rising. "Any Alpha would have done the same thing. It wasn't about betraying Sophia or choosing Aria over her."
My voice grew more desperate as I continued. "Don't you see? I didn't have a choice. The mate bond, the pack's stability, my responsibility as an Alpha—everything demanded that I act. Ryder knew exactly what he was doing when he sent that video. He knew I would have to respond."
I stopped and faced Marcus directly. "He didn't give me a real choice at all. He just made it look like one."
Marcus met my gaze steadily, his expression unwavering. "But Lucas, that was exactly the point of the test. To see where Sophia truly ranked in your priorities when you were forced to choose."
His words were quiet but cut deep. "You just proved their point perfectly. When faced with a crisis, your fated mate came first. Your pack's political stability came first. Your responsibilities as an Alpha came first."
Marcus stepped closer, his voice growing firmer. "Sophia came last. Again. Just like she always has. She is destined to endure a lot of hardships being with you."
"Marcus," I said sharply, my eyes narrowing. "Whose side are you on exactly?"
Marcus let out a long, weary sigh, the sound filled with years of accumulated doubt and conflict.
"I've always been on your side, Lucas," he paused, his expression growing more troubled. "But after witnessing everything that's happened... I'm starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, you're not the right choice for her."